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Switchblade: Civil War Veteran's Knife

Well, I finally have a chance to share some photos of my newest switchblade with you folks.

It took me two years to find a quality example of this knife, but finally I did.

Many of you have seen this knife and some own one.

This is the Civil War Veteran's Knife or the One Arm Man's Knife and sometimes just called the One Armer.

It was developed by the Press Button Knife Company out of Waden New York to provide veteran's who had lost their arm a way to use a knife and utensils with just one arm...open, use it, close it. Ingenious and during and after the Civil War there were a lot of men that needed it.

These are aluminum handles with a ton of intricate scroll work and this example came thru in very good shape. no real dents or nicks.

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In Memoriam Comment by Robert Burris on March 8, 2014 at 8:07: Thanks very much Lee, it's good to hear from you as always. I collect vintage Hobo's, [ when my purse allows] and it's always interesting to view and study eating utensils from the past. Especially those connected to combat and the military. My best ones are from WWI.

Comment by Lee Saunders on March 2, 2014 at 12:49: Well Robert my understanding of the history of this knife is that it was indeed developed for the Civil War Veteran's because there were so many men from both sides of that war who had lost arms to amputation and there was a need.

I believe the knife was manufactured about the turn of the century---1900 or so, although there were apparently more crude tools to try to help guys before that, but the technology wasn't there I guess.

HERE is a great article on the history of the Minie ball, which I know you folks already know, but this article brings it all alive from the 1862 battlefield.

I had a Great-Great Grandfather who lived in Washington D.C. and fought for the North, while his brother, whoi owned a plantation in Mississippi with land and slaves, fought under the flag of the South.

The Southern brother was injured in a battle but his Northern relative apparently was not. Neither suffered the dreaded amputation.

Those battles must have been so frightening, you had to just kiss the ground when you made it thru!!!

These PHOTOS show just how difficult and grisly those battlefield amputation must have been and the lifelong effects on the soldiers who lost an arm or a leg.

In Memoriam Comment by Robert Burris on February 24, 2014 at 11:09: Lee, please add a part 2 and tell us the history of the knife. We will all enjoy it. I for one would love to know where you find such great vintage knives.

Comment by Lee Saunders on February 24, 2014 at 0:39: Yep I love the knife but as usual with old knives it is the history and the story that came with the knife that I am really buying.

Who owned the knife? Why? What did they use it for? And this one comes with one hell of a story.

I wish I could tell yall the "who" part.

Comment by Jan Carter on February 21, 2014 at 17:23: Lee, I love the story behind this one. Not only is the knife style unique to its date and time but the reason for it was