"Black Box" Winchesters

[waynorth]

That sowbelly is a desirable knife Jake! Outstanding!

[waynorth]

Here's some yellow bone, but jigged. Full size Congress, 4 1/8" or so;
BlackBoxWinYellowCong1.jpg
BlackBoxWinYellowCong2.jpg

[supratentorial]

Thank you, Charlie. The shield on that congress is a perfect fit. It looks like it jumped out of an early 1900s hardware store catalog.

...It may be the only stockman I've come across which has half stops on the main blade.

I have the same pattern Winchester and think I'll give it some pocket time tomorrow. The half stop is neat. A 70s era Case 6332 is my only other production stockman with half stops. I don't know of any others.

[Peter Parker]

My black box baby as it looks now....

[waynorth]

Thank you, Charlie. The shield on that congress is a perfect fit. It looks like it jumped out of an early 1900s hardware store catalog.

Methinks a lot of the good details of today's knives, both production and custom, come from those old catalogs, Jake!

[mckgreg]

One little tidbit that may be worth knowing, Charlie Dorton had a hand in the creation of this series of knives. The same Charlie Dorton of the Original Bulldog Brand Knives. Explains a lot.
Greg

[lambertiana]

The only one I have

[waynorth]

One little tidbit that may be worth knowing, Charlie Dorton had a hand in the creation of this series of knives. The same Charlie Dorton of the Original Bulldog Brand Knives. Explains a lot.
Greg

I didn't know anything about Charlie Dorton back in those days, but his name always engenders respect from the old(er) timers when it comes to knowing what makes a respectable knife.

[kamagong]

This came in the mail today. Winchester Congress Pen. It's a neat little knife at 3 1/4" closed. Just a hair longer than my Queen/Dan Burke Half-Whittler. Nicely jigged bone scales that are dark brown in color, pretty close to raisin. Excellent walk and talk on the wharncliffe main, but the secondary blade is the very definition of a nail breaker. I think it might be oversprung, which can be a problem with dual bladed knives that share a single spring. No blade play on either blade.





Comparison shot of the springs of the Winchester Congress Pen and Queen/Dan Burker Half-Whittler


If this knife is a representative specimen of the quality of Black Box Winchesters you can color impressed. Outstanding for a production knife. I wish they still made them.

- Christian

[mckgreg]

The 2935 is gettin' scarce if you go looking for it. Definetly reeks of cool.
Greg

[kamagong]

Greg,

You'll probably think me a heathen, but this knife is going to be a user. My other whittler, the Q/DB pictured above, is a bit small for my tastes. The 2935, though only 1/8" longer, fills my hand better. Once I sharpen it I'll earmark the Q/DB for my wife's use. Good thing the blades are already peppered, I won't feel guilty putting it to work.

- Christian

[lessismore]

I might really be a heathen then, this thing has found its way into my pocket and I couldn't help but throw a forced patina on it. I guess there's nothing traditional about a "forced" patina though. It's got a good edge on it and reminds me of when the only thing that ever rode in my pocket was a barlow or an old timer.

[supratentorial]

[rprocter]

Nice Piggy Tummy there Jake. (have i been doing too much child care lately ?)
Did the BB Winchester series do a 5 blade Sowbelly ?
roland

[supratentorial]

Lol! Thank you, Roland. They made a few with 5-blades.

W 15 5049 3 3/4" 5 blade sowbelly stockman w/celluloid handle.
Available in Blue Crushed Velvet, Charcoal Ruby Copper, Glitter Stripe, and Silver Brown Pearl.

W 15 5949 3 3/4" 5 blade stockman w/bone handle.
Available in Antique Green, Honey, Red, and Wine.

[rprocter]

Thanks Jake. I'm going to be on the look-out for one of the bone ones. I imagine it to be much like my 1999 Moore Maker yellow bone 5 blade Sowbelly, as Queen made both the MM and BGC Winchesters.
I do look at the BB Winchesters whenever i'm 'knifin on the bay', but i have never seen the 5 blade Sowbelly. Maybe not many were made/sold ? or owners like them too much to sell ?
roland

[Peter Parker]

That is some sowbelley Jake!

[supratentorial]

Thank you, Peter.

Here's a Bull-head

[22sparky88]

i have the same knife and also had a hard time finding info on it.on the blade its etched [ winchester first production run 1 of a 1000.gift from my dad a few years ago.. he says he purchased it from smoky mountain knife works in tenn. he couldnt remember how long ago it was..hes 89 yrs old..the knife i am refering to is w20 19015 single blade hunter..came in black box by blue grass cutlery

[akadave2]

I have a couple of the yellow bone Congress knives on the way, both sizes. I too was struck by the look sof the shield and the jigging. The yellow color really got me as well. Im told these are well made and I will be carrying mine for sure.