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Empire Strikes Again!
- Thread starter waynorth
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waynorth
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Are Empire knives that rare, that this thread goes off into the ether?? It was such a great old Company, I gotta keep it going!!!
Short thread, easy to read!!! (Hint, Hint!!)!!
Empire made a lot of gent's knives, many with pearl handles!! Here are two 4-blades, with nail files!!
The bottom knife was used, and well-loved, and the top one has seen almost no use since it was born over 100 years ago!! It still has a full etch on the main blade!!!
Short thread, easy to read!!! (Hint, Hint!!)!!
Empire made a lot of gent's knives, many with pearl handles!! Here are two 4-blades, with nail files!!
The bottom knife was used, and well-loved, and the top one has seen almost no use since it was born over 100 years ago!! It still has a full etch on the main blade!!!
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I've still never seen one.
waynorth
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waynorth
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And a couple more; this time Swell Center knives, a three-blade, and a two-blade Jack!!
Note the, the top knife is stamped W.Winsted!! When the township of West Winsted was incorporated into Winsted, the company's markings changed shortly after!! That is a very old knife from the 1860s to 1880s!! Note the unusual "Stagged bone" handles!!
Note the, the top knife is stamped W.Winsted!! When the township of West Winsted was incorporated into Winsted, the company's markings changed shortly after!! That is a very old knife from the 1860s to 1880s!! Note the unusual "Stagged bone" handles!!
waynorth
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Three nice ones. John!! Happy Easter!!
waynorth
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And three more Empire-made knives!! These are electricians knives from near WWI !! The top two were made for Schrade Cut Co; contract knives, and the third was made for Empire customers, (note slight variations!)
The Main-spring/assembly pin is further away from the main pivot pin on the Empire marked knife, the main nail nick is on the opposite side, and the Empire shield is slightly thinner on the Empire!!
Schrade used the Empire shield in later years, but gave Empire credit for the design!!
On these knives the three screwdrivers lock open, and are released by pressure on the main blade!!
The Main-spring/assembly pin is further away from the main pivot pin on the Empire marked knife, the main nail nick is on the opposite side, and the Empire shield is slightly thinner on the Empire!!
Schrade used the Empire shield in later years, but gave Empire credit for the design!!
On these knives the three screwdrivers lock open, and are released by pressure on the main blade!!
Augie
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Campbellclanman
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Oh boy, you are right Charlie- we all need to dig up photos of our Empires - I am not sure I have a lot but have written a reminder note! 
Alex.Y.
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Awesome thread! Glad you resurrected it, Charlie!
Handsome examples! Interesting that shield is mounted with two pins, not one. I'm curious where's the nail nick on the lower one, on the pile side? Or absent at all?
waynorth
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Awesome thread! Glad you resurrected it, Charlie!
Handsome examples! Interesting that shield is mounted with two pins, not one. I'm curious where's the nail nick on the lower one, on the pile side? Or absent at all?
Alex.Y.
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Ahhhh, I should open my eyes wider! I have an excuse though - beautiful knives that caught all my attention.
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pistonsandgears
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Empire scout knife
Moose
Corkscrew
Moose
Corkscrew
waynorth
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waynorth
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I looked way back in this thread to find an interesting knife pic to bring forward (from 2009!!), in contrast to the little knife I am posting today!!While on a 3 week driving holiday with my beloved Joanne, we meandered all the way around Lake Ontario, visiting friends and relatives in Canada, and America the Beautiful.
I happened to schedule a knife show into our trip (imagine that!), and there, near Easton, PA, I acquired this lovely!!
The Empire Knife Company has its roots in the late 1850s, and I believe this is an early knife, although I cannot pinpoint its age. Check out its details, and those wonderful tang stamps. And it is a good thing I have healthy fingernails!!
Here it is!! A small knife, at a hair under 3"!! The handles are of a coarse-grained black wood, not suitable for a musical instrument, but quite adequate for a pocket knife!! The knife appears well and carefully used, even though it is likely well over 100 years old!! It is marked W.Winsted, so has an early stamping - before 1900!! Snappy little Empire Jack!!!
