Ever hear of Cottonbell knives?

[Alpo]

My granddaughter received one for her birthday. Looks nice, but all I can find of it on a search goes back to the same Amazon page. He's got mostly five star reviews, but everyone that reviewed it was given a free knife. Everyone. All 11 reviews.

 

Anyone ever heard of it? Or even better have some experience with one?

[Subdeacon Joe]

I've never heard of them before.   I wasn't able to find where they are made, or much of anything about them.  

 

Reviews I saw were mostly 4 and 5 star, but did find a couple of 2 star.

 

My impression is that they are a mid-quality every day knife.  One to use the heck out of, and if you break it or lose it you aren't out a lot.

 

I hope she gave whoever gayit to her a penny

 

 

I did find one interesting thing while I was looking for that brand - 

https://oldetownecutlery.com/2017/11/03/worlds-oldest-known-folding-knife/

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

I followed the maze of links on Amazon to find this:
Manufacturer    Cottonbell
Country of Origin    China

The "abalone" handles are actually fiberglass (contrary to what some of the reviewers posted).

"EDC knife with potable and convenience belt clip design easy to clip on your belt or backpack. The end of the knife is equipped with a rope hole, easy to carry."

 

The Amazon VINE program sends FREE products out for review (which is what Alpo noticed).

 

A cursory search of the manufacturer indicated that they also produce automotive LED lights (same logo as the knife ad).

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

So it’s “just another knife”? Nothing special?

[J-BAR #18287]

5 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

I hope she gave whoever gayit to her a penny

This is a tradition in our family, to avoid "cutting the friendship" between the knife giver and knife recipient.  My mother in law, a southern girl, insisted on it.  You are the only other person I have heard it from!

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

19 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

This is a tradition in our family, to avoid "cutting the friendship" between the knife giver and knife recipient.  My mother in law, a southern girl, insisted on it.  You are the only other person I have heard it from!

 

Been doing that for many years.
A variation is to gift a coin with the blade, then the recipient "buys" the knife from the giver.
 

[Alpo]

Never heard of such a thing.

 

I gave her one of those little Swiss Army knives for her birthday 3 or 4 years back. Knife and nail file and toothpick and tweezers. And last summer it was in her purse when she went through TSA, so she no longer had the knife. And she was bummed about that.

 

Yesterday was her birthday and her boyfriend gave her this thing, as a replacement for the knife she no longer had.

 

It's pretty. A wee bit larger than the original.

[Alpo]

There seem to be so many strange superstitions about knives. I had someone hand me their pocket knife one time, and when I was through with whatever I needed to cut, I closed the knife to hand it back. He wouldn't take it. I had to give it back the same way he gave it to me - in this case with the blade open. This kind of went against my boy scout training.

 

I was sitting here thinking - I have given knives as presents to my mother, my ex-wife, my daughter, my two stepdaughters, my stepson, and both granddaughters.

 

Never given a knife to non family. Thinking on it, I suppose I consider a knife too personal to give to non-family. It's like a gun I suppose. I've given away many guns. I'll waste of family. otto, otto, otto. ALWAYS TO FAMILY, you flippin' moron.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

Just a few (of many) explanations for the custom:

 

Why People Include a Coin When They Gift a Knife | Avoid Bad Luck (krudoknives.com)

 

Why Do You Give A Coin With A Knife | Swords of Northshire

 

COIN FOR A KNIFE: AN ANCIENT LEGEND (gallantry.com)

[Subdeacon Joe]

6 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Never heard of such a thing.

 

 

With your eclectic reading habits that's a bit surprising.  It's a very old and widespread custom.  I'll admit that I'm more familiar with gifting a coin with the blade so the recipient can "buy" the knife from you and so prevent the severing of the relationship.  

There's lots of symbolism in knives and the gifting of them.  Consider how much our ancestors relied on knives every day.  Food preparation, eating utensil, general cutting tool.  Also consider how expensive knives were "back in the day."    They were a significant gift.  "I trust you enough to give you a weapon."  "Here, you are old enough to make it on your own, take this knife and use it to make your way in life."  

