Antiquity. The 'jackknife' - an alternative term for a very basic folding knife - is said to originate somewhere in the Germanic regions of Europe, north of Italy, and dates back to between 600 and 500 BCE, though the evidence is hard to substantiate.

Where did jackknife come from?

jack-knife (n.)

also jackknife, "pocket knife larger than a pen-knife," 1711, probably American English, apparently from some sense of jack (n.). Perhaps it originally was associated with sailors. Jackleg, jacklegged was a U.S. colloquial term of contempt from 1839.

What is the oldest pocket knife?

One of those artifacts uncovered is called The Hallstatt Knife. The artifact dates to approximately 500 to 600 BC, and is the oldest known folding knife. The knife had a bone handle and looks very similar to a knife you would see today.