Colonial Knife Co Providence R.I.

[deltaboy]

Funny how those Colonial electrician's knives like to go missing. I really should start searching for my "talk dirty to me" advertising knife. I know I'm going to kick myself when I eventually stumble across it.

Glad you found your old friend! :thumbup:

Yep I put it up one day and forgot about it , Till I got to looking for another tool yesterday.

 

[B.Mauser]

Its great to see everyone posting and keeping this thread alive. Thanks!

My two high end Colonials; a 4" Old Cutler Texas Jack (I've seen a variation of this one with a Colonial shield as well) and a RAP Barlow - original pocketworn bone from 1981 - assembled by Bobby P. - love the red bone in this one. OH

Nice Colonials Old Hunter. I really like those Old Cutlers. That Barlow sure is amazing. Thanks for posting. :thumbup:


QUOTE=edbeau;16183900]Back on Post #11 I put up a couple pictures of a Pic-Nic Pal knife that I was going to clean up for a friend. I finally finished it and returned it t him today. Here is a couple of shots of the cleaned up knife.



[/QUOTE]





Looks great Ed! Thanks for showing us the finished pictures.

Here is my Colonial Electrician Knife I got back in the 1980's. It had been lost till I found it looking for something else.

Very cool that you have had your Colonial so long. I'm glad you found it. Thanks for the pictures!

 

[deltaboy]

Thanks the little stock man is smaller than a Case Peanut but just bigger than my Callimus model 21.

 

[B.Mauser]

When was the Old Cutler line in production? I have 523 Texas Jack like the one Old Hunter posted and have wondered when it was made. I think I may still have a steel bolstered wood handled Barlow which was done by Colonial with the Old Cutler blade etch around somewhere as well. I think I picked them up in the late 90's. Thanks!

Hi Bartlbey

Thanks for stopping by.

Colonial started selling the Old Cutler line in 1977. They made it until approximately 1995-1996. Colonial went out of business in 1998. But their last couple years they didn't produce much. Spending more time buying cheap imports and re branding them out of desperation. They were willing to try just about anything to stay in business at that point but it didn't help.

This is the best thread I've seen in years, thank you to all who've posted. I know nothing of Colonial, but I have 4 in my collection.

Two Old Cutler's, a Forest Master, & 2 blade Barlow.


The Barlow is a US Bicentennial limited edition, with a warning about stepping on snakes on the other side


The Old Cutler trapper seems to have nickel silver bolsters. The Serpentine Jack has some kind of thick bolster with chrome plating, no pin is visible. I have often wondered what the construction is with this one.
The Barlow & Forest Master have shell bolsters.

Hi Mtangent. Thanks for posting your pictures. You chose some real nice Colonials for someone who knows nothing about them.

That Colonial marked serpentine jack is a good knife. Looks like its made with the same blades they use for the Old Cutlers. The bolsters are pressed on. They are made with a little pin sticking out of the bottom that goes into the liner that the handles are pinned to.There is also a tab on the side near the handles that sticks into the handle. The bolsters are the last part of assembly on these.

I have some dissembled Colonials and some new bolsters that have never been squished. I can take some pictures and show you exactly how its done.

But I dont have a camera tonight. I will try to do it tomorrow.


Your Old Cutler trapper is a special one. Probably one of the most rare Old Cutlers. Its the hardest to find in my opinion. Its 1095 and does have nickel silver bolsters.

The crazy part about this knife....it wasn't made by Colonial. It was made by Camillus.

Colonial wanted to make an Old Cutler collectors edition box. The plan was to put 6 knives in it.

2 small stockman, 2 large stockman, a barlow and a trapper. But Colonial didn't want to spend the money on tooling up the machinery to make a trapper. They decided they would turn a better profit by contracting a large amount of them from Camillus. So they did. Its called the Old Cutler trapper model # 320. Its a great knife. I have one in Yellow. I want to find a used to so I can carry it sometimes.

I have the Colonial Mark 1 Collectors edition box that this knife came in. All the knives were gone when I finally found one for sale it but I am filling it back up. I have the trapper, barlow, 1 large stockman and 1 small. 2 more and its complete.


Here are a couple pics of my Mark 1 collectors edition box.

You can see where the trapper goes right in the middle.