I just noticed that you posted while I was typing:

 

11 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I closed the knife to hand it back. He wouldn't take it. I had to give it back the same way he gave it to me - in this case with the blade open. This kind of went against my boy scout training.

 

I was taught to clean the blade, even if just wiping it on your sleeve or pant leg, and hand it back open, holding onto the blade and offering the body/hilt to the person.  I'll post a couple of photos in a few minutes.  (NOTE:  if having to toss the knife back of course you close it or sheath it)

[Alpo]

6 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

With your eclectic reading habits that's a bit surprising

I first read that as

With your eccentric reading habits

 

Ooookkaaaaay

[Subdeacon Joe]

Like this

 

 

NOT this 

 

 

it really irritates me when people hand a knife back to me as in the last 2 photos. "Gee, I know that I'm supposed to hand it hilt first but I don't want to cut myself!" and so hand it back in such a way as to make it very difficult to take it safely.   I will usually then tell the person to think how I handed it to them, it was like the first 2 photos.  I didn't cut myself and they could get a good and safe grip on the knife.

[Subdeacon Joe]

1 minute ago, Alpo said:

I first read that as

With your eccentric reading habits

 

Ooookkaaaaay

 

 

With me it's pretty much the same thing! 

 

[Alpo]

7 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

There's lots of symbolism in knives and the gifting of them

I got my first knife for Christmas when I was in the fourth grade. So I was nine. It was an Imperial brand pocket knife. As I think back on it, it's kind of funny to think that Daddy did not tell me not to take it to school. I don't know whether he figured that would be a waste of voice, or whether he just believed that you should always carry a knife. I know he did. Little bitty Case pen knife. Always had it. It's in his pocket now.

 

In the almost 60 years of messing with knives since then, I have given away many. But after thinking on it long and hard, I have never given one to anyone that wasn't family. And I have never received one from someone who wasn't family.

 

 

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

Many years ago I gave one of these to a girlfriend's son for his 11th b'day (with her permission).

I told him to NEVER take it to school.

The next day, the knife was confiscated and he received a 3-day suspension...he just HAD to show it off to his classmates. 

 

 

I offered to go to the school and try and retrieve it, but his Mom was so upset with ME (all my fault, of course) that I reconsidered pursuing the matter.

 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

31 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I first read that as

With your eccentric reading habits

 

Ooookkaaaaay

 

28 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

 

With me it's pretty much the same thing! 

 

It's pretty much the same thing for BOTH of you.

[Subdeacon Joe]

16 minutes ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

 

It's pretty much the same thing for BOTH of you.

 

Thank you!  

[Alpo]

I've had this habit for many years, that if the knife I have on me is not what I need for the job, I go find the one I need, and when I finish the job I just stick the knife in my pocket.

 

So 12th grade English class. The teacher knew me personally - she was the mother of my best friend. And she was sure that I was carrying a knife, even though that was absolutely against school rules.

 

She had some sort of electrical thing, and the plug had come loose. It was a replacement plug, and the screw holding one of the wires had gotten loose so the electricity wasn't making its circuit. And she asked me if I had a knife, and I told her yes, and then she asked me if I could fix this plug.

 

Telling this story later, she said that I just kept pulling knives out of my pocket. I had a case folding hunting knife

An official Boy scouts of America whittling knife

My $1,400 stainless steel Boy Scout knife, which is the one I actually used because it had the screwdriver

And a fruit tree grafting knife.

[Texas Maverick]

39 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

Many years ago I gave one of these to a girlfriend's son for his 11th b'day (with her permission).

I told him to NEVER take it to school.

The next day, the knife was confiscated and he received a 3-day suspension...he just HAD to show it off to his classmates. 

 

 

I offered to go to the school and try and retrieve it, but his Mom was so upset with ME (all my fault, of course) that I reconsidered pursuing the matter.

 

Sounds like you needed a new girlfriend. 

 

TM

[Pat Riot]

If I give someone a knife and I never hear from them again I consider that good luck. 
 

It’s like the old joke; if you loan someone twenty dollars and you never see them again it’s probably twenty dollars well spent.

[Subdeacon Joe]

1 hour ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

Many years ago I gave one of these to a girlfriend's son for his 11th b'day (with her permission).

