The pocket knife is a versatile tool that has been around for a long time. While pocket knives have been around for centuries, they haven’t always been used as a weapon.
The earliest known pocket knives date back to at least the Iron Age. These proto-pocket knives were small and folded, making them safe to carry.
The Romans
The ancient Romans were known for many inventions, including roads and bathhouses. They also made lots of knives – we’re not sure what they did with them, but we know that they used them for battle and self-defense.
The first folding knifes are thought to have originated somewhere in the Germanic regions of Europe, north of Italy, dating back to around 600 BCE. These knives lacked a spring and lock, instead using a simple hinge to attach the blade to the handle.
The oldest surviving example is a bone-handled folding knife found in Austria. Others have been discovered in Spain and Germany, where they were probably carried by Roman soldiers during wartime.
The 17th Century
In the 17th century, there was a lot going on in Europe. There was the Thirty Years’ War, which divided the continent between France and England.
During this period, knives evolved and became more useful as time went on. Some were just simple folding knives. Others were more complicated.
They were primarily used as tools and not weapons. They were also a part of the everyday life of people, especially the working class.
In the 17th century, average families lived in cramped one-room houses and their women worked very hard. They had to work outside in the fields and sometimes they had to do manual labor at home as well.
The 1600s
During the 1600s, Sheffield, England became the world’s cutlery center and began producing inexpensive, uniform folding knives for everyone. These simple tools were known as slip-joints because of their innovative back springs that kept the blade open or closed when not in use.
The earliest surviving pocket knife is a bronze folding knife from Halstatt, Austria dating back to 500-600 BCE. These tools were often used by soldiers and travelers who carried lots of gear over rough terrain.
The Barlow
The Barlow was invented in Sheffield, England. The design has a rounded teardrop handle and a small blade around 2.5 to 3 inches.
They also have an extra long bolster, usually 2/5th the length of the handle, to surround and strengthen the pivot section. This was necessary for a budget knife.
These knives were produced by various companies in Sheffield, England for a hundred years. They were cheap and simple – a drop-shaped handle with bone or wood overlays, a slip-joint lock, and long bolsters of steel.
They became popular with many of the founding fathers including George Washington and Mark Twain. The Barlow knife is still a favorite today.
The Swiss Army Knife
The Swiss Army Knife is a pocket tool that combines blades, corkscrews, files, punches, can openers, scissors, saws, tiny toothpicks, and many other small tools. Invented in the 1880s and still manufactured exclusively in two factories in Switzerland, the Swiss Army knife has become an icon of utility and smart design.
In 1884, Karl Elsener opened a cutlery cooperative in Ibach, Switzerland. He aimed to provide employment opportunities for the local people and he soon made knives for the Swiss army.
In 1890, the first Swiss Army knife was manufactured and sold to the army. It was designed to open canned food and help soldiers disassemble a rifle. It had a blade, a reamer, a can-opener and a screwdriver, and its scales were oak wood.