this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2024
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What is this thing?

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Let us help you identify that mysterious object you’ve found.

Currently in CHALLENGE mode: If you've got something obscure knocking about, post a picture, and let's see how we do. Please prefix such posts with "CHALLENGE:" so we know we've got a fighting chance.

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There's a patent number on the smaller of the blades near the hinge (2037943) that led me to a US patent from 1936 but it didn't tell me a lot about this particular knife. Any information on time period, brand, model, cleaning/restoring, etc is helpful. Thanks!

Additional notes:

  • I cleaned off a decent amount of rust with some soap and WD-40 but the inner workings are still pretty messy
  • The yellow layer on the handles is peeling off at the ends

Update: thank you all so much for the information! I've gotten a lot of information and leads on the knife. Still nothing definite on brand but you're probably right that it's a carbon steel blade with an ivory handle from about the 1950s. I'll be tending to it properly with your information on proper cleaning and sharpening of a knife like this. I'll post another update if I find anything more definite on brand/origin. Thanks again!

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[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 52 points 10 months ago (1 children)

By the title and picture, I seriously thought you were trying to figure out what a pocket knife was....

[–] lordgoose@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 10 months ago

Thankfully I'm a bit more aware of things than that. I have multiple pocket knives already but they're all modern while this is distinctly not. I perhaps could have been more descriptive haha