The Long History of the Trusted Utility Knife

The Long History of the Trusted Utility Knife

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Did you know that there have been variants to the modern utility knife since the early days of the Roman Empire?  Some believe that pocket knifes emerged before then as well.  This is a testament to the practicality and usefulness of this tool, and it also illustrates the importance of having one on hand at all times.

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Jack Knife

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The first known jack knife dates back to around 600BC, and the design hasn’t changed all that much since.  A thick and sturdy blade was anchored between two pieces of metal or wood that were riveted or welded together.  The blade was a few inches long, and could easily be stored in a pouch or pocket without harming the user.  However, they weren’t mass-produced and available to the general public until the 1600s.  A company in England is attributed to creating the “penny knife”, which was the first affordable utility knife that was a favorite among laborers and farmers. 

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Switch Blades and Butterflies

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Butterfly and switchblade knives started to make an appearance in the 1700s.  A French company is attributed to inventing the first butterfly knife early in the century.  It had a rudimentary design that is not fundamentally different to what we see today.  Two pieces of material encapsulate the blade which can be concealed easily and deployed quickly.  Switch blades were considered to be invented around the same time, but they weren’t mass-produced until the middle of the century in England.  It had a spring-loaded locking mechanism that was released by pressing a button. 

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The Modern Utility Knife

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The original utility knife was thought to be made near the time of the fall of the Roman Empire, and it included a rudimentary fork, spoon, pick and blade.  However, it looked more like a cheap can opener than anything else.  It is thought that the modern utility knife was built on the designs of the jack knife, butterfly and switchblade.  It wasn’t until the late 1890s when Swiss inventors came up with the knife that would become the gold-standard:  The Swiss Army Knife.

The Swiss Army Knife was made for soldiers who needed a foldable multi-tool that could serve as a can opener while including a special blade and screwdriver for taking apart their rifles.  The first Swiss Army Knife was born, and it was originally called the Soldier Knife.  It included a blade, screwdriver, can opener and reamer, which was a tool used for working with metal.  It also included sturdy grips made from polished oak. 

Design improvements by the end of the decade including incorporating a special spring mechanism that allowed more features to be installed on each knife.  The next thing to appear, in addition to the items listed above was a corkscrew and then a smaller cutting blade.  Later versions would add things like files, scissors, hooks, mini-saw blades and pliers.  Today, you can find more than a dozen different Swiss Army Knife products, including one that is almost 9 inches wide and includes 85 tools. 

This article isn’t intended to be a plug for the Swiss Army Knife, and there are many different brands on the market today to choose from.  However, it is undeniable that the Swiss did create one of the most practical and ubiquitous utilities that turned out to be a total game-changer.  More than 20 countries supply variants of the utility knife to their military forces, and NASA included the Swiss Army Knife in tool kits for astronauts. 

The utility knife is a staple for almost every prepper, those who love the outdoors, contractors and anyone else who wants access to a multi-tool that can be used right away for a million-and-one purposes.  Make sure that you don’t forget to include a good utility knife in your survival kit or bug out bag.  However, due to the fact that they are so popular, and many companies produce their own versions, it’s important that you test its quality and functionality before relying on it in the field.  However, once you get the right knife for your needs, it will definitely make life a lot easier now as well as in the midst of a survival situation. 

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