Old Style Fishing Knives

Someplace just to show that reel collectors do have a life
Post Reply
User avatar
Skip
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:54 am
Location: NW Indiana

Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by 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
Ultra Board Poster
Posts: 2345
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:21 am

Re: Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by 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
User avatar
Skip
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:54 am
Location: NW Indiana

Re: Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by Skip »

RAM wrote: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.




User avatar
Ron Mc
Star Board Poster
Posts: 3384
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 7:49 am
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Contact:

Re: Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by Ron Mc »

how about finger-ring B&T knives?
Image
Ray Hencken
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 428
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:14 am

Re: Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by 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.
Image
Ray Hencken
Advanced Board Poster
Posts: 428
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:14 am

Re: Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by 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.
Image
User avatar
reelsmith.
Ultra Board Poster
Posts: 1715
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2003 11:08 am
Location: Connecticut
Contact:

Re: Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by reelsmith. »



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

Dean.
Wanted: Kosmic Items, Small Leather Fly Reel Cases, Early Fishing Related Bottles, Fly Reels and Pre-1900 Angling/Casting Medals.

http://www.tackletreasures.com/
User avatar
Jonathan P. Kring
Super Board Poster
Posts: 1404
Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:28 pm
Location: McMinnville, Tn.
Contact:

Re: Old Style Fishing Knives

Post by Jonathan P. Kring »

Case sells a nice one today. My dad had one just like it in his tackle box around 1950.
Cast your cares upon the Lord. Psalm 55:22
Then He said to them, "follow Me and I will Make you fishers of men". Matthew 4:19
Post Reply