Who Made your New Slipjoint?

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

There are several good books on the origins of pocket knife Companies, many with intricate dating and value scales that assist a collector of older slipjoints in his research. With these guides such a collector can often find out where and when (sometimes even to the specific year) and older specimen was produced.

Collectors of new Slipjoints however are not as fortunate. When someone begins their journey into the world of new pocket knives it's often out of curiosity or maybe the desire to explore an alternative genre from their current norm in knife collecting. But while the knives are new and bright some have origins that are not so clear.

It's a well known fact that there are very few Charter Members left of what was once the booming industry of American made knives. Yet new examples of many of the old well know knives our Grandfathers used to pull out when they wanted to "cut a chaw" are still showing up, so where do these new knives come from?

I would like for everone to share their knowledge to shed some light on the origins of these new pocket knives. I am going to post a list of new production Pocket Knife Makers - Brands/Names ... if you know who actually produces their knives please reply. ie. "Huntin Dawg Knives" Stockman patterns are made by Felinus Gratuitus Inc but all their other patterns are made by them in house.

In some cases we won't know the name of the actual company that makes the knives but we do know the Country of origin, that will suffice. In other cases a company may purchase their knives from more than one out source, or they may have purchased their knives from Source A "from 1988 - 1995" but since have purchased from Source B. If you know this type of info please share it as well. If you can cite any ref please do so but this is not meant for publication, just a way to shed more light for slipjoint collectors on where their new knife came from.

(If I have missed any names of currently available new pocket knives please let me know).

Amherst Cutlery- Undetermined
Bear & Son- All Models made "in house" in Jacksonville, AL
Boker- Most Models made in Baumwerk Factory - Solingen, Germany / Models marked "Arbolito" made in Buenos Aires, Argentina / Models marked MAGNUM made in China
Browning- All Models made in China / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives
Buck- Some Models made in China (Model #'s with X7XX or XX8X are made in China) / Some Models made "in house" in Idaho
Buck Creek - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery
Bulldog - Some Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany /Some Models made by GEC / Some Models made by Queen
*Models from 2007, 2008 & 2009
Canal Street Cutlery- All Models made "in house" in Ellenville, NY
Case - All Models Made "in house" in Bradford, PA
Chippaway Cutlery- All Models made in China / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery
Cinch- All models Made by Boker - Baumwerk Factory - Solingen, Germany
Colonel Coon- All Models made by Queen, Titusville, PA / Owned jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives
Colt - All Models Made In China (same plant as Rough Rider) / Owned by United Cutlery / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives
Cripple Creek - Some Models made by Great Eastern Cutlery - Titusville, PA / Some Models made by Queen, Titusville, PA / Trademark Owned by Smoky Mountain Knife Works
Fighting Rooster- All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Imported by Sterling Buster
Fox N Hound- Most models Made in China / Same plant as Rough Rider / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives (2 Models made in Italy by AKC or Fox)
Eye Brand -German Eye (Carl Schlieper) -All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Distributed by Clarence Risner
Gerber- Most Models made in China Some Models made in Taiwan A few Models made in US (Check Stamp for Origin)
German Bull- All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery
Great Eastern Cutlery -Tidioute Cutlery, Northfield Un-X-LD and Great Eastern Cutlery - Made in same Plant - Titusville, PA USA
Hen & Rooster- Most Models made by Boker - Baumwerk Factory, Germany / Owned & Imported by FROST Cutlery
Henkles - Recent Models made by Boker - Baumwerk Factory, Germany
Indian Head - -Some Models made in China / Some Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Imported by C. Risner
Imperial- Some Models made in China / Some Models made by Queen
Jim Bowie - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Licensed & Imported by C. Risner
John Primble - All Models made in China / Licensed & Distributed through Blue Grass Cutlery
Ka-Bar Recent Collectable Folding knives - Frames and Blade made by Canal Street Cutlery and finished by KaBar
Keen Kutter- All Models made by Bear & Son - Jacksonville, AL
Kutmaster (Utica)- Made "in house" in U.S.
Kissing Crane- Most current Models made in China / One Model (Sodbuster) made in Italy / Trademark Onwed by United Cutlery / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives
Marbles- All Models made in China
MooreMaker - Most Models made by Queen in Titusville, PA / Some models by Bear & Son - B&S Models have a "B" in the Model #
Northwoods- All Models made by Queen in Titusville, PA
Queen - All Models made "in house" in Titusville, PA
Remington- Most Models made in China / Few Models made by Queen, Titusville, PA - incl Annual Bullet Knife / Some Models (incl New Official Boy Scout Traditional) made by Bear & Sons
Rigid- All Models Made In China / Trademark Owned by United Cutlery / Licensed & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives
Robeson (Shuredge / Mastercraft)- All Models made by Queen, Titusville, PA / Licensed to Smoky Mountain Knife Works
Rough Rider- All Models Made In China / Owned & Imported jointly by Smoky Mountain Knife Works & Blue Ridge Knives
Schatt & Morgan- All Models made by Queen in Titusville, PA
Schrade- All Models Made in China / Owned & Imported by Taylor Cutlery Kingsport, TN
Shapliegh's- All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Imported & Distributed exclusively through Parkers
Utica (Kutmaster)- Made "in house" in US
Weidmannsheil - All Models made by Friedrich Olbertz - Solingen Germany / Imported & Distributed exclusively through Parkers
Winchester- Most Models produced by Queen in Titusville, PA / Some Models made in China / Licensed & Imported by Blue Grass Cutlery / Owned by Olin Corp.


