Ink Eraser Knives

[r8shell]

"Ink erasers" were used back in the time of quill or fountain pens, when the only way to erase a mistake was to scrape away errant ink from the parchment or vellum surface. I believe these tools fit the category of "traditional fixed blade knives" and I haven't yet seen a thread dedicated to them.


From time to time, I see these eraser knives on the auction site. Sometimes they are incorrectly described as fleams or scalpels. I find it interesting when an object that was once ubiquitous, becomes so obsolete that within 100 years, most people couldn't identify its purpose. Sometimes I wonder what currently common object may suffer the same fate. Might some child, in 100 years, wonder what this copper penny, door key, can opener, or shoelace was used for?

Of course, we all enjoy collecting knives (I would assume anyone reading this post does, anyway) I also like small drafting tools, so it was no big leap to decide to pick up a few ink eraser knives. I thought it might be fun to sharpen and put a blade to use, perhaps in working leather or some other craft. However, the first one I got is marked Jonathan Crookes, with the pistol and heart marking. (c. 1780-1827) I have no way of knowing if the bone handle is original, but I have no intention of sharpening and using something this historic.

Then I bought one marked Wards Eraser, with the letters SWCC. ea42 suggested it could stand for Wards Celebrated Cutlery, tongueriver thought "Swan Works Cutlery Co." could be a possibility.

This seems to be an economical way of collecting some very old and rare tang stamps, plus they're just kinda cool.

I've got a couple more on the way, and will post pics when they arrive. I hope some other folk will contribute pictures of eraser knives, or insight into their history.

 

[mbkr]

I'm one of those that would have had no clue what these were used for. So...started the day learning something new. Thanks!

 

[abcdef]

Mind expanding. Thanks.

 

[Rich S]

My wife had a fairly large collection of these, circa 30 or so. Neat bit of history. She sold them to an antiques dealer several years ago. You commonly see them on the big auction site being pawned off as Civil War scalpels.

 

[afishhunter]

Makes one curious as to when students back then were required to do their homework, quizzes, and tests in ink rather than pencil ... I think I was required to use a pen in every class but arithmatic/math and art starting the 5th or 6th grade.
Did those who attended the one room school house out in the rural areas have to switch to ink, or was it only the students in the big cites? Did the students in the city (or their parents) have to buy the eraser knife they used, or was it loaned to them by the school?
No doubt those that went to the one room schoolhouse, if they had to switch to ink, got theirs from Sears, Montgmerry Wards, W.T. Grant's, or some other catalog, or maybe the (somewhat) local hardware or general store ...

Wasn't 'WARDS Celibrated Cutlery' the high end Montgromery Wards line of cutlery?

Looking forward to seeing the newest additions to your collection.

Oh, wasn't an easer blade also available on some pen knives?

 

[waynorth]

Nice to see you initiating this interesting thread, r8shell !!
I too, didn't know what they were until someone explained them to me a few years ago!
We used those messy refillable fountain pens in grade school, but ink "Eradicator" was invented by then (a form of bleach!), so we never got to experience erasers!!
I agree that they are "Traditional Fixed Blades", just like so many other
tools we have seen here on BF!!

 

[r8shell]

Makes one curious as to when students back then were required to do their homework, quizzes, and tests in ink rather than pencil ... I think I was required to use a pen in every class but arithmatic/math and art starting the 5th or 6th grade.
Did those who attended the one room school house out in the rural areas have to switch to ink, or was it only the students in the big cites? Did the students in the city (or their parents) have to buy the eraser knife they used, or was it loaned to them by the school?
No doubt those that went to the one room schoolhouse, if they had to switch to ink, got theirs from Sears, Montgmerry Wards, W.T. Grant's, or some other catalog, or maybe the (somewhat) local hardware or general store ...

Wasn't 'WARDS Celibrated Cutlery' the high end Montgromery Wards line of cutlery?

Looking forward to seeing the newest additions to your collection.

Oh, wasn't an easer blade also available on some pen knives?

I remember reading that kids in one room schoolhouses used chalk on little slates, but also spent a lot of time learning penmanship. (Nowadays, cursive is a secret code for old people to use)

According to Goins, Montgomery Ward used the trademark "Wards USA" from 1935 to 1950. I assume this example is older than that, partly because there's no made in USA marking. Of course, markings on pocketknives may be different than on other tools. There was a "Wards Master Quality" used later, but no "celebrated" branding.

