A pocket knife is a type of folding knife with a blade that fits inside the handle. Blades are typically no larger than 3 to 5 in. (8 to 13 cm) in length, and are small enough that they may be carried in a pocket, hence the name. Pocket knives are very versatile tools, and may be used for anything from opening an envelope, to cutting twine, to slicing an apple. traditional Scandinavian puukko knife A knife is a sharp-edged hand tool used for cutting. ... for the billiards term, see pocket (billiards) A pocket is a small bag, particularly a bag-like recepticle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing. ...

Pocket knives can cost anywhere from $1 from gas stations and thrift stores, to thousands of dollars for custom, hand-crafted pieces. Most well-made knives start at around $20. Modern gas station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and LPG. The term gas station is mostly particular to the United States of America and Canada, where petrol is known as... A charity shop (UK), thrift store (US) or op shop (Australia/NZ, from opportunity shop) is a retail establishment operated by a charitable organization for the purpose of fundraising. ...

Slipjoint knives

A Swiss Army knife

Early pocket knives were usually slipjoints, meaning that the blade did not lock, but was held in place by a hammer and lever device that would fold if a certain amount of pressure was applied. These knives often had more than one blade, including an assortment of knife blade types (serrated, plain edged, saws) as well as a myriad of other tools such as cap lifters, corkscrews, and scissors. A large tool selection is the signature of the Swiss Army knife. These knives were produced mainly by Victorinox and Wenger and issued to the army and sold to the public. A Swiss Army knife. ... A Swiss Army knife. ... A Victorinox Swiss Army knife A Swiss Army Knife, often abbreviated SwAK by knife aficionados, is a useful multifunction tool. ... Victorinox is one of the two (the second one is Wenger) official suppliers of Swiss Army knives located in the town of Ibach. ... Wenger is one of the two (the other one is Victorinox) official suppliers of Swiss Army knives. ...

Locking knives

The 1900s brought a new facet to the knife world with the popularization of locking pocket knives. Companies such as Buck, Benchmade, Spyderco, Gerber, Camillus, and Kershaw, to name a few, have created a wide range of products with locks of all types. The lockback knife (the most popular form) is similar to a slipjoint, except that instead of the hammer releasing the blade with pressure, the user has to press on a lever located on the back of the knife handle to release the blade, adding a level of safety. There are other types of locks; some of the more popular ones are the liner lock, the frame lock, and the Axis lock (A Benchmade patent). Even the Swiss Army knife product range has adopted the locks on some of their knives. Events and Trends Technology Lawrence Hargrave makes the first stable wing design for a heavier-than-air aircraft Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first documented flight in a powered heavier-than-air aircraft Mass production of automobile Wide popularity of home phonograph Panama Canal is built by the United... A Bowie knife is commonly used in modern times to refer to any large sheath knife. ... The Benchmade Knife Company is a knife manufacturer run by Roberta and Les de Asis in Oregon City, Oregon. ... Gerber can refer to: An ace-asking convention in bridge. ... The name Camillus has multiple uses Ancient Rome In ancient Rome, a camillus (fem. ...

Other features

Traditional knives were opened using nail-nicks, or slots where the user's fingernail would enter to pull the blade out of the handle. This became somewhat cumbersome and required use of two hands, so there were innovations to remedy that. The thumbstud, a small stud on the blade that allows for one-handed opening, led the way for yet more innovations, such as the opening hole (a Spyderco patent where the user presses the pad of his thumb against a hole and opens the blade by rotating his thumb similar to the thumbstud), “assisted opening” systems pioneered by Ken Onion and his “Speed-Safe” mechanism, as well as the Emerson Wave system, where a hook catches the user's pocket upon removal and the blade is opened during a draw. One of the first one handed devices was the automatic spring release, also known as a switchblade. A switchblade (also known as stiletto) is a type of knife with a folding blade that springs out of the grip when a button or lever on the grip is pressed – a so-called OTF (out-the-front) design. ...

Another innovation of Sal Glesser, Spyderco founder, was the clip system, which he named a "Clip-it". Clips are usually metal or plastic and similar to the clips found on pens except thicker. Clips allow the knife to be easy to accessible, while keeping it lint free and unscathed by pocket items such as change.

Legal issues

While nearly all pocket knives are legal to own, they are increasingly facing legal restrictions on their use. While pocket knives are almost always used as tools, they do have the potential to become weapons. In many places it is illegal to conceal knives larger than a certain size, or with certain locking or opening mechanisms. They are often banned or heavily restricted in secure areas, such as schools and airports. Switchblades and other "auto-openers" are banned entirely in many places, including 37 US states. Nevertheless, they retain a significant following, associated especially with the outdoors and those who practice camping, hunting, fishing, and so on. The Boy Scouts offer merit badges that involve knife work, such as Wood Carving. Camping is an outdoor recreational activity involving the spending of one or more nights in a tent, primitive structure, a travel trailer or recreational vehicle at a campsite with the purpose of getting away from civilization and enjoying nature. ... Hunting is, in its most general sense, the pursuit of a target. ... Fishing from a Pier Fishing is a term applied to any activity which aims to capture fish or shellfish for subsistence, scientific, commercial or recreational purposes. ... For professional sport scouts, see Scout (sport). ... The following is a list of modern Boy Scouts of America merit badges. ...