All About Pocket Knives

AAPK Knife Giveaways
Enter our knife drawings here.

AAPK Tips and Tricks -- An Illustrated FAQ Forum on Steriods
A place to ask and answer "How do I" questions and post tips & tricks that make your AAPK experience easier and more pleasant. Some little thing that you do all the time and take for granted may be an "aha moment" for a new or maybe even a veteran AAPK user.

General Knife Discussion
Discuss or show off anything that relates to knives.

Knife Related Q&A
Ask knife related questions here. Please answer some if you are an experienced collector!

Counterfeit Watch
Discuss and show off counterfeit knives here. Post pictures and share information if you spot one, or own some. Make sure to ask questions if you are not certain about the authenticity of a knife you are considering buying or selling. There are plenty of great people here willing to help.

Knives for Sale or Trade
Have knives or knife related items for sale or for trade? Premium subscribers are welcomed to post them here. Feel free to plug your AAPK knife store or eBay listings as well. Make sure to check out the items our club members have for sale if you are looking to buy.

Want Ads
Looking for a particular knife or related item? Post it here.

Knife Lore
This forum is dedicated to the discussion and display of old knives. The rich history of all the many companies that made them through the early years will be found here as well as many fine examples of the cutlers art. Share pictures of your old knives and your knowledge here!

New Product Announcements and Reviews
Stop by here to announce or review any new product that has recently hit the market or to announce products that are scheduled for release in the knife market.

Fixed Blade Knives
This forum is for discussing and showing off anything that relates to fixed blade knives.

European And Other Foreign Manufactured Knives
This place is specifically allocated for discussing and showing off those knives from areas of the world other than the United States.

Modern Tactical Knives
A place to discuss modern tactical knives including automatics, assisted openers, and more.

Native American Tools
Knives, Points, Drills, Axe Heads, Pestles, Hoes, and more! Discuss all things relating to Native American culture here.

Military Related Knives And Tools
A place to discuss military related knives and tools. Conversation relating to objects of war and peace from all eras welcome.

In The Kitchen
A place to discuss sharp and pointy things from the kitchen.

Other Sharp Objects
A place dedicated to swords, hatchets, throwing knives, oriental cutlery, tomahawk heads and more. Anything you do not consider to be 100% traditional knife is welcome.

Whittling And Wood Carving
A place for whittlers and wood carvers. Everything from Beginner to expert topics welcome. Stop by and show off your work or check out the wonderful creations made by fellow members.

Straight Razor Collector's Forum
This forum is for the straight razor collectors among us. Please stop by and share your knowledge, show off your razors, ask questions, or just look around.

Chinese Factory Manufactured Knives
Whether we like them or loath them, Chinese manufactured knives have found their way into collections of all sorts across the entire globe. The intent of this forum is to offer a place where AAPK members can discuss the knives and not the politics.

Switchblade Knife Collector`s Forum
If you like Automatic, Gravity or Assisted open knives, this is the forum to discuss and display them.

Sharpening Forum
A place to share, learn, & show off sharpening tips, tricks, techniques, & tools for sharpening edges of all kinds.

Benchmade Knife Forum
The Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. is a relatively new organization. It was founded in 1988 in California as a manufacturer of Bali-Song (butterfly knives). The business was moved to Oregon in 1990 where the company’s dedication to quality and customer service enabled it to grow rapidly and expand its product line. In the early 1990’s the Designer series was introduced, which laid the groundwork for what Benchmade has become today.

Boker Studies
Research and history discussions, Questions & answers, Picture sharing

Buck Knife Collector's Forum
Hoyt Buck produced the first Buck Knife in 1902. Hoyt and his son Al moved to San Diego and set up shop as H.H. Buck & Son in 1947. Al Buck revolutionized the knife industry in 1964 with the infamous Model 110 Folding Hunter. The company's innovative history and attention to quality have made for many great collectible knives.

