🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Anyone recognize this… pocket knife?

[Older The Better]

Found this today, thinking pocket knife, maybe civil war era based on other finds in the area. I cleaned off the crud and there seems to be… ruler marks? And a number?… anyone seen anything like this before?

 

[invent4hir]

Although I'm unable to make out the marks, below are some pics of a Barlow knife found a few years ago. Barlow style pocket knives were invented in Sheffield England in about 1670 and are still manufactured today. Starting in the 1700s they became popular In the U.S. In fact, George Washington carried one and Mark Twain made mention of this type of knife in his novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”.

 

[Jatrox]

Could it be the end cap to a folding ruler?

 

[Older The Better]

Could it be the end cap to a folding ruler?

I don’t think so, it’s tough with pictures but there seems to be a few sheets of brass with iron on either side… brass iron brass iron, and there’s a couple pins running through… but I’ll look into it because I’m not super familiar with folding ruler hardware.

On that note I held a ruler to the marks they kind of line up if you squint but not really great.

I’ll also look into Barlow knives that may be as good of an id as any given the condition, the general shape and overall look seem very close

 

[invent4hir]

I don’t think so, it’s tough with pictures but there seems to be a few sheets of brass with iron on either side… brass iron brass iron, and there’s a couple pins running through… but I’ll look into it because I’m not super familiar with folding ruler hardware.

On that note I held a ruler to the marks they kind of line up if you squint but not really great.

I’ll also look into Barlow knives that may be as good of an id as any given the condition, the general shape and overall look seem very close

I also looked at rulers in general to see if the tick marks line up and found some do others don't. Given its deteriorated in the ground for awhile, perhaps that is to be expected. That said, at about 10 o-clock in the 2nd to last pic I think I see a "2". If it is there I'm not sure what it indicates. Are the sheets brass, pewter or ____?

 

[ncsuwolf]

I think it’s a piece of a pocketknife, but don’t think those ridges have anything to do with measurement. On the outside of what you found (rotted away) would have been likely wood (or less likely bone/horn) handles. I’m guessing those “marks” were on the metal for more “bite/grip” into the handles when attached.

 

[pepperj]

Old pocket knives had some pretty neat handle designs.
Here's an example of one dug years ago.