52

The Buddy Knife

From

Popular Mechanics

March 1927

On April 15, 1926, Carl Horix of Chicago, Illinois filed an application for patent for his

―

Combination Tool

‖

. U. S. Patent No. 1,717,925 was issued on June 18, 1929. Horix

noted his implements were

―

effectively encased when not in use so that the tool may be

carried in a pocket without danger of tearing the lining of the pocket.

‖

A standard razor

blade is sandwiched between the two side plates (handle) and is pivoted to cut cigars

tips in the center hole. When the blade is fully opened there is small projection on the

plate which is intended as a fingernail cleaner. At the opposite end is a bottle cap

remover. The plates are formed to accommodate a pivoting corkscrew. The tool was

produced by the Greist Manufacturing Company of New Haven, Connecticut under the

trade name

―

Buddy-Nife

‖

. Greist was a manufacturer of straight razors. The tool was

also available for advertising purposes. Pittsburgh's McKenna Brass & Mfg. used it to

promote their Shields Bottling Machinery.