Bulldog Brand Knife Collector's Forum
Charlie Dorton brought the Bulldog Brand to life in 1978. He began importing them from the Olbertz factory in Germany until 1987. The brand went extinct for a few years until Jim Parker bought it in 1991 and resurected the brand under the Parker Knife Co. umbrella where the brand is still going strong.

Camillus Cutlery Collector's Forum
The Camillus Cutlery Company was one of the oldest knife manufacturers in the United States with roots dating back to 1876. The company manufactured Camillus branded knives and was a prolific contractor for other knife brands up until its last days in 2007 when the company filed for bankruptcy.

Canal Street Cutlery Collector's Forum
Former Schrade President Walley Gardner and principal Joe Hufnagel joined with nine master cutlers to form a group of US craftsmen with over 300 years of combined knife making experience. The company they created is located in upstate New York where a long and rich tradition of quality knife making dates back to the 19th century.

Case Knife Collector's Forum
The W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company has a very rich history that began in 1889 when William Russell (“W.R.”), Jean, John, and Andrew Case began fashioning their knives and selling them along a wagon trail in upstate New York. The company has produced countless treasures and it continues to do so as one of the most collected brands in the world.

Case Classic Knife Collector's Forum
There were 37 knife patterns manufactured in the early to mid 1990s that make up the Case Classic line of knives. They are the product of Jim Parker's realization of a dream to replicate classic knives of many years past.

Colonel Coon Knife Collector's Forum
Colonel Coon Knives were made by Adrain A. Harris, Mr. Harris started making fixed blade knives as a hobby in the 60's, in 1976 he became the only authorized field repairman in the U.S. for Schrade, a few months later he became the only authorized repairman for Kissing Crane and J.A. Henckels in the United States, in 1978 he founded Tennessee Knife Works Inc. in his home town of Columbia, Tenn. and began making Colonel Coon Knives the old style a true bench made or handmade pocket knife. In 1988 he sold his manufacturing processes to W.R Case & Sons and retired.

Colonial Knife Collector's Forum
Colonial Knife was incorporated in 1926 by three brothers; Antonio, Domenic, & Fredrick Paolantonio. It grew to become one of the largest pocket knife manufacturers in the US during the 1960s. The company shut down in 1998, but was back into production under the Colonial Cutlery International Corporation in 2001. Colonial Cutlery International, Inc. brand is the imported line of knives and tools while the U.S.A.- made products fall under the Colonial Knife brand.

Cripple Creek Knife Collector's Forum
Bob Cargill is the man behind the Cripple Creek Knife Brand. He started out making one of a kind custom knives and eventually started making special order runs by hand under the Cripple Creek name in 1981. He specialized in high quality hand made limited runs for clubs and organizations. The brand was later sold to Blackjack Knives of Effingham, IL who commissioned Queen Cutlery to produce them in larger quantities.

Fight'n Rooster Collector's Forum
Frank Buster started the Fight'n Rooster line of knives shortly after he first visited the Olbertz factory back in 1975. The old tooling and handle variations that the German factory offered allowed Frank to contract an astounding variation of extremely high quality German manufactured knives.

Gerber Legendary Blades Knife Forum
In 1939 Joseph Gerber (advertising agency owner) had custom knife maker David Murphy make 24 sets of carving knife for some of his select customers. Catalog retailer Abercrombie & Fitch saw them and was so impressed with the quality of the knives they wanted to sell them. Thus was born Gerber Legendary Blades.

German Eye Collector's Forum
For Collectors & Users of German Eye Knives.

Great Eastern Cutlery (GEC) Collector's Forum
GEC specializes in highly collectable and premium quality usable pocket knives. The company's USA manufactured knives have quickly proven to be a big hit with both collectors and users who seek quality American craftsmanship.

Henckels Knife Forum
J.A. Henckels is a Solingen, Germany based knife manufacturer that dates back to 1731. The company's Zwilling (twin) logo is known to be one of the oldest trademarks in the world. Throughout the company's history, it has made some of the world's finest pocket knives, kitchen knives, scissors & flatwear. In 1960 Henckels ceased their pocket knife production and started having other companies make knives for them on contract. Boker has been one of the main producers of more recent Henckels products.

