Some knives boast innovations that add to the practicality, others showcase special features that add to the aesthetic, and then there’s the Imperial Trick Knife.
The Trick Knife is a single bladed non locking folding knife that was made with a rather unique feature. Within the blade well a space was cut in the liners that housed a small free moving bar. That bar moves up and down in its housing due to gravity as the knife is turned. Why? It gives the knife a “trick”; the blade can only be opened when the knife is upside down and can only be closed when the knife is upright.
An advertisement for a trick knife called “The Humbug Knife”
What is the purpose of this feature? Well, as the name suggests, it really only serves as a fun trick to challenge your friends. In fact, some original advertising even claimed that only the most calm tempered could open it without frustration the first time. There’s not much practical use of a knife locking closed and not open. That said, if you want to “secure” your knife against someone opening it without your leave (like, in my case, if you have a small child around) it could be a useful feature… at least until they figure out the trick.
Despite its endearing quirkiness, the trick mechanism seems to have been seen as pure novelty by the manufacturer. The blade tang is stamped with several patent numbers. The tang numbers correspond to patents for the construction of the handle, but I could find no patents related to the locking mechanism online. Also, these trick knives were often given away by companies as advertising knives with their logo etched on the handles, or sold cheaply with TV character graphics on the handles.
Patent drawing for the handle construction method used by Imperial, the bottom line of the tang stamp on the Trick Knife
Despite the fact that the trick mechanism isn’t overly practical and the trick knife was sold as a novelty, it’s a unique and interesting piece of cutlery history. It hearkens back to a golden age of the knife industry when there was widespread innovation, just like there is today. Just as with those of today, not all cutlery innovations of the past took hold. Even still, the Imperial Trick Knife oozes a certain endearing nostalgia that can’t be denied.
Thank you to Jerram for loaning this awesome piece of cutlery history, and congratulations on owning such a great heirloom!
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The Big Chief is a classic American traditional pocket folding knife. Its sturdy build and unique design helps it to stand out from other knives throughout its long history. This article will discuss the Big Chief’s history, compare various iterations, and look to possible future renditions.
Titusville Era
The Big Chief design and mechanism was first created by Queen Cutlery in Titusville Pennsylvania. Queen Cutlery was a long time giant in the pocket knife industry, holding a respected place in the market (under various names) for over a hundred years. Queen produced a myriad of knife patterns, pretty much every type of pocket and hunting knife you can think of, under several in house brands and also manufactured for outside brands. The name “Big Chief” was one of those trademarks (more on this later) that Queen owned and used.
Queen Cutlery catalogue advertising graphic
So what is the Big Chief as created by Queen? The Big Chief is an integral handle slipjoint with a cast aluminum handle and a stainless steel blade. Both the integral handle and the stainless blade were innovative for their time. In fact, a patent was filed for the integral handle slipjoint design by inventor E. C. Erickson in 1955. When Queen began to use stainless steel it was still controversial and relatively new to the industry, so they decided to call it “Queen Steel”. Queen put these two new advancements in cutlery together to create the Big Chief; a large integral handled jack knife.
The original Big Chief, made in Titusville Pennsylvania by Queen
The integral handle allowed the knife to be extremely durable, with much less chance of loosening or breaking than most folding knives of the time. Most folding knives at that time used natural materials like wood or bone for the handle covers, and they were prone to cracking if dropped or used roughly. Not so with the solid aluminum handles of the Big Chief. The stainless steel blade meant that the Big Chief could be used without the user having to worry about cleaning the blade, whereas the simple carbon steels used on most knives of the time would rust quickly when left wet or dirty. The Big Chief was made as early as the late 1950’s, but I haven’t been able to track down the exact first year of production. Queen made several versions including one with a hawkbill blade, a serrated blade, a filet clip point, versions with an easy open notch, versions with a bail, and even a smaller version dubbed simply the “Chief”.
