The humble penknife

[AimlessWanderer]

Barlows are one of my favourite pattern knives, although I'm also a big fan of single blade traditional slippies, be they lambsfoot, sheepsfoot, clip, or spear. I did dabble with stockman and whittler patterns for a while, but found having more than two blades to be more than I need.

However I only discovered these knives in adulthood. Farmers might have used that kind of thing, or avid gardeners, but I was a city lad. The working knives as they were known didn't have much presence in the urban setting. The knives that I always saw people using as a kid, was the humble two-bladed penknife. Usually a sleeveboard pattern. They were the knives your grandfather carried, or the teacher sharpened your pencil with if some numpty broke the wall mounted sharpener. They were the knives the old timers had in their desk drawer at work, or in the bureau at home. They were the knives the newsagent would use to cut the string tied round the bundle of papers, or the bric-a-brac shop would use to cut some paper of the roll, so you could take glassware or pottery home. 

Despite that, these knives seem to get far less "air time" online than other patterns. Did they fall out of favour, or was it just around Sheffield or in the UK where these were the ubiquitous pocket knife?

I had such as knife as my first penknife. I inherited it from my Grandfather, but sadly that knife is long since lost. I've just added three more to my array today, taking up to five. Quite a meagre array for what was the predominant knife pattern when I was growing up.

Any other fans of these knives, or anyone else who also grew up seeing more of these knives being used than other patterns?

[Rapidray]

Very nice collection! 

[chip]

My auntie(now 85)had my grandads knife, my grandad was a printer all his working life and fought in both world wars and was at the Somme. I never knew my Granadad as he died before I was born but when I was a small child when ever I visited my auntie I was allowed to see his knife and medals.

His knife was a small folding pocket knife with a small pen blade one end and larger blade the other.
It had the patina of a knife that was many decades old and the blades showed a lifetimes wear and sharpening.

I loved that little knife but have not seen in many years. As i think it was stolen along with his medals which were stored in an old biscuit tin by builders who were working on her house 20 years ago.

[AimlessWanderer]

My auntie(now 85)had my grandads knife, my grandad was a printer all his working life and fought in both world wars and was at the Somme. I never knew my Granadad as he died before I was born but when I was a small child when ever I visited my auntie I was allowed to see his knife and medals.

His knife was a small folding pocket knife with a small pen blade one end and larger blade the other.
It had the patina of a knife that was many decades old and the blades showed a lifetimes wear and sharpening.

I loved that little knife but have not seen in many years. As i think it was stolen along with his medals which were stored in an old biscuit tin by builders who were working on her house 20 years ago.

Bar stewards!  Sorry to hear that, chip.

[chip]

Bar stewards!  Sorry to hear that, chip.

Thanks

Will you carry any of your new knives?

[AimlessWanderer]

Hmmm... must just be a local thing. These don't seem to be all that popular further afield 

I finished refining the edges on the new arrivals earlier today, and they all now slice paper how I like. All that's left to do, is start giving them more pocket time 

[SteveC]

I think this is the only knife I have that would considered a Pen knife

Utica

[chip]

Great looking knife Steve, is the term “penknife” widely used or recognised in the states. It is here and a term I would have used widely growing up and still refer to my saks as penknives when talking to people, as it is reassuring. If I told someone in the UK i carried a knife they may be alarmed. Where as if I told someone I carry a penknife they would not be.

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice knife, Steve. Yes, I'd class that as a penknife. Out of curiosity, what would you have referred to it as before?

Chip, I think calling a pocket knife a penknife, or using the term penknife as a more generic term, is more of a British thing. That much I already knew. I just didn't know how popular that pattern of knife was elsewhere, or if they slapped a different label on them.

[SteveC]

I call it a penknife      I'm from Scotland originally so I grew up calling pocket knifes pen knives as well .


I think it could be called a senator pattern  or a single spring equal end  jack .

[SteveC]

Here's an old Schrade Catalog that's a good reference on patterns


http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Catalogs/images/1926_Schrade_Catalogs.pdf

[Rapidray]

Because I was into writing instruments, ie fountain pens, dip pens etc, the term pen knife to me was a smaller, thinner blade for cutting and making a quill pen for dipping. But seeing how 99.999% of the population no longer uses them, it doesn’t get used for that but is useful for other cutting tasks like whittling.

[AimlessWanderer]

I call it a penknife      I'm from Scotland originally so I grew up calling pocket knifes pen knives as well .


