Kutmaster flea market project find...

Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
3,989
I sometimes like to head down to our local flea market on Sunday mornings. Oftentimes the only purchase I make will be a hot buttered bagel from one of the food vendors there.
Other times, I find vendors selling toiletries and other useful, (and of known brand quality), household goods and such.
The time I spend perusing is usually fun to me in itself.
Occasionally, I'll get giddy about finding something to fit within my eclectic collection, and at a bargain bin price to boot!...Today was one of those days.
There was a gentleman that had an old cardboard cigar box filled with a bunch of traditional pocket knives. I started sifting through them, and the truth is, most were just too shoddy in their condition to interest me. Only one, if given some TLC, had any potential to be an addition to my collection. It was not a high end knife, but this Kutmaster, (made by Utica Cutlery NY USA), could be a decent representation of a working class knife. Having a carbon steel blade, (likely 1095), wood facsimile delrin handle scales, a large bail, and a steel lining... It was an all working class knife.

Well, how much for this knife?... $3
Yup, no need to start dickering on that price... Sold!

Anyhow, a bit of my careful handiwork, a little time and some patience... and now this little forgotten knife has joined my knife collection.

Here is a picture of how it looked before performing the TLC...



And after the TLC was applied....

 
Last edited:
What a find for $3! Nice finish you put on the blade, what did you use?

Thanks, guys!

I first had to judiciously use some 400 grit sand paper to remove some surface rust/pitting. Then the use of a scotch scuff pad, followed by dry 0000 steel wool.
After that, I took some of that 0000 steel wool and saturated it a bit with 'Mother's Wheel Polish', and continued with that. The final blade finish was done with my bare fingers using that same 'Mother's' polish, and then a clean cloth to finalize it.
Yup, this three dollar knife got a one hundred dollar treatment, lol! ;)
 
I spent 3 hours walking around the biggest flea market in the state yesterday and couldn't find one knife worth purchasing. Of course I needed a cart to haul the stuff my lovely wife bought!--KV
 
American made Kutmaster/Utica knives have intrigued me in recent years. Nobody seems to know much about their production in during these past years. When I have asked about their factory in Utica, nobody seems to have the inside scoop on what's going on there. Some believe that the factory only serves now as their office/distribution center for their imported goods, and for their US made goods, but some believing those US goods are contracted out.
Others have found a coincidence in Camillus Cutlery having gone out of business in or around 2007, and Kutmaster/Utica shortly after having some very Camillus type knives being offered. The guess has been that the Utica firm may have bought the tooling from the defunct Camillus, and began making them themselves, (which sounds possible, and kind'a cool if they did). Anyhow, the USA made Kutmaster/Utica knives seem to be a mysterious line of knives. I would love to get an inside scoop on what Utica is all about now behind those factory doors in Utica. They have been around since 1910, so they are one of the few USA oldies left in the traditional knife world :)
 
My returning today to our local Sunday flea market, I was hoping to score another inexpensive knife treasure... But, no such luck.
Well, not exactly. I did find this late 1940's vintage knife shaped tie clip, (that had been manufactured by Hickok USA). It was in great shape, and at $2, why not :)

 
Back
Top