need of kutmaster input for potential purchase

C

catfish579

Joined
Jan 8, 2013
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Hi everybody! as some may know I talk a lot about my case mini trapper whenever I get the chance to comment about it. I am a trapper fan. recently I have discovered a cutlery called kutmaster and found they have a line of traditional folders called catskill made in the USA (im guessing in Utica new York please correct me if im wrong). they have a trapper that is 3 and 7/8ths long when closed which is one of those sweet spot lengths for me, the trappers of this size also tend to have a slimmer profile which I find appealing. my question to you all is have you had any knives from kutmaster (specifically from catskill I suppose) and can give some feedback? they seem reasonably priced and they claim the steel is 1095. would like to have some input on this company before I decide to make a purchase. if there is none, all of you yell at me to buy it so I can give a review :D thank you to all who can understand what I wrote!
 
This of course is not a trapper but it is a knife made by Kutmaster/Utica. It is a USA made Electrician's Knife made for Kline Tools. The knife is a solid knife of very good construction with very good fit and very good finish. It's not real polished and doesn't shine because it's meant to be a work knife. These pictures were taken when it was new but I've got a couple of them and they have been great knives. The blade takes a good edge and holds it well. As long as you're not expecting custom quality, I'm sure you will be pleased with Kutmaster/Utica knives.

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Utica Cutlery Company is on Noyes street in Utica NY.
It used to be if it was stamped Kutmaster it was made in USA, according to the lady who ran the factory store. You can no longer tell by the stamp, but the products under Utica Cutlery on their website, like Catskill, are still made in Utica, according to a recent email exchange with them.
If you go to their website they'll tell you 3 on-line sources, one of which is rather cheaper than the others. I'm from Utica myself, and therefore partial, but I think they're as good as anybody.
 
made in Utica, good working quality, I like what I am hearing. think I will be looking out to get one tomorrow! maybe somewhere in the future a barlow will be joining the ranks!
 
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Here is one of the Utica Catskill series Trappers.

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These are two 100 year Utica Cutlery commemorative Trappers.

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They offer a few fixed blade knives too.... this Catskill series being one of them.

My opinion of their folders... They can be a nice product, a decent buy... but they also seem to be very hit or miss. When they get it right, not too shabby! But, imo, they are the brand type that is almost always better off buying when one can inspect and handpick.. Their qc seems all over the place. As for the fixed blade, that was an online sight unseen order, and I think it was a great buy ($51 total, which included s&h). Just my opinion :-)
 
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I have owned several Vintage Kut-masters -and still own a few, and found each one to be a great knife, ones that deserve to be slotted into the company of the past American Cutlers who made real knives.
 
My fiancee recently gave me a bag full of pocket knives she got from her dad. In it were a few folders from Utica Cutlery. I checked them all over and they seem to be of pretty good quality to me. Theres no wobble in blade, the liners and bolsters are on straight and even, everything looks pretty good. My 1st time seeing a utica knife in person. I live in Utica NY too. I was thinking about applying for a job there actually. If you want 1095 steel the one thing I have heard that may or may not be true is that the main blade is 1095 and the other smaller blades are 420 stainless. I am not sure if Utica uses 420J or 420 HC stainless. Their website just says 420.
 
kazushi said:
My fiancee recently gave me a bag full of pocket knives she got from her dad. In it were a few folders from Utica Cutlery. I checked them all over and they seem to be of pretty good quality to me. Theres no wobble in blade, the liners and bolsters are on straight and even, everything looks pretty good. My 1st time seeing a utica knife in person. I live in Utica NY too. I was thinking about applying for a job there actually. If you want 1095 steel the one thing I have heard that may or may not be true is that the main blade is 1095 and the other smaller blades are 420 stainless. I am not sure if Utica uses 420J or 420 HC stainless. Their website just says 420.
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Judging by the performance of mine, it's 420HC. I find it to give decent performance.
 
so I have gotten one from the web. it is actually the same kind Jimmy has on his first pic of the trapper. its not a swing, but not a miss. I can easily see myself using this knife once I get it sharpened to my liking. a few cosmetic details that could be better but no blade play and im loving the jigging. if the steel is 420 hc that be good, don't own much stainless but that is my steel of choice for stainless. hopefully I can give an update that is positive in the future. lets see if it has what it takes to be switched around with my case trapper! hard feat but not impossible, especially for a knife nut. been trying to minimize the knives I carry (which will be harder than the rotation) and hopefully one closer to not needing to buy another (who are we kidding though)
 
kazushi said:
My fiancee recently gave me a bag full of pocket knives she got from her dad. In it were a few folders from Utica Cutlery. I checked them all over and they seem to be of pretty good quality to me. Theres no wobble in blade, the liners and bolsters are on straight and even, everything looks pretty good. My 1st time seeing a utica knife in person. I live in Utica NY too. I was thinking about applying for a job there actually. If you want 1095 steel the one thing I have heard that may or may not be true is that the main blade is 1095 and the other smaller blades are 420 stainless. I am not sure if Utica uses 420J or 420 HC stainless. Their website just says 420.
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I have the small serpentine stockman, and all three blades are carbon steel. It's strange, but I have read reports here that some have received knives with a combination of carbon and stainless. I know the Catskill series is supposed to be carbon, and the Adirondack series is stainless. Maybe sometimes a blade gets into the wrong pile?
 
I have an old Schrade with one stainless blade; no idea whether it was deliberate or accidental.
 
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