Can anyone determine what kind of knife this is?

[bLoodline]

Hello, my grandfather recently passed down this knife to me. It says Ranger on the blade, but there is nothing similar to it on the Ranger website. I just wanted to know if anyone had any information on it. Thanks for any help.

 

[Bastid]

Welcome to Blade Forums.

I have not seen one like this before, but if memory serves correctly, I think Ranger was a United Cutlery brand at one time. Maybe a contract knife from Imperial. (Providence factory).

It is a knife I would cherish, take care of, use a little and pass on to someone else one day.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

I have that exact knife. I bought it at a Swap Meet when I was a kid (from one of those stands where the guy is selling bulk cheap knives). It costed less than $10, but I recall it cut ok, and eventually rusted up in my pocket.

 

[Gramps]

I have a 4" Ranger stockman with black sawcut delrin handles....not nearly as sweet as yours bLoodline. It has great carbon blades that will sharpen up very nice. I think Gus hit the nail on the head....the main clip blade tang on my knife has the word "Ranger" and the words "Prov USA" stamped underneath. Good user knife. However I agree with Gus about your knife......"cheerish" and perhaps use it as a Sunday knife....maybe as a handsome letter opener ???? However you need to keep a thin film of oil on the blades as they are carbon...otherwise it will suffer Rat's knife's fate ( say that three time fast ! ).

-All the best !

 

[Bartleby]

I believe that Ranger was one of Colonial Cutlery's brands in the 70's and 80's. If you haven't already done so, check down on the Schrade collector's forum, many of those fellas collect Imperial and Colonial as well and can put you straight.

 

[El Lobo]

Good call Bartleby!

Ranger is a Colonial Brand (scroll to end of history).....

http://www.colonialknifecompany.com/history.htm

The knife looks very similar to a Schrade 505SC (and there was cross contracting amongst the companies mentioned), but the blade profiles (especially secondary) are not exact, at least to my eyes...

Bill

 

[okBookGuy]

How long is it closed? Also, what did your grandfather tell you about it?
you know. . .its history, where he got it etc. . .?

 

[rev_jch]

Ranger, was an old colonial trademark of an inexpensive line of folders. I use to have a few myself from the 70's. I think they cost between $2.00-5.00 a piece.

 

[mp510]

A relative bought a Ranger lock knife this weekend. They are, or at least were still in existence as of 2001, maybe 2002. The knife uses a Russlock style locking mechanism, where there is a backspring and liner lock. I can date the knife, because the blade was marked with a September 11 2001/ God Bless America slogan. The grips commemerated OEF, and bore American flags.

Rat Finkerstein Wrote

It costed less than $10, but I recall it cut ok, and eventually rusted up in my pocket.

I learned the same on a cheap providence cutlery knife. Even if/ when the blades are stainless, the cheapo US made knives often use other steels in the backsprings/other parts.