Hubertus Knife Forum
Hubertus Knives and the History within

KA-BAR Knife Collector's Forum
The KA-BAR brand originated as a trademark of the Tidioute Cutlery Company. Tidioute was later taken over & renamed the Union Cutlery Company which continued making the brand until Union eventually adopted it as the company name in 1952. Cutco Corporation later acquired the company in 1996.

Kershaw Knife Forum
Kershaw began its foray into the knife business sometime during 1974. The company was originally based in Portland Oregon, but most early knives were manufactured in Japan. The first US manufacturing plant was opened in 1997 & the company currently offers knives made in the U.S., Japan, & China. Pete Kershaw (an ex Gerber salesman) started the business.

Marble's Knife Collector's Forum
Webster Marble formed Gladstone Mfg. Co. in 1892. That company created the first folding Axe in 1893 which lead to the incorporation of Marble's Safety Axe Co. in 1898. The company became Marble Arms & Mfg. Co. in 1911 & enjoyed years of success until succumbing to a shut down of production in 1974. The brand was brought back to life in 1994 & enjoyed a grand rejuvenation that later gave way to another shutdown in 2009. Many great knives & tools were crafted over the company's storied history.

Maher and Grosh Cutlery Company Forum
William H. Maher and Emil Grosh started the Maher & Grosh Wholesale Cutlery Co. in 1877 with a goal to sell high quality US manufactured cutlery globally. The original business dissolved in 1988, but the brand has since been resurrected.

Northwoods Knife Collector's Forum
The Northwoods Knife brand name originated in Gladstone, Michigan when a man named Dave Shirley adopted it as his knife company's name in 2004. Dave was well known for collaborating with popular knife companies to have knives made to his specifications for resale well before 2004 & beyond. KnivesShipFree bought Northwoods from Dave & has continued to team up with respected makers to produce knives marked with the Northwoods brand name.

Parker Brand Knives
The Parker-Frost Cutlery Company, Eagle Brand knives, & The Parker-Edwards Cutlery Company are among the brands that were manufactured under the Parker umbrella. Most Parker knives were imported from Japan, but some of the early Parker-Frost knives were made in the US by Schrade and in England by Rodgers-Wostenholm.

Queen Cutlery Collector's Forum
The Queen Cutlery Company has been manufacturing knives in Titusville Pennsylvania for over 100 years. The company opened its factory in 1902 and continues to produce knives in the same way now as they did in their earliest years.

Remington Knife Collector's Forum
The Remington Corporation and the knives that they built have influenced the U.S. cutlery industry more than nearly any other manufacturer. From the time America was settled, to the end of WWI, American knife companies struggled to compete with Britain and German imports, but events that occurred during and after the First World War led to a great change in this phenomenon. Unprecedented opportunities arose, and Remington stepped up to seize the moment. In the process, they created some of today's most prized collectables. In an ironic twist, the next World War played the greatest role in ending the company’s domination of the industry.

Robeson Cutlery Company Collector's Forum
The first Robeson knives were imported by Millard Robeson from England and Germany exclusively. This continued from 1979 until 1896 when Robeson began manufacturing knives in the United States. Since inception, the company has gone through several reorganizations & eventually ended up as a Queen Cutlery brand.

Schrade Legacy Forum
Schrade Cutlery Company was founded in 1904 by George Schrade, and his brothers Jacob and William Schrade. In 1946 Imperial Knife Associated Companies, (IKAC; an association of Ulster Knife Co and Imperial Knife Co) purchased controlling interest in Schrade Cut Co and changed the name to Schrade Walden Cutlery. In 1973 the name was changed to Schrade Cutlery. In 2004 Schrade closed due to bankruptcy.

This forum is dedicated to the knives that are the legacy of this company. This forum is not the place to discuss the replica knives currently being imported using the Schrade name.

