All About Pocket Knives

In the darkest corner of a room filled with the oddities that find me is a small stack of pamphlets called The Gimlet. This gem was put out monthly by Shapleigh from roughly 1908-1918, give or take. It started as a motivational tool for their salesman but quickly became the object of obsession for the salesmen, the clerks at the stores they called on and even the hardware store customers themselves. It’s a bizarre patchwork of advertising, advice, witticisms and stories all served up by the editor (and teamster) Mike Kinney. The even stranger part of all this is that Mike Kinney was actually the alter ego of Saunders Norvell himself and there are stories about him locking himself in his office and being all-consumed with this pet project. On every cover of this diminutive periodical (4” x 6”) is a drawing of a gimlet with the phrase “The gimlet is a small instrument with a point” – which the little magazine certainly was.

I always enjoy reading through them and I particularly like the old timey ads peppered throughout the pages, and of course I’m always on the lookout for knife ads – which brings me to the point. I think I found a couple of Schrade knives from 1912-1913 which would be the oldest images I have come across...*if* I'm right.

The first knife is from the December 1912 issue and it is a 3-1/8” senator pattern that looks an awful lot like the 8103 from Catalog E. In this era I believe Shapleigh was buying a lot of knives from Empire so that’s another possibility but something about it says ‘Schrade’ to me. Here’s a pic:
I’ve had that issue for a long time and never thought to share the pic because it was really just a gut feeling, but I’m officially bumping that feeling up to a full fledged hunch today. I got my hands on another issue which just so happens to be the January 1913 edition – the very next month, and on page 755 is a switchblade that I thought was a Schrade as soon as I saw it but I know very little about autos so I ran it past a reliable expert on Schrade autos who is also of the opinion that knife is a Schrade. Here’s the knife:
So there you have it – a possible sighting of a Schrade knife from 1912. Wondering what other folks think. Are those Schrades or am I staring at these magazines too long and starting to hallucinate?

Well, Jason, I think that 'press button' was a trademark of Schrade Cutlery. Meanwhile I love the text of those ads. I am hoping to talk you out of multiple scans of the whole works of those pamphlets for my files. I would make it worth your while. You certainly have contributed enormously to these hallowed chambers. Keep up the good work; we love it!

S. Norvell, Norvell Shapleigh, and Diamond Edge were among the house brand names of Shapleigh Hardware, Saint Louis. Schrade was one of the companies that made knives for them. Diamond Edge was at one time their premium cutlery line.

So yes, it’s likely those are Schrades.

Ken

Jason, I am in firm agreement with Cal, I would love to have copies of those as well!

That is really amazing!

On a side note, the newspaper of the little town I teach in is called “The Gimlet”. Cool stuff.

Those are very interesting Jason.

It's a safe bet that the switch is an image of a schrade but the cattle knife I'm not so sure. Schrade cattles came with lined and unlined bolsters, the main spears have a similar swedge and profile and they used that shield extensively. It could be a schrade image but it could just as easily not be. A lot of knives can all look very similar as a catalog image.

It's always great to pop back in and find a bunch of nice comments like this - thanks all.

Cal, Dale - I'm happy to share the images as soon as I get a scanner, something I've been meaning to do for a long time. After I have the PDFs I can email them and/or see if Larry wants to upload them. I have a bunch of catalogs I've been meaning to scan.

Paul - I agree with your assessment.

I knew nothing about Norvell before reading these pamphlets and I've tried to learn what I can about the man, but there isn't a lot of info available on him. He was a giant in his world, but not on the same path as his contemporaries - sort of the PT Barnum of the hardware industry.

Id be happy to help scan them for you.. And of course I'd love to add them to my site.
Thanks
larry

LRV wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:02 am Id be happy to help scan them for you.. And of course I'd love to add them to my site.
Thanks
larry

LRV wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2020 3:02 amId be happy to help scan them for you.

Great! I've got two more issues inbound that should be here by the weekend and then the whole lot will go out together. I'll shoot you an email when I drop them in the mail. I'd offer to also send a few hundred pounds of Belknap catalogs but probably best (and cheaper) to just go out and buy at scanner already. You're gonna get a kick out of these booklets, they're all sorts of awesome.

Scanning them now. 3 left to go.
Will let you all know when posted.
Then are awesome little booklets. The art work and printing is great and most of the booklets are in fantastic shape.
ttyl,
Larry

Incredible.

Larry was nice enough to give me a preview of the first few he scanned and they really came out great. So much easier to read that way compared to trying to read those little booklets. Thanks Larry, for doing all the legwork for the benefit of the rest of us.

It's official - the digital incarnation of The Gimlet is now live on COSRUS! Go ahead and soak up some of the weirdness.
Larry did a heck of a job on the project and got it done lightning quick - thanks Larry

https://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us ... Gimlet.htm

Thanks, guys!

My site is not secure.
I need to upgrade the service but as I'm not selling or collecting any info from visitors it has not been an issue (yet.)
https:// in the address denotes secure.
below is the full address of the gimlet page.


http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... Gimlet.htm

Jason I would recommend you read this autobiographical book by Sanders Norvell.


Forty Years Of Hardware By Saunders Norvell

wlf wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 2:24 pm Jason I would recommend you read this autobiographical book by Sanders Norvell.


Forty Years Of Hardware By Saunders Norvell

Thanks Lyle - Larry gave me the same advice. There's an online version of the book that I stumbled across a long time ago during one of those knife related google quests we all go on. I was several hours deep into it when 40 Years caught my eye - it was the epiphany that started my Gimlet hunt. It's a great read. Saunders was an interesting character.

jxr1197 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 2:55 pm

wlf wrote: ↑Tue Feb 18, 2020 2:24 pm Jason I would recommend you read this autobiographical book by Sanders Norvell.


Forty Years Of Hardware By Saunders Norvell

Thanks Lyle - Larry gave me the same advice. There's an online version of the book that I stumbled across a long time ago during one of those knife related google quests we all go on. I was several hours deep into it when 40 Years caught my eye - it was the epiphany that started my Gimlet hunt. It's a great read. Saunders was an interesting character.
40yrsofhdwr.jpg

Yes he was Jason. I found the book several years ago the same way you did. It’s not only informative historically and cutlery wise, but quite entertaining.

FYI.
We have added 12 new Gimlet booklets to the web site.
Looks like we have a lot more to find.
Check em out at:
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... Gimlet.htm

Anyone have any of the missing months please let us know.
Thanks
Larry