More Information on the Penny Knife.

I should have picked up on this information a long time ago when Willy contacted me saying that the penny knife looked just like a Trattenbach pocket knife. Somehow I missed Willy's post! Then recently I was contacted by Robert asking for more information on the Penny knife, I told Robert that I had no more information to give him. Then I get an email from Robert with this, to me anyway, astounding revelation that these penny knives were being made over 500 years ago in Austria, & they are still being made today! So my apologies to Willy for missing his post, & my thanks to Robert for the information he sent me that started a new line of research.

Here below then is what I have found so far:

Penny Knife Information.

Almost everyone knows the pocket faucet - a folding pocket knife with a turned wooden handle that fits in any trouser pocket and is used in a variety of ways, from jausen to mushroom picking. In 1422, the knife production in Trattenbach was first mentioned in documents, since 1682 it is considered an independent guild. One of the secrets to success was the hard, high-quality sharp steel used for the blades. The knives were exported to large parts of Europe and as far as Africa. Today two more factories produce the Trattenbacher pocket felts by hand. The knowledge about the history, production and use of the pocket fagot is still upheld today in Trattenbach:

https://www.tourismuspresse.at/presseaussendung/TPT_20151001_TPT0005/trattenbacher-taschenfeitel-erzeugung-ist-immaterielles-kulturerbe

The Trattenbach pocket knife, a foldable knife that consists of a blade and a lathed wooden handle, has been hand-produced in Trattenbach for nearly 600 years.

Since 1682, Trattenbach’s cutlers have been recognized as an independent guild. 

 The first written mention of knife-making there is from 1422. 

http://unesco.scharf.net/cgi-bin/unesco/element.pl?eid=102&lang=en

https://www.dictum.com/media/blaetterkatalog/index.php?catalog=knife-catalogue&lang=en_EN&shop=en#page_158

Flintlock Pistol & Clasp Knife Combination.

http://www.knifeology.com/flintlockpistolk.html;

More on Clasp Knives.

More on Clasp Knives.

The clasp knife dates back to the Romans era, but the knives we are concerned with here are 17^th and 18^th century. As with any description of an antique item of which there were many makers, there may be some grey areas regarding shapes matched to periods. The pistol grip clasp knife fits into the early to mid 18^th century, but of course their use would have gone beyond this date. The curved design seems to date to the late 18^th century. But in the 19^th century the shape of the clasp knife handle became straight, with no curve.

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/ken-gahagan-early-1600s-folding-knife.html

17^th century pistol grip knives.

17^th century pistol grip Gully knife. Considered to be a fighting knife. I am unable to tell if this has a back spring or not.

My own knife of similar size does have a back spring, but the blade is so long that the spring is pretty much ineffectual.

18^th century French pruning knife.

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-18th-century-french-pruning-clasp-pocket;

A similar knife of mine with bone slab handle.

Found at a site of the Conoy Indians in Lancaster County which dates from 1718 to 1743.

A similar knife of mine that has a back spring. This type though is generally accepted as being a 1770s design

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/114987-revolutionary-era-folding-knife-owners-makers-mark.html;

This one is dated to the 1770s.

http://www.warhawkvintagesales.com/military-watchesmilitaria.html;

A Spanish lock knife.

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/40013624?rpp=20&pg=2&rndkey=20130224&ft=*&what=Steel%7cCopper+alloy&pos=36;

18th century Spanish or Catalonian or Balearic lock clasp knife. The lock is released by pulling on the ring at the back of the knife.

http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/40013623?rpp=20&pg=1&rndkey=20130224&ft=*&deptids=4&what=Knives%7cBrass&pos=8;

1735-1745 French Jambette.

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scripts/large.php?Lang=1&accessnumber=M1201&imageID=193263;

Jambette blades.

This diagram of Lentega knives are very similar to the Jambette knives. These are friction knives the same as the Jambette, no back spring, and no lock. The back of the blade had a tab to restrict travel of the blade, and pressure on this tab area with thumb or hand secures the blade in the open position.

This early to mid 18^th century suspension ring blade is believed to be Spanish. These operate the same as the Jambette.

This is the copy I made for this type of knife.

