Girl Scout Knives - Foldable | Vintage Girl Scout

Girl Scout Knife - Foldable

Girl Scouting has offered official knives from the earliest days. There are two basic styles;

Fixed Blade (one single blade that doesn't move and uses a sheath to cover it)
Foldable Blade (one, two or four blades that fold into the handle)
- also known as Pocket Knives and Pen Knives.

Although the manufacture of these knives is not identified in

this 1919 catalog listing the

Ulster Company

has been identified as the earliest maker of official Girl Scout knives with the Girl Scout emblem.

1925

The first official Girl Scout knife was seen in the 1925 Girl Scout catalog. The maker isn't identified. Actually, they're selling 2 different knives here; maybe a 4 blade and a 2 blade? Who knows?

Early GS emblem Later GS emblem

1933

1934

1935 Girl Scout Catalog

In 1940 the 11-316 knife was dropped for the new 11-308 Craft Knife. No GS emblem on the body. By 1942 this knife was also dropped. Maker unknown

1940

1943 Catalog Page

Description says the trefoil is on the blade

1943 saw all the familiar knives being dropped with 4 all new knives, 3 are shown here:

11-305
11-309
11-317
another knife that did not have a GS mark (not shown here)

1944

11-311 makes a return!

Utica

1946

11-311 has a different look in 1946

Utica

1947 only offered 2 knives, both new;

11-310 - very familiar!
11-312 - also very familiar

1947

11-310

1952

These 3 knives were the only knives offered through the 1950's until 1973 - a remarkably stable run.

The inventory numbers changed in 1966.

1973

1979

1987

1994

1995

This 1998 GS catalog image (left) appears to show that the Swiss Army knife was also offered in green. The inventory number as changed slightly from 1512 to 15121.