"Old Knives"

Mike Robuck said:
The main blade on that NYK Co. cattle knife looks very full. A very nice knife and pattern. Is there a pattern number on it?
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Yes, 3402 is stamped on the master. The spey blade is also just as full, it appears that is the original shape. It has only a very fine bevel sharpened into it. The punch is stamped with the patent number, 701,878, which is the Harrison punch, patented June 10, 1902.
 
Remington R4548

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Fox Cutlery Co Made in USA
According to BRL, "the most likely date range for those knives is c1915-1922"

...Goins says this brand was first used by Koeller & Schmitz Cutlery Co of Solingen c1884. He adds that this company had sales offices in NYC and Dubuque, Iowa. [I suspect Koeller & Schmitz was in fact an American wholesale importer].

In April 1915, the British Royal Navy began a blockade of American ports, seizing German cargoes and citizens from neutral ships, including American ships.

American importers of German merchandise then scrambled to obtain or create domestic sources. Existing US knife factories were swamped with orders, so wholesalers who could afford to either bought factories, or set up new ones.

Fox began operating a factory in Milwaukee, Wis, at this time -- whether a new one, or the former Hatch Cutlery factory I do not know, but probably a new one.

The MADE IN USA - Fox knives on ebay date from this time, or possibly later, but not much later.

Goins says that Fox Cutlery Co. continued in business until c1955 --- BUT I suspect that after 1918, it was a wholesaler again, rather than a mfr. At that time (1955) the Fox brand was acquired by Schweizer Cutlery co., also of Wisconsin. He gives the dates 1922-1955 for Schweizer, so I suspect they acquired the Fox brand in 1922 -- but I don't know.

Anyway, the most likely date range for those knives is c1915-1922.

BRL...
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Jake!...Nice Jacks there my friend, I love the Jigged bone example ( HJ ) especially the matchstrike nail pull on the punch!...neat little combo there!
The Bone on the bottom knife also looks incredible, the knife has a very slight serpentine tweak to it-or is it just me?...lovely knives!
 
Thank you, Duncan. I've been calling that knife a dogleg jack but I don't mind being corrected if I'm wrong. The harness jack is my first old knife of that pattern. I'm also liking the bone and cocobolo... and these knives appear to have escaped the buffing wheel! :)
 
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Camillus #72
Just got this one to help fill a counter display I've been working on, I think it's cool!
 
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Great jack knives Jake, but for me the Remington is a jewel. What is the button on the pile side? is it some kind of lock?

Mike
 
Thank you, Mike. It is a lock release for the screwdriver. Here's a 1929 advertisement from Popular Science. In the ad, the artists rendition shows the lock on the mark side but I believe it was an "artistic liberty". I've seen two other examples of these knives and they all have the lock on the pile side.

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Jake - That bottom Fox is a dogleg, that is the correct name.

Interesting lock button on that radio knife.

Wazu - Beautiful NYKC dogleg.

A teardrop looks like, well, a teardrop
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Nice Foxes, Jake! Recent Ebay?
I am 90% sure that Fox HJ was made by Utica cutlery. They are/were the only company I know of (so far) that used a redundant matchstriker pull on their punches! Redundant because of the rolled over lip which acts as a pull.
Here are some Utica punches on various subcontract knives, and also a different Fox HJ with no matchstriker.
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Thanks Duncan. Rare to see a main blade of that shape, in that vintage of knife, I believe.
Those Fox knives of Jake's are nice finds! Good thing for one of us I didn't see them on Ebay, or the price might have grown!
 
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