Traditional Knife of the Week 1/06/03 The Congress

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Mar 7, 2002
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I start with a slipjoint but hopefully we can get good discussions of folder and fixedblades alike as the weeks go by.

The congress pattern is one knife I know very little about. I do know that it is the most collected knife pattern in my area and I would know like to know more about it. I have seen the pattern with two blades and four blades but I guess the handle pattern is what makes it a congress. I like the idea of having that many blades in one knife. So are there any congress collectors/users out there? What do you use them for? What's in your cokkection? I know that some of you have some great pics of some to share. This is not a knife that I see alot of custom makers producing. Why not? It appears to be a usefull knife and not too big to carry. The congress (10 dot case and voss cut Hen&Rooster) is a knife I plan on buying this year. So what can you all share to enlighten us on the Congress.


Thanks All
Dean
 
Good start to the knife of the week threads, Dean.
I only have one Congress in my collection - a stag handled Marbles, 4 blades. Made under license (I think) by Queen. It s a beauty and certainly aroused my interest in the pattern. The marbles is a collection piece so I have no experience with it as a user.
Like you I know very little about the pattern. I did once read that at one point it wasn't seen much outside the southern USA. Most of the major makers produce them so it is clearly a popular pattern.
Anyone out there collect them or use them? Any idea why they are called Congress?
 
Originally posted by Dr van Nostrom
Any idea why they are called Congress?


The story I like the best about how the Congress got it's name is:

The Congress due the nature of it's blades/design makes a fine tabbacco plug cutter & whittling knife. These factor's made it a favorite with fella's who would hold court in the town square:).

The second story I've heard is that because of the high level of fit & finish, the blades rest, and are in perfect harmony.....
much like Congress should be.

I'm not a huge fan of Pearl handled knives, but on a Congress, it's mighty fine.



:D:).
 
To add a little to Bob's history. They began showing up (in the South mostly in the early to mid 1800's (Sheffield)). One of the master blades will be a large sheepsfoot. You can find them with anywhere from 2 to 8 blades. When Lincoln was shot the story goes that he had a 6 blade Congress on his person. Bob was right when I was a kid I remember seeing a lot of Congress patterns carried around by courthouse bench sittin' types :D (If you are not from the South you will not understand the smiley here).

(Information comes from a couple of Shefield books, Parker books and Bernard Levine's Guide.)

Here is a pic of a minty Case XX (1940-1964) that I picked up at a garage sale for $3.50 a couple of Summers ago. (Has to be the best knife purchase I have ever made, since it would easily sell for 700.00 and up.)
 

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[QUOTE Gus
Here is a pic of a minty Case XX (1940-1964) that I picked up at a garage sale for $3.50 a couple of Summers ago. (Has to be the best knife purchase I have ever made, since it would easily sell for 700.00 and up.) [/B][/QUOTE]

Gus, every traditional knife knut should make at least one knife find like this in their lifetime.:D That is a great find that they gave you or I mean sold to you.;) A friend of mine picked up 6 mint congress with red bone handles similar to that one for $50 to $100 each and he felt like he stole them. I can't wait to tell him about your find. Thanks for history and sharing your great find. Keep em coming...


Dean
 
Great choice for the first knife of the week. I do not have one .... yet. :D
 
I don't collect the Congress pattern but I have had a few.Here is a pic of a pretty rare low production 3 blade in Stag.Nice knife
 
This is a 4 blade I had for a few years.Found it's way to my pocket.Red bone carbon steel.Cuts like the dickens
 
What makes a Congress a Congress? Seems like it can have between 2 and six blades with one being a sheepshoot, is it the curved handle that defines it? The one Congress I have is around 4" closed, that seems a typical size.
 
I would say that 4 to 4.5 inches closed with a symetrical sway back(curved concave from the backsprings) 2 to 8 blades in even numbers. Same number of blades on each side with at least one of the master blades a sheeps-foot.

As James used to say YMMV.
 
Originally posted by Dr van Nostrom
Who makes a good production Congress?


Neil, I have handled some of the older case 6488 congress and they are great knives. A friend of mine collects them and they are some of the finest knives I've seen. Queen Cutlery makes a good looking congress with D2 steel and Bulldog brand makes a nice user with carbon steel. Go to www.ndsproducts.com/knifelinks.html and look at the various makers interpretation of these knives. Alot of folks have been bragging on the Queen Cutlery knives around here. I've been looking at a Buck Creek congress at a local store and will probably buy it after I pay my bills.:D



Dean
 
I for one am very happy with the Queen d2 knives and would reccomend them hily. I haven't really seen one that wasn't made very well yet, haven't seen the Congress however.
 
I'll throw in my $.02 about the questions that have been asked so far. The term "Congress" refers to the basic handle shape. You can find antique congress patterns ranging in size from tiny ones at 2" or less, up to 4-1/8" or 4-1/4". At least I have never seen one larger than that.

As far as blade arrangements, they can be two blades with one at each end (Congress pen), two blades at one end (Congress jack), three blades with the large blade at one end and two small blades at the opposite end, with split backspring construction (Congress whittler), or the more common four blades. There are also very rare six blade versions.

I have some old Case price lists, info on the 88's as follows:

1942 Prices: 6488 $3.00 5488 $3.50

1955 Prices: 6488 $5.50 5488 $6.05

1970 Prices: 6488 $10.00 5488 $12.00

I think that Queen and possibly Camillus are the only current US makers of the Congress pattern as standard production. Case does them as SFO's. I have one of the new Queens in D2 - it matches the quality of the older Case XX 6488's, IMHO. I may decide to make it a "user", not as practical as, say, the stockman pattern, but I do love the Congress pattern.

I think that most of the German made congress patterns (Boker, Henckels, Eye Brand, Bulldog, Hen & Rooster, Buck Creek) are of good quality from what I have seen.

I really wish that Queen would make the congress pattern again in the 3-1/2" size, as it is a very practical "carrying" knife as compared to the larger ones.
 
I am not a Congress collector but do have a couple of them. The one I use from time to time is an old (single line) Camillus with black jigged handles (delrin I think). It has two pen blades and two sheep foot blades. I like the Case Congress because it has four different blades, or the ones I've seen do. They have a sheep foot, a pen, a spear and a coping blade. That is a good variety. If I was going to carry a Congress I think it would be a Case. I enjoy learning more about these knives. Keep up the knife of the week.
 
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