Old Style Fishing Knives

[Skip]

Does anyone else collect the old-style fishing knives?

I think these became popular after WWI and were still commonly available in the 50s-70s. Back in the day we didn't filet everything, we gutted and scaled and fried 'em skin on and bones in. As it became more and more popular to filet these knives gradually disappeared from the market.

Most had two blades, a clip point and a scaler/disgorger, sometimes with a bottle opener. But there were some single blade versions with the scaler on the spine of the blade and I have some with a with a third tool, a steel can opener for opening those old steel beer cans.

[RAM]

Never saw one of those, but they would make great “go with” items. Especially like the fish logos. Thanks for the post!

Bad Bob

[Skip]

Never saw one of those, but they would make great “go with” items. Especially like the fish logos. Thanks for the post!

Bad Bob

You're welcome. Top to bottom, a nice Camillus and 3 Imperials. The Camillus is very high-quality and pricey as these knives go. The rest are all Imperials, a commonly available "working man's" brand back in the day, sturdy and with good quality carbon steel blades. The first Imperial is the scarce variety with the beer can opener, the next one is the single blade variety but a scarce liner lock version and the bottom one is the most common two-blade.

Here are a couple of more interesting ones. The first is a Camillus Life Raft Survival knife, those have a great back story. Eddie Rickenbacker went down in the Pacific in WWII while on an inspection tour. He and several others spent weeks bobbing around in life rafts before being rescued. He made some recommendations based on his experiences, including the inclusion of fish knives in the raft survival kits. Camillus won the contract with a knife based on their commercial model

The second is an Ulster made for JC Higgins that includes a gaff.

[Ron Mc]

how about finger-ring B&T knives?

[Ray Hencken]

Here is a picture (taken quickly, poor quality) of the four models of the Hardy Angler's Knife. Top left #4, Top right #3, Bottom left #2, Bottom Right #1.

[Ray Hencken]

This is an Ibberson Fishing Knife made in England with a scale for Limerick bend hooks size 18 to 8/0 and 1/2" to 2 3/4", along with its leather sheath and lanyard.

[reelsmith.]

Here's an oldie. These can be found in Wilkinson Co. catalogs in the 1890s.

Dean.

[Jonathan P. Kring]

Case sells a nice one today. My dad had one just like it in his tackle box around 1950.