Iros Keen extended blade

[Mason]

This knife has a few unique features beyond the long extended folding blade with folding guards. Although many older knives can be difficult to date, this one is not. Stamped on the front blade tang is "Iros Keen New York" which were importers and quite short lived in the early 1920s according to "Goins". Stamped on the back side of the blade tang is the knives origin which reads "Made in Czechoslovakia".

While not a spring fired automatic type, it does have a folding fulcrum lever which is pushed to both manually open and close the blade in locked positions. Beyond the unusual style, the most interesting features are actually the handles. Appearing to be carved horn, they are in fact pressed horn. The use of pressed horn dates back to seventeenth century Europe and is found on various objects of art. The process basically consists of heating the horn and pressing it into a mold. While not common on knives, pressed horn handles are found on some old razors.

[jerryd6818]

What a novel and interesting knife. Thanks for showing it.

[Mason]

What a novel and interesting knife. Thanks for showing it.

Thanks, and it's a bit of an oddball orphan if nothing else.

[knifeaholic]

I have the same knife but marked UK&R GERMANY

[Mason]

I have the same knife but marked UK&R GERMANY

Interesting, does it have a "Czechoslovakia" stamp on the back blade tang side?

A new post could be started which shows all the same knives with different tang stamps, but that could go on forever......