Patent drawing for integral handled slipjoint construction, such as used in the Big Chief
Unfortunately Queen went out of business at the beginning of 2018 and put the future of the Big Chief under doubt. Would this American classic die out with its creator?
A Confusing Start to a New Era
As part of its liquidation, all of Queen’s assets were sold off at auction. This included all the brands and trademarks owned by the company. Smoky Mountain Knife Works purchased the Queen and Queen City trademarks, and began to have knives made under those brands. Whereas Queen knives had always been made in the USA, Smoky Mountain Knife Works had Queen and Queen City branded knives manufactured both domestically and overseas. Eventually they released a “Big Chief” model. This new version of the Big Chief was made in China, which many traditional knife enthusiasts do not prefer (to put it lightly). SMKW’s Big Chief retained the stainless blade and general pattern shape. However, it did not use the patented integral handle construction; it had a more conventional construction with a normal backspring, two separate handle slabs, and even an adjustable pivot. All that said, Smoky Mountain Knife Works’ Big Chief did keep the sturdy, reliable, budget friendly spirit of the original intact. It’s a great user knife for the low price of $15.
SMKW Queen Big Chief, made in China with standard handle construction
However, there seems to have been some sort of mix up surrounding the ownership of the “Big Chief” trademark. As it turns out, Cooper Cutlery purchased some of the trademarks previously owned by Queen (as well as much of the machinery)… including the Big Chief. Cooper Cutlery, headed by Gilbert Cooper and his sons in Ohio, is a new outfit endeavoring to continue the great American tradition of pocket cutlery manufacturing. So, after a few runs of knives made under other brands they own, they released their own version of the Big Chief. Cooper Cutlery’s Big Chief had the previously mentioned hawkbill blade that was sometimes referred to as the diver’s version by Queen. Not only is Cooper Cutlery using the same machinery that Queen used, it also kept the traditional integral handle construction. Cooper Cutlery’s Big Chief also kept the budget friendly price, at around $40. Although twice as expensive as the Smoky Mountain Knife Works version, $40 is still about the rock bottom you can find an Americanmadetraditional slipjoint for in today’s market. Cooper Cutlery did not build these to be safe queens or collector pieces but rather to be thrown in a tool or tackle box like the Queen originals, and the build quality matches that intention.
Cooper Cutlery Big Chief, made in Winchester Ohio with integral handle construction
An Open Future
I hope the future holds more American made Big Chief knives. I’d love to see Cooper Cutlery expand their Big Chief line to include some of the versions Queen made. In particular, I think the normal clip point version and especially the smaller “Chief” version would be especially popular with today’s traditional knife users and collectors. Cooper Cutlery is in a process of learning the knife making trade and what the knife market wants, and I think the Big Chief line is a great space in which to build their experience. So here’s to a bright future for the Big Chief!
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So, you just bought yourself a shiny new knife and want to make sure it’s up to snuff. In this article I’ll describe the 6 points that I check when receiving a knife. These characteristics cover the bulk of what decides where a knife lands on the spectrum from abysmally terrible to mythically epic.
#1 Edge Exposure
Checking for edge exposure, most commonly in the form of a proud tip, is one of the first things I do when inspecting a knife. This is because it is a practical concern; if the edge is exposed you can accidentally cut yourself when reaching in your pocket for the knife etc. Most commonly on slipjoints, but also sometimes on modern knives, this issue rears its ugly head as a proud tip. A tip is proud when it sits above the blade well enough that it can be caught on a fingernail without actually opening the blade. This issue is all too common in my opinion, and those who watch my videos know I am hounded by proud tips on otherwise perfect GECs. Modern knives can also have proud tips, but I find it to be quite uncommon. However, modern knives, often having pass through handles (no backspring / a gap at the spine side of the blade well also), can sometimes have edge exposure along that spine side of the handle. This happens when the blade is too tall for the blade well and the edge sits close enough to the back of the handle that you can contact it when running a finger along the back of the handle. Both of these types of edge exposure have their fixes; a proud tip can often be alleviated by dropping the kick, and the edge can be sharpened back from the handle opening. However, I prefer not to have to modify my knives for them to be safe (even if actual injury is unlikely) so these issues are sometimes deal breakers.
