The first folding knives appeared more than two thousand years ago. Even in ancient Rome they were used as cutlery and pocket tools. They were very simple and cheap, they were even called "pennies." No spring or other blade clamp was provided: it was mounted on a hinge and, if necessary, either hid in the handle, or was reached by a simple turn. In the open position, the blade was held only by the force of friction, and during cutting - by focusing the butt on the handle. Of course, the first folding knives were of very poor quality, almost disposable, as they quickly failed.
Design development
In the form in which we are accustomed to imagine a folding knife now, it appeared three hundred years ago, when a lock was invented that allows you to fix the blade in the open state. Moreover, not one lock was used, but a mass of various designs, most of which are also used in modern knives. The improvement of the design coincided with the general technical boom of mankind and reached its peak by the beginning to the middle of the twentieth century. It was in this period, according to collectors and experts, the best folding knives were created.
Modern folding knife
Our time is, first of all, the period of development and appearance of new materials, changes in their qualities and properties. As before, the folding knife reflects the technical achievements of the era. In the modern “warehouse”, old design solutions that have been tested over years and experience are used, but new materials are used. Handles are made of heavy-duty plastics and duralumin, which, with light weight, have excellent strength characteristics. Powder metallurgy has become widespread , which allows, while maintaining excellent cutting and other qualities of the blade, to significantly reduce the cost and speed up its production.
Best helper
If, as already mentioned, the folding knife was used by our ancestors exclusively as a cutlery or unreliable tool, now it is the best assistant for all occasions. Evidence of its high reliability and consumer qualities is the mandatory presence of "storage" in the equipment of soldiers of modern armies. In the military, such knives are positioned as a survival tool, an item that will cope with any situation. Of course, military knives are made using a special technology, and, of course, they cannot be freely purchased. Meanwhile, the knife market, and without the military, is filled with all kinds of samples for various purposes: this is a tourist folding knife, and various multitools, in the handle of which dozens of tools fit. In addition, hunting "storage" and ordinary pocket or penknives are presented . You can choose a folding knife depending on your aesthetic preferences or its technical characteristics. Here, by the way, it is worth mentioning one of the modern technical solutions, probably the only know-how after the forties. This is a serreytor sharpening, first used on Spiderko folding knives. Such sharpening allows you to cut literally anything - from bread to the rope.