Old Green River knife. ?

garry3 · Apr 20, 2013

Picked this up at a yard sale today. Seems to have some age on it. Stamped Green River on the handle and some stamped writing on the blade that is very small and I can't make out.
I don't know much about knifes, I am A member here for the Axe and Hatchet forum. Wondering if you guys can tell me something about this knife.

goodeyesniper · Apr 21, 2013

Green River knives are classics. If you want to show a photo here you'll want to upload the image to an image hosting website like imgur.com, then copy the links on the right that have the

garry3 · Apr 21, 2013

Thank you sniper.

goodeyesniper · Apr 21, 2013

I don't have much experience with green river. well, actually I have none besides what I have seen on the internet. All I know is they are generally quite inexpensive but great performers, with designs dating back well into the 1800s. Kitchen knives that often doubled as utility and outdoors blades.

yours appears to be the fillet knife.

garry3 · Apr 23, 2013

Goodeyesniper, I needed a boning knife for the kitchen when this caught my eye. It has much use and I am not at all sure how much of the original blade has been sharpened away. Tapered tang, steel rivets and I don't know what kind of wood for the handle. I very much get the impression that it could be quite old.
I was hoping some one could tell me about how old. Was it a boning knife?

helobite · Apr 24, 2013

There are experts who can give dates based on rivets. I don't recall seeing a Russell Knife with the words "Green River" on the handle, but since these patterns have been made since the 1830's, there can be a lot of variations.

If you are interested, Here are some links:

http://www.dexter-russell.com/history.asp

http://johnrussellcutlery.blogspot....-max=2008-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=14

mick w · Sep 22, 2015

the green river knife i have has a 5" blade and is 9 5/8" overall, the blade is inscribed green river knife alfred smrimpton & Son, redditon, by the hilt it is stamped warranted cast steel. on the wooden handle part of the two wavy lines which was their traditional hallmark, are still visible, the blade is tapered into the handle indicating it was also intended for throwing, the handle is attached to the blade with three brass rivets. posting photos does not appear to be an option to me

mick w

radiobob · Sep 22, 2015

I read somewhere, don't remember where, that large rivets started becoming standard around the 1890's, pins were standard before that. I only have one GR knife, a CVA mountain man kit I built when I was a kid. It has large rivets, and when I was looking it up I found the above info. Not a very accurate reproduction I guess, but it's still going strong to this day as a kitchen knife.

Bob

davek14 · Sep 22, 2015

goodeyesniper said:
I don't have much experience with green river. well, actually I have none besides what I have seen on the internet. All I know is they are generally quite inexpensive but great performers, with designs dating back well into the 1800s. Kitchen knives that often doubled as utility and outdoors blades.

yours appears to be the fillet knife.

I thought they were outdoor blades that often doubled as kitchen knives.