All About Pocket Knives

I sure like it! I've been trying to add an Empire to my mix of mutts but so far, I haven't been able to. Still tryin'.

Dale,
Move your right hand ring finger one key to the right, and you'll spell, "jigged" instead of, "jugged". I am so mean, sometimes!

Beautiful bone on a great looking knife.

Charlie Noyes

That is a nice Curved Jack MB!
Charlie

Thanks guys for all the compliments on that knife!

Here is another Empire knife.

This is an ornate sterling silver handle pen knife.

This is one of the best american silver handle knives I have seen from the era.

The detail in the bail, and on each side is amazing. Look at the detail of the woman`s fingers.

Check out the pictures and let me know what you think of this one.


M.B.

Most impressive M.B. The detail is remarkable, reflecting not only supurb craftsmanship, but artistry as well.

Gorgeous!!

Here is a very nice old Empire pearl handle whittler with a blade etch.

M.B. One of the better old knives I've seen in some time. What is it closed length?

Missed these, Dimitri!!

Great silver handled and pearl knives!!


The silver came up when I was away -
I'm never leaving home again!!

Stock,

Thanks, it is 3 3/8" long closed.


Charlie,

You may have left home and missed this one, but you did find a nice one on your road trip

Dimitri asked me to post these HJs for comparison. (As with most of my pics, the yellow backgrounds are mine.)
These show the two types of punches that Empire was known to use.
I think the one with the nail nick is the earlier one, and the one that is forged or folded over, the later.
I am sure he will chime in eventually!

Charlie,

Thanks for posting the HJ`s

Now that I see all three of them I believe your HJ with the 06 patent is the earliest.

Then comes the ebony handle one, that the punch is stamped Empire. It still has the grooved bolsters.

And finally the one I have, which the punch is unstamped, and has smooth bolsters.

Eventually, they stopped using the long nail pull, and started using a small nail nick.

You can see how even back then the little details that are left out in the manufacturing process to save time and money.

Empire Scout Knife like one on pg.192 of Antique Knives Voyles Second ed.
What do you think? Click 2 times

I think it is beautiful.

I'm still drooling over those HJ's too.

Time to bump up this thread! And for a pleasant reason; an old friend found this nice pen in a cigar box, and mailed it off to me. Looks like it was carried a lot, and used little !

I've added more pictures. It is nice to see all tangs stamped!

Here is an old advertisement knife made by Empire.

Great old whittler upnorth! it has a great mellow bone color.

knfmn - looks like that knife was a hardware store advertiser. the company seems to have an interesting history detailed here in one of the chapters of this book http://books.google.com/books?id=70xGAA ... wn&f=false

I don't know if Norvell-Shapleigh and S. Norvell have been mentioned in this thread or not but Empire made knives on contract with both marks. They're hard to find but the Empire influence in noticeable in many when you do find one. Eric

I have a collection of Empires, and several equivalent Shapleighs made by Empire. I'd love to see pics if you have any, Eric.
Here are a couple of mine; a big'un, and a little'un.
Charlie

Here's one of my latest, got it off the 'bay. I thought that it was kind of interesting in that it only had the screwdriver blade.

Nice one TJ! I was watching, but decided I didn't need another one !
Hope I saved you some money!!

If I send one of you gents a photo of my newly renovated Empire Display, can you shrink the file somewhat, to post it here???
I don't know how to do that!!
I tried posting it, but it's too big.
[email protected]

How's this C.C. ?

Click 'er twice.

WOW! Nice job. How'd you do that?

TJ,
Fran isn't really an old guy! He's a teenager who dresses funny !! But like teenagers everywhere, he understands computers!!!!!
Thanks for sizing the pic, Fran!!
The display is an attempt to duplicate an 1858 exhibit, seen in this photocopy of a very old pamphlet.