The rise of the slipjoint

[templehound]

I googled "Disadvantages of slipjoint knives" because there are simply no advantages in slipjoint knives except better than no knife, flint blades or friction folders.

I was just curious if something would come up that I don't know yet

  and the first meets my eye was in  " People also ask"  -Are slipjoints safe-....that made me grin.

But what I didn't knew was that they are around since 1660 and that's a very long time.

So it's all about nostalgia and they are practically legal in most countries ....an advantage hidden in the disadvantages

Knife laws made the slipjoint rise again at least in Germany....

On this one blade, spring and bolsters are made from 1.5634 (75Ni8) bandsaw steel, steel pinned mammoth bark, German silver for the liners

and instead a nail nick I made a fuller.

Cheers

 

 

 

 

[SLAG]

Mr. T. Hound,

Lovely knife. Great job.

What is mammoth bark?

I am intrigued.

Regards,

SLAG.

[George N. M.]

Frosty, I think it looks like mammoth ivory.  It has become the go to material since elephant ivory is generally a no-no these days.

GNM

[George N. M.]

Although Temple Hound is correct that slip joint knives go back to about 1660 (and he, as usual, has produced a magnificent example) folding knives, probably what we would call friction folders go back to about 600-500 BC.  One of the cooler ones I have seen is in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK and looks like this:

http://museumcrush.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/GR.1.19912.jpg

The iron blade has rusted but the silver body and implements have survived.  I have always though that it should have red enamel and the inscription "Legio Helvitica"

[Daswulf]

I love the coloring of the mammoth bark handle. 

Just keep the pressure on the blade edge and not the spine and you're fine. 

 

[JHCC]

That's a honey of a knife.

[ThomasPowers]

Mammoth Bark is the outside layers of a mammoth tusk, generally the most mineralized and "roughest" surface.

The German Blade Museum (Deutsches Klingen Museum) in Solingen has several examples of Roman multi tool knives  like that one on display;  much like the "Hobo Knife"  my Grandfather showed me from the 1930's; except that the roman version has more grooming tools and the "modern" hobo knife just had the eating set along with the main blade.

IIRC "Legio" refers to a Roman Legion and Legio II Helvetica was probably the source of that piece.

[JHCC]

8 hours ago, George N. M. said:

"Legio Helvitica"

Strictly speaking, "Exercitus Helvetica"; a legion was a specific military unit (albeit one containing infantry, cavalry, etc and thus capable of operating as a self-sufficient force), while an exercitus would be made up of one or more legions.

[Anachronist58]

Love the look, love that backdrop!

Robert Taylor

[ThomasPowers]

"Knives and Scabbards, Museum of London" includes several friction folders from the High Medieval Period IIRC.

[templehound]

Thanks for the nice comments Gentlemen, much appreciated!

Mr. Slag: I think your question is already largely answered. I may add that the bark mostly is the enamel .So the stronger/harder part of the tusk.

There are two different outer layers on a tusk or tooth.The cementum is the outer layer covering the dentin in the root area, the enamel is the outer layer that

covers the dentin in the crown area.

 

 

[SLAG]

Mr. T.H.,

Thank you for answering my question.

Again great job and keep them coming;

SLAG.