Wooden scales jack knife help please

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GerryD
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Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

Here we have a military Jack knife that measurers 8.5” open and 5” closed.
It has wooden scales a marlin spike and a can opener. It does not have any military markings but it looks military to me.
It has “C.Works on the tang with another word beneath, I can just make out “abad” as the last four letters but they are not clear.
I guess its around 1910 ish but again I’m not sure.

Gerry
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ww1.jpg
ww1-2.jpg
ww1-3.jpg
ww1-4.jpg
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Lawrence
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by Lawrence »

Ok, with the clues given this is an old boy scouts knife in my collection with C and works on the tang. abad may be other letters?
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C.J. Johnson Western Works Sheffield (5).JPG
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

thanks Lawrence that's a new angle I will investigate

gerry
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Miller Bro's
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by Miller Bro's »

GerryD wrote:It has “C.Works on the tang with another word beneath, I can just make out “abad” as the last four letters but they are not clear.
Please post a picture of the tang stamp.
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GerryD
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

The tang marks are not clear but this is as good as I can get the image, I have seen another example of this knife on another forum but I'm not sure what the situation is to attaching links?
If its alright to attach maybe a moderator will advise?
I don't think its from the boy scout stable though.

Gerry
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

If it not allowed remove it but a little way down this page is an example.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... ives/page7
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by jerryd6818 »

Captain Obvious here. The knife is an early 1900s British Army Knife. As for the tang stamp. ::shrug::
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Miller Bro's
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by Miller Bro's »

Gerry, what did you find out over at British Blades?
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

That's a good question, for some reason I've not been able to get on the site either I've gat a problem or the site has, keeps posting that there is a database error.
Gerry
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

Can you log on the BB site? I was going to ring "OWDTOM" BUT I've lost his number.
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Miller Bro's
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by Miller Bro's »

No, I cannot get on the site either ::shrug::

I am getting the same database error you are, so it must be a problem on their end.
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by jerryd6818 »

I'll make it unanimous. Definitely a problem on their end.
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Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
Jerry D.

This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

Its been like that for a few days now????
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orvet
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by orvet »

GerryD wrote:
If its alright to attach maybe a moderator will advise?

Gerry

Gerry,
You can post links to other forums here on AAPK, no problem. ::nod::
Whether you can post a link to AAPK on another forum is up the rules of the other forum.
I am not sure which other forums will allow it, they all probably have different rules.
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

Looks like I already Orvet did but thanks anyway its nice to know.
Miller Bro's I might see "OWDTOM" soon at the Newark Antique fair but its a long shot its a LARGE fair. I suspect I will have to wait for the BB site to work again.
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by Miller Bro's »

Gerry,

I like a good mystery.

I think I have figured it out.

Top line: R.C. Cutlery

Below: Wazirabad

The knife was made in Wazirabad Pakistan, which would be the equivalent of Sheffield England to knife making in Pakistan.
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GerryD
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

Brilliant but where did you get R C Cutlery from out of C. Works? Not saying you are wrong, were RC Cutlery a listed company?
The BB site is up and running and Zorro has suggested its Indian (not native US) and could have been made between 1920-1940 .
Pakistan was formed in 1947 and before that it was part of India so I suspect this is a knife made for the Indian army (part of the British army then) to a British military pattern.
I like the thought process to the "abad".
I didn't know about the Pakistan knife industry but of course I've seen lots of modern lock knives from there. I've Googled for info but its early days.
So the learning curve has just got steeper and as "Forest" said AGAIN!!!!!
Thanks

Gerry
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by Miller Bro's »

Gerry,

I posted that reply in the early morning before going to sleep, I am more rested now so let me clarify my response.

R. C. (Cutlery) Works

The "C" is what I was referring to. To my eye I see the letter "R" before the "C" and over the years I have seen a knife marked R.C. Works that was clearly made in Pakistan/ India.

I think with this information you should be on your way to finding out more about your knife ::tu::
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by kootenay joe »

Interesting thread, sort of "Forensic Knifeology".
Most of us probably get a feeling of disappointment when discovering one of our old knives was made in Pakistan or India. I am trying to become more objective regarding knives from these 2 countries; i.e. examine it before deciding it is 'no good'. I am sure that some of the vintage India and Pakistan knives are decent usable knives (& Kukris).
kj
GerryD
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by GerryD »

The BB site is up and running again and "Zorro" has indicated that he thinks it's an Indian Army issue. He says that the army often ordered knives to be made but did not aways get stamped with WD.
I quote from BB Zorro "India pre independence was under British rule for many years, so much so that even to this day the English language both spoken and written is still dominant in bureaucracy and industry. Before independence virtually every engineering concern would have had British directors, so the word "works" stamped on a domestically produced blade would not be unusual."
Date wise could be between early 1920 -- 1940 .
As for the maker the jury is still out but if you have any ideas post away.
Again it looks like 40 span is as good as it gets so thanks to all the contributions i have others i know little about.

gerry
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Re: Wooden scales jack knife help please

Post by Miller Bro's »

I don't agree with everything he said. The Indian cutler's learned their trade in England and copied many of the English knife patterns when they returned to their home country and started a cottage knife industry. They knew what patterns were popular and made those often times stamping them with very similar English trademarks to capitalize on their popularity.

I think knives like these were made to be sold to English sailors who were docked there and were looking for a particular pocket knife but did not want to pay the price for the genuine article made in England, the same thing goes on today except China is selling them.
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