The Gentleman's Pocket Knife: History and Construction of the World's Most Beautiful Models

My jaw dropped and I started drooling when I got this book and started flipping through it, it’s way nicer than I thought. I’m a pocket knife collecting nut, and finding even one book about the subject (at least in stores) has proven a dead end. Found this online and now it’s a treasure. I lean towards traditional pocket knives as well as classier modern ones (not really into the black tactical Rambo ones myself), and this book is exactly what I was looking for. Has everything from the history of classic and modern companies, the models/patterns and their history, blade types and uses, sharpening advice, handle/scale materials, steel types, Damascus, etc you name it, it’s in here. You’ll learn a lot of interesting history (who knew the large elephant toenail blades were used for cutting thick rope?). I think that’s the most fun part of the book, is learning the history and purpose of why each type of knife was invented, it will have you looking at every knife from now on like an engineer. Tons of information about traditional and modern pocket knives, from the old to the new. A classy gentleman’s (or gentlewoman, of course) pocket knife book, just as it’s titled. As someone else mentioned, leave this on a coffee table and you’ll have people reading it that don’t even own a pocket knife, it’s that great of a book. The photos are professional and will leave you literally drooling over each page. I can tell a lot of work went into this book. If you love pocket knives, or know someone that even remotely likes them, you have to get this book. It’s the Bible of pocket knives.

Hard to find gifts for the in laws, but this book was a winner. Great pictures and lots of quick info about knives.

Tremendous research and wonderful mix of historical information with interesting and delightful commentaries. Excellent overwiews and follow-ups with beautifully integrated pictures. One omission makes the book less than absolutely perfect: no inclusion of Eastern Europe’s traditions such as the Hungarian knife culture or others.

I've purchased this twice now. Once for my husband and then another because his friend loves knives too. They have both enjoyed the photos, the information and the extensiveness. Just perfect for my casual knife lover.

Excellent information history and illustrations of pocket knives. This is a must have book to anyone interested in pocket knives.

This is a nicely written book that has beautiful photos. I like it, except it seems to be biased toward knives and knife makers from specific countries. There is no mention, near as I can tell, of Buck Knives for example, which has produced some iconic American pocketknives that are still in production today. Other than that, it's a nice book for the pocketknife enthusiast.

It’s a beautiful and informative book. Perhaps the best endorsement I can give this book is what happened when I accidentally left it on a coffee table during my birthday party. A guest who had zero interest in pocketknives thumbed through the book and excitedly exclaimed that his dad always carried a pocketknife and became engrossed in the book.

I learned about beautiful pocket knives with stronger metal alloys than I was aware of.

Sobre "gentlemam's pocket knives " este talvez seja o melhor livro. E junto com o livro "Tactical Knife" do James Morgan Ayres e " "The Edgemaster's Handbook" do Len McDougtall , tem-se a melhor trilogia cobrindo "gentleman's .. " , "tactical " e " survival".

I bought two of these books for my husband and his brother as they are avid knife collectors. Both loved this. It has great pictures and a lot of history and description of the knives.

The headline might seem strange but this book tells the cultural history of pocket knives and in many ways tells the story of men through recent history. The pocket knife was an artefact almost sacred to the ordinary man, the one unique personal artefact that each man left behind him when he passed on. Society has greatly changed and in our modern world and pocket knives are often treated almost as alien, and threatening, in western society - yet this book sets the record straight. It is beautifully written with great humour and a succinct, even poetic style by a dedicated collector of pocket knives, and he distinguishes what a "gentleman's pocket knife" should be, and was historically. There are some remarkable details in this wonderful book. The photography is first rate and mostly by the author. I never knew pocket knives with tips were banned in Sicily in the early 20th century, or that Abraham Lincoln's pocket knife had six blades and remains on display in a museum to this day, let alone that it spawned a whole series of collectible pocket knives in existence to this day. I would recommend this as a Christmas gift or a birthday gift for anyone, but especially anyone with any interest in history or the outdoors. It is a beautiful book.

very well pleased great service thank you

This used Tome cost more than when new - go figure! Only good value for avid collectors. Translated from German, it is heavily biased towards German makers even though most of the well known brands get their knives made in China. It is one of a pair of volumes & it astonishes me that neither of them acknowledge China at all! There are plenty of full page colour photos of quality pocket knives, especially from Germany, France & USA but it Really annoys me that there is only One picture of a Sheffield made knife - a Taylor's Eyewitness Barlow - this handle shape being invented in Sheffield by Obadiah Barlow in the 17th. Century. This type of bias recurs - there is only scant acknowledgement of the Massive roles played by both Sheffield & London in the development of pocket knives - even Swiss knives hardly feature. There is no mention at all of the invention of Stainless steel by Brearley in Sheffield at the turn of the 20th. Century. This kind of omission cannot be accidental & being from Sheffield myself it feels like an insult. However, folks without my loyalties (also a bias) won't worry too much about this & will gain plenty of info. to help them start a collection but be warned: collecting is addictive & good knives aren't cheap. Good book, expensive, incomplete due to omissions.