My old Cutler # 320.

Picked up a pair of Ranger Ultra Honed pocket knives off the bay. They were being sold as a pair.

Great deal Ed! Nice Rangers.


So anyone wondering what the deal is with the Ultra Honed knives?

The average Colonial knife had its final sharpening done on a fine stone wheel. The ultra honed knives had an extra step of sharpening. They were finished on a hard cotton wheel with black polishing compound. Giving them a sharper "honed" edge.

 

[mtangent]

Thank you B Mauser, The info is helpful. The serpentine jack is an Old Cutler, marked on the tang. I shall try to take a pic.

 

[B.Mauser]

Thank you B Mauser, The info is helpful. The serpentine jack is an Old Cutler, marked on the tang. I shall try to take a pic.

You're welcome.

That's interesting, Colonial instead of Old Cutler shield. Does it have brass liners or steel?

 

[mtangent]

Brass.

 

[Old Hunter]

Colonial Bolster Patent drawing; not a Swinden typle device, but pinned and covered with a stud on the backside of the bolster.

 

[Old Hunter]

B. Mauser, Thanks, that Barlow is a RAP variation, but stamped Old Cutler (per Bobby P. aka "Bonfire Bob" when he was alive and posting on AAPK). I have seen more of the 4" Texas Jack Old Cutler's with the Colonial shield than I have with the Old Cutler shield - but of course that is anecdotal. OH

 

[B.Mauser]

B. Mauser, Thanks, that Barlow is a RAP variation, but stamped Old Cutler (per Bobby P. aka "Bonfire Bob" when he was alive and posting on AAPK). I have seen more of the 4" Texas Jack Old Cutler's with the Colonial shield than I have with the Old Cutler shield - but of course that is anecdotal. OH

Yeah near the end there Colonial seemed to put together anything that fit. I have seen an identical Texas Jack to yours, with old cutler tang stamps and an Anvil shield. I think the mystery is part of the fun.

 

[mtangent]

Here are more pics of my Old Cutler serpentine jack.


You can see 3 full size brass liners. All the visible pins are brass, too.
The secondary blade has a patent number stamped- 3,317,996.
The main is - OLD CUTLER / U.S.A.

I can see a little from the diagram Old Hunter posted, but they don't expand much on my screen. I can't understand how the bolster stays in place. This must have been the very last construction step, & so impossible to peen the pin.

 

[B.Mauser]

I was planning to post the bolster patent above along with these pictures. Thanks for saving me the trouble Old Hunter. :thumbup:




One of the final steps of assembling these were the bolsters. Colonial had a machine that the operator put the knife in, put the bolsters in place then pulled a handle and it pressed both bolsters in place at the same time. Once it had 4 bolsters they put in a big wooden box. When that was full the box went to another area where they were sharpened, polished,cleaned and oiled. Then off to the packaging room.

Here is a couple pictures I took. These knives were bought at the Colonial Auction in 2002. They were never finished being assembled.

 

[Old Hunter]

Well Mauser, a picture is worth a thousand words - great illustration of how they actually looked/worked - thank you! OH

 

[mtangent]

That's great Mauser. The pins were simply squished into the reinforced hole by the press.
Are the bolsters an aluminium alloy? that's what they look like in the pic.

 

[deltaboy]

Those pictures are great. THANKS for sharing this history and insight.

 

[B.Mauser]

Wonderful. I'm glad you guys like the pics.

That's great Mauser. The pins were simply squished into the reinforced hole by the press.
Are the bolsters an aluminium alloy? that's what they look like in the pic.

Yeah between the tab in the handle and the pin pressed into the hole that's all that was needed. It was a very fast process compared to older methods they used.

I think these bolsters are steel. They stick to a magnet.

 

[B.Mauser]

Here are more pics of my Old Cutler serpentine jack.


You can see 3 full size brass liners. All the visible pins are brass, too.
The secondary blade has a patent number stamped- 3,317,996.
The main is - OLD CUTLER / U.S.A.

Thanks for the pics. Its definitely all Old Cutler but with a Colonial shield. Neat to see.

 

[TsarBomba]

Awesome information and pics, Mauser! I have a feeling this thread is going to be the de facto go-to for Colonial information in the very near future.

