I've got an itch for a Cattle Knife, but what exactly is a Cattle Knife?

Woodrow F Call

Woodrow F Call

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Jan 3, 2013
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I'm not sure I have this right, but usually, a Cattle Knife is an equal end pattern with usually three blades. The three blades are usually a spear main, sheepsfoot, and pen (or maybe a punch, did it ever have a spey?). I think of the Cattle Knife was the predecessor to the Stockman.

What other info is out there on this pattern?
Is my understanding correct?

Most importantly, who makes a real Cattle Knife these days? I've got the itch, but short of going custom, I don't know how to scratch it. I know the Case/Bose Collaboration is a variation of this pattern, but it just doesn't seem to fit with the double clips, and semi rectangular pattern.

I'd really like to get an equal end with swedges, long pull main, great jigging and a federal shield. Custom is really sounding like my only option.



Oh, posting pictures of Cattle Knives is a great way to reply.
 
This is what I think of. It basically has all the bases covered.

531410-cattlebaronburnt-stag10_zpsxwi3bgi8.gif
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I have a Case 6345 from the Tested Era that comes close to your description. I'm not sure if Case still makes this pattern but I recall seeing some commemorative models from the 1980's if I remember correctly.

 


It won't have a federal shield, but you can always try to look for an old Imperial. There are lots of them floating around.
 
I think you're on the right track. The first image has some pattern examples from Keen Kutter's catalog-- the equal end cattle is near the bottom. You might need to open the image in another window and view it full size to be able to read the text.

There were a lot of cattle knives with spey blades also. The second image shows a few examples. Ignore the red arrows (I previously used this image for another discussion). There are also some stock knives in that photo (they have serpentine handles)

In addition to equal end cattle knives, there are derivatives and "fancy" cattle knives with different combinations of blades and handle shapes. Some examples are Eureka, Balloon, Bull-head, Surveyor, etc.





Some examples of surveyors...




Bull-head


Eureka
 
Jake, you sure do have a lot of information at your finger tips, thanks for the never-ending education.
 
Thank you for the complement, Jake. Old catalogs are a great source of info and there's a nice growing collection in the old catalogs thread. The old school collectors have piles and piles. There was a time when a lot of collectors walked around knife shows toting books, catalogs and photocopies. I'd highly recommend that collectors pick up Levine's Guide (preferably the 4th edition if you can find it), Goins' Encyclopedia and old catalogs or old catalog reprints. There's a lot of information in those books that can't be easily summarized.
 
So where can I get those Remington's for $24/Dozen? ;) Love the info. I pretty much just considered a Cattle Knife as different brands simply renaming Stockman's for marketing purposes. Or is the other way around? I've seen the "Stockman" term used pretty loosely on a number of folders with two or more blades.
 
The main blade can also be a ciip which is usually a saber clip blade and the other two blades can be a spey/pen or sheepsfoot/coping blade. The size is 3 1/4" to 4 1/8" but usually 3 1/2" and 3 3\4" are the norm or more common...
 
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Just a teaser.

The difference between a Cattle, Premier Cattle, Stockman and Premium Stockmam? I have listed them in chronological order but what are the differences?

Not a test but just intended to make you look!
 
bflying said:
So where can I get those Remington's for $24/Dozen? ;) Love the info. I pretty much just considered a Cattle Knife as different brands simply renaming Stockman's for marketing purposes. Or is the other way around? I've seen the "Stockman" term used pretty loosely on a number of folders with two or more blades.
Click to expand...

The Stockman is generally on a serpentine pattern and the Cattle Knife is equal end..... I also tend to think of the Cattle Knife having a Spear instead of a clip, but there are plenty of examples with a clip.
 
ptradeco said:
Just a teaser.

The difference between a Cattle, Premier Cattle, Stockman and Premium Stockmam? I have listed them in chronological order but what are the differences?

Not a test but just intended to make you look!
Click to expand...

Is this a quiz? Does the "Premier Cattle" have the body of a horse and a spiral horn in the center of its head. ;) :D
 
I think of a Cattle knife as a relatively large equal end 3 blade with 2 off the following secondaries; Spey, sheepsfoot, punch. The only one I have at the moment
image_zpsrfnxzztr.jpeg
 
Is this a cattle knife? Spear main, spey and punch secondaries.

OF0QgTPl.jpg


Whether or not it's a cattle knife, anyone have any hints about the manufacturer? "USA" on the tang stamp is the only marking I have to go on.

- GT
 
GT, It's a cattle knife. I think it's probably made by Colonial.

Regarding the "Premier Cattle" in Brad's quiz, I don't think I've ever seen one. But unlike unicorns, I don't doubt their existence.
 
I'm loving this thread. Coincidentally I just put in an order for a cattle knife of my own.

Brewer
Cattle2.jpg


Kawamura
cattleknife_stag_004.jpg


Ploppert
6300_open_L.jpg


Go custom, you know you want to.
 
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