Old farts and friction folders.

I’m not sure how accurate this is, and the pacing in a little slow, but this guy has made some interesting friction folders based on whatever research he may have done, and one looks very much like the Piedmontese mentioned above:
I would be interested to hear what Jack has to say about his information concerning the penny knife manufacturing. It seems to be in line with what I have heard here about the way things were set up in Sheffield and Thiers, with small workshops providing various parts which were later assembled into the finished product.
 
Just Tom. said:
I’m not sure how accurate this is, and the pacing in a little slow, but this guy has made some interesting friction folders based on whatever research he may have done, and one looks very much like the Piedmontese mentioned above:
I would be interested to hear what Jack has to say about his information concerning the penny knife manufacturing. It seems to be in line with what I have heard here about the way things were set up in Sheffield and Thiers, with small workshops providing various parts which were later assembled into the finished product.
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Those are nice-looking reproductions aren't they? The first knives shown appear to be based on the Bavarian Trattenbacher Taschenfeitl, which is still produced today.

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While they date back, at least to Roman times, the real rise in popularity of folding knives, to the extent that they eventually replaced fixed blade knives, only occurred after the invention of spring knives. These obviously cost more to make, and took greater skill, but the Sheffield cutlers were still able to turn them out for a pittance. Historically, knives in Sheffield weren't really made on an 'assembly line' as I think was suggested in the video, but, rather, as you suggested Tom, while some were made by a single maker, individual self-employed tradesmen specialised in a particular task, so that knives might cross the town many times, going from workshop to workshop, before completion. With one worker producing scales (covers), another forging the blades, and finally a cutler would put everything together - he was sometimes called the 'puttertogetherer'! :D In other parts of Europe, friction folders have clearly lasted much longer than in England, and the fact that they could be assembled much more cheaply, and with fewer skills, would make them easier to produce in remoter areas, which lacked the industrialization, infrastructure, and skills available in Sheffield :thumbsup:
 
Jack Black said:
I got this one in from Tod Cutler a few days ago, based on an early 14th century clasp knife. The original is shown in Simon Moore's superb book, Cutlery For The Table: A History of British Table and Pocket Cutlery. Tod's version is a little modern for me :D ;) :thumbsup:

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Interesting knife, Jack. :thumbsup:

Jack Black said:
Tod's version is a little modern for me :D ;) :thumbsup:
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Maybe next time he could make the tang into a bottle opener like Michael Morris. 😉🤣
 
Added a few to the collection recently, in fact, these have been somewhat of a grail for a long time. One would think that it wouldn't be so hard to procure knives like this, but several years later, these hail from Spain.

Exactly what I wanted other than the 'stainless' steel. Very roughly finished, so I am experimenting with a ferric chloride patina and scotch brite finish or just a 400 grit satin. Not sure yet. Once that's figured out, they will receive splinter picker tips and edges! PXL_20220826_002438190~2.jpg

This large one is next to a 110 for size reference. I can imagine one of our ancestors weilding something along these lines
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I recently found a cutlery who is making some historical patterns, some of which are shown previously in this thread. They look interesting, to say the least. I tried to place an order but they said they were having trouble getting some of the raw materials and to check back in January. I was able to order another knife from them, so maybe they're having trouble sourcing boxwood.

Nice to see that these antique styles are still being made.

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