OUR STORY
A 50-Year History of Pocket Knife Collecting in South Carolina
From twelve founding members in July 1974 to a half-century legacy — the condensed history of the Palmetto Cutlery Club.
About the Palmetto Cutlery Club — Complete Resource Center
EST. 1974
A Condensed History of the Palmetto Cutlery Club
In the early to mid 1970s there was a tremendous amount of interest generated in collecting and trading knives in the upstate of South Carolina. In July of 1974 twelve people joined together to form the Palmetto Cutlery Club. They proved to be men and women of vision for knife and cutlery collecting, buying, selling, and trading. At this time, the constitution and by-laws were adopted and officers were elected for one-year terms. The name was rightfully chosen to honor the Palmetto State. Word traveled fast, and membership grew to twenty-six by the end of 1974.
The year 1975 brought solid organization and recognition, establishing the Palmetto Cutlery Club with the then National Knife Collectors & Dealers Association (NKC&DA). The association co-sponsored a show with the club, and it was very successful — a new attraction for the general population of upstate South Carolina.
Monthly meetings were held at different locations from Greenville to Spartanburg until a central meeting place was established at Greer, SC in 1976. The Greer Recreation Center on Oakland Street was the meeting place and would continue to host the club’s monthly meetings into the 21st century. A second meeting site was secured in Spartanburg at the Bell Savings and Loan Association. The club issued its first Palmetto Cutlery Club knife in 1976 — a Queen sleeveboard pattern with Mother of Pearl handles. After that issue, the membership voted to use pearl on all club knives thereafter as long as it was available, a tradition that continues today.
The Palmetto Cutlery Club tang stamp was implemented with the 1977 club knife and was used until the late 1980s. The original club logo — the palmetto tree flanked by two pocket knives, with “Palmetto Cutlery Club” up the left side, “Greer, South Carolina” down the right, and “Organized in 1975” along the bottom — was designed around that time. The inner line and side text were later simplified for legibility as the logo was mechanically reproduced.
The membership voted to incorporate the club in 1979, and the certificate of incorporation was issued by the Secretary of State of South Carolina on December 31, 1979.
With a second meeting site, formal incorporation, a regular newsletter, a pearl-handled club knife issued every year, and an annual show, the Palmetto Cutlery Club was identified as a desirable organization across the United States. A successful show was held in Spartanburg at the Wilson World Hotel on March 2–3, 2001. The years 2006 through 2014 saw shows held at the Shriners Club in Wellford, SC. The 2015 and 2016 shows were held at the Greer Tennis Club in Greer, SC.
The club continues to have superb leadership and is well equipped to stay alive and well for many years to come.
MILESTONES
Five Decades, One Club
1974
Club Founded in Upstate SC
1976
First Annual Club Knife
1979
Officially Incorporated
2025
51 Years and Counting
Carry the Tradition Forward
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