Hobo knives

[Ivan the Butcher]

I was at a covered dish dinner, when I was either in high school or early college. We were given plastic silverware, and they had sliced roast beef. So after attempting one pass over the meat with the plastic knife, I pulled out my pocket knife and started cutting the meat.



The lady sitting on the other side of the table watched for a moment, then asked if I cleaned my toenails for that knife. I laid it down and pulled out my other pocket knife and informed her that I clean my toenails with it. Then I offered her the first one - if you would care to use this - and carefully wiped the blade of the second one with a napkin and then started cutting my meat again with the second knife.


And she and her husband shared that first knife between them so they could eat their supper.


And when they finished, she wiped the knife blade off carefully on her napkin, and thanked me very nicely as she handed it back.

I was at my 50th High School reunion just last weekend, we had some sort of grilled meat that was tougher than shoe leather, and of course plastic tableware! I EDC a Swiss Army Knife, so I cut my meat with it and offered the use to others at my table, NOT ONE OF THEM ACCEPTED! Nor did any of them have a pocketknife of their own. When we were in school all the guys had a knife in their pocket or a Buck 110 on their belt. Most of the girls had a pocketknife in their purse (and a few had 22's in there). What happened to the people that could take care of themselves in every situation?

In the early 70's I was in a "Mexican trade Center" and found a dealer in Victorinox knives. I bought one that appears to be a "Tinker" or a "Camper" (unmarked) but is the only small SAK I've ever seen with a seriated main blade. I now reserve it for camping.

I go to the thrift stores and by bags of used tableware for $1, run it all through the dishwasher. Then I pack a large and small spoon along with a fork in every BOB and vehicle. My second son uses Jet Boil equipment (which are very deep) so he carries Iced-Tea Spoons. The Hobo folders are too heavy for backpacking!

Ivan

 

[desi2358]

The fork and spoon. Victorinox/Wenger might have made some SAK's with those features, but I've never seen one.

I believe Victorinx made one at one time. At least I seem to remember seeing one in one of their old sales brochures from the 1980's. They offered an amazing variety of knives with different tools back then, leading up to the ultimate version which was far too large to fit in any normal pocket! I suspect some of them were offered simply to appeal to the "look what I have!" crowd.

 

[lihpster]

The term Hobo knife is like Kleenex. Case has a trademark on the name, but that's what everyone calls a knife with fork and spoon. Like calling a knife with multiple tools on it a SAK.

 

[mikerjf]

I found the Girl Scout knife and fork at a rummage sale; spoon has been covered since 1973 when a departing co-worker left me her work spoon.

 

[SS336]

Maybe not a Hobo Knife by definition but a pretty cool complete set of camping cutlery.

 

[Sistema1927]

I was at my 50th High School reunion just last weekend, we had some sort of grilled meat that was tougher than shoe leather, and of course plastic tableware! I EDC a Swiss Army Knife, so I cut my meat with it and offered the use to others at my table, NOT ONE OF THEM ACCEPTED! Nor did any of them have a pocketknife of their own. When we were in school all the guys had a knife in their pocket or a Buck 110 on their belt. Most of the girls had a pocketknife in their purse (and a few had 22's in there). What happened to the people that could take care of themselves in every situation?

I'm going to my 50th HS reunion later this month. You can believe that I will have a knife on me (probably a small Benchmade Mini-Griptillian since I will be wearing a suit).

Like you, none of my fellow make students would have been caught dead without a knife on them, and it was most commonly a Buck 110 in a belt sheath.

 

[lihpster]

Got the "Kabar" yesterday. I think $27 is a little much for what you get. I don't see it listed on the Kabar website. It's Chinese ****, and I'm pretty sure mine is broken. Either that or they didn't put a spring in the knife's lock. Maybe mine is the exception, but I would look elsewhere if you want quality. Besides the fact that you have to manually push the lock into place, the knife is not very sharp out of the box, and I have serious doubts as to its ability to take an edge.

Summation: Beware! Not an actual Kabar! If they were $10 then maybe, but $27 is a little much, I think.

 

[Alton]

After I found out what the Case Hobo knives cost I bought the train set.

 

[Alton]

And my Knife, Fork and Spoon Combo Hobo Knife. The Lionel Train Set came with Knife and Fork Only.

 

[chief38]

I had one for a brief time as a Boy Scout but never cared for it. The BSA mess kit utensil set was much better.

ADDED 09/04/24

This is uncanny! I was looking for something else in my junk drawer this morning and LOOK what I found! My old "Hobo" knife and my old BSA knife! I still dislike the Hobo knives, but now it's an "collectible antique" - LOL. I had to post this! BTW, I still have not found what I was originally looking for!

 

[wundudnee]

Not a Hobo knife, but a boy scout kit that I found in an old WWll observation pit on the ocean side of Point Loma, San Diego, California. This was in 1952.

 

[6518John]

I have an AG Russell Boxcar Jack. It is a superlative little knife and incredibly useful when traveling. It just has to be in checked bags because of the knife.

A. G. Russell Boxcar Jack | AGRussell.com

Boxcar Jack saves the day!

I am on the road for my son's football game tomorrow and come in late from the casino tables much in need of something on my stomach other than vodka and tonic.

I had taken out to-go my left over Prime Rib from the casino steak house. I open up the doggie container and lo and behold, not even the flimsiest spork is to be found. (I don't think I have ever had a restaurant pack utensils in a doggie bag).

I dug ol' Jack out of my luggage and dined like I was sitting with the Queen of England! These boxcar knives are immensely practical. I wish I could say that about all my knives!

 

[Golddollar]

Boxcar Jack saves the day!

I am on the road for my son's football game tomorrow and come in late from the casino tables much in need of something on my stomach other than vodka and tonic.

I had taken out to-go my left over Prime Rib from the casino steak house. I open up the doggie container and lo and behold, not even the flimsiest spork is to be found. (I don't think I have ever had a restaurant pack utensils in a doggie bag).

I dug ol' Jack out of my luggage and dined like I was sitting with the Queen of England! These boxcar knives are immensely practical. I wish I could say that about all my knives!

And you could fend off any crows or vultures that decided they wanted a piece.