Fathers and Grandfathers knives

[screened porch]

A Hibbard Spencer Bartlett from the last part of the 1800s that belonged to my Grandfather. He was born in 1875 and was in the Spanish American War in 1898. My Dad told me that he carried the knife in that war. He carried it everyday until he died in 1952. He was a dentist and probably didn't use the knife all that much. I do know that he broke off the second blade and used the stub to clean out the bowl of his pipes and used that end of the knife to tamp down his pipe tobacco. I saw him do it many times.

Did he break off the second blade on purpose?

 

[r redden]

My Dad's old skinning, fishing, whatever sheath knife he gave me when I was a kid before he passed. The tang is marked Solingen on one side and 50 on the other you can barely make out Original Buffalo Skinner on the blade. It was old when I got it and that over 50 years ago.

t

 

[the-accumulator]

someone informed me it is from 1932.

That's a beautiful WESTERN fixed blade with great history and family connection. However, I'm not sure that it's from the thirties. I was under the impression that in the mid fifties the logo changed from WESTERN STATES to WESTERN BOULDER COLO. Can anyone else help date this beauty? T-A

 

[lambertiana]

The only knives of my father's that I have inherited so far would not be appropriate in this forum (my mother still has all of his traditional knives). I only have one knife from my paternal grandfather, this Case:

He was born in 1910 in Thatcher, AZ. He told me that his first knife, a Case, was purchased through the Sears Roebuck catalog around 1919 or 1920. He took it into town to show it off, and a kid took off running with it and my grandfather never got it back.

He was an architect and a Case like this would have been right at home in the office.

 

[tongueriver]

That's a beautiful WESTERN fixed blade with great history and family connection. However, I'm not sure that it's from the thirties. I was under the impression that in the mid fifties the logo changed from WESTERN STATES to WESTERN BOULDER COLO. Can anyone else help date this beauty? T-A

That knife (Oh my! What a wonderful knife! I missed out on one similar to that which nearly broke my heart.) dates from 1932, give or take. You can take that to the bank.

 

[tongueriver]

delete

 

[waynorth]

Cool, Cal!! Looks like Grampa wore the jigging right down!!

 

[pmek5]

The only knives of my father's that I have inherited so far would not be appropriate in this forum (my mother still has all of his traditional knives). I only have one knife from my paternal grandfather, this Case:

He was born in 1910 in Thatcher, AZ. He told me that his first knife, a Case, was purchased through the Sears Roebuck catalog around 1919 or 1920. He took it into town to show it off, and a kid took off running with it and my grandfather never got it back.

He was an architect and a Case like this would have been right at home in the office.

A beautiful & special Case. Do happen to know the model of that knife?

 

[Chief]

the-accumulator according to experts in this forum, it's 1931 or 1932 due to the Pat Appld For tang stamp on the pile side. According to @zzyzzogeton in a previous thread:

John,

The Mountaineer is the 43 pattern. Your model looks to be a 643, the bone stag handle version.

Your knife was made in 1931 or early 1932 - based on the pile side ricasso stamp "PAT APPL'D FOR".

Western applied for the double tang patent in 1931. Some time in mid/late 1932 to early/mid 1933 (no specific date has ever been identified), the stamp changed to "PAT PEND" or "PAT PENDING" when Western received notice that the patent application had been approved but had not yet been issued.

The patent was actually issued in 1934 and the ricasso stamp changed to PAT'D or PATENTED. At some point in late 1934 or early 1935, Western added the actual patent number - 1,967,479 - to the stamp.

The patent number was dropped from the stamps around 1952.

 

[r8shell]

the-accumulator according to experts in this forum, it's 1931 or 1932 due to the Pat Appld For tang stamp on the pile side. According to @zzyzzogeton in a previous thread:

John,

The Mountaineer is the 43 pattern. Your model looks to be a 643, the bone stag handle version.

Your knife was made in 1931 or early 1932 - based on the pile side ricasso stamp "PAT APPL'D FOR".

Western applied for the double tang patent in 1931. Some time in mid/late 1932 to early/mid 1933 (no specific date has ever been identified), the stamp changed to "PAT PEND" or "PAT PENDING" when Western received notice that the patent application had been approved but had not yet been issued.

The patent was actually issued in 1934 and the ricasso stamp changed to PAT'D or PATENTED. At some point in late 1934 or early 1935, Western added the actual patent number - 1,967,479 - to the stamp.

The patent number was dropped from the stamps around 1952.

I'm sorry I don't know the source of this chart. I try to save files to my computer for reference whenever I come across them.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Paternal Grandpa's knives.

