All About Pocket Knives

AKA "beaters" or "POS" knives;whatever you wish to call them,they are knives that have seen far better days. Most of them have a least one blade either broken or missing or a handle is missing a chunk or maybe entirely gone. Sometimes the broken blades are caused by misuse or overuse and sometimes there may have been a flaw in the steel. You can also find them with the blade(s)sitting proud due to wear on the backside of the tang as the result of improper heat treating.
You might also have one that has celluloid handles that are self destructing.
If you are like me you likely have a boxful (or drawer full)of such knives as I find it very difficult to discard a knife no matter how bad it is. I justify this by telling myself that,"someday I might get around to fixing it". Trouble is I have accumulated too many,"round toits".
Anyway my latest two dollar wonder cleaned up rather nicely and is now residing in my left front pocket for however long I choose so I thought I would post up a bunch of my,"beater" knives;some of which have already been rendered,useful but not pretty". Maybe I'll do a separate post of those. So please feel free to post any you might have(and I KNOW you have them so don't be shy!).
#1 Stamped,"N.F.I.C." it has the dates 1871-1921 etched into the handle so it is officially 100 years old.The figure is of a lady holding a flagpole with the flag unfurled behind her and next to her what appears to be an albatross.She is standing on the ocean.Have no idea what it signifies.
#2 is marked,"A(star)Tyler Celebrated Cutlery" and has assist tabs on some of the blades.
#3 is marked,"A.Burch Celebrated Cutlery" and is a horseman's knife.I have no info on this maker.
#4 is marked,"Alfred & Son Celebrated Cutlery. No info on this one either.
#5 is marked "American Shear & Knife Co" Someone got their money's worth out of this one!
#6 is marked,"Ascend W.T.Staniforth Cutlery Co." and had tortoise shell handles.
#7 is marked Aussner Germany and has abalone inserts in the handles.
#8 is marked,"Brookes & Crookes" and is similar to the Tyler above.
#9 is also marked Brookes & Crookes and has checkered horn handles and a sliding tobacco tamper.
#10 is an Aaron Burkinshaw tuxedo. The blade must have been flawed and broke early in it's life as the other blade is unsharpened.

Ray, i have knives like this too. Knives that most collectors are not interested in. Most of them were once well made top line knives but they were mistreated. I still find them interesting so gave them a new home here with me.
Thanks for showing these old 'injured' survivors.
kj

I have such a knife: a Victorinox Bijou with a broken blade tip. It came in a lot with nine other 58mm knives. The best was so nice that it made the worst two effectively free. As of right now, I don't know what the Bijou's fate will be. Sadly, it is probably more cost-effective to replace it.

kootenay joe wrote: ↑Sat May 22, 2021 4:19 pm Ray, i have knives like this too. Knives that most collectors are not interested in. Most of them were once well made top line knives but they were mistreated. I still find them interesting so gave them a new home here with me.
Thanks for showing these old 'injured' survivors.
kj

You are quite welcome Roland;I'm glad to see someone else who likes these old soldiers. Here are a few more:
#1 Carrier Cutlery Co. wharncliffe. This one has been repaired to a degree.
#2 Case Tested 9220 peanut.This one has received new handles.
#3 Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. whittler.
#4 Ern pen knife with unusual handles.
#5 G&J Allen Superior Cutlery wharncliffe with pique work.This knife dates to around 1840-1850.
#6 Geo.Woodhead pruner circa 1860-1870.
#7 H.W.Mason 8 blade congress.How could I not pick up an 8 blade knife?
#8 Keen Kutter granddaddy barlow that someone used til the end.
#9 Knivbolaget Eskilstuna multi-blade with etching and gold wash.
#10 Holley cigar jack.

A few more for the,"second shift":
#1 Peters Bros. Celebrated Cutlery interframe whittler with patriotic eagle.Probably made right after WWI
#2 Another Peters Bros.but this one has a mis-spelled stamp(PETIRS)with clear horn handles and heart shield.
#3 A pre-revolution(1917)Russian multi-blade with ivory handles.
#4 Underwood 58 Haymarket multi-blade with slide in scissors.
#5 Valley Forge pliers knife.
#6 Valley Forge easy opener.Small blade was broken so I ground it into a stub screwdriver and left it open.
#7 Vom Cleff whittler with beautiful stag handles.
#8 Wilbert cutlery large slim jack.
#9 Winchester easy opener with broken secondary blade and a large chip out of the master blade.
#10 Worcester Cutlery Co. Germany 4 blade with unusual shaped frame and smooth bone handles.
That all for now folks;let's see yours!

There is much to be learned from these old heavily worn knives. You know that they are likely to be 'all original', not a 'fixed up fake'.
kj