Can someone help me identify this?

U

UncleMoon

Joined
Sep 26, 2016
Messages
6
I picked this up this past weekend, but don't know what it really is. I'm hoping someone here can tell me who the REAL maker is on this little gem.

It's marked "Mephisto" and I'll sure can't find anything other than a handful of tools by Mephisto out there, let alone a jack knife. I have a friend who did some looking and he suggested it may be a Primble, EC Simmons or Cattaragus, but I can't find anything with a shield quite like this one.

Anyone have any info to share?

Thanks in advance.

Tim

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The big contract knife makers were Schrade/Imperial, NYKC(?) Ulster, Camillus, and a few others.
ID'ing may come down to "does anyone recognize the jigging?"
It could be from any one of those makers.
I did a quickie search for Mephisto. It appears there is a long time shoe company
of the same name. Perhaps this was a bonus for buying a pair of boots - or even came with a pair of work boots? I do not remember who made them, but I do remember Sears, W.T. Grants, Montgomery Wards, or some other department store selling work boots with a pouch (with a snap close flap) for a pocket knife on the outside of the right boot, and a 2 or 3 blade knife included inside the pouch.
Even at age 8 or so, I wanted a pair of those boots!
 
I have a pretty close match, mine is a Hammer brand. It doesn't say Mephisto anywhere, but they seem pretty close?...........I really liked it, but I've misplaced it around the house. It should turn up.

 
It's old and well-worn but in nice shape, decent jigged bone with a federal shield.

This is an instinct but I think it may be German due to the possible connexion with the Faust legend and Göthe, Mephisto being a significant character in German literature. Americans, often being a zealously religious people, might look askance at having one of Satan's agents stamped on a knife-tang..:eek: Could be wildly wrong though!:)
 
I remember seeing the Mephisto brand on tools back in the late '60s/early '70s. They were sold at electrical supply house counters, along with other names like Klein, Channellock, Ideal, Holub, etc. I don't recall if any of the many electician's knives that I bought, lost, and bought again were ever stamped with the Mephisto brand, Though. Nice old knife!
 
You guys are awesome, thanks for all the info. I know we haven't gotten the answer yet, but this is a lot of great info to follow up on. The best part of finding this old stuff is chasing its origin.

Thanks again.
 
Hey there - I wanted to follow up & share what I learned. I just found a picture on another forum of the exact same knife, except the tang stamp says Miller Bros USA. I haven't done much more than a cursory google search on this maker, but it appears they MAY still be in business, there is a Miller Bros. Blades out there, so I'm going to reach out to them this weekend and see if I get a response.

Thanks again to everyone for their assistance.
 
Mephisto could possibly refer to the Mephisto Tool Co. from Hudson, NY. I'm guessing they had one of the cutlery companies mentioned earlier make these for them.

I'm not good enough yet at identifying knives, but my barely educated guess is Ulster.
 
I agree with Goerge65, Im thinking Ulster as well, Primble knives were contracted out and made by many Companies- I dont think it's Remington, and I havent seen too many Miller Bros. like this - now this is just me think out Loud.
I havent seen that stamp but the stamp doesnt look all that well struck - so is this a Knife contract made by Ulster, Ulster Dwight Devin? or Utica? Comparing jigged Bone- well Miller Bros varied quite a bit in the their Bone and Jig patterns.

German made?...usually as a rule of Thumb ( now isnt THAT where we go wrong approaching a Knife subject like that? :rolleyes: ) the German Pin is usually Steel on a German Silver ( Nickel Silver ) Bolster- making the pin look quite dark - unless we get a bit older with German when we start talking Iron Bolsters.

Pictured Ulster Knife Co. - a Stunning Fine wee Knife


 
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