Spyderco Knife Forum
The first Spyderco knife was made in 1976 under the direction of Sal Glesser. The company started out as a traveling entity as Sal & his wife, Gail, traveled from show to show. The first permanent establishment was in Golden, Colorado where the company made its first folding knife in 1978. The company proudly touts their knives as being different, peculiar, even out there. "We may look curious, homely, whatever, but we'll never be called unusable or undependable."

Tuna Valley Cutlery Company
The Tuna Valley Cutlery Company was an old Pennsylvania brand that was resurrected by Perry Miller in 2007. Perry had several patterns produced by GEC under this name in the later 2000s. In 2012, Daniels Family Knives purchased the Tuna Valley Cutlery name & working stock. Production has since resumed under the direction of Ken Daniels (co-founder of Great Eastern Cutlery) and his son Ryan Daniels.

Western Cutlery Collector's Forum
In 1911, H. N. Platts, was able to draw on his extensive friendships and family connections in the cutlery world to start Western States Cutlery and Manufacturing of Boulder Colorado. At first only a jobbing business, by 1920 construction and machinery purchases were underway to begin manufacture of knives. Through name changes--to Western States Cutlery Co. in 1953, then Western Cutlery Co. in 1956--and moves first across town and later to Longmont Colorado, the company stayed under the leadership of the Platt family until 1984. In that year, the company was sold to Coleman, becoming Coleman-Western. Eventually purchased by Camillus in 1991, Western continued until Camillus expired in 2007.

Winchester Knife Collector's Forum
Winchester entered the knife market as a manufacturer in 1919 by acquiring two existing knife companies; Eagle Knife Co. of Connecticut & Napanoch Knife Co. of New York. Winchester stepped away from the market in 1942 to focus on war related manufactured products, but re-entered in the late 1980s by licensing its name to Blue Grass Cutlery. Blue Grass had high quality knives made by Queen Cutlery that featured the Winchester brand name for a handful of years until the license arrangement ran its course. Winchester eventually started licensing to other companies & now you will find the brand name used by several knife manufacturers by way of license agreements.

Knife Related Tutorials
This forum is for posting step by step techniques used in the art of making, customizing, and repairing knives. Please stop by and teach a few things or maybe learn something new from the talented members of AAPK.

Custom Knives
Ask questions and share your knowlege about custom knives. Make sure to show off your stuff if you are a knife maker or collector.

Knife Mechanic's Swap Forum
Stop in hear to look for parts, parts knives, tools, materials, and other items for knife making & repair. Post pictures and descriptions of your extra stuff, ask if anyone has something you're looking to find and more.

Customized Factory Knives
The place to show off and discuss factory manufactured knives customized with scrimshaw, inlays, file work, etc...

Knife Repair and Restoration
This forum is for those who like to repair and restore knives, and for those who would like to learn.

General Off Topic Discussion
If you can think of something to talk about that is not related to knives, discuss it here.

Mostly True Stories
This forum is to share stories that are meaningful, or entertaining. The posts can be original stories, stories passed down in a family or a region, they could be based on a person's experience, childhood, or basically on anything. They could even be fictional, or humorous, so long as they are stories.

Member Introductions
Drop in and tell us a little about yourself.

Suggestions, Questions, Comments, Concerns, Alerts, Etc...
Tell us how we are doing, report problems, voice your concerns, and all that stuff... All input is appreciated and will be taken into consideration.

The Upper Room Forum
There are times in each of our lives that rain falls, hard times come and it helps to reach out to our friends and to our God for a little support. This is the place to express those needs, concerns and situations so others in the AAPK family can keep you in their prayers.

Off Topic Trading Post
This is a place for posting non-knife related items you have available for trade. If you see something you want, be sure to make a trade offer. Your offer can include a knife, knives, or pretty much anything within the limits of the law.

AAPK News & Notifications
This forum is here to keep everyone informed about new projects, additions & updates the team is working on to improve the AAPK website.