"Old Knives"

From one of my Cattaraugus catalogs:

Cattaraugus 2159 - 3 & 3/8ths" - "Barlow" - large clip and pen blade
Iron lined, long iron bolster, glaze finish, bone handle
No. 2149 - Same with Sheepsfoot blade

The illustration I have does not show the bolster being threaded, nor a fourth pin on the top of the handle. That might have changed over the years.
The tang stamp and model numbers are correct. The swedge work looks to be typical Cattaraugus work.

The excess work with a buffing wheel makes the knife look wrong or not legit, as you say. You could always take it back the other way, with a little work.

If it functions well and meets up with the back springs properly, likely legit, in my opinion. Possibly re-handled, possibly not. ☺️

Hope this is helpful.

If you need more info, let me know. I'll assign Elijah J. to your case, as he knows more about Cats than I do ! ;) 🤣 🤣
 
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I finished cleaning up this old New York Knife Company Lobster pen knife. It was in fine condition when I got it, with some short scratches in the celluloid covers. I rubbed the scratches out and followed up with some polish on the covers and took her out for photos. This is my third celluloid knife and in the past I have been leary of having them around my other knives. Solution: I don't keep them anywhere close to my other knives. I can finally see why celluloid became a popular handle material so long ago. The colors, the sparkles, and the 3D like depth of colors on this knife astonished me. I hope you like it too. I thought I would put it here before it goes on to the New York Knife Company thread. Just a tad under 3" closed length.

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Luger1952 said:
Beautiful work Primble:thumbsup: What type of polishing compound do you use on those covers? I have aways been concerned about
creating friction heat on celluloid handleso_O:oops:
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Lloyd,

I used 1000 grit and 2000 grit paper, followed by a tiny dab of Flitz. When that seemed to be working ok, a little more than a dab. I think it will smell if you use the wrong thing on it. I once used Windex on a celluloid and the stink about ran me out of the room. Trial and error for me concerning celluloid. You can call me a celluloid newbie and I won't disagree. 😊

Did you say something about friction heat ? 😲

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Primble said:
I finished cleaning up this old New York Knife Company Lobster pen knife. It was in fine condition when I got it, with some short scratches in the celluloid covers. I rubbed the scratches out and followed up with some polish on the covers and took her out for photos. This is my third celluloid knife and in the past I have been leary of having them around my other knives. Solution: I don't keep them anywhere close to my other knives. I can finally see why celluloid became a popular handle material so long ago. The colors, the sparkles, and the 3D like depth of colors on this knife astonished me. I hope you like it too. I thought I would put it here before it goes on to the New York Knife Company thread. Just a tad under 3" closed length.

View attachment 1818478
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This is a great example of what celluloid could be. It’s my favorite celluloid color and pattern, too. I can easily see why celluloid was popular back then.
 
Here is a Knife that peaked my interest, and leaves you with so many questions.

Main Blade is Tang-Stamped Gamble Stores, but the Pen Blade is Stamped S.R & Co (Sears & Roebuck), so two different SFO Customers here blended into the one Knife, I would doubt that the Knife would have been accepted in either of the Department stores, Gamble Store stamped Main with the Earlier Sears Brand Tang Stamped on the Pen.
Gamble Stores Knives - a number of makers contracted Knives to Gambles, this is a knife I am marking for future reference and digging.

I have looked at the knife and I am very sure that no blades have been replaced.
The Blades mate with Springs perfectly etc, The Shape of the Main as you see is quite Highly "peaked"

The Knife looks to be certainly under the Umbrella of Albert Baers - network of where Schrade, Ulster, Camillus & I.K.A. were all to become one.
I took the Liberty of digging out a Sears Anniversary model Knife. The Blades are extremely similar- the only difference being the width of Blade of course to suit the Frame.

I don't think of this Knife as a "Lunch Box Knife" (I'm not sure if there is even such a thing), but I think if there was an explanation? possibly after the War it was a Knife that may have used up spares? like I said- I will get to the bottom of this one day, I have a few other things going on right now, I like this- a knife that leaves you with so many questions, perhaps I will find an answer, maybe not :)

I like the Stag, both sides show the Stag that was found on Camillus made Knives, the Pile side showing strong and deeply furrowed Stag found on the early Camillus made S.R & Co Cattle Knife ( pictured below ).

Perhaps its as simple as "Hey - these Brands are all made by the same Company- so this mixture could happen very easily"

The Knife also sports Coined Liners that the Sta Sharp high Carbon Steel Knives had, the Shield Camillus used at times etc.

2UF502e.jpg


QywpJyR.jpg


0aYtk9N.jpg


qASyC60.jpg


hQvaOmO.jpg


Sears early Camillus Jack Knife showing the Stag that was so familiar with these S.R & Co Jacks.
ClxHgfb.jpg


another nice example of the Stag used on these

cSlKAuN.jpg



Comparisons to the Sears Anniversary Clip point.

wxKJBWM.jpg
 
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Duncan that's a beauty! Most shops centered the shields with the center pin although I do recall seeing a few cattle/equal end knives with the shield off centered as yours is. I just can't recall the manufacturers. If you could find a similar knife with that shield arrangement you might have an answer.

I seem to recall seeing an Ulster or two with that arrangement but I'm not positive, I'll have to check on that.

Eric


*Edit* - Just found this in my files, circa 1920's I think. Crescent nail mark on these but I know they switched over to straight pulls on the clips and crescents on the sheep foot secondaries around the 1940's or thereabouts:

Ulster Knife Co Catalog Page.jpg


Not an exact match but maybe a start.
 
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Campbellclanman said:
Here is a Knife that peaked my interest, and leaves you with so many questions.

