Our SouthOrd Jackknife has gone through a number of changes over the years. Our very first SouthOrd Jackknife Lock Pick Set was introduced back in March 2000. At that time, there was one other pocket pick set being commercially manufactured (at least, as I recall!).
Looking to manufacture a professional, pocket lock pick set of our own, we were inspired by the interchangeable handle that is included in our PXS-17 lock pick set. Our PXS-17 set was an already established set, and its handle (produced in brass at that time), was compact, making it the perfect size to carry in a pocket or on a keyring. We believed that its smooth curves and clean lines would make for a sleek, portable, folding pick set, unlike any set on the market.
From the Southern Ordnance Catalogue, Vol. 15, 2001.
Our very first JPXS-6 Jackknife Lock Pick Set was introduced with a machined aluminum handle. The finish on this set was left in raw aluminum, so the look was somewhat industrial. We later moved on to alloy handles, first with a painted matte grey finish, then chrome plated. These sturdy handles had a bit more heft to them, compared to aluminum. And, for a short time, we manufactured our Jackknife Set with a featherweight composite handle in matte black-- Some of you may remember these JPXS-6F Featherweight Jackknife Pick Sets, or may even still have them!
The original SouthOrd Jackknife handle, raw brushed aluminum, 2001.
Now, 20 years after its conception, we’ve cherry-picked our favorite characteristics from our previous Jackknives, and are excited to introduce the latest SouthOrd Jackknife Lock Pick Set! In this new model, we machine the handle from aluminum, making the Jackknife lightweight and durable. The handle is then run through our signature polishing process, a process we’ve used on our lock picks, and have worked to perfect, in recent years. Lastly, the handle on our new Jackknife Pocket Lock Pick Set is anodized a matte black for a sleek finished. We love the result, and we hope you will too!
