Antique New York Knife Company Knives and Company History

2-3/4" Psychedelic Cell Jack Knife...



- V_P

 

NYKC (Walden) circa 1890-1932 (that's when the fertilizer company closed).





- Stuart

 

Hey since you fired this thread up Stuart, I might as well throw on the mystery knife... sounds like it is likely the working end of an interchangeable knife kit; I think now I will be searching for some implements

 

And the "Army Knife" that someone decided to grind away "New York Knife Co" and the "Hammer Brand" lettering...

 

New York Knife Company per N.Y. State Museum:

The factory during the period from 1905 to 1913 did not expand. However, several new technologies were adopted (Figure 8). The first was the storehouse on the west side of Orchard Street. This was converted into a celluloid works and bone shop to produce bone and plastic handles. The second was that the factory was electrified (Sanborn Insurance Map 1913). The installation of electricity for lights and machinery throughout the plant was a major investment. This investment made the factory more competitive by making the production line faster, more efficient, and lowering the number of workers needed to produce the knives. By 1913, the number of people employed by the company dropped to 327 individuals, ' ..... ·, ' ..... which is a decrease of 63 people from 1905. The workforce was composed of 275 adult males, 41 adult females, 8 children between the ages of 14 and 16, and 3 office employees. The adult males in 1912 worked on the average a 63 hour week, the adult females between 58 and 63 hours a week, and the children, 51 hours or less a week (New York State Department of Labor 1915). By 1913, the Walden Knife Company with 340 employees surpassed the number of workers employed at the New York Knife Company, which had 327 employees. The smallest knife manufacturer in Walden at this time was the Schrade Knife Company with, 13 7 employees. In 1913, 804 people, or 19 percent of the population, of the village of Walden were employed at the three knife factories (New York State Department of Labor 1915). The knife industry, with the employment of such a large percentage of the village population, had a tremendous influence on the local economy.
. . .
The outbreak of World War I increased the demand for knives and allowed the New York Knife Company to remain in full production. After the war, ended two gunmanufacturing firms, Remington and Winchester, entered the knife manufacturing business. They used the latest technologies and machinery and had tremendous advertising and promotion campaigns to promote their products. The post-war catalogs that had once only shown the full line of New York Knife Company knives now was split between Remington and the New York Knife Company. Remington's market share continued to increase, as the New York Knife Company's market share decreased after World War I. In 1922 the New York Knife Company suffered a further setback when Remington and the Ulster or Schrade Knife Companies gained the right to manufacture Boy Scout knives, thus ending the New York Knife Company's monopoly. On the 1924 Sanborn Insurance Map there is a notation that WIILI.KII.J. Rt�£R WORKS ....... ® '- ..... ....... ..... � t the factory was not in operation (Figure 9). It is possible that the factory shut down for a short period of time, possibly to retool or that the owners were having problems due to the increased competition with Remington, the Ulster Knife Company, and Winchester. The final blow for many of the American knife companies was the 1929 stock market crash, which brought about the Great Depression. In 193 1 the New York Knife Company was forced to shut down and stop its operation after being in business for 79 years. The only knife company that is still producing knives today is the Schrade Knife Company, which moved from the village of Walden to Ellenville, Ulster County, in 1958. The knife industry in the village of Walden is only represented by the ruins of the New York Knife Company and the two other factories along the Wallkill River and the statue of William McKinley in the village square.
. . .

A notation on the 1924 Sanborn Insurance Map states the factory was not in operation, and the only employees were two night watchmen, indicating the factory may have had to shut down for short periods of time and had to temporarily lay off its workers.


The condition of the company continued to worsen, especially after the 1929 stock market crash. The New York Knife Company factory continued to operate for parts of two more years before it was finally forced to shut down its operation for good in 1931.

http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/common/nysm/files/crsp-vol1_0.pdf

 

Kevin, that someone was the G. F. Creutzberg Company (Philadelphia, PA 1875-1943). Their EAGLE PHILA trademark is stamped over the crudely erased Hammer brand on your knife. According to Goins, they made their knives "by using parts left over from other contract knives." Their trademark "has been stamped over John Primble India Steel Works, OVB Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co, Marshall Wells Hdw., and one knife has been seen with the small blades marked 'Walden, N.Y.'". Check the tang of your cap lifter/flathead driver blade. After 1943, they dealt in farm supplies.
- Stuart

 

LoL, my knife is stamped Walden, NY That's really interesting, if NYK closed in 1931, Cruetzberg may have just got ahold of their remaining supply of scout knives since everything about this knife is NYK; fit/feel and even the patent number on the punch. Maybe they added the "Army Knife" shield to make it their own LoL. Good catch on that in Goins! I never would've spotted that blurb I think they just grinded off the NYKC on the cap lifter and left the Walden, NY. Thanks for the info Stuart, very cool

 

Thought I'd resurrect this fine old thread with a couple of stag examples:

First up is a horseman. I usually shy away from knives with so much blade loss but this one is a rare treasure that I didn't think twice about:





Next up is a stag jack. You rarely see stag handled knives from NYK:







Eric

 

Great knives! Thanks for posting them.

 

My pleasure Mike, glad I can contribute!!

Eric

 

I just now finished going through this "fine old thread" hoping to see some NYK’s in stag and feel very lucky to have picked today as your new addition’s fit the bill exactly, especially on the rare horseman’s pattern!
Cheers!

 

Those are some truly handsome old fellows. Thank you for sharing them. They need to be seen. - Stuart

 

Wonderful additions to this thread. I especially love the horseman's example. Thank you.

 

Thanks folks! I've shown this one in the harness jack thread but it definitely fits right in here too. This one has what appears to be Robeson punch:







Eric

 

Two great old specimens, Eric !!! What a treat and Thank You !

 

@Primble And good to see you, a fine gent with a fine collection posting again

Regards, Will

 

It is great to see you around again Mr. @Primble !!!! Hope you are well and become a regular again .

Harry

 

Good to see you posting! Hope all is well!