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The coffin jack and sowbelly are my two favorite Winchesters!I got my first one in 2025 :
I got these 3 last week :
And a Coffin Jack is on the way :
Harry
That's a beauty!! love the 3902. It has actually ended up becoming one of my favorite black box knives (if ya cant tell, lol). I've had some great luck finding stag 3902s but I'm still on the hunt for the jigged bone version. Here's my 3902s. The 2 open ones on the right are users.
That sowbelly and whittler are now on my radar. Thanks!I got my first one in 2025 :
I got these 3 last week :
And a Coffin Jack is on the way :
Harry
Some smaller great ones to check out are the 2903 (swell center, equal end spear/pen) and the 2851 small gunstock. Both fantastic little knives.
early on I tried to emulate hunt but instead of silver I went after something much more appealing the "black box winchesters" but before I could complete my mission word was out that someone was trying to corner the "black box winchesters" so fell a few short lol.
H Hurricane1022 : You may be interested in seeing this info about the Black Boxes that my old friendSomeone asked to see the Winchester "Black Box" knives in one post. Well, here they are...
That's probably not what you had in mindsooooooooooo...
I made this chart for those who are interested in collecting Winchester "Black Box" knives. These are the ones that came out from 1987 to 1991.
1 BLADE
1901 - 4 inches - Clip (1987)
1920 - 5 1/4 inches - Clip (1990)
1924 - 4 1/4 inches - Clip (1987)
1927 - 5 3/8 inches - Clip (1988)
1936 - 5 inches - T-Clip (1990)
2 BLADES
2851 - 3 inches - Spear/pen (1988)
2857 - 3 1/4 inches - Spear/pen (1987)
2880 ½ - 3 7/8 inches - Spear/clip (1988)
2903 - 3 3/8 inches - Spear/pen (1990)
2904 - 4 1/8 inches - T-Clip/spey (1987)
2904 ½ - 4 inches - T-Clip/spey (1989)
2913 ½ - 4 1/4 inches - Clip/spear (1988)
2921 - 3 1/2 inches - Spear/pen (1987)
2935 - 3 1/4 inches - Wharncliffe/pen (1988)
2967 - 3 7/8 inches - Spear/clip (1988)
2978 - 3 1/4 inches - Spear/pen (1989)
2991 - 3 5/8 inches - Clip/spear (1988)
3 BLADES
3902 - 3 1/2 inches - Clip/pen/pen [Whittler] (1990)
3904 - 3 3/4 inches - Clip/spey/pen [Whittler] (1988)
3907 - 3 7/8 inches - Clip/spey/pen [Whittler] (1991)
3949 - 3 3/4 inches - Clip/spey/sheepsfoot (1989)
3964 - 3 5/8 inches - Clip/spey/sheepsfoot (1987)
3971 - 3 1/2 inches - Clip/small clip/pen [Whittler] (1989)
3995 - 4 inches - Spear/pen/pen [Whittler] (1991)
4 Blades
4935 - 3 1/4 inches - Sheepsfoot/Sheepsfoot/pen/pen (1991)
Kdarmy originally posted a list of Black Box/Red Letter Winchester knives. That list stands true today as far as I know. The only one I've haven't seen a trace of is the 1936 ½ Toothpick from 1992. I've seen several 1036 ½ toothpicks from 1992, but none of them were jigged bone. If anyone has a photo of a 1936 ½ jigged bone Toothpick, I'd love to see what this variation looks like.
There are also two sets:
- Model 37 Red Letter Set (5 knives)
- The Scouts (2 knives)
They're out there, but I keep buying Northfield and TC Barlows... so I may never get those sets
It has been fun collecting these. As Charlie has noted previously, you can definitely see the hand of Bill Howard in these knives. They are superb!
Many thanks to mckgreg for the beautiful pictures he posted years ago... that's what really inspired me to start collecting these.
MerryMadMonk
made years ago .
That chart or table he made is incredible!! Matter of fact, when I seen someone post it a few years ago, I saved it in my phone and I still refer to it anytime I have a question about them. Many thanks to him & to you.H Hurricane1022 : You may be interested in seeing this info about the Black Boxes that my old friend
Harry
I missH Hurricane1022 : You may be interested in seeing this info about the Black Boxes that my old friend
Harry
MerryMadMonk
, his posts were always interesting. Years ago he made a great post on the history of Winchester and their involvement with E.C. Simmons. He and
supratentorial
were always up for a good discussion on the history of the old companies. Doesn't seem to be as much interest in those types of discussions anymore.
I have found it quite frustrating reading the different articles on the internet on the early knife shops and such because so much of it contradicts the others,and now ai has made it worse.so ya I would love for their to be some ba ter back, and forth amongst the knowledgeableI miss
Jack Black
has a great knowledge about the uk that is usually spot on.
I don't believe so,I was trying to find a stag winchester to go along with my roger bone and in my research it seemed it was less than half the offerings of the black box were made In Stag,but I'm wrong about 87.5% of the time,but they made some really nice whittlers.
Thanks for the input. I have the swell center whittler and small gunstock in stag.
Here's the one with the pattern 1924 toothpic. You'll have to zoom in of course, but one of the columns has the quantity. Hope it helps.
Yes that’s it
