Relics of are the past.

[Mryooper]

I was left to me a pocket knife that was my GGGreat grandfathers. He was pure Penn/Dutch and Austrian by ancestory He was what was called "Dunker" ok no dunken donut jokes of lol. It is a religion based off of the Quaker religion I am told.
I was told he would widdle for hours with that very knife. Looking at it now it is very small. Maybe about 3 to4" max in length. He passed away way before I was born and wish I could have had a chance to know him. He was quit old at his death, as was his son which he passed away at 103 yrs old in 1957. So here I have a knife that could be almost 100+ yrs old if not older. I dont think it will hit the wood again, but be passed down to my son. My son is interested in widdling and my carving and has attempted it. If a knife had a joy stick he would be a artisit LOL......DO any of you have relics of the past that are to do with carving?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I have a stick my dad carved, has a section with a ball in the middle, a chain on one end with a little cowboy boot, and the other end had some kind of swivel, but it was broken before I got it, that and his pocketknife are all I received when he died....but its enough!

[Canopener]

Since you asked I have a knife my wife inherited from her Grandfather. He was a railroad carpenter in Ohio, and liked to whittle chains and stuff like that. It is a shrade walden, black bakelite handle with 1 1/2 and a 1 1/4 razor sharp blades, both very thin and well worn. The interesting thing is that it is a switchblade. Anybody know anything about old switchblades?
As far as Dunkers in PA. Dutch country,[and I could be very wrong] most of those people from that part of Europe were anabaptist, as in Mennonite, Moravian,Amish and others. In other words they baptise, or dunk as adults.
Billy Penn's Quakers, or Society of Friends, were mostly from England or Wales, hence goofy names around Philly like Bala Cynwyd, Bryn Mawr or Merion, where I grew up.
But I bet a load of bubinga wood, Bob D can set us staight on Dunkers and such, since he is smack dad in the middle of that beautiful area.
Have Fun,
Jim

[BobD]

Not me...I was born and raised in NW pa...up near the Allegheny National Forest. I don't no nuthin about that kinda stuff!


Bob

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Originally Posted by Canopener

Since you asked I have a knife my wife inherited from her Grandfather. He was a railroad carpenter in Ohio, and liked to whittle chains and stuff like that. It is a shrade walden, black bakelite handle with 1 1/2 and a 1 1/4 razor sharp blades, both very thin and well worn. The interesting thing is that it is a switchblade. Anybody know anything about old switchblades?
As far as Dunkers in PA. Dutch country,[and I could be very wrong] most of those people from that part of Europe were anabaptist, as in Mennonite, Moravian,Amish and others. In other words they baptise, or dunk as adults.
Billy Penn's Quakers, or Society of Friends, were mostly from England or Wales, hence goofy names around Philly like Bala Cynwyd, Bryn Mawr or Merion, where I grew up.
But I bet a load of bubinga wood, Bob D can set us staight on Dunkers and such, since he is smack dad in the middle of that beautiful area.
Have Fun,
Jim

I know switchblades are illegal in a lot of states....when I was a kid before all this politically correct garbage started, I had a switchblade in my fishing box, you can't beat it when you have one hand busy with a fish and trying to open a knife!

[Mryooper]

Originally Posted by Hi_Ho_Sliver

I know switchblades are illegal in a lot of states....when I was a kid before all this politically correct garbage started, I had a switchblade in my fishing box, you can't beat it when you have one hand busy with a fish and trying to open a knife!

Yes they were called that
Dunker is a moniker for a people of faith that originated in 1708 near the village of Schwarzenau, Germany, along the Eder River. Originally, calling themselves Neue Täufer (New Baptists) in order to better distinguish themselves from older Anabaptist groups, such as the Mennonites and the Amish.
They could have been very well from Germany , but it was passed down to us they were Austrain. Thurm was the surname and the info I have is they came from Sommerset Pa.

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

It was a real breath of fresh air to read these posts, after looking at the title, I thought y'all were talking about me.

[electricbill]

canopener....
your knife is indeed old..
shrade knife company moved from walden ,n.y. to ellenville ,n.y. then were taken over by imperial knife (imperial/shrade) and finally went belly-up recently....a new, start-up company is using the same building in ellenville (canal st.)to hand make knives again....
bill

[wade clark]

Wow! I'd like more info on them. I've had a few schrades that couldn't be beat!
Wade

[Canopener]

Mryooper
Thanks for the interesting family history, I bet just holding that knife is great. I ordered that load of wood I owe you and the donkey just left. What is your great grand childs address going to be?
Have Fun
Jim