Flea market finds

[CaptainFuzzy]

Not an expert on traditional folders but I got these 3 at a flea market over the weekend. They were filthy but I cleaned them up a bit. The black and green knives are marked "Imperial" and the brown knife is marked "Western". They're neat looking, and I got all 3 for $20. Anyone know much about them?

 

[supratentorial]

The Western stockman is from the late 70s or early 80s. Good users. The Imperial stock knives have "shell handle" construction. The stamp on one of the knives dates from '56 to 80s. The stamp on the green one is ground partially off but it looks like it may be the same. They were inexpensive knives--that may be why they were so common. Most of the pocket knives that I saw when I was growing up were shell handles.

 

[Ernie1980]

They cleaned up well! All three will make good users

 

[jimmyd1982]

Plenty of life left in those blades, nice find!

 

[Hickory n steel]

Great score, western and imperial both made great blades.

The imperials were inexpensively constructed, but that don't make them bad.
They easily take a razor edge which I love. They don't seem to have been making them with blade play, and the walk and talk should be decent.
Plus their nice and lightweight.

 

[bike4fun919 OpbunchKnives]

I found a couple of nice old folders a couple of years ago at the flea market. Neither had scales on them. I cut out some deer antler and this is how they turned out.

 

[afishhunter]

Nice score
That Western looks like a nice punch stockman.
As others have said, Imperial and Western may have been inexpensive knives, but they have great blades that will take a razor edge, and keep it for a reasonable length of time.
All three should make for a good EDC.

 

[CaptainFuzzy]

Two have a third blade that is odd. Not sharp at all, but very thick. Almost scoop like. Very sharp at the end, pointy.

 

[supratentorial]

Two have a third blade that is odd. Not sharp at all, but very thick. Almost scoop like. Very sharp at the end, pointy.

It's a punch

 

[CaptainFuzzy]

Got the Western cleaned up a little better, put an Edge on the main blade. Gonna carry her for a while. Perfect size for a utility knife. Got some frog lube in there to loosen things up and she's sliding pretty smoothly.

 

[screened porch]

Antique store rather than flea market, but in the same spirit:
Colonial just a little bigger than what I thought was standard, and a Brown Bros tuxedo (I think it's a tuxedo).

 

[screened porch]

$2.95 for the tape, $9 for the Kent jack.

 

[Dirk D]

My best fleahmarket found ever : an Imperial scout knife from 1930-1936, cost me in nearly mint condition about 8 Euros ( approx. 9 $)

But the one from a fleamarket, I had the most fun with, is this little Klaas:

Totally wasted, when I found it, the horn was totally swollen und nearly not to recognize as horn. I assumed it to be wood, which had to be replaced, but I was lucky to save it. Paid 1 Euro Now it´s one of my most loved knives in rotation

 

[screened porch]

My best fleahmarket found ever : an Imperial scout knife from 1930-1936, cost me in nearly mint condition about 8 Euros ( approx. 9 $)

But the one from a fleamarket, I had the most fun with, is this litte Klaas:

Totally wasted, when I found it, the horn was totally swollen und nearly not to recognize as horn. I assumed it to be wood, which had to be replaced, but I was lucky to save it. Payed 1 Euro Now it´s one of my most loved knives in rotation

How did you save the horn?

 

[Dirk D]

How did you save the horn?

Just sanded it down ( sandpaper up to 2000 grid) and polished it with metal polish. It had enough substance to be saved. Now the handle covers ony have half of the original thickness, but it´s enough. This will not work, if the horn ist too swollen and squashy. It has to be replaced then

 

[screened porch]

Just sanded it down ( sandpaper up to 2000 grid) and polished it with metal polish. It had enough substance to be saved. Now the handle covers ony have half of the original thickness, but it´s enough. This will not work, if the horn ist too swollen and squashy. It has to be replaced then

Thanks.
Weird stuff, horn.

 

[Lapedog]

Awesome idea for an thread! I think everyone is interested in what kind of beautiful knives people find in garage sales, pawn shops, etc...

For us knife nuts, cutlery crazies, it is like striking gold!

 

[Dirk D]

Thanks.
Weird stuff, horn.

The real weird thing about this knife is the other side of the handle. Seems as you have two different knives

 

[screened porch]

The folder was the last good one in a five-dollar bowl. "AERIAL" on the main blade, and something like "A.C.M.CO" in an arch over "MARIETTE/ WIS on the pen. 1912-1944, if I read my Levine aright.
I got the FBs for $8 instead of $18, because she was tired of giving them case space.

 

[NJBillK]

Awesome idea for an thread! I think everyone is interested in what kind of beautiful knives people find in garage sales, pawn shops, etc...

For us knife nuts, cutlery crazies, it is like striking gold!

There already is a thread with over 230 posts on this topic.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/flea-market-finds.1334297

As an aside, I know this isn't the place for this, but I feel folks should look into the thread in G,B&U on Captain Fuzzy.