Oak and Iron
Penny Knife
Penny Knife is about building a historic springless folder from the colonial era. These inexpensive folders were popular then and the story goes they were named because they cost a penny back then. Just learning how to make the sheet metal bolster tight is worth the price of the booklet. Penny knife is very popular with reenactors concerned with authenticity. 19 pages, 8 1/2" X 11", $10.00 plus shipping.
This is the first Penny Knife I made. The handle is lathe turned Osage Orange wood. The wood when first turned was a golden color. With age, hand oils and maybe some grime, it turns a rich reddish brown color.
The key to making a Penny Knife is getting the sheet metal bolster tight. It took a while to figure it out, it's so easy. Penny Knife is illustrated with step by step drawings.