Perhaps some of the small, thin quill/pen blades could have been used to remove ink as well as shape a quill nib.

 

[mbkr]

I remember reading that kids in one room schoolhouses used chalk on little slates, but also spent a lot of time learning penmanship. (Nowadays, cursive is a secret code for old people to use)

According to Goins, Montgomery Ward used the trademark "Wards USA" from 1935 to 1950. I assume this example is older than that, partly because there's no made in USA marking. Of course, markings on pocketknives may be different than on other tools. There was a "Wards Master Quality" used later, but no "celebrated" branding.

Perhaps some of the small, thin quill/pen blades could have been used to remove ink as well as shape a quill nib.

My penmanship was always bad. When I started as an engineer, the only people who had computers on their desks were clerical. I had to print everything so my secretary could read it to type it. Recently I realized that I have been printing for so long (and typing with the advent of computers) that I no longer can write in cursive Its a skill I've lost through lack of use. I can barely sign my name. I guess that makes me current with young folks, eh?

 

[Jack Black]

"Ink erasers" were used back in the time of quill or fountain pens, when the only way to erase a mistake was to scrape away errant ink from the parchment or vellum surface. I believe these tools fit the category of "traditional fixed blade knives" and I haven't yet seen a thread dedicated to them.


From time to time, I see these eraser knives on the auction site. Sometimes they are incorrectly described as fleams or scalpels. I find it interesting when an object that was once ubiquitous, becomes so obsolete that within 100 years, most people couldn't identify its purpose. Sometimes I wonder what currently common object may suffer the same fate. Might some child, in 100 years, wonder what this copper penny, door key, can opener, or shoelace was used for?

Of course, we all enjoy collecting knives (I would assume anyone reading this post does, anyway) I also like small drafting tools, so it was no big leap to decide to pick up a few ink eraser knives. I thought it might be fun to sharpen and put a blade to use, perhaps in working leather or some other craft. However, the first one I got is marked Jonathan Crookes, with the pistol and heart marking. (c. 1780-1827) I have no way of knowing if the bone handle is original, but I have no intention of sharpening and using something this historic.

Then I bought one marked Wards Eraser, with the letters SWCC. ea42 suggested it could stand for Wards Celebrated Cutlery, tongueriver thought "Swan Works Cutlery Co." could be a possibility.

This seems to be an economical way of collecting some very old and rare tang stamps, plus they're just kinda cool.

I've got a couple more on the way, and will post pics when they arrive. I hope some other folk will contribute pictures of eraser knives, or insight into their history.

Nice thread idea Rachel, and two excellent examples

I remember reading that kids in one room schoolhouses used chalk on little slates, but also spent a lot of time learning penmanship. (Nowadays, cursive is a secret code for old people to use)

According to Goins, Montgomery Ward used the trademark "Wards USA" from 1935 to 1950. I assume this example is older than that, partly because there's no made in USA marking. Of course, markings on pocketknives may be different than on other tools. There was a "Wards Master Quality" used later, but no "celebrated" branding.

Perhaps some of the small, thin quill/pen blades could have been used to remove ink as well as shape a quill nib.

That was just like at my school in Sheffield in the 60's! We had pieces of slate and chalk when I first started, and a few years later they brought in the very inappropriately-named Mrs Kinder to beat cursive into us!

There were several Wards cutlers in Sheffield. One of my two Irish great-grandfathers was a foreman at Thomas Ward & Co before he went off to get killed in WW1, together with most of the Sheffield contingent.

I come across Ink Erasers not infrequently, and at reasonable prices, but don't always pick them up. A few pics

 

[PirateSeulb]

Yeah I can barely sign my name or more my signature barely looks like a name. It has made me want to pick up cursive writing and practicing it again plus having a kid around who isn't being taught it makes me more inclined to relearn it and teach him.

 

[GaiusJulius]

Old fashioned “laid” paper is probably a prerequisite to use one of these for its intended purpose, I’d think. These days we write on rolled paper that has “sizing” compounds added to help facilitate things like printer ink. Not a lot of texture or thickness for a blade to scrape.

