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Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 9:44 pm
by Ridgegrass
Just a bunch of knives sold on counter cards in dime stores, drug stores, and bait shops, many for probably less than a dollar, in the 40's and 50's. Colonials and Imperials. "Shell" construction with plastic covers. I remember my Grandfather using a yellow one to scale a Crappie we caught when I was around 6 years old. Honest and useful old knives. J.O'.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 10:00 pm
by C-WADE7
Nice display and good memories.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 10:54 pm
by woodwalker
Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Fri Jul 04, 2025 9:44 pm
Just a bunch of knives sold on counter cards in dime stores, drug stores, and bait shops, many for probably less than a dollar, in the 40's and 50's. Colonials and Imperials. "Shell" construction with plastic covers. I remember my Grandfather using a yellow one to scale a Crappie we caught when I was around 6 years old. Honest and useful old knives. J.O'.
Great display of knives with fond memories attached. Love it!!
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 11:08 pm
by FRJ
Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Fri Jul 04, 2025 9:44 pm
Just a bunch of knives sold on counter cards in dime stores, drug stores, and bait shops, many for probably less than a dollar, in the 40's and 50's. Colonials and Imperials. "Shell" construction with plastic covers. I remember my Grandfather using a yellow one to scale a Crappie we caught when I was around 6 years old. Honest and useful old knives. J.O'.
These are really nice knives, J.O'.
I like the concept. I've got several like these. I'll have to scramble in the next few days and get some pictures.
Great post!
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 11:26 pm
by Ridgegrass
Thanks all.
J.O'.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2025 1:48 am
by garddogg56
The old shell Imperials and Colonials got me by fine as a kid
The bottom one a Hammer Brand was my first switchblade
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2025 2:21 am
by FRJ
garddogg56 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 05, 2025 1:48 am
The old shell Imperials and Colonials got me by fine as a kid
The bottom one a Hammer Brand was my first switchblade
Nice knives, garddogg.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2025 12:32 pm
by garddogg56
Thanx Joe
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2025 1:53 pm
by Ridgegrass
Some nice ones there dogg. J.O'.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2025 3:06 pm
by 1967redrider
Here's some boy's knives including a Jack-Master Baseball Knife.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2025 10:17 pm
by Miller Bro's
1967redrider wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 3:06 pm
Here's some boy's knives including a Jack-Master Baseball Knife.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 12:24 am
by 1967redrider
Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 10:17 pm
1967redrider wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 3:06 pm
Here's some boy's knives including a Jack-Master Baseball Knife.
Thank you, Sir.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 1:05 am
by FRJ
1967redrider wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 3:06 pm
Here's some boy's knives including a Jack-Master Baseball Knife.
Another group of nice knives.
I have never heard of the Jack-Master Baseball Knife until now.
It's pretty neat.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 1:51 am
by 1967redrider
FRJ wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 1:05 am
1967redrider wrote: ↑Sun Jul 06, 2025 3:06 pm
Here's some boy's knives including a Jack-Master Baseball Knife.
Another group of nice knives.
I have never heard of the Jack-Master Baseball Knife until now.
It's pretty neat.
Thanks, Joe! I think I picked this one up at the Shenandoah Valley show a few years ago.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 4:00 am
by Ridgegrass
Good stuff Red. J.O'.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 12:58 pm
by 1967redrider
Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 4:00 am
Good stuff Red. J.O'.
Thanks, J.O'.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 4:40 pm
by Dinadan
Historical old knives, Ridgegrass, Garddogg, and Redrider. I grew up using shell knives (in the 1960s). I have no idea how many I owned, lost, broke or forgot. I read somewhere that the life span of a pocket knife was really short back then. Mine tended to not last long. Those knives usually had really good carbon steel blades, if I recall correctly. Thinner blades and liners than other knives, but in retrospect surprisingly well made for knives made to sell cheap.
Here are a couple from that era: not my old knives: I do not have a single pocket knife left from that era of my life.
- Shell handled knives
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 5:21 pm
by Ridgegrass
Mel
J.O'.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 6:25 pm
by Stakeknife
Dinadan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 4:40 pm
Historical old knives, Ridgegrass, Garddogg, and Redrider. I grew up using shell knives (in the 1960s). I have no idea how many I owned, lost, broke or forgot. I read somewhere that the life span of a pocket knife was really short back then. Mine tended to not last long. Those knives usually had really good carbon steel blades, if I recall correctly. Thinner blades and liners than other knives, but in retrospect surprisingly well made for knives made to sell cheap.
Here are a couple from that era: not my old knives: I do not have a single pocket knife left from that era of my life.
Shells11.jpg
I got these off eBay I can send one or more to you for the price of shipping.
NOS Colonial not boys knives but nice old shell knife construction.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 11:04 pm
by Dinadan
Stakeknife wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 6:25 pm
I got these off eBay I can send one or more to you for the price of shipping.
NOS Colonial not boys knives but nice old shell knife construction.
That is a generous offer, Stakeknife. I am going to decline because I do not really collect shell handled knives. I have a few that just somehow sneaked into my accumulation, but I do not actively acquire them.
Here are a couple of more of mine. Some of the shell knives were really nice looking. The one with two blades even has half stops.
Re: Working-mens' and boys' shell knives
Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 12:05 am
by garddogg56
Those fishermen knive are great mine are still in my tackle box
And each of My grandkids boxes