Resurrection of JBF Champlin & Sons........

Boggs

Boggs

Joined
Feb 27, 2007
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And the introduction of a new/old knife company.........and they couldn't have picked a better company to introduce their first knife......for lovers of the Teardrop Pattern


JBF CHAMPLIN AND SONS

JBF Champlin and Sons Cutlery, is a new version of a very old brand. It is being created and pushed forward by two rather unlikely partners, Derek Smith from Salt Lake City and Michael Losicco of Pennsylvania. They have both been independently researching and collecting anything to do with JBF Champlin for many years.

Michael Losicco’s fascination with vintage pocketknives started innocently enough while he was visiting an antique store about 20 years ago. He wasn’t even shopping for knives, but on a whim he picked up a pearl handled whittler with a broken blade that happened to be a knife made by JBF Champlin. He didn’t know it at the time, but he was hooked.

Derek Smith was married to Kimberly Champlin for 12 years, Kimberly is a direct descendant of JBF Champlin. Through her, Derek has had the chance to visit extensively with several family members who have been collecting old letters and working on the family genealogy for years.

This treasure trove of family history along with Derek’s newly found interest
in vintage knives started him on his own journey. Since then he has spent countless hours researching the history of the Champlin family and the knives they made.

Through the love of anything that was part of JBF Champlin’s history, Derek and Mike eventually crossed paths and became fast friends and allies. They have asked GEC to produce their first offering in honor of JBF Champlin, a cutlery pioneer and family man, whom they both respect and admire.

One of JBF’s early trademarks was “JBF Champlin & Son”. An “s” has been added so the new trademark reads “JBF Champlin & Sons” in honor of all of this man’s descendants including his grandsons, great grandsons and great granddaughters.


KW-JBF-ad-final-4-mike-22.jpg
 
Interestingly, though the GEC website has this release listed as a 851212. If that is correct, per their own numbering system it should be an #85 pattern with a main regular clip, two blades, made in 2012.
 
Boggs said:
P.......


Now we both know what it will look like..............
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Thanks! I enjoyed the above history, but alas, the knife shown is pointy-pointy as per the standard 85s, and not the rounded teardrop I was hoping to see.

~ P.
 
I am in love.
:D

For some reason I like the "Warranted" etch so much more than the Northfield etch.
I'll definitely be picking up the Bone and Ebony.
 
Aka.....


GEC probably beat the fellas to having their website all in order......
 
Thanks for sharing! I'm still crazy about my 85, and that one looks mighty good!
 
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That looks like it will be a nice 85, I have been interested in having ebony wood and a Northfield blade.
 
Hi All, I am a member but don't post much on this site. I am also one of the ownerrs of JBF Champlin & Son's Cutlery. I don't want to break any of the forum rules so if I am with this post please remove it but if it is OK then send me a PM or call the number on the ad I will answer any questions you might have about the knives GEC are making for us.

Thanks Mike
 
Mike...

Thank you for joining us and I'm sure we all have a few questions........be prepared....
 
They are beautiful knives, and the name, is of the man that is probably the most important in American knife history. I am anxious to get one!
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Do you have any history on Chamblin? Also, why is he the most important man in knife history?
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Champlin started out a salesman for Friedmann & Lauterjung. He purchased the knife making equipment from Beaver Falls Cutlery to start Cattaraugus. He hired some of the best people to work for him, including Harvey Nixon Platts. He also gave his four brother-in-laws the opportunity to work at his factory. The four Case brothers got their start working at Cattaraugus. So, many knife businesses spun off of Mr. Champlin's plant. Maybe he isn't the "most" important man in knife making, but he was important, in my opinion.
 
Just for you..bits and pieces right now.....

Cattaraugus Cutlery Company

"C. 1886-1963 Founded by John B.F. Champlin and ran by members of the Champlin family during the entire existence of the company. The firm was originally called J.B.F. Champlin, founded in 1880 as a jobbing firm. Tint Champlin joined the firm in 1882, and the name became J.B.F. Champlin & Son.

In 1886, Champlin`s brother-in-laws, the four Case Brothers, W.R., John D., Jean, and Andrew became members of the firm, and the name was changed to the Cattaraugus Cutlery Company. Cattaraugus became a manufacturing concern about 1890, when they purchased the tools and equipment from the defunct Beaver falls cutlery company. Cattaraugus made an excellent quality knife, many patterns are avidly sought by today`s collector.

The Early Years
The Case family was introduced to knife making when Job’s daughter, Theresa, married a cutlery salesman named John Brown Francis Champlin.
In 1882, Champlin resigned from the cutlery-importing firm of Friedmann and Lauterjung to begin his own business as a knife broker.
In this capacity, he contracted for knives to be made and then sold them under his own brand name. The brand, J. B. F. Champlin, Little Valley, New York was so successful that four of his wife’s brothers joined the business in 1866.
When Champlin’s brothers-in-law, William R. Jean, John D. and Andrew Case, joined his firm, it was renamed Cattaraugus Cutlery Company.
The company continued to do well with Champlin and his son, Tint, directing its manufacturing.
The case brothers’ employment with Cattaraugus was short lived, but its impact upon their lives not.
When they left in 1887, they took with them the desire to be involved in the cutlery industry. And thus the story of knives branded with the name Case encompassing dozens of markings and as many members of a family who would make cutlery history.
 
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