This is an image of what has come to be known as a “penny knife”. Its origins appear to be lost in time. Some say it is an 18^th century  pattern, others say the name is a modern one and simply means a cheap clasp knife with no back spring and no lock or back tab or ring. Below though is an interesting tale:

The custom takes place every year on the eve of Ascension Day and dates back to 1159 when three noblemen were hunting a wild boar. The boar is reputed to have sought refuge with a hermit on Eskdaleside but the three hunters attacked the hermit and killed him. As penance for their crime the noblemen were told they must build a hedge, cut with a penny knife, at low tide. 

http://www.mhfcottages.co.uk/penny-hedge

French cutlers images published in 1771.

Further Information:

http://www.nmlra.org/pdfs/web_Article2012Oct-ScottFoldingKnives.pdf

http://books.google.com.au/books?

id=y5JW0YqRRhAC&pg=PA288&lpg=PA288&dq=~18th+century+penny+knives&source=bl&ots=EVtaiDg7Vv&sig=rM_a7X6lrzLT4_q_NaUiBS4IlPM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=X60qUbiGENCciAeTtYHgAg&ved=0CFAQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=~18th%20century%20penny%20knives&f=false

http://www.wyandot.org/petun/RB%2031%20to%2036/PRI35.pdf

http://www.ontarioarchaeology.on.ca/publications/AN/anns8-2.pdf

18th century Clasp Knife Handmade. Video.

18th Century Clasp Knife from Scratch.

You will remember my first attempt at making a friction clasp knife, it turned out okay, but not the best. It was a good learning experience for me, and I said at the time I would make another one. Well I made it yesterday.
Unfortunately I had to work in good light for the video camera, this meant that when I had to heat the tab on the blade to bend it, I could not see the colour of the steel and it was not hot enough and broke off!!!
This I corrected by fitting in a pin in place of the tab, but it is not an 18th century method as far as I know. So today, I removed the pin and fitted a ring, which is an 18th century method. I think it turned out well, and I am pleased to have it and use it. It is much lighter than my present period clasp knife.

The blade I made by cutting it out of a saw blade with a cold chisel and then final filing. The handle is deer antler. I found a diagram of original 18th century blade shapes on the net, printed them out, and transfered the design I wanted onto an ice cream container lid using my awl. Then I cut the shape out.
I placed the cut-out on the saw blade and scribed the shape onto the steel with a stylus. The part I cut out I used to mark where the blade hinge pin goes, and this I transfered to the steel blade using a center punch. Only hand tools were used in the making of this knife. See what you think of it.

The design of blade I used is marked with a tick.

The pattern I made with the stylus and just to the left the circular saw blade I cut the knife blade from.

My anvil is a piece of railway iron.

The finished knife with the stop pin.

The same knife with the steel ring I made and fitted this morning in place of the pin.

Made My First Clasp Knife.

I have wanted to have a go at making a clasp knife for a long time now. Finally today I decided to have a go.  The metal from an old blade I used could have been a little larger, it made it difficult getting a decent shape out of it. Anyway, not too bad for a first attempt, I think I will do better next time.

 This is what I started off with, not the best!

 This is the clasp knife I made out of the blade.

I only used common hand tools, no fancy stuff. The blade had been hand forged by the look of the tang. I was able to work it with a good metal file.

18th Century Jack Knives. For Stephen's Younger Brother.

My Custom Gully Knife.

I got a great email from a Lady in America today, telling me that her 14 year old son Stephen was a big fan of this blog. It is always a pleasure to get positive feedback from followers, but for me it is especially good to hear that some young chap is taking an interest. Stephen is into primitive fire lighting, & his Mother has just bought him my Primitive Fire Lighting book.

Stephen's younger brother is looking forward to getting his first Jack/clasp knife, so I thought I would post some of the 18th century style Jack knives that I have. Two types below came from Dixie Gun Works many years ago. They are good solid knives, and far less expensive than modern style knives.

 My first Jack Knife was one of those multi blade Scout knives. I was really pleased with it at the time, but as I got older I came to appreciate the more simpler and slender lines of a single bladed folder.

I think that a knife is one of the most important tools you will ever own, and well worth taking the time to make sure you choose the right one. Like me I have no doubt that many of you have had several knives in your time, that is the way it goes when you lack the experience. Further down the track I now know what I need and want, though it does not stop me from lusting after other knives that I see.

These lower Barlow style knives I purchased from Dixie Gun Works. Someone commented a while ago that my Jack knife was so shiny, and I obviously did not use it much. Well as you can see I have two. The lower less shiny one is the one I use and carry with me on treks.