A Visit to Victorinox 4 Sharp Conversations 4 Trade Knives 4 Is Your Membership up to Date

KNEWSLETTTER IN A KNUTSHELL 4 What’s your membership status? 4 It’s called a.... 4 A Visit to Victorinox 4 Sharp Conversations 4 Trade Knives 4 Is your membership up to date Our international membership is happily involved with “Anything that goes ‘cut’!” January 2016 A Visit to Victorinox Robert N. Miller The Victorinox museum and shop in Brunnen and the factory in Ibach lie in Switzerland’s “Knife Valley,” along the shore of Lake Lucerne. The museum and shop are just around the corner from the docks where the tour boats board. At the museum visitors can assemble their own Spartan model Swiss Army knife and engrave the handle. You have to book early if you want to do this -- space is limited. We both wanted to do it; but there was only one slot available for the day of our visit, so Sheree, the serious Victorinox enthusiast, got to have the experience. It turned out to be just as well. We had envisioned a room full of work spaces, but the space is only set up for one person at a time to work. There are folding chairs Karina (left) supervises as Sheree assembles her Victorinox around the work area that allow those waiting their turn, as well Spartan. Small parts are in trays at the front of the bench. as other visitors, to observe the process. After watching Sheree, The press is clearly visible in front of Sheree. as well as the person before her, assemble their knives, I didn’t The Spartan knife assembly expert was a cheerful woman who feel left out for not having the experience myself. Besides, the introduced herself as Karina. Assembly is accomplished at Spartan, despite its distinction of being the oldest Swiss Army two workstations: the first for assembly of the knife itself, the knife still in production, is not our favorite. second for attaching and engraving the scales. Actual assembly at the first workstation is done on a press specifically designed for the Spartan model. The static bottom part of the press has three brass pins that stick up from the table. These three pins are matched exactly to holes in the frame, blades and partitions of the knife; so all the parts align precisely. The upper part of the press is made of heavy metal, flat on the bottom with three holes that match the three pins. When the operator pushes a foot pedal, the upper part of the press descends and pushes the assembly together with even pressure. Look at a Swiss Army knife; and you’ll see that it comes in layers, one or more blades in each layer. The layers are separated by steel partitions. In the assembly process, you place the bottom of the frame on the press so the pins extend exactly through holes in the frame. Then you fit the first layer of blades. Then you place the partition and push the pedal to actuate the press. It’s something of an art. Sometimes you press gently. Sometimes you stomp on the pedal. Karina knows. The process takes about fifteen minutes. Karina did not seem the least bit bored, despite the fact that she supervised exactly the same fifteen minute process, with few breaks, for most of the working day. Continued on page 4 Trade Knives B K Brooks Trade Knives being the theme of the 2016 OKCA Show, I decided to pinpoint one company that specialized in such trade. The A. J. Jordan Sheffield and St. Louis Company was one of the major players. Owner Andrew J. Morgan started an import business in St. Louis, Missouri. The year was 1878, and St. Louis was still the stepping off area into kitchen, skinning and butcher knives the to the Kainai Nation which is also known the Wild West where plenty of Indians company produced. as the “Blood Tribe.” still abounded! The Crow, in historical times, lived in the Now a quick search on eBay shows Yellowstone valley, which extends from many types of cutlery items imported present-day Wyoming through Montana by A. J. Jordan and branded with his and into North Dakota, where it joins the company’s name. Razors, fruit knives, Missouri River. Today, they are enrolled jack knives, farrier’s knives, silverware, in the federally recognized Crow Tribe even carving sets made up his stock. of Montana. The company imported mainly from From this overview of the tribes, it can England and to a lesser extent Germany be concluded that most of A. J. Jordan according to GOINS’ Encyclopedia of Sheffield and St. Louis Company’s trade Cutlery Markings. knife business was up the Missouri river; but his clientele was nationwide.. The The GrosVentre migrated into the typical trade knife, during the infancy Montana area in the Eighteenth