Define a Premium Jack

I

ISKRA

Joined
Sep 19, 2016
Messages
1,298
I have the following two knives. A Case 62087 and a Remington. Both are reffered to as "premium jacks". But what does that mean? Are they called premium because of the serpentine frame, like sotckmen are called premium stock knives as oposed to cattle knives? Is any serpentine jack a premium jack? Texas jacks are on a serpentine frame as well but Texas reffers to the square bolsters, right?

So please tell what you understand to be a premium jack and don't forget the photos! ;)

1Al1iuE.jpg
 
Thanks for your reply! So premium indicates a serpentine frame. Does it also imply a better build quality or is that already a stretch?
 
ISKRA said:
Thanks for your reply! So premium indicates a serpentine frame. Does it also imply a better build quality or is that already a stretch?
Click to expand...

Back in the day - turn of the century through the 1960s - I think it very much indicated top-notch build quality throughout all manufactures but that quality slipped somewhat over the past decade or so. However, of late, the build quality of many manufactures has taken a step up.
 
I thought "Texas Jacks" were called that to differentiate them from the teeny tiny peanut.
 
Levine's describes the Premium Jacks as first being introduced back in the 1890's as a less bulky and more dressy style of a pocket knife compared to the Cattle knives of that time and there were the two different types of bolster the rounded ones are known as the Vaquero's "Spanish Cowboys" and the other one (Square Bolsters as the Texas Jacks) - So the word Premium derives from 1890 when they started making a more sleeker and dressier Version on the Cattle Knives
 
Grandpa Peter's and Grandma Betty's said:
Levine's describes the Premium Jacks as first being introduced back in the 1890's as a less bulky and more dressy style of a pocket knife compared to the Cattle knives of that time and there were the two different types of bolster the rounded ones are known as the Vaquero's "Spanish Cowboys" and the other one (Square Bolsters as the Texas Jacks) - So the word Premium derives from 1890 when they started making a more sleeker and dressier Version on the Cattle Knives
Click to expand...

Valuable insight, thanks. I wonder if certain materials were preferred for scales on these, was all steel favoured over brass construction? They must've cost more as the word 'premium' implies but then as now, language got distorted to suit commercial/political needs...;)
 
Will Power said:
Valuable insight, thanks. I wonder if certain materials were preferred for scales on these, was all steel favoured over brass construction? They must've cost more as the word 'premium' implies but then as now, language got distorted to suit commercial/political needs...;)
Click to expand...

Levine's noted that the most common handle material was Jigged Bone and then Celluloid and Genuine Stag was considered Uncommon except for firms such as Case and Henckels whom Favored it. Levine's noted that the Premium stockman knives were made specifically for Ranchers and the names of Vaquero's and Square Bolster were described or called differently at times depending on who was describing the knives......Levine's mentioned that Simmons Hardware would call the rounded bolsters Vaquero's and Schrade would call the Squared Bolster knives "Texas" , Levine's mentioned that even the plainest knives were called Premium Knives up until the late 1940's….....There were Pearl Handled knives that were called Sunday Dress and these are RARE ~ Levine's is a endless Treasure Trove of Information ~

The Premium Stock Knives were designed as a Rancher's Pattern and the knives were mainly marketed out West ~ 1890's

P.S. just noticed that the photo of Bernard Levine look's a lot like the Bartender " Jake Johnson " on that New show called Stumptown ~ Anyway's ~ "Noted"
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top