I inherited this old Western Barlow. Still had grandpa's fingerprint on the blade. I believe this is the first knife that I ever cut my self with as a child. I watched my grandfather clean and trim his nails with this knife. I tried when he was not looking. He did not get mad, or lecture me. Just said I had learned something from it. (Side note, deep cut through the nail, into the bed takes a long time to grow out!)

It is a old Western Barlow.

I also inherited two butcher/skinning knives.

My grandfather was an airplane mechanic, turned farmer/car mechanic (he left his career at Boeing in its heyday, to go home and rescue/take over the family farm). They butchered their own cows with these knives. My dad remembers grandpa using these in the kitchen, with a tarp on the table to break down quarters of beef.

(Two on the right were his)

I have his straight razor and strop also.

I need to dig up photos of those.

 

[A.S.]

I am fortunate to have a nice collection of my Granddad's pocket knives. My Granddad and Father ran an old time small town hardware store for over seventy years. The store was stocked with so much fun stuff for a kid growing up. I would always check out the bicycles, fishing tackle, ammunition and most of all the pocket knives. I was drawn to the knife cases that sat at different locations around the store. They would get them out for me, show me proper handling and always had to demonstrate how to open the one-arm man knives on their shoe. The store had a big glass case of Old Timer/Uncle Henry, Boker, Primble/Bluegrass and my favorite the Case display next to the register. When I look back now, I wouldn't trade anything for years of hanging around the store & watching old men drink coffee and sharpen their blades on a huge disc shaped stone that sat on the main table. When my Grandfather passed away, I laid claim on all his knives. He was partial to the Primble & Case models.

 

[HotGuts]

My grandpa taught me how to handle a pocket knife when I was 5, and pressed my mother to agree when I begged for one of my own. She refused.
He passed away when I was 9 years old and left me these in his will. A 2-bladed Boker Seahorse and a couple watch-chain knives. The multi-tool one is a Richards from Sheffield, England, and is equipped with a can opener and screw driver along with the clip point blade. I can't read the tang stamp on the gold one, but it has two tiny spear point blades opening from opposite ends.

 

[Headwinds]

My grandpa taught me how to handle a pocket knife when I was 5, and pressed my mother to agree when I begged for one of my own. She refused.
He passed away when I was 9 years old and left me these in his will. A 2-bladed Boker Seahorse and a couple watch-chain knives. The multi-tool one is a Richards from Sheffield, England, and is equipped with a can opener and screw driver along with the clip point blade. I can't read the tang stamp on the gold one, but it has two tiny spear point blades opening from opposite ends.

Sounds as if your Grandpa understood what a Grandpa should be.

 

[3fifty7]

Fathers Old Timer
Paternal Grandfathers Imperial Fish knife
Maternal Grandfathers Buck 305

 

[lambertiana]

A beautiful & special Case. Do happen to know the model of that knife?

It's a Case XX USA 6201.

 

[Tigerden]

My Grandfather’s 1950’s era Imperial Texas Toothpick with Mallard Duck motif. I don't recall him with this knife when he was alive but I picked it out of a handful of other knives he had as a keepsake. The second is my Father’s Late 60's to early 70's Olson OK Skinner that I have memories of him carrying and using at hunting camp. Two cherished blades of the two most favorite men in my life growing up who are missed dearly.

 

[the-accumulator]

Your knife was made in 1931 or early 1932 - based on the pile side ricasso stamp "PAT APPL'D FOR".

Thanks, Chief, I appreciate the detailed explanation for dating this exquisite example of early Western States Cutlery. I love the history and the detective work. My primary source was Goins, which is quite outdated for sure, but since then, I found this:

So I learned from this image that folders and fixed blades were marked differently, but I couldn't figure out what the source was for this image. Live and learn, that's what makes it interesting. I only hope that someday I'm lucky enough to stumble on a knife like this one at a price I can afford. Thanks again. T-A

 

[Bigfattyt]

I've spent years giving my father knives to psss on to my boys. GEC, Schatt & Morgan, etc.

 

[glennbad]

Oh boy, some really special knives being shown. I've always thought, it's amazing how a hunk of metal that may not be worth a whole lot turns into a priceless treasure when it was owned by someone we loved.

These two knives aren't really that remarkable. They belonged to my father-in-law. He was a machinist by trade, and I think he used his tools fairly hard, but didn't abuse them. This knife was used pretty hard, but I don't know if by him. I found it in his tool chest while cleaning out the house after his passing. It's a WH Morley.




This other one was one he was carrying up until his passing. An unassuming little keychain knife by Providence Cut Co.



They are pretty special to me. I have some other knives of his, mostly cheaper brands. I think he saw knives as a tool, and didn't really need anything flashy to get the job done.