* 2009 - 100 pcs - Single Blade Scout pattern 3 7/8" Rams Horn handles - with USA Blade Etch - made by Great Eastern Cutlery
* 2008 - 100 pcs - Two Blade Diamond Cut Pearl Sunfish Pattern 3 5/8" - USA Etched into Blade - made by Queen
* 2008 - 100 pcs - Two Blade Stag Muskrat 4 1/8" - made by Great Eastern Cutlery
* 2008 - 100 pcs - Three Blade Stag Whittler 3 1/2" - made by Queen
* 2007 - 100 pcs - Stag Gunstock 3 3/4" - made by Queen
* 2007 - 100 pcs - Two Blade Mtn. Man Trapper - 4 5/8" - made by Queen
* 2007 - 100 pcs - Pearl Horticulturist 3 5/8" - made by Queen



Thanks for the help.

 

[joe-bob]

I don't think Browning actually makes any knives.

 

[IVANKERLEY]

for what its worth Gerber is making some now...
havent handled one, but not all gerbers are created equal
ivan

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Thanks Ivan - added Gerber. Will try to find out where they are made.

------------------------------
Updated - Rough Rider, Schrade to reflect "Made In China".

 

[knarfeng]

To my knowledge, Moormaker has their knives manufactured by other companies.

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

To my knowledge, Moormaker has their knives manufactured by other companies.

I agree. I know that Queen produces some of Moormaker's knives (don't know if it is pattern specific or if they produce all of them).
I'm sure there are intelligent collectors here that can tell us the scoop though.

 

[lambertiana]

Moore Maker has their bone-handled knives made by two different firms - Queen and Bear & Sion. Queen makes the better (and more expensive) line, and the Bear models have a B in the model number. They used to have Camillus make the delrin and horn handled knives, but now that Camillus is no longer around I don't know if those lines have been discontinued or if someone else is making them.

The Friedrich Olbertz factory in Solingen is the source for a number of brands - Bulldog, Eye Brand, Buck Creek are three that come to mind right away.

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Moore Maker has their bone-handled knives made by two different firms - Queen and Bear & Sion. Queen makes the better (and more expensive) line, and the Bear models have a B in the model number. They used to have Camillus make the delrin and horn handled knives, but now that Camillus is no longer around I don't know if those lines have been discontinued or if someone else is making them.

The Friedrich Olbertz factory in Solingen is the source for a number of brands - Bulldog, Eye Brand, Buck Creek are three that come to mind right away.

