Victorinox FTD FLORIST KNIFE with Bail: Era?

SgtTowser · **on:** August 27, 2020, 06:21:07 AM

Don’t find pics of floral knives with bails.

Red scales (name ground into them)

100mm

Blade stamp = stainless rostfrei

Blade has faint FTD logo

Built like brick outhouse.

What era did this come from?

LeaF · **Reply #1 on:** August 27, 2020, 08:25:45 AM

Bail looks like not-original, IMO.
As far as I know, this line-up of knives was produced only without bail.

SgtTowser · **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2020, 02:05:37 PM

Thanks. Odd that someone would go to the trouble of installing a bail on a florists knife, but the lack of photos or mention of such an option supports you.

kamakiri · **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2020, 05:28:26 PM

My guess is that DON did it.

As a user of some of the Horticultural knives, I see how a shackle could be useful. Back in college, I did some business with florist shops, and I know it’s a huge time wasting pain for them to put down and momentarily misplace their knife...this was likely Don’s solution.

kamakiri · **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2020, 05:37:16 PM

Quote from: SgtTowser on August 27, 2020, 06:21:07 AM

Don’t find pics of floral knives with bails.

Red scales (name ground into them)

100mm

Blade stamp = stainless rostfrei

Blade has faint FTD logo

Built like brick outhouse.

What era did this come from?

What would help is a pic or description of the liners and maybe if the backsprings. But I’m certainly not an expert on these regarding chronology. That said, from what I can see, I’m pretty sure it can’t be older that the ‘70s from what I can see of the tang stamp, polish, machining, and use of blade etching. And I’d guess that these may even be aluminum liners...the etching makes me think later ‘80s through ‘90s as a broad range.