"Old Knives"

I think this is the longest I have seen this thread quiet... hmnn - maybe it is Spring Break :D... some great knives over the last few pages from R8shell (that Bunting is a gem :) - cool to find knives from those makers more known for their Bowies - and great info from Jack!), Lloyd, CharlieN, North Shore, Eric and Kevin :thumbsup::thumbsup: ... Hope I didn't forget anybody...

Here's something a little different from me... a Maher & Grosh Carpenter's Jack (3 & 3/4" closed)... These cocobolo handles have some great stripes on the mark side while the pile side is less nice (and that difference between mark and pile sides is seen on many old knives - always putting the nice handle slab on the mark side - I'm sure many of you have seen this as well...)... not sure who made this one for Maher & Grosh but do think it is an older M&G based on stamp...

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Cheers
Lee
 
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What a Beauty Lee!
I wonder with that Beautiful Swedge and Matchstrike Pull if Empire had something to do with this Knife?
Just a guess my friend - but man one would be very happy to have that in their collection.
 
Thanks Duncan :thumbsup: ... I often wondered who may have made this one as M&G had so many contractors and yes that swedge looks Empire-like to me too - However I know Ulster, Schrade, Miller Bros and NYK made knives for them and probably others - Not sure about Empire but I wouldn't doubt it as Empire did lots of contract work ... I just don't know the answer and have looked in the past with no luck - but I would like to know :)
 
Nice Jack, Lee! Satisfyingly massive!!:)
You don't need a pen knife much to do most carpentry - that big Jack weighs in nicely!!
Seems I have a knife with a shield like that, feathered off slightly; I'll have to find it and see who made it!
 
LongBlade said:
I think this is the longest I have seen this thread quiet... hmnn - maybe it is Spring Break :D... some great knives over the last few pages from R8shell (that Bunting is a gem :) - cool to find knives from those makers more known for their Bowies - and great info from Jack!), Lloyd, CharlieN, North Shore, Eric and Kevin :thumbsup::thumbsup: ... Hope I didn't forget anybody...

Here's something a little different from me... a Maher & Grosh Carpenter's Jack (3 & 3/4" closed)... These cocobolo handles have some great stripes on the mark side while the pile side is less nice (and that difference between mark and pile sides is seen on many old knives - always putting the nice handle slab on the mark side - I'm sure many of you have seen this as well...)... not sure who made this one for Maher & Grosh but do think it is an older M&G based on stamp...

XN5nUOl.jpg


7rD6ksL.jpg


YMsCQH4.jpg


o3xizfN.jpg


Cheers
Lee
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Stunning knife Lee, very hard to find pattern and that one is just great. I try to collect Carpenters Jacks but they just don't show up all that often. These are the 2 I have, a Cattaraugus and a Challenge.


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Thanks Charlie and John :thumbsup: ... Charlie - Did M&G contract work from Empire?? ;)

Beautiful Carpenters Jacks John (and the other 2 knives too) :thumbsup: :thumbsup:... That bone Challenge is a real beauty - too nice to use by a carpenter :D

The Ulster and NYK no doubt have some similarities - but to my eye the wood looks like the Ulster and the match strike pull looks to be NYK :) ...

Too bad the shield wasn't a hint in this case at all as the propeller shield was used by many - which always raises the question to me as to whether there was a retailer of "shields" that were used for outsourcing - I know many companies no doubt made their own shields but always wondered if certain shields were also ordered as they were exactly the same between cutleries (i.e., similar to how bone was sourced for handles from Rogers or Salisbury etc)... just thinking but never saw an old advertisement that referred to shields...
 
LongBlade said:
Thanks Charlie and John :thumbsup: ... Charlie - Did M&G contract work from Empire?? ;)

Beautiful Carpenters Jacks John (and the other 2 knives too) :thumbsup: :thumbsup:... That bone Challenge is a real beauty - too nice to use by a carpenter :D

The Ulster and NYK no doubt have some similarities - but to my eye the wood looks like the Ulster and the match strike pull looks to be NYK :) ...

Too bad the shield wasn't a hint in this case at all as the propeller shield was used by many - which always raises the question to me as to whether there was a retailer of "shields" that were used for outsourcing - I know many companies no doubt made their own shields but always wondered if certain shields were also ordered as they were exactly the same between cutleries (i.e., similar to how bone was sourced for handles from Rogers or Salisbury etc)... just thinking but never saw an old advertisement that referred to shields...
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Beautiful, Lee! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
I agree the wood does look like the Ulster, but the matchstrike pull sure does look like the NYK. I also notice that the Ulster shield is a bit too pointed on the ends. To me, the shield seems to match on the NYK as well, with its more rounded ends.
Interesting thought as to the sourcing of shields, too!
 