A couple of my new acquisitions. The stainless Forest-Master is far and away the cleanest one I've ever seen (which isn't many -- I've only seen maybe four total stainless variations stamped and shielded as such) and I picked it up for a song.











I know absolutely nothing about this little knife. I'm assuming it was manufactured for engravers and other gift shops. The interesting thing about it is the choice in blades -- a sheepsfoot and what appears to be a long, skinny spey. They're both wicked sharp, though.

 

[Tdhurl1103]

B, I had no idea you were into the Colonials. I thought you were all about the big black knives This is an awesome thread!

Anyway, I found a Colonial Ranger at a yard sale for $1.00. I cleaned it up and carried it for a good 2 months, everyday. It is the reason I got back into trads.



When my Mom passed away last year, I found this old Colonial fish knife she had as part of a antique display in her home. I cleaned it up as best I could but its not useable.



I really wish Colonial would bring back the Ranger series.

 

[B.Mauser]

Awesome information and pics, Mauser! I have a feeling this thread is going to be the de facto go-to for Colonial information in the very near future.

A couple of my new acquisitions. The stainless Forest-Master is far and away the cleanest one I've ever seen (which isn't many -- I've only seen maybe four total stainless variations stamped and shielded as such) and I picked it up for a song.











I know absolutely nothing about this little knife. I'm assuming it was manufactured for engravers and other gift shops. The interesting thing about it is the choice in blades -- a sheepsfoot and what appears to be a long, skinny spey. They're both wicked sharp, though.

Thank you my friend. And thanks for stopping by with your new finds. Very nice!

That stainless Forest Master is in amazing condition. Heck of a find.:thumbup:

All Forest Masters are Model # 1200. This would have been Model #1200 4 Blade Stainless Steel Forest Master with burnt brown stagged handles. Weird name but that's what Colonial called these handles. Burnt brown stagged.

Smokey Mountain Knife Works was a big customer for Colonial over they years. Ive seen quite a few of their Colonial orders but never a year knife. And only 2000 of them, cool find.

You have the last one figured out. Its an old one too, the Model #17 stainless steel jewelry knife.

Some were sold in hardware stores and sporting good stores but they were most popular at jewelry stores where they could get initials engraved on it. They were advertised as extra thin, extra sharp knives with a picture of a razor blade on the box. Neat to hear it still sharp after all these years.

Here is a picture of a display box of these knives.

B, I had no idea you were into the Colonials. I thought you were all about the big black knives This is an awesome thread!

Anyway, I found a Colonial Ranger at a yard sale for $1.00. I cleaned it up and carried it for a good 2 months, everyday. It is the reason I got back into trads.



When my Mom passed away last year, I found this old Colonial fish knife she had as part of a antique display in her home. I cleaned it up as best I could but its not useable.



I really wish Colonial would bring back the Ranger series.

Hey Td! Its great to see you here! I have collected Colonial for a very long time but I have never talked about it until recently. Most knife collectors Ive known dont like Colonials and I didn't think there would be much interest.

I am happy I was wrong. range: I hope everyone keeps posting their Colonial knives!

I like your picture with the Colonial, Imperial and Camillus. Other than 3 Sheffield knives, they are the only 3 kinds of traditional's I own.


Wow, a $1 Ranger, you win! I love the Ranger line. I dont use most my Colonials. But I have about 10 or 15 Colonial users and my Ranger is my most used out of them. Its just so useful. So capable. And so damn sharp.


Your Ranger 2 blade Jack is Model # 932. It's made from 1075 Carbon Steel and was available in black, white and yellow.


Here it is in a Colonial advertisement. This was Colonials last big advertisement, made in 1995.

Thanks for sharing that fish knife. Very cool to hear how you found it on display in your moms house. I wouldn't want to use a knife that special anyway. I have an Old Timer that belonged to my father when he was alive. I have it displayed in my living room with a picture of him as a kid shooting a BB gun. Heirlooms.



Here is my most used Ranger. Most used Colonial for that matter. Its a Model 933 3 blade Stockman. I got it on eBay for $4 shipped. It came with a broken tip on the main blade so I wharncliffed it a bit keeping as much blade as possible. Its actually very useful like this. I love the deep pitting that has years of patina over it. This knife has really been used.