Recently i bought this old Hammer Brand 2 bladed jackknife, made by the New York Knife Company in Walden, New York.
The company was operational from 1856 until 1931, when it closed it's doors.
The main blade seems to have an early version of the arm holding a forging hammer, and this is how the knife looked when i got it.
(https://i.ibb.co/sdpZ7GRP/image.png) (https://ibb.co/ZpR09PXJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/jPksgM00/image-9.png) (https://ibb.co/gLZhzTqq)
(https://i.ibb.co/fYf7RPF3/image-8.png) (https://ibb.co/yntJTbPz)
(https://i.ibb.co/xtGbNM4K/image-7.png) (https://ibb.co/S40gzKLD)
(https://i.ibb.co/W4CLWkJR/image-6.png) (https://ibb.co/gLYxMSKc)
(https://i.ibb.co/gZKv4Dgd/image-5.png) (https://ibb.co/Qvw8D6mk)
(https://i.ibb.co/Jj3V8Php/image-4.png) (https://ibb.co/N2T5fz4N)
(https://i.ibb.co/X0v0vJF/image-3.png) (https://ibb.co/cf7f7T2)
(https://i.ibb.co/dw7pSNGm/image-2.png) (https://ibb.co/tT32S08L)
(https://i.ibb.co/JWyyKkCk/image-1.png) (https://ibb.co/cKCC1TxT)
(https://i.ibb.co/dJ4xnNvB/image-11.png) (https://ibb.co/yBF7LzC0)
(https://i.ibb.co/hjchGWK/image-10.png) (https://ibb.co/nvBZXcD)
The blades on these knives were forged from crucible steel:
(https://i.ibb.co/84BHX2jX/image.png) (https://ibb.co/jZ5SHGLH)
Old image of the New York Knife Company situated on the Walkill River.
(https://i.ibb.co/g5yRFP8/image-1.png) (https://ibb.co/TVcgqbG)
On most period Hammer Brand knives the tang stamp shows a shorter upper arm section with a bulging bicep, while on mine the upper arm is more elongated and without that pronound bicep.
Speculating i would think that the bulging bicep could be seen as an improvement from a marketing point of view, making the tang stamp on my knife an older version.
Picture from the tang stamp with the more commonly seen muscular arm:
(https://i.ibb.co/fGFgJyj1/image.png) (https://ibb.co/h1960437)
The stamp on my knife:
(https://i.ibb.co/rKQwKJkK/image-1.png) (https://ibb.co/7xS1xFvx)
As i intend to carry & use this well made old knife for a while i'm treating it to some TLC.
Already cleaned everything thoroughly using toothpicks, a old toothbrush, an ultrasonic cleaner, and also electrolytically.
Then removed the bladeplay in the pivot and gave the old wood panels a few coats of IKEA mineral oil and a topcoat of Granger's wax.
Currently in the process of reshaping & regrinding both blades, the points of which now don't stick out of the handle in the closed position anymore.
This is the smaller blade after hand regrinding it ever so slightly convex on 400 grit wet & dry SiC paper clamped on a piece of hardened glass using WD40 as a lubricant.
There's a visible burr all along the edge, so it's now ready for one or more refining steps.
The single sided swedge was redone with a small diamond file.
(https://i.ibb.co/kFfGSfq/image.png) (https://ibb.co/1x50m5R)
(https://i.ibb.co/svCJPfcW/image-1.png) (https://ibb.co/ccwXvBRY)
And the larger blade.
It's double sided swedge was also redone with the small diamond file.
(https://i.ibb.co/ZzSCCcvk/image.png) (https://ibb.co/9HhjjyBC)
(https://i.ibb.co/xKcW894c/image-1.png) (https://ibb.co/9mf63KMf)
How the main blade currently looks.
It's surfaces have for now been finished on 1000 grit wet & dry on a semi-hard rubber backing using WD40 oil as a lubricant.
A microbevel has been applied on the white sticks of a Spyderco Sharpmaker at the ~30 degrees inclusive setting, again using some WD40.