Here are some knives to compare to Lee's knife, and the others posted of course.
A Schrade Cut Co, an NYK, and an Ulster. Some propeller shield comparison is interesting.
Looks like some similarities to the NYK in this instance. Note the matchstriker, and the "feathered-out" shield.
I have some questions in to a friend from Winsted, who knows a lot about Empire.


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I am not a vintage knife collector. I've got a few older Case knives but that's about it and my knowledge of vintage knives is pretty much non existent.

I bought a recent production knife that was defective and the dealer let me choose another knife from his website in exchange. I thought I would try a vintage knife and this one looked interesting. I was told that the knife has been altered and now that I have it in my hands I can see that it has been buffed. The gentleman that told me he thought it was altered stated that it most likely started out as a two or three blade knife.

I don't mind either one of those modifications because I didn't want it for value or resale. My Goins book says that the tang stamp is from 1911-1913 and my research implies that Union Knifeworks (not to be confused with Union Cutlery) was only in business from 1911-1913 and was a Platts endeavor. After finding that out I wanted the knife for its heritage and I believe it still has that heritage even though it might not be quite the same as it was over 100 years ago.

Anyway, altered or not and buffed or not, I don't think the knife is a fake. Just possibly a little different than it was when it left the factory. Whatever the case may be, I love it.
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Thanks Lee for showing that beauty.
Augie - what stunning Knives that trio are my friend!
The Bone on the Challenge is striking and both the Catt and NYK are simply gorgeous.
Looks like Lee’s Knife is quite possibly NYK looking at the shield,pulls - like Charlie said.

Charlie - once again - spectacular!

Just look st the line up of names in this discussion on Lee’s Knife, Cattaraugus, NYK, Schrade, Empire !!!!’

I don’t know why - but whenever I see massive thick cut Swedge work on a early Knife it takes me back when Charlie showed a lot of his Empires.
 
Thanks Mark and Charlie :thumbsup: ...

Interesting grouping for comparison Charlie - no doubt you can see the differences quite nicely even in those little details of the propeller shield - It is looking like a NYK knife - hmnnn.. No doubt I would like to hear if Empire did contract work for M&G from your friend... I agree with you Duncan as it does have that "Empire-like" look ... Calling all CIs (Cutlery Investigators) :D

Nice knife Rick :thumbsup: ... I can see how you would appreciate that one for a nice carry. My guess is that at one time it was a 2 blade wharncliffe based on that blade... the frame looks too small for a farmers jack but the wharncliffe and farmers jacks had a similar frame profile... Not sure if farmers jacks came that small and FJs would have had a hawkbill blade as the master unless that blade was swapped out...
 
LongBlade said:
Thanks Mark and Charlie :thumbsup: ...

Interesting grouping for comparison Charlie - no doubt you can see the differences quite nicely even in those little details of the propeller shield - It is looking like a NYK knife - hmnnn.. No doubt I would like to hear if Empire did contract work for M&G from your friend... I agree with you Duncan as it does have that "Empire-like" look ... Calling all CIs (Cutlery Investigators) :D

Nice knife Rick :thumbsup: ... I can see how you would appreciate that one for a nice carry. My guess is that at one time it was a 2 blade wharncliffe based on that blade... the frame looks too small for a farmers jack but the wharncliffe and farmers jacks had a similar frame profile... Not sure if farmers jacks came that small and FJs would have had a hawkbill blade as the master unless that blade was swapped out...
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Thanks for the info, Lee!:thumbsup:
 
Railsplitter said:
I am not a vintage knife collector. I've got a few older Case knives but that's about it and my knowledge of vintage knives is pretty much non existent.

I bought a recent production knife that was defective and the dealer let me choose another knife from his website in exchange. I thought I would try a vintage knife and this one looked interesting. I was told that the knife has been altered and now that I have it in my hands I can see that it has been buffed. The gentleman that told me he thought it was altered stated that it most likely started out as a two or three blade knife.

I don't mind either one of those modifications because I didn't want it for value or resale. My Goins book says that the tang stamp is from 1911-1913 and my research implies that Union Knifeworks (not to be confused with Union Cutlery) was only in business from 1911-1913 and was a Platts endeavor. After finding that out I wanted the knife for its heritage and I believe it still has that heritage even though it might not be quite the same as it was over 100 years ago.

Anyway, altered or not and buffed or not, I don't think the knife is a fake. Just possibly a little different than it was when it left the factory. Whatever the case may be, I love it.
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Fantastic wharncliffe Rick ! Is the backspring split by any chance ?
 
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