Century. of this company, was a wood handled They called themselves A’ani, A’aninin knife, with six small pins holding the and Haaninin; these terms mean “White finished Persian boxwood handles onto Clay People” or “Lime People.” The the full tang knife. The knives generally Piegan Blackfoot, enemies of the ran up to 12” long, with a 14” cooks GrosVentre throughout most of history, knife offered. called the A’aninin, “Piik-siik-sii-naa,” which translates as “snakes.” Early models were thought to be marked Levine’s Guide To Knives and their A. J. Jordan Sheffield and St. Louis Values states in 1885 American Company; but by 1886 (with the creation entrepreneur Andrew J. Jordan actually of his own Sheffield manufacturing opened a factory in Sheffield “first at plant) the company blade trademark Bakers Hill then at the India Works on about mid blade on these trade knives Furnvial street.” Jordan would only was AAA1/A.J. Jordan/Sheffield. make and import high quality handmade Knives, after 1890 will have a fourth line kitchen knives, not machine made ones. with England on the blade as required by Jordan had a special double shear steel American protective tariffs for imports. process. Levine opined that Andrew Some wood handles were stamped with a Jackson Jordan from St. Louis made the curved JORDANS over the word BEST. best kitchen knives saying it is “the best Jordan also had the trademarks which brand of all.” included: “A(smaller capital A)A1,” Old According to GOINS’ Encyclopedia Faithful, The River, Cowboys knife and 20th Century. of Cutlery Markings, most of the early The Piegan Blackfoot were the largest business of the A. J. Jordan Sheffield of three Blackfoot-speaking groups that In 1911 his son Clay acquired Platts and St. Louis Company was done with made up the Blackfoot Confederacy; the Brothers Cutlery in Andover New York, the Indian tribes such as the GrosVentre, Siksika and the Kainai were the others. renaming the company Clay Cutlery Blood, Blackfeet and River Crow. The Piegan dominated much of the Company. His father A. J. Jordan acted These trade knives, well-made and northern plains during the Nineteenth as the selling agent for his son. durable, were the desired product for Century. The Piegan are closely related these tribes and were most likely the Page 2 Display Award Knives contributions OKCA Knews The theme of the award knives for the from our & Musings April Display Award is “Trade Knives.” membership. It ibdennis Knifemakers have taken the blanks of is what makes 1095 steel and will enhance them with our organization This is the issue..... their interpretation of the theme. A unique. when you need to look at the label on reminder for the makers to get started on Club Knife.... the Knewslettter to see whether your their knife is the knife received from Gene Herein find the membership is paid up or not. The “not” Martin at the Mini Show. A few days ago proposed 2016 Club knife to be made by is a date like 2014 or 2015. We certainly we received the Great Eastern. Pricing to follow soon. do not want to lose you as a member and a knife made by Might check the web page from time to supporter of the Oregon Knife Collectors. José Diaz. It is time. If your date is 2016 or better.... thank you. pictured here. I was really Election of Officers for 2016... All table reservation confirmations have impressed The January 20 meeting at the Sizzler is been mailed as well as the membership with the work done by Jose’ and equally election of officers. The present board is cards. Table-holder badges are picked up impressed, as this was an “outside the box” ready to roll again if you want us. at the Show in April. Membership cards endeavor by Jose’. He loved the challenge. OKCA Facebook Group are ones that fit in a wallet, and table- See the finished knives on our web page holder badges are those that hang around in colour. Lisa Wages has taken the lead on our your neck. There seems to always be a Facebook page. She writes: The OKCA confusion issue here. Micarta Competition now has its own Facebook Group! You’ll Other than supporting our organization The article in the November Knewslettter be able to socialize with other members with membership, your card will get you about Micarta could be of special interest on FB, stay up-to-date on OKCA events, into the April Show (April 8-10, 2016) free to knifemakers. The Micarta blocks I have share show-and-tell photos from your during setup hours. Do not plan on a show- collected will be given to anyone who will collection, or post a blade for sale.

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