I think it could be called a senator pattern  or a single spring equal end  jack .

  

Here's an old Schrade Catalog that's a good reference on patterns


http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/Catalogs/images/1926_Schrade_Catalogs.pdf

Thanks for that, Steve.    Seems they might not have been entirely consistent themselves. Some knives being called equal end, and some senators. 

Because I was into writing instruments, ie fountain pens, dip pens etc, the term pen knife to me was a smaller, thinner blade for cutting and making a quill pen for dipping. But seeing how 99.999% of the population no longer uses them, it doesn’t get used for that but is useful for other cutting tasks like whittling.

The only "whittling" I tend to do is sharpening pencils, and they're certainly great for that 

[pomsbz]

Growing up in England I always equated the term 'pen knife' with 'pocket knife'. I still think of any traditional or SAK as a 'pen knife'. That said I'm a fan of what the Americans define as a pen knife. Specifically opposite end two blade knife, usually with one big and one small blade. It's my preferred pocket knife pattern as it seems to tick all the boxes for my own personal use. I've modded a Spartan to create a 'pen knife' and that is my personal carry. It's unfortunate that finding this style in this size and a good stainless steel today is practically unheard of 

[Ron Who]

I love my Hartkopf penknife

[Rapidray]

 

Thanks for that, Steve.    Seems they might not have been entirely consistent themselves. Some knives being called equal end, and some senators. 

The only "whittling" I tend to do is sharpening pencils, and they're certainly great for that 

That is very true! It’s just I very rarely use a wood pencil any more...I’m very much into mechanical and clutch pencils! Those don’t need to be sharpened 

[Rapidray]

Growing up in England I always equated the term 'pen knife' with 'pocket knife'. I still think of any traditional or SAK as a 'pen knife'. That said I'm a fan of what the Americans define as a pen knife. Specifically opposite end two blade knife, usually with one big and one small blade. It's my preferred pocket knife pattern as it seems to tick all the boxes for my own personal use. I've modded a Spartan to create a 'pen knife' and that is my personal carry. It's unfortunate that finding this style in this size and a good stainless steel today is practically unheard of 

(Image removed from quote.)

Thats a nice slim SAK for sure! Very nice mod

[Rapidray]

I love my Hartkopf penknife

Nice one 

[chip]

I have 2 knives that are one large and one small blade, an victorinox pioneer settler and an alox victorinox pocket pal, both now discontinued. I think the pocket pal with an identical knife but with keyring doodar and call it the excelsior.
They still make the pocket pal in cellidor I think.

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice to see a few more penknives in circulation and use 

[nate j]

These were the sort of pocket knives my grandfather favored; two or sometimes three (more of a stockman than a pen at that point) blades, less that 3" closed.  Accordingly, the first pocket knife I ever owned was a Case pen knife.  Case still makes a few pen knives, though the pattern seems to be falling out of favor.

[cbl51]

I'm an old fart. I grew up in the age of the pen knife, which is what most men referred to the little two blade pocket knife as. In the 1950's the modern one hand wonder knives and the tactical knife trend was a few decades away in the future. Yet, almost all men who had pants on, had a small pocket knife in them. It was almost always a one or two blade slip joint about 3 inches long closed, give to take a fraction of an inch.

I grew up watching my dad, who was a devoted carrier of a particular Case peanut, which is actually a small jackknife. But like most the men of his era, he called it his "pen knife."

There was no easy open packages then, and the box the UPS truck or post man dropped dog was inevitable wrapped in a heavy brown paper and white cotton twine. A small sharp knife was needed to gain access to what was inside. When mom got some pork chops for dinner a the butcher shop, the butcher wrapped it in white butcher paper and then tied it all up with white cotton twine. A knife was needed at home if we wanted dinner.

In the 1960's, life in American changed and the great migration to the cities took place, and work moved from the farm to the new environment of the office cubicle. A small knife was handy for opening mail, reams of paper for the new copy machines, and dealing with a new invention that was dastardly in design; the clear plastic blister package. This abomination was designed to defeat tooth and nail, and only a small thin sharp blade was needed.

The modern knife market is full of knives that are designed for emotional appeal, and most of our grandfathers would look sideway at the thick bladed fantasy based knives of today. It's more than strange that in a suburban environment of office cubicles that they market knives made more for fighting off zombies and Chinese paratroopers while yelling "Wolverines" at the top of your lungs.

I guess I'm old fashioned, but I can't see the usefulness of the modern knife.

