Invention Of The Swivel Knife

[WillGhormley]

Hey Folks,

I was wonderin' if anyone knew who invented the Swivel Knife and when. I'm 51 and it's been around longer than me. It's all I ever heard Al Stohlman talk about, so I know it's older than dirt, or at least the 40's. If anyone has any information, I'd like to hear it.

Thanks,

Will

Edited January 28, 2010 by Johanna
removed email address to prevent spam

[bruce johnson]

Will,

In a class I took from Chuck Smith last month he talked about some of the history of tools. His mention was that the oldest he knew of was an FK Russell. I can't remember what year. The knife was given to Don King for his museum. I have an old Hinkley-Tandy catalog from the 40s, and they have one in there, but no identified maker.

[ClayB]

Good question Will. I've wondered the same thing.

[cgleather]

Me to! I sold some F K Russell stamps for a friend and the buyer stated they made tools in the 20s and 30s.

[WyomingSlick]

Examples of tooled leather that were done by cutting and beveling date back well over a thousand years ago. One early example, a celtic desgn demonstrates this readily. However it is a geometric design that would not have reguired a swivel knife. I think you have to look to the early Spanish carvers who started using floral designs on saddles. I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't evolve from a simple knife that simply had a yoke, or Y on the top. Someone probably figured out soon that such a knife would work better if the top would swivel and walla! - the swivel knife was born! I would think then that we owe it to some early Spanish carver who got tired of moving his body, and/or the leather so much while carving a flower. And now we have ball bearings

[bruce johnson]

Will, to date things back a little further than my earlier post, I have part of an old Schoellkopf catalog, and they list swivel knives (called swivel top cutters then) in what I have. The source of the reprint has one from 1924 and one from 1935. Not sure which I have, but I would suspect it is the maybe the 1924. I am basing this on the Landis 3 being the latest sewing machine listed. I thought the 16 came in the early 30s, but someone who has more machine history will know more on that.

[steveh]

P B Mcmillen was established in 1898 in Kansas City MO. They manufactured leather stamps and tools. There was some very nice floral carving coming out of the saddle shops during the turn of the century. Such as Visala ,Main Winchester, DE Walker that looks like swivel knife work to me. The GS Garcia worlds fair saddle of 1904 is also a good example.

Steve

[TimKleffner]

Howdy Will

Glad to see you here. It's been a while since Sheridan show back in 03? 04? Where's Ann????

Happy tooling

Tim

[jana]

The Dictionary of Leather-Working Tools, c.1750-1950, has a section on tooling. The author says that incising knives were used mainly until the early 1900's and that "This knife, which largely displaced the incising knife, is of American origin of c.1900." pg.198. I have tried to find patented information but haven't had much luck... Hope this helps.

Edited February 2, 2010 by jana

[WyomingSlick]

I ran across this article on the net today, and since it applied directly to the subject of this thread, will post it here.

Definately worth the reading!

http://www.proleptic.net/ShopTalk_APRIL_web%20article.pdf