In Praise of Older Pocket Knives – 4 Vintage Knives to Know and Love

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Leatherman? Got one. Gerber Multitool? Yup. Engineering miracles, they are. But what is the one tool that I go for most often? My pocket knife. And not some fancy-pants Swiss Army knife with a million gizmos. A plain, old-fashioned pocket knife. Believe me, I love my gizmos, but sometimes simple is best! Check out this roundup of 4 vintage pocket knife classics every knife fan should know.

Doing a little research on the history of the pocket knife, it would appear that the pocket knife actually probably predated the pocket, and they possibly even predate pants, ironically enough! Folding knives have been discovered by archeologists that date back to the iron age, made with antler bone handles.

A Roman pocketknife, and a modern reproduction. Photo:wikipedia
A Roman pocketknife, and a modern reproduction. Photo – Wikipedia

Pocket knives were some of the first mass-produced items, and popular folders known as peasant knives or penny knives came out of the legendary cutlery cities of Sheffield England and Damascus in Syria as far back as the 1500s. It was the onset of the industrial revolution, though, that really made pocket knives handy for nearly everyone.

Barlow

For many American boys and girls who grew up in the glorious days before safety was invented, being allowed a pocket knife was the first step to adulthood. When I was a young man and coming-of-age, many of us still received the Barlow knife sometime after the age of five. The Barlow dates back to the 1600’s and was made originally in Sheffield by Obidiah Barlow, but was later made in the USA. The simple, sturdy cheap Barlow was carried by George Washington and made legendary by Mark Twain, who wrote about the Barlow in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: “Mary gave him a bran-new “Barlow” knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that swept his system shook him to his foundations. True, the knife would not cut anything, but it was a “sure-enough” Barlow, and there was inconceivable grandeur in that …”

Two old Barlows.
Two old Barlows.

Later in my boyhood, the Swiss Army knife became popular, and despite the fact that the stainless steel blade never took an edge terribly well, the corkscrew did come in handy later in college. AND the tweezers and toothpick were just nerd-tastic by any standards.

Buck

By the 80’s, I was working construction, and the Buck knife was the knife du jour. With it’s sweeping point, locking blade and nifty leather sheath, it was a workhorse. After that, the big game changer was the Leatherman, which opened the floodgates for the myriad of imitators that were to follow. As I said before, I do love having those pliers at hand when I need them, but honestly, the rest of the bells and whistles generally leave me underwhelmed. I do carry one in my laptop bag for emergencies, though, and when you need them, multitools are great.

Camillus

Nowadays though, I have gone old school when it comes to my regular pocket knife. I don’t really go for the tactical folder with the thumb stud or the pocket clip. I generally carry one of two old-timey blades. The first is a 1940s Camillus electricians knife. It’s probably a WWII veteran, and features one carbon steel knife blade and one screwdriver/wire-stripper blade. It has a dark brown bakelite handle, a brass locking mechanism for the screwdriver blade and a shackle, to which I added a lanyard made from a braided bootlace. Stylish, right? The other is an Opinel, which is a classic French knife that truly fits the description “peasant knife.”

Calamus electricians knife, WWII era.
Camillus electricians knife, WWII era.

Opinel

If you have never seen an Opinel, it is really a beautiful design. With its simple, single carbon blade, beechwood handle and a locking collar ring, “opinel” has become the generic french term for a folding knife. Selling in the USA for under ten bucks for smaller models to under $20 for larger models, you can’t go wrong with an Opinel. Although they now make stainless blades, I prefer the traditional carbon blade, which sharpens to a razor edge in seconds. You can buy a fancier knife, or a more expensive knife, but I don’t know a real knife nerd who doesn’t love their Opinel. Virtually unchanged since the factory opened in 1890, this is one of those designs that simply needs no improvement. I have abused Opinels to no end… broken off the tip, and simply reground it. Nicked the blade stripping wires, and sharpened it as good as new. I even left it in the sink after peeling an apple and forgot about it overnight and after some steel wool and oil, both the blade and beechwood handle looked even better than before!

The timeless Opinel comes in many shapes and sizes.
The timeless and very affordable Opinel comes in many shapes and sizes.

The Barlow, the Buck, the Camillus Electrician’s knife and the Opinel are just a few of the great classic pocket knives out there. I love to pick them up at flea markets or thrift stores, and they are usually cheap. You can even pick up a new Opinel on Amazon for an amazing price of around $13 via the link below. But be careful… pocket knife collecting can get addictive!

More Info - via Buck Knives


More Info - via Camillus Knives


More Info - via Opinel


Buy Now - via Amazon

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About Rich

Rich Dana loves to build things, to tinker on things, and to grow things. After more than a decade as a historic building remodeler in Brooklyn, New York, he and his wife Ericka moved to their back-to-the-land dream home (and fixer-uper nightmare), an 1870s farmhouse on 15 acres in eastern Iowa that they call “Catnip Farm.” For the last 18 years, Rich has specialized in super-efficient historical renovations and solar PV installation. He is working to convert much of the farm into perennial food crops like nut trees and berries, and he helps Ericka out with her heirloom seed project. His latest passion is learning to sew.

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6 thoughts on “In Praise of Older Pocket Knives – 4 Vintage Knives to Know and Love”

  1. I’ve been carrying a TL 29 (electricians knife) every day for over 20 years. I have a couple of them. My older one I bought at an Amish used tool sale in Pennsylvania. It’s pretty old but don’t thinks it’s a WWII vet like yours. This knife to my mind is the perfect size to ride in your pocket all day un-noticed but large enough to do real work. I use the locking screw driver blade as much as the spear point blade.

    Reply
  2. The Opinel has a few advantages over the others. The first is that the blade locks both open and shut, and the lock is very strong and simple to boot. The second is that it doesn’t have a spring, so it doesn’t snap shut, which can be safer. The second is that they are available with unshaped handles that you can customize as you like. The third is that they come in about 9 different sizes, in both carbon steel and stainless, and also a few different blade profiles and handle shapes. I like the “Garden” model, which has a drop point profile and curved handle, which fits my hand better.

    Reply
  3. Western 3 blade pocket knife, had it 50 plus years. Boker Tree brand 3 blade also a favorite. Got one of those tactical knives as a gift, sits in a drawer, to big, to heavy, to limited and probably illegal in some way.

    Reply
    • Ha! You’re right. I’ll get out a tactical folder when the zombie apocalypse comes, but until then I’ll carry a working knife.

      Reply

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