M Klein & Sons Hawkbill Knife Circa?

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SolWarrior

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Recently I came across an "M Klein & Sons" over "Chicago" over "Made in U.S.A." hawkbill knife with real wood handles and a shackle. Not sure if it's "cocobola", ebony or what but it is real wood. I'm wondering what time these particular wood handle knives were manufactured. I realize celluloid handles made to look like wood are common and normally mistaken for real wood but this is the real deal as far as wood handles go. Can anyone help with a manufactured period?

Thanks,

Felix
 
Hard to tell. Klein has been selling electrician's tools since the early 1900's. They don't make their own knives and never have. IIRC, Utica has been making them for some decades.

My Boss gave me an old Klein knife for my tool belt in ~1977. It was quite old then and it had plastic scales.

best guess: earlier than mid 50's. But that is only a guess.
 
I believe -- if I'm not mistaking Klein & Sons or another cutlery from the passed with so much research on different hawkbills -- that the simulated celluloid wood grain handles were from the 40s to 50s so, that would probably mean that this knife with the real wood handles would be from an earlier period. But that's only a guess on my part too. :) Anyway, here's a photo -
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I can't get the photo to upload. I've tried different ways from my phone and laptop but none work.
 
There it is! Anyone care to weigh in on a time frame for this one? Thanks
 
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SolWarrior said:
Does blade forums not allow nonpaying members to upload images?
Click to expand...

You'll need to use a third-party service like Photobucket or Flickr. Then simply insert the images using BBCode tags, or the "image" icon in the post editor toolbar.

Does your Klein have a letter stamped on the tang? If not, we can at least suss out a "latest possible" date, I believe.
 
TsarBomba, Thanks for the help. I think I got it. Unless, it's like the last time that only I could see it. :confused: To answer your question - There's no letter on the tang except for the M in M Klein.

The second photo - if it's visible to you - is an L. F. & C. hawkbill with a # "2132" on the other side of the tang. According to previous owner it's was manufactured between "1912 & 1950 best guess 1930s". Any info on that one would be appreciated too.
 
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The only thing I can help with for the LF&C is that the letters stand for Landers, Frary, and Clark. If memory serves, at one time they were the largest manufacturer of cutlery extant.
 
Hello Knarfeng: Yes. Sorry for not specifying - anything info in reference to time manufactured. An exact year would be awesome but highly unlikely. I knew that part (Landers, Frary & Clark). They made some very strong long lasting knives. The very popular trench knife with the spiked handles dated 1918 is one of their most sought after items. It was used mostly during WW2. They got bought out in 1950(?) by G.E if memory serves.

By the way, that's quite a title you have there, under your handle. What exactly would your definition of Senex Morosus before Moderator be? I googled it and came up with a couple of translations, both of which are funny in a cool way. :D One of them kind of reminded me of me.

PS - The three sided blade on the 1917 trench knife is illegal because of the irreparable damage that it does when stabbing someone. A deep cut could not be closed with surgery and most would die from one stab. It was however, designed that way because the German officers wore a very heavy wool long coat that one sided or even two sided knives could not penetrate, while the three sided ones did with ease.
 
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SolWarrior said:
By the way, that's quite a title you have there, under your handle. What exactly would your definition of Senex Morosus before Moderator be? I googled it and came up with a couple of translations, both of which are funny in a cool way. :D One of them kind of reminded me of me.
Click to expand...

"My definition is likely the same as what you found", said the grumpy old man. ;)
 
I finally got the skinny on at least one of these two knives in the photos above. The Landers, Frary & Clark hawkbill 2132 (second photo). What I already knew is that the manufacturer -- under that exact name -- was in operation from 1912 to 1950 but, here's the rest of this knife's story as found in another forum in reply to a guy who was more lost than me. :)

"I have a 4 rivet Landers, Frary & Clark (LF&C) pruner with the number 2132 (confirmed on page 38 of a 1919 catalog I just purchased) and it looks exactly like yours. In the catalog it's listed as 4" closed with cocobolo wood handles, iron lined and with iron bolsters. They are listed at $16/dozen!"

Mine is in excellent condition for its age. The thick, nicely shaped blade, hardly any wear, has a tiny area with some pitting at one corner of the choil/tang, with the deeply etched "Universal" shield on the blade still visible. The cocobolo handles are in like new condition. Got it at about a third of the price compared to one in pretty rough shape compared to mine that sold just last week.

Now, if I can only get a time frame for the Klein & Sons.
 
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