Looking for a period/ authentic pocket knife

[Richard Schimenti]

I am trying to locate a proper type of pocket knife to add to my haversack. I have seen the share of the Pakistan kinives that are at Sutler's row and that is not what i am looking for.

any help in locating where I can find a good useful knife and one that is proper for the time period would be greatly appreciated.

[MStuart]

Richard:

I was just looking at Carter & Jasper's web-site and they have them. Joe Hoffman at Jersey Skillet Licker usually has some in stock, too. Both can be counted on to have good stuff (amongst others)

Mark

[jurgitemvaletem]

Try orchard hills stuff. I have never seen them my self, but the pictures look pretty good.

thanks,
Jurgitem Valetem

[jurgitemvaletem]

Richard:

I was just looking at Carter & Jasper's web-site and they have them. Joe Hoffman at Jersey Skillet Licker usually has some in stock, too. Both can be counted on to have good stuff (amongst others)

Mark

Mark

These guys all sell the same ones made by the military warehouse.
Not much above the India crap out there.

thanks,
Jurgitem Valetem

[MStuart]

Mark

These guys all sell the same ones made by the military warehouse.
Not much above the India crap out there.

thanks,
Jurgitem Valetem

Who has the good one's, then?

Mark

[Richard Schimenti]

That is my question as well and why i posted it.

[jurgitemvaletem]

The best thing to do would be to make one yourself, or find someone to make you one. Like I said, the guy at Orchard hill has listed on his site ones he made himself and has for sale.

here is the link.

http://www.orchardhillsutlery.com/

Thanks,
Jurgitem Valetem

[MStuart]

That is my question as well and why i posted it.

Richard:

Sent you a PM

Mark

[bill watson]

http://www.unitedcutlery.com/shop/site/vendors.cfm?id=F000706A-59B7-46F4-AA450E93B6EA3F7F

The "Brown Mule" knives are quite similar to many in the period and they WILL take a sharp edge, unlike many that are exact reproductions of period knives but are made with something that just never seems to sharpen up or hold an edge if a piece of lint touches it.

All you have to do is abrade the modern etching off the blade and you're in business. A wheel or emory cloth and elbow grease. If there's a polymer finish or whatever on the wood, it's an extra 10 minutes to sand that off and hit it with linseed oil.

Several people make and stock these, the web site is just to get you started.

An opinion: The small one is all the knife you need on a weekend. The bigger ones are too big in your pocket.

[VaTrooper]

The ones that Dan makes are great knives but like with any other quality item you buy the price is steep. On the Orchard Hill home page the Mohawk Valley llink takes you to them but as you can see they are all over $125 or $135. The last bully buy on the AC was $10 off I think.

[Frenchie]

http://www.barlowgenealogy.com/Edson/barlowknife.html

You want a Barlow knife like the one pictured in the upper right of the page above; single blade, long bolster (iron if possible), smooth wood or bone scales. Nothing fancy, no jigging on the scales or etching on the blade, just a plain, serviceable pocket knife.

Here's a couple more pics:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/Darkfold_2006/Barlow1.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/Darkfold_2006/Barlow2.jpg

[CivilWarBuff1863]

Here's a site I just found:

http://www.crazycrow.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=840-000-000

Tomahawks, Knives & Knife Making Supply, Swords, Flint, Weapons, Civil War Swords, Scottish Dirks, Kits, Flint Arrowheads, War Clubs

Here's a link on the same site, this is just folding knives:
http://www.crazycrow.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=841-450-000
Soldiers Folding Knife priced at $15.95
http://www.crazycrow.com/Merchant2/graphics/gallery/4926-007-005_250x250.jpg
Barlow Knives priced at $12.95
http://www.crazycrow.com/Merchant2/graphics/gallery/4926-028.jpg

[harley_davis]

Richard,
I have had good success getting decent pocket knives at local antique shops. Often times you will find them hiding in the dark deep corners for 3-5 bucks. Also, (and I know everyone will cringe at this) eBay occassionally will contain some jewels. You will probably pay the price for any thing ya find there however. As with anything else, ya hafta know what yer looking at in terms of handle material and single blade. But it is the search for that good condition, usable "real thing" that is rewarded with not only a great original knife, but for really cheap!! Course, if you are in a serious field situation, that real period original jewel that you use for your static displays might stay at home. For those conditions, I have found old knives with all but one blade busted off. Ya take and grind off the stumps of blades gone past and ya have a usable pocket knife for 2-3 bucks. They may not pass the pocket inspection at a serious event, however ya dont lose sleep over leaving it at one of the last two campsites (#1-expensive original) or missing from your pocket after yer last great dying scene (#2-equally expensive reproduction) on a field now throughly trampled by a passing battalion of cavalry. Good hunting.
Your humble servant,

[Rob Weaver]

That top knife is a style that was popular and prevalent in the last quarter of the 18th century, and would have been somewhat out of date by the 1860s. However, if it's a better reproduction, I'd go with it. I have one and I carried it during my early days doing Civil War. (I did Rev War for years before and used some of my early cooking gear.) Those big knives were actually designed as fighting knives and were carried in the belt rather than in the pocket. (They're pretty long and bulky and may provoke a "Is that your knife or are you just glad to see me" response.) Think of them as a knife and sheath in one neat package

[HighPrvt]

Ebay usually has some decent knives, not in the Civil War section though.

[Hoosier Yank]

Try Dixie Gun Works, they might still carry those single blade "jack knife". Unlike many of the knives out on skinners row and the ones mentioned here in this thread. The blade is made of good German carbon steel and WILL HOLD A EDGE unlike those cheap _ _ _ Pakistanian knock off’s of Barlows.

For the more adventurous try Koval Knives http://www.kovalknives.com/

They offer pocket knife kits that have a remarkable resemblance to those being made and offered by a sutler as we speak. Best thing is these kits only cost about $15.00. These kits include everything but the handles. I choose to use deer antler for mine since I had a couple of racks lying around the garage from some previous successful deer hunts.

Paki and China steel is pretty much worthless when it comes down to holding an edge. Just like that knife that come with the fork, spoon, knife combo thing. That knife has only one purpose in my kit, which is opening up tinned goods at events.

As everything else in life, you pay for what you get.

[bob 125th nysvi]

kicking around in antique stores in upstate NY but how do you tell if it is a 1860s model (not an authentic relic but maybe a design that didn't change) as opposed to a later model?

Thanks

Bob Sanduksy
Co C 12th NYSVI
Esperance, NY