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Post by lenapej on Nov 13, 2022 7:52:15 GMT -7
A subscriber to my channel sent me this knife as a gift, its brand new,...I'm not very learned on these knives, so I would like your opinions on the hc's of this knife, first how pc is the knife? what time period? what kind of person would be carrying it? Am I correct in thinking this would be Rev war period? Thanks.  |
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Post by paranger on Nov 13, 2022 8:40:47 GMT -7
The design is accurate for a mid to late 18th c. English folder, but the bolsters would have been steel instead of brass. See numerous examples here: www.scribd.com/doc/274582394I believe the adoption of brass for bolsters may have come later, but I can't tell you exactly when. |
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Post by lenapej on Nov 13, 2022 12:17:22 GMT -7
Thank you Paranger, much appreciated.
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Post by brokennock on Nov 13, 2022 12:58:03 GMT -7
I have the same knife. I think the other thing that is slightly "off" is it has a "nail nick," at least mine does anyway. My understanding is that this is a much later feature of folding knives. Mine also does not take an edge well. But then, I'm hyper-critical about my cutting tool edges.
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Post by spence on Nov 13, 2022 14:27:39 GMT -7
I have a very similar knife, bolsters also brass. Mine came from Townsend, is 3 decades old and has seen a lot of service. It takes and holds an edge well, and I find it very handy for anything from cutting tow for a load to butchering a deer. Your friend did you well.
Spence
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Post by lenapej on Nov 17, 2022 9:04:06 GMT -7
Brockennock, mine has a "nail nick" as well, I was wondering if that was period or not, thanks.
Spence, I am very happy with the gift and find these folders very handy as well, thanks for sharing your experience.
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Post by Black Hand on Nov 19, 2022 13:08:41 GMT -7
I have one of these knives and it also has a nail nick. Doesn't get much use except as part of my display. I find it chunky/clunky...
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Post by spence on Nov 19, 2022 14:12:42 GMT -7
Could this knife be the type of folder mentioned in this journal?
Journal of Arthur Harris of Bridgewater coy of militia, requirements for Mass. militia in 1775:
“Each soldier to provide himself with/ ... A Hundred Buck Shot/ A Jack Knife & Tow for Wadding/ Six flints, one Pound of Powder/..."
Spence
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Post by spence on Nov 19, 2022 18:55:50 GMT -7
Brockennock, mine has a "nail nick" as well, I was wondering if that was period or not, thanks. Browsing some posts by knife collectors, I found this statement, for what it's worth: "The earliest 18th and 19th century pocket knives I have seen from Sheffield all have a primitive version of the pull, the true nail nick." Spence |
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Post by lenapej on Nov 26, 2022 7:38:26 GMT -7
Spence
Thanks for the info, the quote may very well refer to this kind of folder or something similar, in the link that Paranger gave there are quite a few photos of originals but I forgot to look for the "nick". Over the past couple of days my brothers & I have been out on some short scouts and I used the knife, and found the only thing I have to pick at, is it is a touch big for my small hands, and barely fits in my small breeches pocket, but I definitely will keep it in my kit and use it.
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Post by spence on Nov 26, 2022 9:00:25 GMT -7
I guess I use mine more for cutting tow than anything else. I have a double pouch, and keep the tow and knife in the back pocket. The knife is 6 inches long when folded, fits nicely into the pouch.  Spence |
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Post by colmoultrie on Dec 5, 2022 21:04:31 GMT -7
I have a very similar knife, bolsters also brass. Mine came from Townsend, is 3 decades old and has seen a lot of service. It takes and holds an edge well, and I find it very handy for anything from cutting tow for a load to butchering a deer. Your friend did you well. Spence A few years ago, I asked Smiling Fox Forge if he could get any with iron or steel scales. A few months later, he did, and I got one. Don’t know if he still has any, but it‘s a good knife, even if it does still have the blade nick. Reaves Goehring also used to have some knives with steel bolsters at Dixon’s, so they’re out there, just more unusual. |
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Post by colmoultrie on Dec 14, 2022 21:14:13 GMT -7
I have a very similar knife, bolsters also brass. Mine came from Townsend, is 3 decades old and has seen a lot of service. It takes and holds an edge well, and I find it very handy for anything from cutting tow for a load to butchering a deer. Your friend did you well. Spence A few years ago, I asked Smiling Fox Forge if he could get any with iron or steel scales. A few months later, he did, and I got one. Don’t know if he still has any, but it‘s a good knife, even if it does still have the blade nick. Reaves Goehring also used to have some knives with steel bolsters at Dixon’s, so they’re out there, just more unusual. Just checked his website: steel scaled knives are still listed, same price as brass…https://smilingfoxforge.com/shop/index.php?id_product=582&rewrite=bone-handle-pocket-knife-with-steel-bolsters&controller=product |
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