#2 Edge Damage
Edge damage on a new knife is most commonly caused by blade rap, but can also be a defect in sharpening. Blade rap is when the edge hits some part of the handle upon closing. On slipjoints the edge often hits the backspring, especially at the spring pin hump, and on modern knives the edge sometimes hits the backspacer or a standoff. I would also consider the edge hitting the sides of the blade well blade rap, but that is covered more in depth by the next point. The edge hitting the backspring can cause varying levels of damage to the edge, from a barely perceptible flat area to a full on roll. No matter the amount of damage done, blade rap diminishes the utility of the knife and is a defect. That said, note that some traditional knife patterns, notably from France, are designed to have the edge rest on the backspring so as to eliminate the tip becoming proud through multiple sharpenings. Less commonly, some knives might come with edge damage not related to blade rap. This type of edge damage can be due to a poor sharpening job from the factory or from damage in shipping. As a knife’s purpose is to cut, the edge should arrive to the buyer without damage.
#3 Blade Centering
The title pretty much says it all here; is the blade centered in the blade well? Some people put a lot of emphasis on this point because they strongly prefer the aesthetics of a centered blade, which is fine if that matters to you. However, an uncentered blade can be indicative of other issues such as blade play (discussed in the next point), a bent or unevenly ground blade, or a warped handle. Those are more practical issues rather than aesthetic. Of course, if a blade is so off centered that it rubs on the handle liners or actually hits the edge on the liner upon closing that is a definite defect. The blade should not be defaced or the edge damaged every time the knife is closed.
#4 Lockup
Most modern folding knives lock, and the lock should function securely when received. The lock should hold the blade open without significant play, or movement, in any direction (for most lock types). You can test for blade play by opening the knife then grasping the blade from the spine side, being careful to keep your hand far from the edge, and try to wiggle the blade side to side and forward and back. Another test that many do is a spine whack test. A spine whack test is when you strike the spine of the locked blade against a hard surface, such as a piece of wood, to check that it doesn’t unlock. Many manufacturers discourage this test, and it is a test that should be done with the utmost care and emphasis on safety (NEVER hold the knife so your hand is in the way of the blade if it did fold) if done at all. Of course, non locking knives can’t be tested for lockup but you can still test for side to side blade play. Having secure lock up is an important aspect of a good knife, as poor lockup can range from irritating to downright dangerous.
#5 Action
Action is the term used for the actual opening and closing of a knife. Folding knife action has come a long way in the last decade or two. Now even extremely budget friendly knives often come with glassy smooth opening and closing. Many knives have ball bearing washers in their pivots which allow for very low friction. Some look for “drop closed smooth” meaning that the blade drops closed by its own weight when unlocked, while others prefer a more deliberate closing motion be required. What an ideal action looks like is up to each individual, but I think a knife’s action should both work practically and be enjoyable.
#6 Fit and Finish
Finally, the knife should be inspected for general fit and finish. So what is fit and finish? It’s the sum of how precisely the parts of the knife are fit together and how well each part is finished. This could include the meeting of the scales, or covers, of the handle with the bolsters or with the liners. It could include the evenness of the finish on the handle and blade; the lack or presence of machining marks etc. Fit and finish is another area where budget knives have made huge strides to close the gap with premium knives over the last few years. Most modern knives of $50 and up should have few if any obvious imperfections in the fitment of the parts and finish of the surfaces upon a cursory glance. That said, some knives are expected to have slight imperfections due to the nature of their manufacture. For example, many traditional slipjoint knives are expected to have minor flaws and individual character because they’re made using traditional methods. Even Great Eastern Cutlery, the premier American traditional knife manufacturer, knives are expected to have a slight deformation in a pin or gap around the shield every now and then. Ultimately, the level of fit and finish that one finds acceptable at each price point is a personal decision, but it is still worth considering.