I told him to NEVER take it to school.

The next day, the knife was confiscated and he received a 3-day suspension...he just HAD to show it off to his classmates. 

 

 

I offered to go to the school and try and retrieve it, but his Mom was so upset with ME (all my fault, of course) that I reconsidered pursuing the matter.

 

 

One time my step-daughter forgot she had her Opinel No. 8 in her backpack and accidently took it to school.  She realized it first period and quietly told her teacher and asked if she was in trouble.  He, without making a fuss about it, had her give it to him. He put it in his desk and at the end of the day handed it back to her.  

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

My $1,400 stainless steel Boy Scout knife, which is the one I actually used because it had the screwdriver

 

 

Wow! 

 

Regarding PWB's story - When my daughter was eight, we were camping in Death Valley a little before Christmas. Santa Claus left her an early Christmas present while we were there. It was a Swiss Army camping knife. She was thrilled but didn't know how Santa was able to find her way out there.

Edited February 12 by Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L

[Subdeacon Joe]

3 minutes ago, Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L said:

 

Wow! 

 

You beat me to it!

[Pat Riot]

2 hours ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

Many years ago I gave one of these to a girlfriend's son for his 11th b'day (with her permission).

I told him to NEVER take it to school.

The next day, the knife was confiscated and he received a 3-day suspension...he just HAD to show it off to his classmates.

When I was in 7th my Dad bought me a little 3 bladed Old Timer pocket knife. Knives weren’t allowed in school but i carried it anyway. 
For gym class i would take it out of my pocket and lay it in the channel above the livker door should anyone rifle through my things they wouldn’t find it. We weren’t allowed to lock the lockers. 
One day after class I was getting dressed and my knife was gone. Someone stole it. 
I told the PE Coach. 
He took me out on the gym floor in my underwear and gave me 3 cracks with his “board of education” in front of the girls PE class. Completely embarrassing. 
I then got 3 nights of detention for bringing a knife to school. 
A few days later in gym class one of our class bullies came up to me and said “I took your knife. What’re you gonna do about it?”

I think I surprised the heck out of him with a right, left, right boxing combo. My Dad taught us to box. 
Big mouth was laying on the floor whining when coach came out, grabbed me by the ear and marched me out onto the gym floor in my underwear again and I got 3 more cracks. And, of course, the girls were out there waiting for the bell to ring. 
I didn’t get detention though as coach didn’t like the kid I popped. 
I never got my knife back but I felt fantastic the next day when the bully came to school with a slightly blackened eye and an obvious split lip. 
I got a new knife and carried it everywhere every day. I just left it in my pants pocket during gym. 

Added Bonus: I was very popular after that. No one picked on me. 

[Alpo]

45 minutes ago, Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L said:

Wow! 

 

41 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

You beat me to it!

Y'all ain't never heard about my 1400 pocket knife? I know I told this story before.

 

There was "a range" down at the end of a one lane dirt road in the woods. They had dredged out a canal and piled the dredgings at the end of the road, so we had a back stop and thus a range.

 

I'm out there one afternoon sighting in a rifle. I am using the roof of my car as a bench, and the screwdriver on my Boy Scout knife to adjust the scope. When I get it all finished, I went home.

 

When I got home and put my rifle away I discovered that I did not have my knife. I deduced that I had left it on the roof of the car, and it had fallen off when I left the range.

 

It was getting close to dark, and I figured that if I waited until tomorrow I would never be able to find it, so I jumped in my car and went booking back to the range to look for my knife.

 

I mentioned "one lane dirt road", did I not?

 

The girl coming the other way on the one lane dirt road did not have her lights on.

 

 

 

$1385 damage.

 

The next day I got a ride out to the range, and easily found my knife lying in the dirt.

 

And when you add the $15 actual cost of the knife to the $1,385 cost of the car repair, you end up with a $1,400 knife.

 

 

[J-BAR #18287]

I gave our daughter a Spyderco Delica when she was a high school senior.  She kept it in her car, complying (mostly) with the 'no weapons at school' rule.  As a student council member, she was involved in a number of after school projects.  While making decorations one day after classes, the group needed a knife to cut some thick cardboard.  She got permission from her teacher to bring in her Spyderco.  She opened it one-handed as I had taught her.  The boys were awestruck:  Katy!! How cool!!  I got some points for that.