 

[r8shell]

Nice thread idea Rachel, and two excellent examples

That was just like at my school in Sheffield in the 60's! We had pieces of slate and chalk when I first started, and a few years later they brought in the very inappropriately-named Mrs Kinder to beat cursive into us!

There were several Wards cutlers in Sheffield. One of my two Irish great-grandfathers was a foreman at Thomas Ward & Co before he went off to get killed in WW1, together with most of the Sheffield contingent.

I come across Ink Erasers not infrequently, and at reasonable prices, but don't always pick them up. A few pics

You've got some very nice ones, Jack, thanks for showing them. The advertisement/catalog print is very interesting as well. I see a number of different handle and blade shapes to look for.

I wonder if the flat ended handles served some function. Opening letters, separating papers, some sort of burnishing tool?

 

[waynorth]

some sort of burnishing tool?

I wonder??
If you rough up the paper by scraping it, it makes sense to have to burnish it back to smooth!! Hmmmmmm?

 

[Jolipapa]

Dad went to the evening class when I was born and worked as draftsman until he retired. Indian ink ruled then and he kept a few grattoirs (scrappers) of this period (as well as different nibs), very similar to the above Sheffields. He had learned to use them at school. No scratch was allowed then on notebooks.
These were probably made in Thiers (no brand) and date of the 50s. Notebook dates of 1935, Dad"s penultimate school year at 14.

 

[waynorth]

Dad went to the evening class when I was born and worked as draftsman until he retired.

Nice scrapers Alain!! Your Dad's penmanship was exquisite!!

 

[Jolipapa]

Nice scrapers Alain!! Your Dad's penmanship was exquisite!!

Thank You! I whish I write like him, any age! My writing at school was so awful with nibs that I had a special authorization to use the first Bic rollers. Unfortunately their ink had a tendency to spread and overflow when weather was hot!

 

[r8shell]

Dad went to the evening class when I was born and worked as draftsman until he retired. Indian ink ruled then and he kept a few grattoirs (scrappers) of this period (as well as different nibs), very similar to the above Sheffields. He had learned to use them at school. No scratch was allowed then on notebooks.
These were probably made in Thiers (no brand) and date of the 50s. Notebook dates of 1935, Dad"s penultimate school year at 14.
View attachment 1587889

Yes, that's wonderful penmanship, and it's a blessing to still have your father's tools. Thanks for showing them,.

 

[Jolipapa]

Yes, that's wonderful penmanship, and it's a blessing to still have your father's tools. Thanks for showing them,.

You're welcome. My grand-parents were proud of him (he was good at school) and it was found in their tiny flat when they deceased.

 

[Rich S]

He obviously took beautiful, copious notes from his chemistry class. A family treasure to be sure.
So much has been lost over the years; we were taught penmanship in elementary school (nothing as elegant as your grandfathers).
Unfortunately I have a niece with a MBA from a well known US university who can't read nor write script.
Rich (ye olde chemist)

 

[Jolipapa]

...

I wonder if the flat ended handles served some function. Opening letters, separating papers, some sort of burnishing tool?

I wonder??
If you rough up the paper by scraping it, it makes sense to have to burnish it back to smooth!! Hmmmmmm?

As far as I recall, one uses the eraser always in the same direction to prevent a hole. To prevent ink from looking (too) "hairy" we used breadcrumbs. But if the paper was not top quality (ie not made with rags), it always was a bit like a blotter. Maybe the round end was efficient to smoothen heavier grade material like vellum paper?
Today's recycled paper would look like Swiss cheese!

He obviously took beautiful, copious notes from his chemistry class. A family treasure to be sure.
So much has been lost over the years; we were taught penmanship in elementary school (nothing as elegant as your grandfathers).
Unfortunately I have a niece with a MBA from a well known US university who can't read nor write script.
Rich (ye olde chemist)

There were two ratings (0 to 10) : one for the content, the second for the look! (and a third for pupil's behaviour)
I'll post the various nibs in the "blades and pens" thread. The French equivalent for English scroll as used in the titles was called ronde. Thanks God; it was abandoned when my poor teacher tried to teach me how to write with ink.