W49 Bowie Blade Marked "Western Second"

[somewhereinmapleton]

Any one seen a W49 blade marked Western Second? I'm taking it for face value as a second coming off the line but thought I'd ask. Blade has what appears to be a copper wash over it. I've never seen one before.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

I personally have never seen a Western knife with that mark. Looks like an etch of some sort, not a percussion stamp. If that fuzzy letter in the 3rd line of the stamp is an "M", that would be a 1989 date code.

 

[somewhereinmapleton]

Thanks for the reply Z. It is an M just like you pointed out now that I look closer. Half the mystery solved. Another pic of the copper wash on the blade. One thing I did notice was that the WESTERN is over USA W49. Some of the other posts mentioned WESTERN over W49 USA. Going to research that more. Perhaps that is what won this guy the Western Second mark.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Thanks for the reply Z. It is an M just like you pointed out now that I look closer. Half the mystery solved. Another pic of the copper wash on the blade. One thing I did notice was that the WESTERN is over USA W49. Some of the other posts mentioned WESTERN over W49 USA. Going to research that more. Perhaps that is what won this guy the Western Second mark.

I think that " copper wash " is from this knife having been chrome plated.
As far as " secon " goes based on the stamp that doesn't look too great I would assume factory second.
Many companies will do something to a knife that didn't make their production standards and liquidate them at a discount.

 

[afishhunter]

I think that " copper wash " is from this knife having been chrome plated.
As far as " secon " goes based on the stamp that doesn't look too great I would assume factory second.
Many companies will do something to a knife that didn't make their production standards and liquidate them at a discount.

Did Western chrome their blades?
The tang stamp looks pretty "clean". Chroming would have filled in the lettering, possibly even obscuring the tang stamp completely.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Did Western chrome their blades?
The tang stamp looks pretty "clean". Chroming would have filled in the lettering, possibly even obscuring the tang stamp completely.

I believe they have.
My f48a uses a chrome Vanadium steel that does almost look plated and is so resistant to patina.

 

[edbeau]

Western may have added chrome to their blade formula but they were not chrome plated.