(https://i.ibb.co/q3HPzyPW/image.png) (https://ibb.co/xtnRyCRf)
(https://i.ibb.co/nqP1z2Z7/image-1.png) (https://ibb.co/HLhPnv1t)
And the smaller blade:
(https://i.ibb.co/HfQX9PY7/image-2.png) (https://ibb.co/gLC6cWwy)
(https://i.ibb.co/hFVV4HsX/image-3.png) (https://ibb.co/SwBBM0NQ)
The finished knife.
Both blades can now shave armhair above the skin, the joints have had a few drops of 5-weight Nano-Oil, and the knife is fully usable again.
(https://i.ibb.co/tTMx0Phn/image-7.png) (https://ibb.co/KpjLtzGB)
(https://i.ibb.co/nNG3XKxq/image-6.png) (https://ibb.co/393fxPg5)
(https://i.ibb.co/rKbMtmKh/image-5.png) (https://ibb.co/ymh5RXmC)
(https://i.ibb.co/FLq9cYbf/image-4.png) (https://ibb.co/KpzYBsjQ)
(https://i.ibb.co/1DhGDRN/image-3.png) (https://ibb.co/LLbdL9y)
(https://i.ibb.co/HD5LScTw/image-2.png) (https://ibb.co/7Jsxf3tM)
(https://i.ibb.co/d4hkTmhj/image-1.png) (https://ibb.co/0ywY7swm)
(https://i.ibb.co/XZhBBQMW/image.png) (https://ibb.co/JRfLL1gc)
One of our members alerted me about the problem with the photos. I have contacted Tormek IT and will keep the forum posted. I recall a similar situation several years ago when another platform switched to fee only.
Ken
Re-uploaded the pics using another image hoster.
I found this knife on the bottom of a cardboard box filled with Chinese junk knives in a local open air antique market, complete with blue Moroccan leather pocket pouch, and i paid 10 Euro for it.
The idea was to make it usable again, not to remove all traces of age & use.
The knife was made between 1885 and 1900, and i carry it often; it's still a delight to use.
Well done, Kwakster! A labor of love which has produced a worthy knife.
I'm curious as to how you resolved the earlier problem with your photos.
Ken
Originally i used this website to put my pictures on the forum:
https://postimages.org/
But when i noticed that they did not become visible, apparently because they were under "review", i re-uploaded all of them using another photo hosting website:
https://imgbb.com/
Maybe it was the subject of my pictures, i don't know.
I stumbled upon this video. (I like Barlows.)
https://youtu.be/sGFhI47JCfU?is=owUwwJ3IgPNhsPOn
Very nice indeed. May I offer a suggestion? I discovered Ballistol a few years ago. This is a (IMHO) much better option than WD40 for rust prevention and lubrication in this application. It was developed in the early 1900s for us on guns (hence its name) for rust removal, cleaning, lubrication on metals, leather and wood. I use it regularly on my tools and would be perfect for your knives. It is more expensive that WD40 but I in my experience I much prefer it to WD40. I do keep WD40 in my toolbox so to speak but tend more towards Ballistol these days.
I'm not a fan of Ballistol ever since i used it on an air rifle and found that it polymerized into a translucent film which i was able to peel off from the mechanism almost in one piece.
For most lubrication jobs i have been using various Nano-Oil products, as for me these always work great.
This knife is also lubricated with a few drops of 5 weight Nano-Oil (their thinnest version)
I use WD40 only as a sharpening liquid and as a cleaning agent for certain jobs.
Quote from: kwakster on July 15, 2026, 11:17:47 AMI'm not a fan of Ballistol ever since i used it on an air rifle and found that it polymerized into a translucent film
Never had that happen. I suspect it reacted to something that was on the rifle.
I just did a google AI search and if you apply Ballistol over other coatings or oils they can become gummy. So best to clean whatever it is you are trying to protect before applying Ballistol.
You could very well be right about that.
The air rifle had been previously lubricated with another type of oil (Tri-Flow), but it was already rather dry again when i applied the Ballistol.
Quote from: kwakster on July 27, 2026, 11:07:58 AMit was already rather dry again when i applied the Ballistol
Yes. I probably would have given it (now I know!) a though clean with turps before applying the Ballistol.