BONUS; First Impression
There’s another characteristic of a knife that I think is worth considering but that didn’t make the list; the visceral first impression it gives you. Often, as a knife enthusiast, opening a knife and handling it for the first time will give you a strong feeling. Whether positive or negative, this feeling often has nothing to do with the objective qualities of the knife outlined above. Even though this first impression might not be based on any real practical characteristics, it’s still important to one’s enjoyment of a knife. We as knife enthusiasts deserve to be thrilled every time we get a new knife, so don’t ignore your first impression of a new purchase.
For those of us who make knives a hobby, we deserve to get a good value for our hard earned money. That’s why I think it’s important to check each knife you receive for these 6 key points of quality, and also to consider your first impression. If a knife passes all these checks, congratulations; you have yourself a great every day carry tool or collection piece in your new knife!
P.s. I used videos that touch heavily on the discussed characteristic here in lieu of pictures because I think they do a better job of showing the issue in a realistic manner.
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Have you ever picked up your EDC knife for the day and realized it was duller than a trip to the DMV? Sometimes you don’t have time to break out the full fixed angle fancy sharpening system and sit down for a laborious labor of love to get that perfect apex. Sometimes you just want to get your knife back to doing what it’s made to do; cut stuff. Well I have some great news for you! Not only can you serviceably sharpen a knife without specialized tools, you probably have some options for achieving a perfectly usable edge just lying around.
Your Cup of Coffee
No, not the disposable cup from your local mega-chain coffee shop. Your normal every day stained from years of use ceramic coffee cup can actually be used to sharpen. Now, you’re going to be turning the cup upside down, so I suggest one without coffee in it. The bottoms of most ceramic mugs have a ring of exposed medium-ish grit ceramic. This ring can be used very similarly to a sharpening stone or rod. Simply draw your knife’s edge across the exposed ceramic grit at the appropriate angle until you reach an acceptable apex. Make sure there aren’t any oversized pieces of grit in the area you use so as to not create any edge damage, and make sure to use light pressure and a consistent angle. You’ll have a very passable edge and will be ready to pour your favorite brew!
Your Drive to Work
Now, to be clear, I am NOT suggesting you sharpen your knife WHILE driving. That said, when you get in the car to warm it up in the morning you can use the top edge of your window to sharpen. Similarly to a coffee mug, most car windows have an exposed area of fine-ish grit along the top edge. In my experience the grit on this top edge of car windows is significantly finer than that on coffee mugs. So use the same method, but it might take a few more passes and you might be able to achieve a little bit finer edge. Just make sure you do it sitting inside the car, otherwise you might look a little too nefarious; waving your knife menacingly in the window of an empty car. This can be a great way to keep a sharp edge even when traveling!
Your Essential Raiment
If you just need a quick touch up to bring your edge from sharp to razor sharp and wear a leather belt you have a strop at your constant disposal. While it might not make a truly dull knife sharp, a leather strop can be a great way to keep your edge sharp. Even a leather belt can be used as a strop, though I generally recommend using the back / inside side of the belt to avoid any scratches showing. Also, the inside of the belt is sometimes a rougher finished leather, which can be more effective as a strop. To use the strop, find the correct angle for the edge and pull the blade in an edge trailing orientation across the belt with light pressure along the whole edge until the knife is back to your preferred sharpness. If you want to get really wild with it you can even put a very small dab of toothpaste on the leather and smear it around to an even and very thin coating on the area you’ll use as a strop. The toothpaste will provide a little bit of polishing action, not to mention a pleasant aroma.
Dull knives don’t have to be a constant frustration when you’re short on time or specialized tools. With a little ingenuity, you can sharpen your knives using everyday items you already have around the house. Whether it’s a ceramic coffee mug, the top edge of your car window, or even a leather belt, these household items can be employed to achieve a usable edge on your knife. Just remember to use light pressure, a consistent angle, and be aware that these methods should be used as backups when a dedicated sharpener isn’t available. With these simple tips, you can get your knife back to its cutting best in no time.
