Queen / Schratt and Morgan Quality ?

C

cdf

Joined
Nov 12, 2004
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How is the quality of the present day product . I've always liked trappers , any recommendations ?

Chris
 
It seems that the best quality these days, in factory production, is seen in Canal Street, Queen/Schatt&Morgan, and Case roughly in that order.
 
I can give my opinion, but I have few details about quality of steel and such. I have quite a few Queen knives; the older the better. Most of them made since 1980 are moderate quality, both in detailing/workmanship and in handle materials. As you likely know, Queen uses composite handles for many knives (imitation Winterbone). It does not crack or shrink easily, but I do not find it especially pleasing to the eye. Conversely, I like the real winterbone.

Queen was a pioneer in use of stainless blades, perhaps (it turns out) unfortunately. They started using it in some knives in the mid-1920s. Collectors generally like the carbon steel today, but when they first began using SS it was very popular. In checking these dates I saw a note that said, "SS is defined as having at least 11% chromium in the alloy".

Older Queen knives, especially the Queen City knives with carbon steel blades are well made, comparable in quality to older Case knives. But they are difficult to find.

I'll stop and await posts from those with expertise on specifics.
 
the schatt & morgan i just bought is a pos-blade off center,middle rivets looked chewed on by a rat-
if i didnt drop it and scratch it it would have gone back-

its also supposed to be a 1 of 100 but the blade says 1 of 1000,they were to cheap to even fix that problem-

no more for me
 
I've bought two ATS34 versions in the last two years and they have been well made. The only complaint is they had a thick edge.

Mr. Rosconey2, Queen will repair any manufacturer's defect irrespective of any scratch. Send it back to them. Their repair policy is better than spydreco's. They will fix a lockback with a little play where spydreco calls it normal and sends it back.
 
IMO I prefer schatt & Morgan when comparing to models made in today's era. I have collected Case, Fight'N Rooster, Bulldog, Weidmansheil, Hen & Rooster, Kissing Crane, Robeson and now Schatt & Morgan.

I have sold off everything else and have kept my Schatt & Morgan knives and continue to purchase more. When your talking production knives I agree with Waynorth on his choices of Knife company quality.

Here are a few companies that Queen has made knives for over the years and still does to this day:


Schatt & Morgan (In-house brand)
Robeson (In-house brand)
Old Hickory (In-house brand, 1970's)
Bluegrass Cutlery
Case Classics
Winchester Reproductions
Moore Maker (established 1985. Matador, Texas)
Marbles (Marbles Safety Axe Co.)
NorthWoods (Marbles)
Scagel (Marbles)
John Primble
Bowie Corp.
Chris Tenney - Tenney Trading Co.
A.G. Russell
Cripple Creek (Blackjack)
Family Tree Series For Parker - Kinfolks, Platts, Standard Knife Company, Crandall
Bulldog Brand
Bowen Knife Co (1970's-1980's)
Bob White Cutlery (1970's)
Sargent/Sarco
Voyles Cutlery (1970's)
Kabar
Swanner Cutlery - Fairfield, Ohio
Sampson
Canal Street Cutlery, Ellenville, NY.
Browning U.S.A.
Rigid
 
Sunburst,

You can add Smokey Mountain Knife Works to the list. I have a Queen Toothpick, ~4” long, marked “Smoky Mountain Knifeworks” on tang and “WOODPECKER” etched on the blade, with a piliated woodpecker image etched.

I bought it at a gun show in Virginia, and I stopped by SMKW on the way home to ask about it. The guy at the antiques counter took a look at it and said, "Yep, manufactured in 1979 by Queen".

They have probably manufactured knives for lots of other advertising too, but that's the one I know for certain.
 
I have heard before that Canal Street folders are among the best, but I can't seem to find any in Carbon steel? Only 440c?
 
I have a number of Queens and all of then have fairly week backsprings(I wonder if they would fix that under warranty),I have had far better luck with my Case's,but to be fair I have alot more Case's than Queens.
I have not had a "bad" Case yet....in fact many are exceptional.A few have slight cosmetic flaws but none of them have the weak backsprings my Queens have.
The Schatts I bought from Bill at www.cumberlandknifeshop.com are perfect,they may be my two nicest all round slipjoints I own!

Kap
 
Kapt;

Out of curiosity, which Queen models do you have with weak springs? I have owned about 40 of the knives made in the last few years - the D2 slipjoints with CSB, COBO, and BEM handles, only had one (whittler) where the springs were less than thumbnail-busters. I would send them back.
 
kapt kopter said:
I have a number of Queens and all of then have fairly week backsprings(I wonder if they would fix that under warranty),I have had far better luck with my Case's,but to be fair I have alot more Case's than Queens.
I have not had a "bad" Case yet....in fact many are exceptional.A few have slight cosmetic flaws but none of them have the weak backsprings my Queens have.
The Schatts I bought from Bill at www.cumberlandknifeshop.com are perfect,they may be my two nicest all round slipjoints I own!

