Olcut Olean Cutlery Company

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May 18, 2015
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As is my usual I purchased this knife on a popular auction site. It was a buy now so I had to act fast. I dont have any pictures yet. But when it arrives I will post up some. I posted a screen shot from the listing. What I can't seem to find is the history of the Olean Cutlery Company other than it was a trademark of the Union Cutlery Company. On the Tang is stamped ☆OLCUT☆ over OLEAN CUT CO over OLEAN NY

Screenshot_2017-12-09-20-24-37 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153781516@N05/

Any info will be much appreciated Thanks Tanker
 
OLCUT was a trademark and used in a similar manner to the early "KA-BAR" name by Union Cutlery. Alongside KA-BAR and OLCUT, Keenwell was also a popular trademark name that was used by Union Cutlery.
 
OLCUT was a trademark and used in a similar manner to the early "KA-BAR" name by Union Cutlery. Alongside KA-BAR and OLCUT, Keenwell was also a popular trademark name that was used by Union Cutlery.

Thank you for your response OKB. I'm starting to assume that there never was an Olean Cutlery Company that was bought out by the Union Cutlery Company. I haven't seen a Olean Cutlery Company tang stamp before. But I have seen many OLCUT Union Cutlery Company tang stamps.
 
I have seen the Olean Cut mark on several Olcut knives and I have a KA-BAR marked Mariner's knife with the Olean Cut mark on it. It is another Union Cut mark. Olcut last appears in my 1937 Union Cut price list, it is not in my 1938 price list. Yours has a jigged wood handle which was used in both the Olcut and KA-BAR marked knives. I don't think you had to rush to get the BIN, it had been on the bay for some time before you got it, and I think you got a good deal. I do not know the model number or name for this one, some of my Olcuts are etched with the model name but these don't seem to have been etched. By the way, there is a genuine jigged bone one like yours on the bay right now for short money but not quite as nice condition as the one you just got. In my opinion the bone ones are nicer. The jigged wood KA-BARs do not bring the price of the bone ones and this applies to Olcuts as well. I would say your knife was made in the 1920s-1930s, can't narrow it down more at this time. Although I have the most old Union Cut price lists and KA-BAR brochures known I have never seen an Olcut brochure or catalog, but have seen hardware store ads for them. Keenwell (also spelled Keenwel on some knives) appears in the 1938 and 1940 price lists so that mark was still used after the Olcut brand was dropped. In most cases the Olcut and Keenwell knives are not as heavy duty as the KA-BAR marked knives of the same era. Don't know if you got the stainless Olcut that was recently sold with the other type wood handle but I was surprised at how cheap it went for, it was in sweet condition. E-mail me if you need more info or wish to discuss this topic further.
 
Gunsil, I vaguely remember a comment by you a while back that Viking was a Kabar mark.

Is that a true recollection or was I dreaming?
 
Hi Wayne, Viking was the mark of Eric Wedemeyer, a sporting outfitter in NYC in the early 1930s. Many but not all of the knives he sold were made by KA-BAR/Union Cut. Some reference books will state that all were made by KA-BAR but I know that is not correct. I have seen a bunch of Viking marked true "Outers" pattern knives and KA-BAR/Union Cut is one of the few older companies who never made a model like that. I have also seen a few folders that were definitely not KA-BAR but carried the Viking mark. I have more than several hunters with KA-BAR ricasso stamps and Viking etches on the blade and a few that have Viking/ E.W. NYC stamps on the ricasso which are definite KA-BAR products. I don't know who made the Viking/E.W. outers knives. KA-BAR was a prolific maker of brands for others, including Judson Cut Co, Hoffritz, LL Bean, and others. I think Kinfolks though made the most contract hunting knives with KA-BAR maybe in second place for such a practice.
 
Thanks, for the info, Gene.

Just last night I came across a Viking stamped knife made by Western.
 
I had sent you a link to a Viking marked Western on the bay, is that the one you are referring to? I have always wondered if Western was the contractor who made the Viking marked outers knives, but I have seen a couple of Viking marked knives that were obvious Kinfolks products and they made outers pattern knives as well.
 
I had sent you a link to a Viking marked Western on the bay, is that the one you are referring to? I have always wondered if Western was the contractor who made the Viking marked outers knives, but I have seen a couple of Viking marked knives that were obvious Kinfolks products and they made outers pattern knives as well.

White handled. Its a good looking knife
 
I had sent you a link to a Viking marked Western on the bay, is that the one you are referring to? I have always wondered if Western was the contractor who made the Viking marked outers knives, but I have seen a couple of Viking marked knives that were obvious Kinfolks products and they made outers pattern knives as well.


Yes. I ran across it 2 hours after the seller posted it. Thanks for the head's up link. You never know when I might miss one. :D
 
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