mean & green

IVANKERLEY

IVANKERLEY

Joined
May 30, 2007
Messages
2,397
this little green guy was in my initial lot posted in bernards forum almost 2 years ago. Was my grandads, no tang stamp just some numbers on the pen blade, possibly an Imperial, no firm idea of age??. Kinda funky looking but ive grown to appreciate this little knife and have started carrying it every so often. Surprisingly solid the main blade is lazy no half stop but very little wiggle, the pen blade solid and half stop snaps with authority and the steel sharpens up nicely. Just funny to think that at one time this scale pattern was in vogue:)
Proof that good things come in little, funky green packages...
since i'm still going strong with my spending freeze thought i'd share one from the box:thumbup:
cheers
ivan
p.s. i'd intended to post this on ST patties day, oh well better late than never:)
greenie.jpg
 
Interesting knife, Ivan. Looks like your grandad got alot of use out of it, must have liked it. Those crimped on scales were popular in the 50's.

Nice user, carry it and think of your grandad.:thumbup:
 
Picked up a knife with brown scales similar to this in a local antique shop a few years back. Yours is in MUCH better condition than mine. Your grandfather must have taken care of it.
 
I dig that Tiger Slate Tile as back ground. The wife and I plan on using that in the kitchen. Oh yeah wait, it is all about that funky"70s" knife. I wonder if they made scales out of puka shells......
 
IVANKERLEY,

That is a great little knife with exceptionaly good carbon steel, probably 1095. I had the same Texas Jack pattern with the same bolsters. Look closely at the photo, specifically the close up shot of the top of the unique tabbed bolsters. She is an Imperial. Don't know why the tang stamp isn't present on the main blade but the long numbers are patent identification numbers, typical of mid to late 1950's through 1960's knives stamped Imperial Providence USA. If you look close at the patent numbers, they may likely be in somewhat close succession with possibly the letter p in front of one of the 2 or 3 long numbers. My scales had swirly type design as well but more brownish tan. I like your green ones better :thumbup:

Thanks for sharing such a great knife from your Grandpa. Carry her well!


Anthony
 
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I haven't seen any other brand of knife that had the bolsters peened (tabbed) the way those Imperials are. I have several Imperials, some Colonials, Sabres, and one or two Frontiers with "shell" or hollow handle scales and what looks like hollow bolsters, and none have the tabbed bolsters except the Imperial brand.

Yours is a great little knife. To me, the history makes it priceless. ;)

thx - cpr
 
thanks guys glad you enjoyed it, when i got the little box full of my grandads knives i didnt think much of it, like i said it was kinda funky and completely gunked up, as of lately though ive been carrying it, even as gnarly as the blade looks it sharpens up great and makes a good slicer for apples:)
always wondered why the pen had a halfstop and not the mainblade:confused:
also wheres the tang stamp dang it:)
glad ya all enjoyed it, i have a few colonials, etc but this one is by far the strongest of the bunch
all the best
ivan
 
cj65 said:
I dig that Tiger Slate Tile as back ground. The wife and I plan on using that in the kitchen. Oh yeah wait, it is all about that funky"70s" knife. I wonder if they made scales out of puka shells......
Click to expand...

thanks makes a nice background for my shots, my wife bought a bunch of it a while back, i havent a clue what for but makes for a nice backdrop
 
Ivankerley, I have almost the same knife. It has the same short clip master blade with the long pull, the same pen blade, and an identical-looking handle. It's 2 3/4" long. The difference is the scales, which are black with an embossed stag-like texture. I'm not sure if the texture is stamped into the metal scales, or just in the celluloid covers. The tang is stamped "Richards Sheffield England". Sorry, no pictures at the moment.

We kids bought it for my dad sometime in the late 50's. At that time just about all the stamped-handle knives sold in Ontario were Richards.

The bolsters are tabbed and crimped over the liners like yours. I have a scout-style Richards knife with the same arrangement. Either Imperial and Richards were affiliated, or it's a case of parallel evolution.
 
iSaur said:
Ivankerley, I have almost the same knife. It has the same short clip master blade with the long pull, the same pen blade, and an identical-looking handle. It's 2 3/4" long. The difference is the scales, which are black with an embossed stag-like texture. I'm not sure if the texture is stamped into the metal scales, or just in the celluloid covers. The tang is stamped "Richards Sheffield England". Sorry, no pictures at the moment.

We kids bought it for my dad sometime in the late 50's. At that time just about all the stamped-handle knives sold in Ontario were Richards.

The bolsters are tabbed and crimped over the liners like yours. I have a scout-style Richards knife with the same arrangement. Either Imperial and Richards were affiliated, or it's a case of parallel evolution.
Click to expand...

i have a similiar small colonial that has the stamped stag like shell handle, tiny little knife
thanks for the info
ivan
 
Man, that is some nice celluloid! Nice handlaid strips. Someone put alot of effort into that thing back in the day! I stopped into a local antique shop the other day on a whim and they had a REALLY nice looking Imperial pen knife with yellow swirl celluloid. It looked mint! When I took it out of the case, my hands we shaking. Opening it up, it looks like someone had gnawed off the front half of the main blade. Too bad.

Seeing your granddad's knife feels like redemption. He obviously took care of that knife! Make sure you show it off alot!
 
wintermute said:
Man, that is some nice celluloid! Nice handlaid strips. Someone put alot of effort into that thing back in the day! I stopped into a local antique shop the other day on a whim and they had a REALLY nice looking Imperial pen knife with yellow swirl celluloid. It looked mint! When I took it out of the case, my hands we shaking. Opening it up, it looks like someone had gnawed off the front half of the main blade. Too bad.

Seeing your granddad's knife feels like redemption. He obviously took care of that knife! Make sure you show it off alot!
Click to expand...

ive come across alot of colonials that were the same way, dunno i suppose not all cheapies were not created equal as this one is a stout little knife and functions darn near flawlessly, nothing that would keep it from being carried:thumbup:
Thanks
ivan
 
Looks like an Imperial to me, too. My father in law gave me an Imperial he found at the dump, and the crimps look identical.
 
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