Can anyone help me find a pocket knife with a key blade?

flatblackcapo

flatblackcapo

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Mar 25, 2012
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Do you know of any knife manufacturer that still makes a pattern with a key (like for a house) for a blade? I have seen a few old ones but the key blade has always been cut:( Any help would be appreciated.Every time I tried to google it all I get is knives shaped like a key or keychain knives.
 
maybe someone else has some experience with such an item but i actually cannot picture what you are talking about.
ive seen folding knives where the blade is a regular knife blade which folds into a handle that looks like an ordinary key to a lock. seems like its made to hang inconspicuously on your keychain with other keys. this does not sound like what you are talking about.
 
wouldestous said:
maybe someone else has some experience with such an item but i actually cannot picture what you are talking about.
Click to expand...

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe the OP means something along these lines?

ImperialPearlCelluloidKeyPenKnife.jpg


ImperialRedBlackCelluloidKeyPenKnife.jpg


140697150834.jpg


All of the above appear to have been made by Imperial.

~ P.
 
I cant post a link to a current auction but there is one without a cut key like the one Sarah posted above on the big auction site. I just entered "Imperial Key Knife" in the search function.

If I'm outta line here mods please delete?

Paul
 
pertinux said:
Unless I'm mistaken, I believe the OP means something along these lines?
...
All of the above appear to have been made by Imperial.

~ P.
Click to expand...

interesting, pertinux. but... what are they?
are they construction machine keys, in the way that modern caterpillar or kubota or whatever construction equipment all have the same key?
 
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I just sent the "Key-Jack" I had to somebody, an Imperial made for Dodge/Plymouth. It had been cut, sure would be fun to find the car it fit.

If one were so well inclined, it should be possible to replace a blade with a key....
 
Robeson cutlery co also made a nice example of this as well, the really well made nice ones I've seen all have folding Skelton keys for houses or early carriages
 
I have one uncut that will fit GM ignitions for the model years from the 50s through the early 70s.

Here's my uncut one.

044.jpg
 
It's a shame that the newer cars don't even use keys, back when I was a kid and these were still bein's given out as premiums you would start your car and you could remove the key and leave the car runnin', I've seen homemade versions.
 
I don't know of any manufacturers still making them. I did see a Youtube video a couple of years back where a guy had replaced some of the blades on his SAK with keys for his car and apartment. He thought he had invented something new. It really isn't all that hard to do, but there are so many different blanks available that the chance of getting the right one from a production line is almost nil. Custom or DIY is another story.
 
AKC said:
I just sent the "Key-Jack" I had to somebody, an Imperial made for Dodge/Plymouth. It had been cut, sure would be fun to find the car it fit.

If one were so well inclined, it should be possible to replace a blade with a key....
Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw that on your for sale thread, I almost bought it.
 
Thanks a lot y'all ! Some good leads to go on . Pertinux, You are correct ,that is what I was referring to. I recived the VM but can not reply for some reason.Thanks
As some of you mentioned,I think my best option is to try to modify a slipjoint to fit my needs.I have never modified a slipjoint before so it should be a fun project.I wanted to have a key for my house in a nice traditional folder. If I am successful I will post a pic in the modified traditional thread.
 
flatblackcapo said:
Do you know of any knife manufacturer that still makes a pattern with a key (like for a house) for a blade? I have seen a few old ones but the key blade has always been cut:( Any help would be appreciated.Every time I tried to google it all I get is knives shaped like a key or keychain knives.
Click to expand...

I have acquired an uncut key blade in great condition. I don't know what it is worth
 
Crob247 said:
I have acquired an uncut key blade in great condition. I don't know what it is worth
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that, you could always check the completed auctions on ebay or get a gold paid membership and ask again.

You're not allowed to ask valuation questions unless you're gold, well you can ask but unless you're gold you'll get the same 2 answers I just brave you. Any pics, can you tell what car the key is for, questions pertaining to the actual knife other than value I'd be glad to answer.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Sorry to hear that, you could always check the completed auctions on ebay or get a gold paid membership and ask again.

You're not allowed to ask valuation questions unless you're gold, well you can ask but unless you're gold you'll get the same 2 answers I just brave you. Any pics, can you tell what car the key is for, questions pertaining to the actual knife other than value I'd be glad to answer.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
A revival of a three year old thread to which I did not make a response until now.

The key blanks in such knives were not universal. Even uncut, they were already grooved on one or both sides to fit a particular series of locks or ignition swithches.

If the knife handle had advertising for Chevy, GM, Ford, etc, the key could only be cut to fit that make car from the model year for which the knife was advertising. I'm pretty sure they were given away by the local dealers.

The key blanks in the Robeson knives were made to be cut to fit Yale post office box locks, but Robeson provided a free service to replace that Yale blank with one that would fit the owner's box lock.

If the writer of the OP in this thread wishes to have his house door key in his knife, he'll have to get a competent knife maker to alter his door key and install in into a pocket knife frame.

Robeson knife with Yale key blank in backside handle:



How to get the correct key into the knife:



Knife and key:



I've seen these Robeson knives in gold and silver finish and with different machining on the handles.

The two I have, one gold, one silver, came together in yellow flannel pouches in a small shipping box. Evidently, new-old-stock from some retail dealer. One of the knives had that yellow card attached.
 
My bad for not noticing this was a necro thread. Now that it has some new life maybe someone can benefit from it. Thanks, Charlie.
 
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