[J-BAR #18287]

9 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

When I was in 7th my Dad bought me a little 3 bladed Old Timer pocket knife. Knives weren’t allowed in school but i carried it anyway. 
For gym class i would take it out of my pocket and lay it in the channel above the livker door should anyone rifle through my things they wouldn’t find it. We weren’t allowed to lock the lockers. 
One day after class I was getting dressed and my knife was gone. Someone stole it. 
I told the PE Coach. 
He took me out on the gym floor in my underwear and gave me 3 cracks with his “board of education” in front of the girls PE class. Completely embarrassing. 
I then got 3 nights of detention for bringing a knife to school. 
A few days later in gym class one of our class bullies came up to me and said “I took your knife. What’re you gonna do about it?”

I think I surprised the heck out of him with a right, left, right boxing combo. My Dad taught us to box. 
Big mouth was laying on the floor whining when coach came out, grabbed me by the ear and marched me out onto the gym floor in my underwear again and I got 3 more cracks. And, of course, the girls were out there waiting for the bell to ring. 
I didn’t get detention though as coach didn’t like the kid I popped. 
I never got my knife back but I felt fantastic the next day when the bully came to school with a slightly blackened eye and an obvious split lip. 
I got a new knife and carried it everywhere every day. I just left it in my pants pocket during gym. 

Added Bonus: I was very popular after that. No one picked on me. 

 

Mr. Berry was a brutal a.....e like your coach.  He used a thick oak yardstick to apply a full baseball swing the butts of the students who dared to offend him in some way.  I was completely intimidated and never got spanked.  I wish I had your courage to oppose him when he brutalized my friends in class.  I regret that I didn't confront him.

 

These days he would be fired, in jail, and the kids with bruised gluteals would be rich with taxpayer money after the lawsuits. Rightfully so.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13 by J-BAR #18287

[watab kid]

"...For reasons historians have not reached a consensus on, somewhere along the line – way back in the line, hundreds (maybe thousands) of years ago – people came to believe that giving a knife as a gift meant bad luck for the relationship...." 

 

im thankful i never knew this before , ive been gifted a lot of knives and gifted a lot to others over the years , its never severed a friendship - always reinforced them , i never got in trouble for having a knife in school but i did all my life , 

i did get in trouble for the gun , but in 1958 they didnt get all upity about it , the preist held it till end of day and gave it back , not loaded , no firing pin , it was a wall hanger/toy of the day , life lesson learned , 

[Pat Riot]

9 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

 

Mr. Berry was a brutal a.....e like your coach.  He used a thick oak yardstick to apply a full baseball swing the butts of the students who dared to offend him in some way.  I was completely intimidated and never got spanked.  I wish I had your courage to oppose him when he brutalized my friends in class.  I regret that I didn't confront him.

 

These days he would be fired, in jail, and the kids with bruised gluteals would be rich with taxpayer money after the lawsuits. Rightfully so.

 

 

 

 

This guy loved to line guys up in their underwear and dole out cracks. His paddle actually had the words “Board of Education” on it. 
One day we, the class, got into a towel snapping fight. We were having a great time when Coach burst in waving his paddle and ordering us all into the gym in our underwear. He lined us all up and gave us each a couple of cracks. 
This didn’t sit well with my Dad. He had a talk with Coach in the coaches office. There were no more paddlings in the gym that year. We moved again so I didn’t go to school there the next year. 
 

[J-BAR #18287]

15 minutes ago, Pat Riot said:

This guy loved to line guys up in their underwear and dole out cracks. His paddle actually had the words “Board of Education” on it. 
One day we, the class, got into a towel snapping fight. We were having a great time when Coach burst in waving his paddle and ordering us all into the gym in our underwear. He lined us all up and gave us each a couple of cracks. 
This didn’t sit well with my Dad. He had a talk with Coach in the coaches office. There were no more paddlings in the gym that year. We moved again so I didn’t go to school there the next year. 
 

