I was never very interested in making folding knives (though there is pretty much always one in my pocket), the things I read described way too much machining and precision engineering for my taste. Then I came across the friction folder described in the back of the "wonder of knifemaking". Pretty cool, I have so far tracked down a bit on early spring back knives (Antlers and steel II) and a lot more on friction knives like the french trade knives. The trade knife has no spring, just a blade that pivots into place and then is held open by pressing the thumb down on a wide spot on the back of the tang. This design is really old, I have the British museum book on knives and sheaths which shows and almost identical design going back to the 1300's. Does anyone know of any more good sources of information on clasp knives? Especially before 1600.

There are two drawings of clasp knives from the 5th - 7th centuries in the article "Die Funde aus dem frumittelalterlichen Graberfeld Huinerveld bei Putten im Museum Nairac in Barnveld" by J. Ypey, but they are archaeological line drawings of the finds, not a whole lot of information on exact mechanisms/blade outline. Looks like two rectangular sheets of iron sandwitching a typical small seax blade, with a pivot pin, 11 x 3 cm-ish.
Jeff

Fishguy,I would very interested in this too, as I was making some similar to the ones in Waynes book a long time ago.I have since modernized most of mine for better sales appeal, but I still love the pure simplicity of the design.To see the looks on someone's face when they look at that old style is priceless.They are so used to all the fancy locks that the clasp knife is totally foreign to them. I have had good luck selling them because they are unique to what you can find elsewhere.Dave :)

I read the first post, then spun around in my chair to get my copy of Mr. Goddard's book and see the knife in question.

Once again, a "must have" book for knifemakers!

If you can find a copy of: Penknives and other folding knives by Simon Moore (Shire Album 223) you will see photographs of a couple of Roman folding knives, also some Viking folding knives and one or two others from before the spring-back knives became popular.

Roger

Or you could spend a few bucks with our own Gene Chapman and get a book on making them step by step. Or ask Gene any question about them in the "Outpost" forum. Visit his website, Oak and Iron (http://www.oakandiron.com/index.html) for a lot of good info and pics.

Yep, that's where I got the "Antlers and Steel II" (exceedingly cool) that I mentioned in the first post. I wanted to order the "Penny Knife" booklet too, but couldn't figure out how to make the purchase button work.

I couldn't figure out how to make the site work either, I just printed the order form and used snail mail to order it. "Hot Shop" also has some info on olden style folders.

:o Sorry, did not recognize antlers and steel as one of his titles.

What's "hot shop"?

http://www.oakandiron.com/images/hot%20shop%20cover.JPG

Gene Chapman has a series of pamphlets for sale about various smithing stuff, more knives then anything but it's got other stuff in there too. Good amount of info for the money.

www.oakandiron.com/

fishguy
Try this link.
http://home.cogeco.ca/~kgladysz/beltknives.html