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Western Bowie project
- Thread starter ElKabong
- Start date
SAK Guy, I didn't think they made a straight guard. How is it marked, yes a picture is needed? I have seen plenty of modified guards on the bay. Looking at http://www.collectors-of-camillus.us/Western/Western.htm and looking thru the catalogs all guards are not straight. In the 1993 catalog the knife is year marked "M", in the 1986 catalog the knife is year marked "I", all other catalogs are drawings or pictures that I cannot make out the year mark.
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2013
- Messages
- 7,037
Textured brass about 4 1/4" inches across and 3/8's thick.....the sheath wasn't a swing sheath either.
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2013
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There is one like mine on the bay but it has the swing sheath
Search:
"Vintage US WESTERN COLEMAN W49 Bowie Fighting Knife w/ Sheath Box"
.....on the bay.
Wait here is my exact and knife box/sheath!
Search:
RARE WESTERN USA "LARGE" BOWIE KNIFE
on the bay.
Search:
"Vintage US WESTERN COLEMAN W49 Bowie Fighting Knife w/ Sheath Box"
.....on the bay.
Wait here is my exact and knife box/sheath!
Search:
RARE WESTERN USA "LARGE" BOWIE KNIFE
on the bay.
Last edited:
SAK Guy, your knife is a Camillus made variant of the W49, made after Camillus bought the rights to Western in 1991. All of the Coleman/Western made W49's are date coded versions of the blade stamp, letters H thru O. Letters A thru G are Western made knives. Camillus never date coded their Western knives. Also contrary to something that was posted in an earlier thread, I've never seen a Camillus made Western knife with a"WW" stamped on the knife. Camillus did use a "W" to proceed the original Western stock number in there own inventory and price list system to ID the knives, so you will see a designation of WW49 on Camillus price sheets and catalogs but not stamped on the knives.
Camillus changed the way they marked the W49 when they started making them. The W49 proceeds the U.S.A. stamp on the Camillus made knives. Western and Coleman/Western didn't do this. If the knife was a version that included the stock number on it the stock number would either follow the whole address or be located on a different part of the knife by itself.
Camillus changed the way they marked the W49 when they started making them. The W49 proceeds the U.S.A. stamp on the Camillus made knives. Western and Coleman/Western didn't do this. If the knife was a version that included the stock number on it the stock number would either follow the whole address or be located on a different part of the knife by itself.
Textured brass about 4 1/4" inches across and 3/8's thick.....the sheath wasn't a swing sheath either.
ELKabong, I'm personally sure our knife's profile of the handle is factory original. Here are some pictures of the, (what I call), the first 5 versions of the W49.
The first four are of the small pin style. The knife second from the right is of the style of yours. When I first came across one of these I first assumed that a previous owner had changed it for their own use. All of the examples of this version knife that I've had or examined from others are this way.
The first four are of the small pin style. The knife second from the right is of the style of yours. When I first came across one of these I first assumed that a previous owner had changed it for their own use. All of the examples of this version knife that I've had or examined from others are this way.
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Cool! Thank you!!!
I just noticed that my knife is bowed from the fire...it was a pretty hot fire...it bent a 30-30 Winchester Trapper barrel as well!
The handle for the type of knife you have would be like the one on the far right that I posted of the first five variants. Probably made before 1996. By that time Camillus made a small change to the handle profile changing the location of the 3 cutlery rivets. Also changing the profile of the taper of the handle towards the guard. Also by 1996 Camillus changed the blade steel from a high carbon type to 420 stainless steel. I don't know whether or not the two changes happened together or separately.
With the statement that your blade was exposed to a fire I'm not sure if your's is high carbon or SS.
Camillus made their own version of the swing sheath and I've never seen one that came with the original style sheath. However it maybe possible that in the early 90's Camillus filled some of their orders for W49 knifes with Longmont Colorado made knives.
With the statement that your blade was exposed to a fire I'm not sure if your's is high carbon or SS.
Camillus made their own version of the swing sheath and I've never seen one that came with the original style sheath. However it maybe possible that in the early 90's Camillus filled some of their orders for W49 knifes with Longmont Colorado made knives.
Ed, the knife in the 1993 catalog belongs, (or belonged) to our acquaintance Phil Gibbs. He told me that he received it when he was involved with the takeover of the old Coleman/Western Company.
Don't know if you can see it or not but mine is a "K" or 1987. I picked it up off the bay for $43 a few years ago. The catalogs on Larry's site are mine except one. Got those off the bay also. Thanks for the info, sac troop as you know we are always looking for info.
From 1977 to 1991 all of the Western and Coleman Western W49's were marked with a date code. The layout would have been blade marked on the name side of the knife three lines;
WESTERN
U.S.A. W49
(SINGLE LETTER)
The letter represents the year of manufacture. (A) being for 1977, all the way to (O) for 1991.
The original Western company was sold to Coleman in 1984. Camillus bought the company at auction in 1991. Camillus continued to manufacture some models of the Western knives until they closed in 2006 and the companies assets were sold off in 2007.
The present owners of the Camillus name and all of its brands do make knives today that are marketed with the Western name.
WESTERN
U.S.A. W49
(SINGLE LETTER)
The letter represents the year of manufacture. (A) being for 1977, all the way to (O) for 1991.
The original Western company was sold to Coleman in 1984. Camillus bought the company at auction in 1991. Camillus continued to manufacture some models of the Western knives until they closed in 2006 and the companies assets were sold off in 2007.
The present owners of the Camillus name and all of its brands do make knives today that are marketed with the Western name.