You and your Dad handled it the right way.

 

 I needed therapy in my 40s.

 

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

On the subject of knives as gifts - I've told this here before.

 

A WWII veteran that I used to shoot with and also work at the range with gave me his Navy fighting knife as we had discussed my bayonet collection previously. I was honored to be given such a personal momento.

 

I also shot and worked with his son and knew that there were other siblings and grandchildren in the family including a grand daughter in the Marines.

 

As I did not want to accept a family treasure, I asked the son about whether anyone in the family should receive the knife and he replied that no one wanted it! 

 

And on top of this, he also gave me his other son's bayonet from Vietnam! This son had passed away previously.

[J-BAR #18287]

1 minute ago, Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L said:

On the subject of knives as gifts - I've told this here before.

 

A WWII veteran that I used to shoot with and also work at the range with gave me his Navy fighting knife as we had discussed my bayonet collection previously. I was honored to be given such a personal momento.

 

I also shot and worked with his son and knew that there were other siblings and grandchildren in the family including a grand daughter in the Marines.

 

As I did not want to accept a family treasure, I asked the son about whether anyone in the family should receive the knife and he replied that no one wanted it! 

 

And on top of this, he also gave me his other son's bayonet from Vietnam! This son had passed away previously.

I'm glad these mementos are now cherished by someone who will care for them appropriately.  Thank you for your custodianship.

[watab kid]

2 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

You and your Dad handled it the right way.

 

 I needed therapy in my 40s.

 

 my father also stood up for me once - in 5th grade , a lay teacher in catholic school hit me in the head accusing me of talking when we were supposed to be quiet , i resented being hit and backed her uyp against the blackboard with doubled fists - did not touch her , she threatened  to call my dad - i gave her his office number and extension and told her to go ahead , 

 

the squealing tires in front of the school told me he was mad - i did not know if it was going to be me or her and didnt care , she hit me - i didnt do anything and i didnt hit her , the scene when he walked in confirmed my thought it was a bad choice to call him , 

it also confirmed that the fact that i gave her the number and extension i was off the hook - the next three years of that school , no one ever threatened to call my dad , no one ever hit me again and most of my friends liked my dads car - spinning tires and a mad guy in a suite and tie was a bit out of the norm , 

 

untill eith grade i never had another issue - and that one [a misunderstanding by a priest on a retreat] went away real quick when i got to give my side of the story l its funny , looking back i cant imagine those things happened to me but now im looking at things that are happening and im no longer as surprised , love to sit and talk it all out with my dad , 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

1966 I was stationed on Okinawa.  I was walking back to the barracks one evening and took a short cut across a baseball diamond where I found a Imperial Diamond Edge three bladed stainless steel pocket knife with artificial stag scales.  I posted a couple of notices int the clubs and PX around the base.

 

No one every came forward to claim it.  

 

About five years ago I broke the longest blade and it took me a month to find an exact replacement for it.  I still have the one I found but I carry the replacement everywhere I go.

 

I also carry two Kershaw pocket knives and  a side lever switch blade (Sorry.  "Automatic" knife!) most of the time.  I have also been known to carry one or more of several belt knives.  

 

Never know when I might want to cut a piece of sting,

[Texas Maverick]

On 2/12/2024 at 8:55 PM, J-BAR #18287 said:

 

Mr. Berry was a brutal a.....e like your coach.  He used a thick oak yardstick to apply a full baseball swing the butts of the students who dared to offend him in some way.  I was completely intimidated and never got spanked.  I wish I had your courage to oppose him when he brutalized my friends in class.  I regret that I didn't confront him.

 

These days he would be fired, in jail, and the kids with bruised gluteals would be rich with taxpayer money after the lawsuits. Rightfully so.

 

 

 

 

Our gym coach took a baseball bat and had the workshop teacher smooth out both sides of the bat to make it flat and then drilled some 1 inch holes in it. That was hit paddle and he used it on a number of students that were caught doing things they shouldn't be doing. He was later promoted to assistant principal and the bat went with him to his new office. Today he would probably face a number of lawsuits if he used it but back then it was normal everyday life in high school. 

 

TM