Imperial Frontier trapper made in Ireland

S

sgiacoppo

Joined
Mar 9, 2017
Messages
20
First post to the site - looking for any info on the Imperial Frontier 2-blade trapper made in Ireland, bought for $5.00 and kind like it. Going to clean her up a bit and see what I have. I'm wondering if anyone knows the year or anything in particular about it.

Thanks

ee5be898fa93e8a53e31d87393356e44.jpg



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I've seen those but never owned one. I like my old US imperials quite a bit. Is it stainless?

Sent from my N9519 using Tapatalk
 
W.M.B. said:
I've seen those but never owned one. I like my old US imperials quite a bit. Is it stainless?

Sent from my N9519 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

It is, it's not in bad shape either, a pretty good edge, all seems tight and strong


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
sgiacoppo said:
Damn, I was going to says 1980s I got a lot to learn


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
The last American imperial tang stamp ended in 1988, and I assume production moved to Ireland after that but I'm not 100% sure. I so know that these knives aren't too old though.
 
Made for Imperial by Stag (Jowika) in Listowel Ireland 1988-2004 when the factory was closed. The factory made knives under its own name from 1962 until it was taken over by Imperial in 1988.
 
I have a trapper that looks exactly like yours, except the handle slabs are black, and in the same style shield it says "Veron". The blade stamp on the tang says "Vernon" "Ireland" "Stainless". The blade has "Ross Point Truck Repair, Post Falls, ID-1-877-779-1671" and was still in business when I called them several years ago. I would think it was made in the same factory that made your knife. John
 
John A. Larsen said:
I have a trapper that looks exactly like yours, except the handle slabs are black, and in the same style shield it says "Veron". The blade stamp on the tang says "Vernon" "Ireland" "Stainless". The blade has "Ross Point Truck Repair, Post Falls, ID-1-877-779-1671" and was still in business when I called them several years ago. I would think it was made in the same factory that made your knife. John
Click to expand...

John-It was quite possibly also made by Stag if it has a similar construction. It would be interesting to see a photo of it if possible to compare. I have seen the Vernon, Ireland stamp once elsewhere, but the knife that it was on was unlike the Imperial marked one sgiacoppo has.
 
Bartleby, PM me with an email address and I will send you a photo. I expect you are right as except for the scales being black, not green they are the same with the cross hatching on the scales, same shield, and both blades are the same. John
 
John A. Larsen said:
Bartleby, PM me with an email address and I will send you a photo. I expect you are right as except for the scales being black, not green they are the same with the cross hatching on the scales, same shield, and both blades are the same. John
Click to expand...

John, no photo needed if they are the same except for color and the tang stamp. A lot of NOS Stag Ireland and Imperial Ireland is still kicking around for sale, but not much marked Vernon. I have seen a knife with this marking and you have yours, so there must be more with this mark out there. I would guess that they would have been made in the Listowel factory as well, but can't find any info on them.
 
So all "Imperial Ireland" knives were made between 1988 and 2004?
Thanks. I've been trying to date a Imperial Ireland Barlow with the clamshell construction.
 
afishhunter said:
So all "Imperial Ireland" knives were made between 1988 and 2004?
Thanks. I've been trying to date a Imperial Ireland Barlow with the clamshell construction.
Click to expand...

According to Levine's guide, but you might get more specific info from posts on Imperial in the Schrade Collector's Forum area. There were some local news stories from the Stag Listowel shutting down on March 11, 2004 that came up when searching on-line for the factory name as well.
 
Found more stuff on Jowika at Straight Razor Place website:
"About the brand itself:

The full name of the firm was: Jowika Stahlwarenfabrik Eugen Weber & Altenbach KG.

It was founded in Solingen prior to 1928, under the name Johann & Wilhelm Kleinewefers GMBH, Messerfabrik. JWK for short, hence JoWiKa.

Sold to Eugen Weber in the 1930s. Weber was married to a woman named Altenbach, from a family that manufactured innovative low-priced pocketknives, as well as other cutlery items.

In 1960 Weber opened a branch factory in Listowel Ireland. It was sold to Albert M. Baer of Imperial Schrade in 1978; he kept on the German born manager. The Listowel factory was closed about a year and a half before the U.S. Schrade factory closed. Les deAsis of Benchmade bought some of its newer machinery (he said it cost more to ship than to buy).

The Jowika factory in Solingen closed in 1984"
 
I have a Frontier tang stamped double of that with jigged Delrin and a black powder horn shield on the scales.--KV
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top