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What Are These Tools?

I just signed onto this group, so I thought I'd jump in with a question that's been bugging me for about ten years. This knife is easily identifiable as a Chas Clements, and it's age is sometime before February 28, 1905, since that date is engraved on it. That said, I've asked many old timers and local collectors, and some of the doodads on this beast ( all half a pound of it ) have baffled them as much as they've baffled me. Tool #2 may be a can opener, #4 appears to be some sort of reaming/leather boring tool ???, but the robust hook #3 (square stock), and the strange rotating thingy (#1) are anyone's guess. For some scale reference the closed knife is 12.5 cm ( about 5 inches) in length.
My suspicion is the knife is somehow trade or specific hobby related, but I'd love some input. Thanks.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Bamford on March 20, 2016 at 2:08

I have seen knives like that called horseman's knives or something similar .

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on March 20, 2016 at 10:52

Rick-This is a horseman's knife or sometimes called a sportsman's knife.

#1-Shotgun shell extractor-It rotated to accomodate 2 different guage shot shells

#2 -British oval style can opener

#3-Hoof pick

#4-Leather punch/reamer

BTW, you didn't ask, but the 2 large screws in the handle are actually harness mending bolts for emergency repairs.

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Permalink Reply by Bryan W on March 20, 2016 at 17:36

I concur! Right on the money John! Now, if the hoof pick has a file on the back of it, so its exposed when closed, it does act as a file of course, but that is also sometimes called a "strikefire". Can you guess why?

Love those knives. I'll need to post my old Henckels....

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 20, 2016 at 19:27

WOW, good work John and yes Bryan W, we would love to see yours also

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Permalink Reply by Rick McConnell on March 20, 2016 at 20:17

Thanks everyone for your input. This is one of my favorite knives, and is in far better shape than the picture indicates. Sadly, it met with some flooding aftermath about five years ago, and up until then it had no discoloration whatsoever. I suspect it was used very sparingly in the past, as the spring action is brutally stiff. When I got this knife, it was still in what I assume was it's original leather snap-pouch.

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Permalink Reply by Rick McConnell on March 20, 2016 at 20:31

Rick McConnell said:

For use with a flint I assume (for fire starting), although a smooth piece of high carbon steel actually works better with natural flint than a file does, as the file serrations tend to chip the flint. P.S. The file would work well with ferrocerium "modern flint", as the type which is found in lighters, where the spark is produced by the flint rather than by a metal shaving.

Bryan W said:

I concur! Right on the money John! Now, if the hoof pick has a file on the back of it, so its exposed when closed, it does act as a file of course, but that is also sometimes called a "strikefire". Can you guess why?

Love those knives. I'll need to post my old Henckels....

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Permalink Reply by kevin p. madden on July 11, 2017 at 0:32

I'm also new to this site, and I've got a question about your knife:

How do you use the #2 blade (old-style can opener)?

I can think of two different ways to use it, but I'd like to know the standard way.

Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by John Bamford on July 11, 2017 at 12:01

I remember using that old style can opener Kevin. It was bashed into the can the sharp side pointing up and then sort of levered along cutting the tin up from underneath. I also remember that it made a horrible rough jagged mess of the tin, though maybe I was doing it wrong!

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on July 11, 2017 at 12:45

I believe , John .. you used it in the only way it can be used. Granted .. I've only used one when investigating just how in the H311 they were supposed to work. I came to the conclusion that that was both the most effective & about the only effective way to use one. While quite functional .. they do make a dangerous mess out of both the tin lid & the remnants left in the can. One was @ risk attempting to spoon the contents out of a deep can as a result. I found a P38 more efficient & substantially safer.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on August 6, 2017 at 20:42

3 looks like a hoof pick. 4 might be an awl. Could be a farrier's knife. 1 might have something to do with caring for horse hoofs.

But then I'm not sure why the knife has a button hook. The swivel thing might be some type of gauge. Are both sides the same width? Is it sharp?

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Permalink Reply by Bryan W on August 7, 2017 at 20:37

Hi Tobias

Three is a hoof pick, four would be an awl, one is for pulling out shotgun shells, two different gauges. Roll up on the posts and you'll see the previous comments. The button hook is correct also. Definitely a sportsmans or horsemans knife. Very nice piece and you were right on the money!