All About Pocket Knives

I like the 4 blade Remington Purina knives and try to seek them out at shows. A dealer told me a big story about how these knives came in to wide spread usage. During the great depression the rail yards in St. Louis were overrun with hobo's. As it was the central part of the country hobo's from the east and west all came there. Ralston Purina had a lot of rail cars in the yard and hired day help to rid their cars of unwanted passengers. As it was the great depression and money was scarce they paid their day help with a Purina knife. Sounds like a lot of BS to me and I never took it serious. I had this post card marked on ebay and napped through bidding time. It shows knives were sent to feed buyers. I don't know that this is for a Remington knife, but I think the date would be about right? Probably also represents a much more plausible theory on the knives history.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1938-Advertisin ... 7675.l2557

Somewhere I have one that's near mint in the original box, I'll try to take some pictures of it sometime to share.

Interesting to note that the knife pictured in the ad has pinched bolsters. I have most of the Utica, Kutmaster and Remington Purinas and don't believe I have one with pinched bolsters. I will have to go check.