Knife History Buffs- Help me out. What's in a Name?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Derek Smith on October 12, 2009 at 21:48

I've wondered about the "congress" name for that pattern myself.

I have an old 1870 dictionary by Noah Webster (thank you ebay). Here's what Noah has to say,..

The word "congress" comes from hand full of old Latin words that basically mean "to come together".

The blades in a congress pattern knife certainly have "to come together" in a harmonious fashion in order for all of them to fold up and fit together.

The word congress is closely related to the word "congruent" which again could describe the way the blades fit and come together.

Congrue 1. To come together, to agree,...

Congress:
1. "A meeting of indivduals,..."
2: "A sudden encounter,... "
3. "The meeting of the sexes in sexual commerce."

I swear, I did not make that up! That's word for word from Noah Webster.
No wonder our present day congressmen are frequently in the news for the wrong reasons.

Permalink Reply by Scott King on October 12, 2009 at 21:54

Leave it to Derek. Thanks for the help. Anyone else? :)

Permalink Reply by Trent Rock on October 13, 2009 at 0:26

OK
I got one
Sausage tester
Just how are you supposed to test sausages with it??
AKA melon tester
I get the melon testing part...................
**********************************
I found the answer about Congress:
Joseph Rodgers & Sons
Senate Knife
Congress Knife

No one knows why they picked those names??
BRL Forum

Permalink Reply by Scott King on October 13, 2009 at 7:09

Good work, Trent.
It also appears unless I didn't read enough into it, that BRL is saying Joseph Rodgers invented the Senate and Congress Knives.

Thanks for helping.

Permalink Reply by Brad Hyde on October 13, 2009 at 7:25

The jackknife is reportedly named after Jacque de Liege. He was a French knife maker who is said to have invented the first back-spring assembly.

Permalink Reply by Trent Rock on October 13, 2009 at 12:33

It also appears unless I didn't read enough into it, that BRL is saying Joseph Rodgers invented the Senate and Congress Knives.

I agree
I think that is what BRL was saying..............

Permalink Reply by Scott King on October 13, 2009 at 12:40

He seems he is...wonder how he concluded that?

Permalink Reply by Trent Rock on October 13, 2009 at 15:07

No thoughts on sausage tester??? ;) ;)
I've wondered for 2 years now since I picked up my one and only sausage tester...A Schrade 105

Permalink Reply by DELBERT COVER on October 13, 2009 at 17:58

The sleeve board pattern come from being the same shape as the sleeve board that trappers use to stretch hides after skinning them.

Permalink Reply by Scott King on October 13, 2009 at 18:00

Well heck, it would have helped if you'd shown it to us. I can't even imagine.

Permalink Reply by Brad Hyde on October 13, 2009 at 18:35

Most collectors know this. The Eisenhower pattern (06263). The Case 63 pattern wasn't called the Eisenhower until it became well known that this was president Eisenhowers favorite knife to carry and use. I read somewhere that during his term as president and probably after his term that he gave out hundreds of this pattern as gifts.

Permalink Reply by Slade Ingram on May 25, 2010 at 21:45

Back in the good ole days................. when clothes had to be ironed, there was a small ironing board that could be slid up up into the sleeves. this is the shape and name source of the "sleeveboard folder".
The "muskrat" was designed for skinning small game, like muskrats and other furbearers. A great skinning blade for small animals, backed up by an identical blade for when the first got dull. I've skint a pile of muskrats with one of these. Works great!
O.K. I'll stop and let somebody else have some fun.................