Name/Title
Small flick knife c1975Entry/Object ID
2285Description
Small flick knife with stainless steel blade 2 inches (5cm) long, brass end caps, a brass ring and plastic resin handle over mock inlaid decoration of insects and what appears to be a dragon. Blade marked "Stainless steel". No makers marks.Use
For use as a pocket knifeContext
Flick knives are spring loaded and allow the blade to come out automatically by activating a switch or button, in the US they are called switchblades. These type of knives were deemed offensive weapons and made illegal in England and Wales by the Offensive Weapons Act amendments of 1959. This legislation was introduced as a result of growing levels of violence involving knives during the 1950s, especially among youths and gangs of what were known as "Teddy Boys", one of their favoured weapons being the flick knife. The name "Teddy Boys"comes from the word Edwardian and refers to the three quarter length coats that these youths wore, along with tight "drainpipe' trousers. The Teddy Boys represented the first elements of post war youth culture that clashed with authority and the police, leading the way for the Mods and Rockers disturbances of the 1960s.
Though such knives could not be bought in the UK after 1959, they were readily available on the continent, often in souvenir shops, and many found their way back to this country, especially before more secure airport security. The style and decoration of this particular knife suggests it was one such souvenir shop purchase, and it probably dates to the 1970s.
This item is one of a number that came to the museum from Sussex Police as confiscated weapons. It was common for the police to retain collections of such items for training purposes and for lessons in schools.