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One of the most engaging aspects of traditional slipjoint knives is the myriad of unique patterns that have been made, and a great example can be found in the Cotton Sampler. The Cotton Sampler is a relatively little known and sparsely made pattern that has, like many traditional patterns, an obscure history. In this article I’ll discuss some of the pattern’s variations, possible background, and current versions.
Companion Video!
Description
There are two distinct blade shapes and corresponding handle shapes that have been given the name “Cotton Sampler”. One type of Cotton Sampler has a backward curved handle, like a swayback, (though some versions have a straight frame) and a hefty straight edged blade with a straight spine and abrupt angle toward the tip. This type looks very similar to a typical harvester or sailor knife, but often with an even taller blade. The other, more unique, type has a forward curved handle and a blade that deserves its own sentence to describe. The blade on this type has a long unground ricasso, often around an inch long, between the kick and the edge itself, which curves abruptly toward a small clipped tip. It makes for a blade that looks like a squatter spay shape with an unground extension from the handle. While both these shapes have been called Cotton Samplers, today the term is almost exclusively used for the latter style.
Schatt & Morgan Example of the Swayback Type
History
So, what’s the story behind these interesting knives? Well, it seems the pattern shapes themselves likely predate the name. The first style described above is just a slight variation of an ancient pattern that can be found in the earliest Sheffield pattern books (and likely much earlier, as some Roman knives have similar designs). It’s a classic agriculture pattern well suited for the pull cuts prevalent in those uses. On the other hand, the second style is less typical. The earliest example with this unusual blade shape can be found in a 1903 Schatt & Morgan catalogue, but isn’t identified as a Cotton Sampler. It actually has a rounded unground area, rather than the flat type seen on later examples, that is heavily reminiscent to finger choils on modern knives (at least to my eyes). Considering that a knife of the same shape in a 1938 Maher & Grosh catalogue is identified as a “Skinning Knife”, I think it is likely that this version of the Cotton Sampler pattern started as a sportsman’s knife and was later repurposed for agricultural use. That said, I have seen an explanation of the unusual blade shape proposed in several places. Apparently the tall blade with abrupt edge is used to cut into a bale of cotton and act like a spoon to extract a sample (hence the name), and the flat unground area is used to rub the cotton fibers to somehow ascertain the quality of the product. While it’s not my place or intention to claim what is or isn’t fact in this notoriously murky realm of knife history, I find it likely that the previously described use evolved to fit an already existing pattern and then that use influenced the evolution of the pattern itself.
Schatt & Morgan 1903 Catalogue
Availability
Unfortunately, the Cotton Sampler is not one of the more widely available patterns. Queen made both versions over the years before going out of business. Great Eastern Cutlery has made the latter version I described but, like most of their patterns, it has become highly collectible and difficult to find since 2013 (the only time it was made). The only company I’m aware of that offers an array of widely available Cotton Samplers is Rough Ryder.
AMKCA Club Knives
Conclusion
My interest in the Cotton Sampler pattern was piqued by an unexpected addition to my collection. I attend the Allegheny Mountain Knife Collectors Association club, and one of the members has been a supporter and a huge asset to my journey into vintage traditional knives. He knows I am a GEC enthusiast and collect the AMKCA club knives, so he offered to sell me his favorite of the club knives at a fair price. It happened to be the 2013 GEC #74 Cotton Sampler. I agreed happily, both because it’s a great knife unlike anything in my collection and because I appreciated that he thought of me when he decided to sell the knife. I have enjoyed getting to know this pattern through my example and to display it with my other AMKCA knives. While I haven’t been able to find as much historical information on the Cotton Sampler, I’ve still enjoyed getting to know it. I hope you’re able to check out this unique pattern also!
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