Excellent! Thanks for that info. :thumbup:

 

[tthman]

hi, keen kutters are made by bear. Also kutmaster still makes about 15 to 20 knives in usa,at least according to my 2009 catalog. so add utica to the list.thanks

 

[Bastid]

Not sure if they fit in, but Amherst is making some great handmade knives of remarkable quality with the touches that are not found on regular production knives from any of the companies above.

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Updated, Thanks for the info.

I also learned that Boker has a Facility in Mexico, don't know of any Slipjoints that are made there, if anyone does know please reply.

 

[knifeaholic]

Here is what I know:

When the US emerged from WWII, these ten were the only cutlery companies left that manufactured traditional pocket knives in the USA:

Case
Queen
Camillus
Schrade (also included Imperial, Ulster, Kingston)
Utica
Colonial
Kabar
Robeson
Boker USA (Maplewood NJ)
Western

Also:

Federal Knife Co
Providence Cut Co
Ideal Knife Co

These three companies are in a separate category since I do not know the exact years of operation for each, but they were all in business post-WWII. All three were in Rhode Island and all made very inexpensive advertising or novelty knives, so they are really in a separate category as compared to the ten firms above.

During the years of post WWII to 1990, the following firms began manufacturing traditional slipjoints in the USA:

Buck
Alcas
Parker USA which became Bear MGC which is now Bear & Son

Buck of course had contracted their slipjoints but they added in house slip joint production (year?). Alcas made a very few traditional slipjoints as a contract manufacturer.

During recent years, the following additional companies began manufacturing traditional slipjoints in the USA:

Canal Street
Great Eastern

Northwoods??
Amherst??

I put questions marks by Amherst and Northwoods becuase their actual status is not clear to me. Are Northwoods knives made by Queen? Tooling would indicate that. Does Amherst still manufacture? Or are they custom only?

As far as I know, the above list is comprehensive so if you have a poat WWII slipjoint that was USA made, then one of the above firms made it.

 

[Will Power]

Interesting list, very useful thanks.

I think some Böker Cinch knives are made in Argentina too.

And, isn't it SOLINGEN Germany?

German Bull has been puzzling me, makes a very nice knife but I suspect it's Chinese made, perhaps others have concrete proof either way?

Do French Laguiole knives count in this category? Lot of makers there.

How about A.Wright&sons from Sheffield? Sad to say Sheffield knives are a very far cry from their ancestors,some of the lowest quality I've seen frankly.

There are a couple of German cutlers whose name escapes me, begins with M Mercantor?? and makes simple carbon bladed slipjoints

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Willgoy - Thanks, I forgot my N and then cutt-ed and paste-ed.

I will ask someone I know about the Cinch knives - and see if there is a way to tell which was made where.

On the German Bull knives, I've suspected they were made by F. Olbertz (due to the patterns and the quantity of Stag) but like you don't know for sure.

I'm going to leave Laguiole out for now.

Thanks for your input. :thumbup:

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Udpated.

Lots more info is needed, take a look and see if you can help fill in some of the gaps.

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Udpated.

Surely someone can help re Fightin Rooster, John Primble, Remington, etc.

 

[300Bucks]

Hillbill,

Bucks first commerical slipjoints were made on contract with Schrade beginning in 1966, with some still being delievered as contractor was changed to Camillus. Camillus contracted Bucks slipjoints beginning 1971 with a few going to 1999. During this period several models were phased out. Beginning in 1985 to present all Bucks were and are made in-house.

You can find a couple of the old Camillus Bucks with Winchester engraved on their shields but Buck stamping on the tang. Sort of a Buchester. I have also have a Camillus that is copy of the knife made for Buck, with Remington on the shield and Camillus on the tang. A Remillus.

300

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

Thanks 300. So all the current Buck slipjoints are made by Buck in their Plant in Idaho?

If so, I will make that change on the list above.

Again, Thanks.

 

[timsclips]

I believe the 37* and 38* slipjoints sold by Buck are made in China for Buck.

 

[neeman]

Add

Schatt & Morgan - All made by Queen