Main Blade is Tang-Stamped Gamble Stores, but the Pen Blade is Stamped S.R & Co (Sears & Roebuck), so two different SFO Customers here blended into the one Knife, I would doubt that the Knife would have been accepted in either of the Department stores, Gamble Store stamped Main with the Earlier Sears Brand Tang Stamped on the Pen.
Gamble Stores Knives - a number of makers contracted Knives to Gambles, this is a knife I am marking for future reference and digging.

I have looked at the knife and I am very sure that no blades have been replaced.
The Blades mate with Springs perfectly etc, The Shape of the Main as you see is quite Highly "peaked"

The Knife looks to be certainly under the Umbrella of Albert Baers - network of where Schrade, Ulster, Camillus & I.K.A. were all to become one.
I took the Liberty of digging out a Sears Anniversary model Knife. The Blades are extremely similar- the only difference being the width of Blade of course to suit the Frame.

I don't think of this Knife as a "Lunch Box Knife" (I'm not sure if there is even such a thing), but I think if there was an explanation? possibly after the War it was a Knife that may have used up spares? like I said- I will get to the bottom of this one day, I have a few other things going on right now, I like this- a knife that leaves you with so many questions, perhaps I will find an answer, maybe not :)

I like the Stag, both sides show the Stag that was found on Camillus made Knives, the Pile side showing strong and deeply furrowed Stag found on the early Camillus made S.R & Co Cattle Knife ( pictured below ).

Perhaps its as simple as "Hey - these Brands are all made by the same Company- so this mixture could happen very easily"

The Knife also sports Coined Liners that the Sta Sharp high Carbon Steel Knives had, the Shield Camillus used at times etc.

2UF502e.jpg


QywpJyR.jpg


0aYtk9N.jpg


qASyC60.jpg


hQvaOmO.jpg


Sears early Camillus Jack Knife showing the Stag that was so familiar with these S.R & Co Jacks.
ClxHgfb.jpg


another nice example of the Stag used on these

cSlKAuN.jpg



Comparisons to the Sears Anniversary Clip point.

wxKJBWM.jpg
Click to expand...
Duncan, my understanding is that Albert Baer was the Primary vendor for cutlery with Sears for a long time. As such he had the ultimate decision as to which knives and which companies Sears sold. He had control of quantities and how they were displayed exct. I’m sure your assessment of the knife being all original is correct. I’m not so sure saying that a knife with that mark could not be sold by Sears. Just my two cents. Great knife by the way. That would be a winner in any collection.
 
There have been a lot of great knives posted since I last commented. I did not have anything new to show in the last year or so.
Had a brief visit with a fellow Canadian knife collector last week and came away with a few new to me knives. I believe these two fit in this thread. A Rodgers swell centre congress whittler and an IXL George Wostenholm Celebrated Cutlery whittler. It is the only knife I have in this handle material. I will post more pictures in the Sheffield thread.

RIMG2686.JPGRIMG2669.JPGRIMG2686.JPGRIMG2669.JPGRIMG2659.JPGRIMG2687.JPGRIMG2670.JPGRIMG2674.JPG
 
I also picked up a couple of German made 4 blade senators. The first is a Henckels. I have no idea on the age of this one, so I apologize if it is not old enough for this thread. The second is a Huser. Carter lists a Huser & Clauberg in business from 1890 to 1939. He does not have a listing for Huser alone. I have also posted them in Duncan's German knives thread.

RIMG2689.JPGRIMG2690.JPGRIMG2692.JPGRIMG2696.JPGRIMG2697.JPGRIMG2700.JPG
 
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danno50 said:
There have been a lot of great knives posted since I last commented. I did not have anything new to show in the last year or so.
Had a brief visit with a fellow Canadian knife collector last week and came away with a few new to me knives. I believe these two fit in this thread. A Rodgers swell centre congress whittler and an IXL George Wostenholm Celebrated Cutlery whittler. It is the only knife I have in this handle material. I will post more pictures in the Sheffield thread.

View attachment 1819255View attachment 1819256View attachment 1819255View attachment 1819256View attachment 1819257View attachment 1819258View attachment 1819259View attachment 1819260
Click to expand...
Nice pearl. Lots to like about that
 
Thanks for the replies and the time consuming posting coming back with help on the Gambles / S.R.Co Knife.

Eric. I actually deleted a paragraph from my OP on that Knife, one where I talked about the Sheepsfoot, the Sheepsfoot- although the Sharpening has lifted the tip up slightly looks to be Ulster, I too did go for Ulster in my Mind with the Clip Point.

I have done quite a lot of study between Ulster and Camillus with Blade shape comparisons, this was shown in this thread further back- if you are interested I will post again with much less blurb :)
Both The Ulster and Camillus Knives SFO'd for Sears were quite remarkable in decency and Quality - that is the Chrome Vanadium / Hammer Forged etc brands of Ulster and the Sta- Sharp of Camillus.
Thank you kind Sir for your help. - work in progress.

Charlie- Wow...talk about a huge amount of remarkable Knives as examples of the off-set Shield- Thank you!

James, many thanks for the input, yes...I know what you mean as Albert had a massive relationship with Dunlap at this time- what makes me think is that Sears made many changes to their Brand names throughout the years and I would pay money to be a fly on the wall out of nothing but pure interest to see if a Gambles Stamped Blade would make it past Quality / SFO requiremnts for Sears - this Knife would be sitting on the top Shelf alongside Sta-Sharp / Craftsman Knives and not with the Dunlap, Fulton / Kwik Kut branded tiered lines, so the Knife ( is ) would have to be good?
Thank you, I value your input and everything put forward is taken on Board my friend :)
 
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