[AimlessWanderer]

Nice post, Carl 

I don't think the modern knives are completely without merit. As a disabled person, I do like having the option of a one hand opening knife, while my other hand is trying to keep me upright, so the blade only need be open for the shortest possible time. I'm still not a fan of locks though, even though there's sway toward them actually becoming a safety feature with my disability, rather than just a tedious and pointless hindrance. I'll keep avoiding them as long as I can

Tactifool items are certainly of no use or appeal though. I have never, and will never, choose to own or carry a cutting tool based on its perceived ability to cause harm to someone. Just doesn't enter my thought process at any level.

The only time in the last... 3 years(?)... that I've genuinely needed "more knife" than a little tradition slippy, for anything other than preparing food with a kitchen knife, has been recently knocking down some heavy cardboard boxes for recycling. Not necessarily for the extra blade length either - more for the additional handle length. Damn tough boxes.

I've actually now dumped most of my stuff in cardboard boxes, to be stowed out of the way somewhere. I was sick of facing too many options, every time I opened the drawer. I've left out two modern OHO slippies, two sheath knives, and a few traditionals and Swiss knives. All I've carried since then, is a Deluxe Tinker or one of these penknife style affairs, and I'm not expecting to feel let down by them anytine soon.

[Ron Who]

I'm an old fart.

Nice post, Carl 

I agree on the tactifool stuff.

[Dean51]

I'm an old fart. I grew up in the age of the pen knife, which is what most men referred to the little two blade pocket knife as. In the 1950's the modern one hand wonder knives and the tactical knife trend was a few decades away in the future. Yet, almost all men who had pants on, had a small pocket knife in them. It was almost always a one or two blade slip joint about 3 inches long closed, give to take a fraction of an inch.

I was born in 1951 and I've never heard of the "age of the pen knife".  A pen knife or any thing under 3 1/4' was nothing more than a Sunday go to meetings, pencil pusher, salesman knife.
I grew up urban and rural around tradesman, farmers, hunters and fisherman, nobody carried a pen knife or SAK for that mater. Unless for some reason they had to put on a suit.
Blanket statements like "most men almost always carried a slip joint about 3"" is just a lot of smurf smoke. A look back at an old Camillus catalog from the 60's will tell you Camillus sales were not dominated by pen knives. Ever.

I think what you are remembering as "the age of the penknife" is your reality that you are trying to project onto a whole era of people.  I looked nothing like my memories of those days.

[David]

I was born in 1956 grew up in small rural kansas towns and my grandparents farm. I cant remember ever seeing a pen knife on any of the older men I grew up around or worked with. Maybe the preacher had one? I have nothing against small pen knives but a barlow, stockman and trapper are more to my liking and better suited to my use. I have some peanut sized jack knives which I like but I wouldnt want it to be my only knife.   

[superpaco]

First off, great looking knives gents. Any one of them would be welcome in my small but selective collection. That being said, I've never seen anyone carry that pattern except children once or twice and they broke them in short order if memory serves. My grandfather carried a SAK as far as I can remember and once gave me a Barlow that he said was his father's. I'm only 40 but all the old and older guys I met when I was a kid pretty much carried a SAK (couldn't name the models for love or money) a Barlow or a Buck (110 or 112 I'm assuming). Now I want to say that they all just called them either a knife or pocket knife. Nothing fancy or very descriptive. Pen knife seems familiar in the back of my head, but I believe that is from some of the books I've read and not my actual experience. Interestingly, try as I might, I can't ever remember any of those men carrying a fixed blade knife. I know most of them had them and of course there was always some kid showing one off, but those old guys never had one on their belt in town.

[comis]

I grew up in a big city in Asia, and those very simple pencil knife was popular when I was young many decades ago(see below).   I very vaguely remembered seeing Higonokami once in a blue moon, but I could be wrong.   Later on, those pencil knives were replaced by cutters and pencil sharpeners. 

Fast forward a few decades, I started to take a little interest in Traditional knives few years back, but then the term 'pen knife' really never caught on with me.

[Ron Who]

My other penknife is a Hartkopf too.

[Barry Rowland]

The pen knife seemed to be the knife, along with the Vic Classic, that everyone in my part of the world seemed to graduate to once they tried out all the bigger stuff.  My father in law carries both, and my Dad was a devoted penknife fan.  I have a couple Schrades, but the closest I come to carrying one is my Opinel No 4 and a Classic.  I never saw anyone in want of more in 90 percent of the situations that came up.