parker knives ID and company info?

[Arathol]

This one has stamped "M-1500, Surgical Steel, made in Japan." on one side of the main blade, and "Parker & Son, Chattanooga, TN." on the other.
It also has a very good walk & talk. The part that I question is the "Surgical Steel" bit. You say it might be 440C? That would be nice. As I already said, the scales appear to be real bone too.

Surgical steel can mean just about anything. In this case its probably 440A or 420.

 

[meako]

"silverladdy"

pheew I was a bit worried there for a second

 

[brownshoe]

Parker made a lot of knives. More than a few are good serviceable knives. Just because the maker does not reveal the steel, does not mean it is poor quality ill suited for a knife.

 

[Ballenxj]

Just because the maker does not reveal the steel, does not mean it is poor quality ill suited for a knife.

That's what I'm hoping for.

 

[knarfeng]

The part that I question is the "Surgical Steel" bit. You say it might be 440C? That would be nice. As I already said, the scales appear to be real bone too.

Surgical steel can mean just about anything. In this case its probably 440A or 420.

Parker made a lot of knives. More than a few are good serviceable knives. Just because the maker does not reveal the steel, does not mean it is poor quality ill suited for a knife.

I agree with both Arathol and brownshoe. Unlikely to be 440C. But that does not mean it is not a suitable steel for a pocket knife. Well done 440A is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Ballenxj]

I agree with both Arathol and brownshoe. Unlikely to be 440C. But that does not mean it is not a suitable steel for a pocket knife. Well done 440A is nothing to sneeze at.

I bought it mostly as a project (that, and the lady needed $3.) to see if I could repair it, and now that I have, I'm considering giving it to a 17 year old boy whose dad hasn't been around for a long time. I'm just hoping the knife is of high enough quality to be worthy of a gift. This will be his first knife.

 

[knarfeng]

I bought it mostly as a project (that, and the lady needed $3.) to see if I could repair it, and now that I have, I'm considering giving it to a 17 year old boy whose dad hasn't been around for a long time. I'm just hoping the knife is of high enough quality to be worthy of a gift. This will be his first knife.

I would say that it is original. Probably made in Seki, Japan in the 70's or 80's. In my opinion, Parker Eagle Brand Cutlery was never collectible enough or valuable enough for counterfeiters to bother with. Decent knives for the money though. Popular folklore says that Parker had these made and would trade them by the handful or more for the old Case Knives.

I'm sure it will turn out fine. They had the reputation of being well made.

 

[brownshoe]

I bought it mostly as a project (that, and the lady needed $3.) to see if I could repair it, and now that I have, I'm considering giving it to a 17 year old boy whose dad hasn't been around for a long time. I'm just hoping the knife is of high enough quality to be worthy of a gift. This will be his first knife.

I have seen some Parker knives that are old and abused, and as they used to say about Timex watches...took a lickin and was still ticken

 

[Austinaftermath]

Surgical steel can mean just about anything. In this case its probably 440A or 420.

There was a thread not to long ago about old Japanese knives and there stamped steel; even if it was stamped 440 or surgical it was most likely and AUS series steel and that the stamp was just to appeal to an American market in the 1980's.

Found it,

Quote Originally Posted by KenHash

"Your knife is marked 440 and for a Seki made knife that meant either Aus6 or Aus8 as US importers preferred the knife t use a designation more familiar to US consumers at the time. Unfortunately they often didn't get specific enough leaving many people guessing."

 

[Ballenxj]

I gave it to the young man this morning. By the time I got back later today he said he really liked it. Everybody else said he was playing with it all day.

 

[LastRodeo]

:thumbup:

 

[Jody744]

They were the best bang for the buck knife when I was a kid in the 80's.(imho)
I still have mine, all are decent knives, I used a couple for years. I really
liked the ones with the eagle etch on blade. Used to buy parker, frost, and victorinox
with my lawn mowing cash while on vacation!

 

[Ballenxj]

They were the best bang for the buck knife when I was a kid in the 80's.(imho)
I still have mine, all are decent knives, I used a couple for years.

That's what I wanted to hear.