Kap
Click to expand...
......I guess Monday morning/Friday afternoon knives seem to slip by every manufacturer. My one recent experience with a Case...it was a CV Amber Bone Canoe as I recall......was terribly disappointing. The back springs were weak with absolutely no snap, and the bone was poorly fitted to the bolster lacking in color and jig pattern. I couldn't get it back into it's box and into the mail to return to the the retailer quick enough to get the bad taste out of my mouth ! On the other hand, every Queen/S&M I have purchased over the last five years have been gems. My latest buy, a Queen 1095 Carbon SFO jigged Amber Bone Canoe is first rate ( photo below borrowed from Ron at Cutters and Collectors )......just like the S&M Wire and File Tear Drop Jack, the Queen genuine Stag Canoe and the Abalone Mid-Size Hunter I bought last year. Got'em all from Bill Horn at Cumberland though......I think that makes a difference as he will inspect a knife before shipment if you ask. Anywho.....I probably should give Case a try again some time...as soon as I quit spying another Queen/S&M I fancy !
2h896ra.jpg


-regards
 
I have a Queen Cocobolo Mountain Man pattern and a small yellow scaled Sodbuster.

I had to dig through many to find these two. The others had a loose blade, bad grinds, off center, etc. Far too many things for me to consider paying $100 to $150 for the nicer models.

I still had to put an edge on each of these, as neither received any sort of final sharpening.

I think good ones are out there, you just have to look for them.
 
Terry Newton said:
....I had to dig through many to find these two. The others had a loose blade, bad grinds, off center, etc. Far too many things for me to consider paying $100 to $150 for the nicer models.....
Click to expand...

$100 to $150.......that's too much Terry ! I've been gettin' most of mine shipped for just under $70...many for much less. Granted, some of those rarer S&M's can push the C note limit. Next time you take a shine to a Queen try old Bill at Cumberland...or the gentleman at Sooner State. In my experience they will both make things right if the knife doesn't cut your mustard ! But then....to each his own.....I can't blame you for not wanting to part with your hard earned cash for a Queen if the knives you have tried are not giving you "royal treatment" !

- best regards
 
I would love to have the higher variant S&M worm groove and such scales in the MM pattern but have not found any that do not have a wobbly blade, misaligned scales and bolsters, etc.

I understand there will be character on each one, but there are some things that, IMHO, should be present on every knife. Basic standards like a no blade play.

No factory slip joint folder meets these standards the majority of the time today. I don't mind paying 20 or 30 for one, but when approaching 100 that is a different matter.
 
I have purchased Schatt & Morgan knives from both http://www.cumberlandknifeworks.com/ & http://www.soonerstateknives.com/index.html and have been very pleased. I would also recommend http://www.crisnercutlery.com/ to those interested in quality well priced Schatt & Morgan knives.

I have a growing collection of S&M knives that keeps on growing and really have had only one Monday morning knife. And as you can see it has not really affected the quality of or workmanship of the knife, they just printed the words on the wrong side of the blade.:rolleyes: I am really happy with the quality of Schatt & Morgan and the way that Queen will stand behind their work, I would recommend to the folks who have not been pleased with their purchase of S&M to contact their dealer or Queen and exchange their knife for one they consider to be of quality...Just my opinion

Here is mine:
teardropJackside2.jpg


And here is how it should look:
7.jpg
 
sunburst said:
I have purchased Schatt & Morgan knives from both http://www.cumberlandknifeworks.com/ & http://www.soonerstateknives.com/index.html and have been very pleased. I would also recommend http://www.crisnercutlery.com/ to those interested in quality well priced Schatt & Morgan knives.

I have a growing collection of S&M knives that keeps on growing and really have had only one Monday morning knife. And as you can see it has not really affected the quality of or workmanship of the knife, they just printed the words on the wrong side of the blade.:rolleyes: I am really happy with the quality of Schatt & Morgan and the way that Queen will stand behind their work, I would recommend to the folks who have not been pleased with their purchase of S&M to contact their dealer or Queen and exchange their knife for one they consider to be of quality...Just my opinion

Here is mine:
teardropJackside2.jpg


And here is how it should look:
7.jpg
Click to expand...

Hey you've got a unique one there. Good for you for hanging on to it and not sending it back ! I bought the same model back in January. Of course mine doesn't have that extra bit of "personality" that yours does !

I sure like the way this model fits the hand.....and looks in the hand. Gotta' love that Crimson Worm Groove ! Too bad some folks are having such bad luck with their Queen's and S&M's. I too do think it makes a difference where you buy. May I add Cutters and Collectors to the list.....Ron Ryder is also a stand up vendor.

-Best regards
 
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