Question I want to ask you guys.

kamagong

kamagong

Joined
Jan 13, 2001
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Here's a neat little knife I picked up a while back.

winchestercongresspen5.jpg


Made by Queen for Bluegrass Cutlery, this knife is one of the black box Winchesters. I think it's a beauty with the raisin colored bone scales and threaded and pinched bolsters.

The question I want to ask is, do you think of this knife as a Queen or a Winchester? I know that there is a long established practice of knife manufacturers making goods for other companies (everything from cutleries to hardware stores) and marking the knives with company's brand. On my end, I think of this knife as a Queen. Brand names and trademarks often change ownership through the years, making them all but meaningless. On the other hand, the quality of a knife is easily discernable and directly attributable to who made it. I guess I don't care much about the tang stamp and am more interested in the craftsmen who were responsible for a knife's creation.

What say you?

- Christian
 
i agree with you but theres a part of me that says no. Heres my reason. Part of me says its definitely a Queen because it doesnt matter what label you stick on it; it was made by Queen and therefore that's what it is. The part of me that says its not a Queen is the fact that Winchesters arent made anymore...therefore its kind of hard to make my previous argument since you cant really get a new one. If that makes any sense...

Either way that is a gorgeous knife
 
Christian, I'm like you in regards to thinking of it as a Queen made knife. As you mentioned how manufacturers make for many companies I see my Moore Maker as the Camillus it is :)

Paul
 
Maybe Bluegrass had some say in the design of the knife? That might include the raisin colored bone scales and threaded and pinched bolsters that you like. In that sense it is a Bluegrass/Winchester made by Queen?

I think there is room for both companies in the full description of the knife. Just my .02.

I will say that if Queen decided to make it again, I'd be on it like a monkey on a cupcake.
 
I collect the Winchester .270 Series knives. I have always considered them to be Queen production. As far as I know Bluegrass involvement consisted of contracting the line to Queen and marketing. I think that the Queen produced Winchesters from the 80's were some of Queens finest work.

Real nice knife you have there.
 
Queen, commissioned by Bluegrass. The former used its artisans to make the knife, the latter knew what it wanted made, and paid for the dies & equipment etc.

Whatever, it's a really well proportioned knife, properly long blade with regards to the handle, pleasing symmetry, the right bolsters to give the look and I suspect, sunk-joints? Can one want more? Great find, thanks for showing&asking.

Regards, Will
 
I'd say (for what my word is worth), that's a really cool Queen knife, with Winchester markings..... I like it, and hate that the Winchester name has been turned into what it is, when it comes to modern knives. Thanks for showing it, someone was trying to explain the Winchester's, that were American made to me the other day, but I hadn't given them much thought, but have seen some in catalogs in years past.
 
Peregrin said:
Maybe Bluegrass had some say in the design of the knife? That might include the raisin colored bone scales and threaded and pinched bolsters that you like. In that sense it is a Bluegrass/Winchester made by Queen?

I think there is room for both companies in the full description of the knife. Just my .02.

I will say that if Queen decided to make it again, I'd be on it like a monkey on a cupcake.
Click to expand...

I usually describe like this. Northwoods by GEC ;) Winchester by Qween ect
And yeah that knife looks nice I'd buy one too!
 
On one hand, I tend to classify my collection by the brand name used on the knife. The actual maker, if different, gets a mention in the notes.

On the other hand, the Winchester name is practically derogatory when it comes to modern pocketknives. Sad, but true.

In this case I'd call it a Blue Grass Cutlery knife, made by Queen, with a "Winchester" blade etch. What does the tang stamp say?
 
Bob W said:
In this case I'd call it a Blue Grass Cutlery knife, made by Queen, with a "Winchester" blade etch. What does the tang stamp say?
Click to expand...

Interesting. I think of it as a Queen knife, marked Winchester, and commissioned by Blue Grass Cutlery.

Tang stamp says Winchester.

- Christian
 
Nice knife Christian. I'm sorry that I have nothing to add to this thread, other than that this...

Peregrin said:
I'd be on it like a monkey on a cupcake.
Click to expand...

...made me spill tea all over my keyboard! :D
 
Christian, I have an '89 sowbelly from this line, and the dark bone is beautiful. I list it in my spreadsheet of knives the same way I do for all my GEC knives, whether they are Northfield, Tidioute, or Bulldog USA or Cripple Creek, etc. GEC comes first as the maker, then the purveyor.

I would list your knife as a Queen Winchester (Blue Grass Cutlery).
 
I have one of the stockman patterns from the Blue Grass/Winchester series and it is a nice knife. Somewhere here there is a thread on all the patterns that were made. The one that Christian posted is probably my favorite.

I'm with Gary and would love to see it made again, reminds me of the Norfolk pattern.

Oh yeah, I keep my Winchester stockman with my Queen's and Schatt's, so I guess I consider it a Winchester by Queen.
 
I love the black box Winchesters and I get one when I can but I do consider them to be Queen knives. They practically scream "Queen" when you handle them.
 
Queen.

If I take a Tony Bose custom and etch my name on it would you consider it a Kevin Custom...?

Kevin
 
I'd mark it down as a "Winchester by Queen". For example, I mark my "Shrades by GEC" to be separate than ones made by Schrade.
 
Queen.

What I would like to know is how, if Bluegrass still has the right to put the Winchester name on knives that they have Queen produce, then how is it that I see all of the junk knives marked Winchester at big box and hunting stores? Is Bluegrass importing these knives? Whoever is importing these knives has to sign an agreement with Winchester, even if they are a Russian company no. So, Bluegrass has a contract, and another company has a contract. I am a little lost on this one :o.

It's similar to the Bear and Sons Remington contract. I've seen lots of Remington stamped patterns from across the western pond, not just tacticool etc. Then, you have the Bear and Sons produced Remingtons (yes, I concur, no where near the quality of the Queen Winchesters, but run with me on this).

I'm guessing that most of us can tell the difference between a Queen made Winchester slipjoint and a big box store Winchester slipjoint.

The only example I have of the black box line is a moose. One of the best made slipjoints I own. You can call it a Queen, Bluegrass, Winchester. I am glad to call it MINE.
 
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