Press Button Knife Co One Arm Man Knife switchblade

This 100+ year old switchblade is often referred to as a "One Arm Man" knife and these were designed to help people with disabilities, specifically lost, or damaged arm or hand. It was designed to be used as both a cutting and eating utensil that could be opened and closed easily with one hand. This knife was made by the Press Button Knife Co of Walden, NY sometime between 1900 and 1923 and most, if not all, were made under contract for the AA Marks Artificial Limbs & Specialties Co of New York, as well as a few other switchblade models that they purchased. Most, if not all of these originally had an acid etch on the blade advertising the AA Marks company, but the etches were fragile and easily worn off with use.

The blade on this knife is 96% full or better with heavy patina with some scratches and scattered light spotting and the tang is marked PRESS BUTTON KNIFE CO WALDEN NY on the front tang and US PAT 470605 on the rear. The knife measures just under 5 inches closed and approximately 9 inches open and it has pressed aluminum scales and steel liners with nickel silver bolsters & button. Aluminum was a rarer and more expensive material when this knife was made, but unfortunately not very durable so most of these that saw much use have damaged, or corroded scales. The scales on this one are actually very good with no dents. The knife works well with the blade seating deep, good snap and very good lockup open with just a little movement at the tip and does rattle a bit if shaken with the blade open. Beautiful old automatic knife in EX condition.