Imperial, Frontier, and Chicago Cutlery

D

dlk

Joined
Jan 26, 2005
Messages
145
I just picked up a couple of folding hunters.

One of them has "Frontier" over a horn picture on the front of the tang, and "4624 / Imperial / USA" on the back, on the main blade. Nothing on the secondary blade. I thought Frontier and Imperial were both brand names, so a knife would be one or the other but not both. Is one a brand and the other a model, or what? Could someone please explain?

I also got a Chicago Cutlery folding hunter that looks like the same exact pattern - close enough that parts are probably interchangeable. That one has "Chicago / Cutlery / P19 USA" on the front of the main blade. Did Chicago Cutlery come from the same source?

Thanks,
Dave
 
Dave- I dont know the details but I have a few imperial frontiers and I know that some of mine are an imperial brand knife and the series is the frontier series there was quite a few different ones I believe I dont know anything about chicago cutlery stuff. Im sure someone with a little more knowledge than me will give some facts and or dates to the frontier series. If you search impreial knives on ebay there is a number of imperial frontiers. Hope this helped a little bit.- Joel
 
Thanks Joel and Codger, I appreciate the info. I did see a Frontier very similar to mine on Larry's site. Still want to find out more about Chicago Cutlery. Is anyone familiar with them? I'm going away for a few days, maybe I'll try to do some research when I get back.

Dave
 
The Imperial Frontiers were made by Camillus.
I am thinking that you may find that the Chicago Cutlery was made by Camillus also.

BTW, The Imperial Frontiers are very good knives for the money. I think they were discontinued in 1978 or 1979, after Imperial & Schrade had merged. IIRC, they were considered to be too much of direct competition with the Old Timer line.

If you use the search function you can find some discussion on the Frontiers we had here in the forum a year or so ago.

Dale
 
I did some research in the archives and found a few threads that have some info on the Frontier Line made in the USA.

Here are the links:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=400080&highlight=frontier

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=406358&highlight=frontier

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=411383&highlight=frontier

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=372605&highlight=frontier

I do stand corrected on one point, it seems that this line may not have been discontinued until the 1980s. I am not sure on the date.

Dale
 
Still want to find out more about Chicago Cutlery. Is anyone familiar with them?
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I've been told their kitchen knives were made by LamsonSharp until recently, when C.C. switched to chinese imports. I've seen some C.C. folding knives on eBay, but know nothing about them.

-Bob
 
THe Frontier series of knives were 1st available in 1976. I have pricelists for them until 1988 and then they started being made and sold by the Ireland group. I have a Schrade catalog page from 1998 with 2 Ireland made Frontiers. As for being Camillus made.. We are awaiting Tom from Camillus (CAMCO) to verify the fact.
Nice knives and available.
TTYL
Larry
 
Camillus made numerous models for Imperial/Schrade. I do not recall all of them. I do remember the All-Americans, models #AA31, #AA41 and #AA51. At one time I located several dozen S-Cards (the manufacturing records used by Camillus that listed the steel, brass, nickel silver, handle material, dies, finishing, etc.) for I/S knives these were from the 1970's and 1980's. Camillus also made one knife with the "ULSTER" brand and a skeleton knife (no handles) marked "Wostenholme" (I sent a copy of this card to Codger-perhaps he can post it on BF).
I am reluctant to answer questions about I/S knives without having access to the Camillus records. Camillus did get some of the Sears business from I/S coutesy of Albert Baer. Jim Furgal handled this account and I remember many Sears knives being made in the 1980's and 1990's.
I do not recall that Camillus ever made any knives for Chicago Cutlery while I worked at Camillus and I do not remember seeing their name in any of the older records as having been a customer.
Albert Baer owned a cutlery business in Ireland and Camillus had a line of CAMCO knives made by them. They were low price and poor quality and did not sell well. Camillus had a wire rack with a leprechaun for these knives.
I sent copies of some of the I/S S-Cards to several people and I will contact them for answers.

Tom Williams
 
I located the #5762 Wostenholm card, but alas, ye olde scanner is dead. The sample date on the card is 6-8-79. The only other card I found is the Ulster #5779/4 B.S.A. knife sample dated 1-3-84. This is the one with the master spear blade stamped Ulster U.S.A. Also on the card is listed the #5579/4 Commemor. knife which has the pkt. blade stamped New York Knife Co., serial engraved on the bolster. I'll send you copies, Tom, if you need them. I'll be sending my entire Camillus file to lrv soon to digitize.

Michael
 
Tom,
Thanks for the response. Always great to hear from you.
Reading through the sales literature Schrade states the Frontiers were made by "New Englanders" 2nd and 3rd generation craftsmen. Reading into that statement means Imperial in Prov R.I.. Tell me I'm wrong but NY aint in N.E.
I also read that about this time (76) R.I. was building a line for producing Lockbacks. I'll do some more reading. But its all guesswork.
Thanks
Larry
 
Your memory is flawless, Larry. Page five of the December 1975 Sales meeting packet titled "Frontier Series".
 
oh another hint. Schrade closed Ri in 87 just about the time the Frontiers stopped being advertised.
Flawless... I cant remember what today is but..
Thanks
Larry
 
You remembered your name, and that's better than I can do for myself at times. Are you sure it's really against the law to sell your teenagers?
 
Great info Tom, thanks for sharing.

Larry & Michael.........am I understanding this correctly, that Imperial's Frontier Series was made in RI & not by Camillus?

Dale
 
Dale,
Best answer right now is we dont know for sure..
:o
Were still looking.
 
orvet said:
Great info Tom, thanks for sharing.

Larry & Michael.........am I understanding this correctly, that Imperial's Frontier Series was made in RI & not by Camillus?

Dale
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Dale,
Give them a little time and those two will sort out the trail !
BTW - where do you have all those powderhorns stashed ? I did notice that you kept them hid last summer !!:D
Did the osage-orange keep the spiders out of your shop,over the winter?
Ron
 
#5579/4 Commemor. knife which has the pkt. blade stamped New York Knife Co., serial engraved on the bolster.

Michael

Michael, Is this the 150th Anniversary NYKC Muskrat.

Rusty1
 
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