All About Pocket Knives

Hey upnorth, I am a rookie! Been collecting knives though for about 12 or 13 years. Mostly a Doc collector but I never met a knife I didn't like. Ya know what I mean? Would love to see a Waterville Doc!

Charlie, Is there any machine work on that Waterville punch blade, or is it flat ground on both sides ? I love that green cell !

Wtbuff, Just a thought...but the engraving on your knife looks to be done with an electric pencil. In the 40's, 50's, and probably before, many gift items were sold at amusement parks, fun fairs, etc., and personalized with an inscription of your choice. I recall ID bracelets being the most common choice, but penknives were also among the offerings. Might explain the "Waterville" on a Sheffield knife.

Fran

Charlie,
Does that celluloid have a base color under it?
I have a NYK that has similar celluloid on it, however if you look at the edge of the scale, it is red. It almost looks like the color was layered on in the process of making the handles. It has beautiful handles but the blades are mostly gone, the spay & clip broken off.

Dale

Hi Fran, I remember those old penknives, I even have a couple in my collection. Most of them are about a level 1-3 knife as far as quality, this one is a solid level 8 by comparison. Also this knife is a full size (3-3/4) wharncliffe, which was a pattern very common to the era. You're probably right though about the "Waterville" being some sort of personalization marking. Reckon i'll start concentrating my efforts more towards the "Kirkham" tang stamp to I.D. this knife. Maybe someday i'll find a connection to Waterville but it's looking less likely all the time. Thanks, Rob

Welcome whitebuffalo!! Anything to do with Buffalo, NY??

Fran, the back of the punch is quite round; D-shaped in cross section. Definitely a punch. Hardly any wear, unlike the blade which is down some.

Dale, the cell has no backer, but I have seen the backers of which you speak, on other knives. Can't think of an example I might have, although I have a tortoise cell that has the usual gold colored back, but you can't see it from the edge.

Dale,

I think some cell was made with a liner. Here's an old Colonial on which you can see the cell wearing away at the corners. Looks like it's laminated to a cardboard type of material. It looks like a very thin masonite.

Fran

Here is a picture to show what I mean.
There seems to be a base color upon which the celluloid is built.

I am not explaining it right, but hopefully you can understand what I am trying to say.

Dale

Hi Fran, I feel welcome. Thanks for the kind greets! No, actually I live in southern MO. right in the heart of the Ozark Mnts. 2 miles from Bull Shoals Lake and the AR. border. The whitebuffalo comes from a life long passion and respect for the native american culture. Lets face it they were the earliest custom knifemakers. And I do collect knives from all eras. Heres one example. An early doctors knife I think. HAHA.

Ah-hah ! Got it Dale. Don't have any like that....cool.

Hey Whitebuffalo......you have me cornfused with that old guy with the long white beard,
Upnorth...aka Charlie....aka Santa.

I'm happy to see you here too. I forgot my manners.

Fran

Yep, i'm a rookie alright! Is everyone in this forum a Waterville collector? If so maybe someone can tell me if Waterville ever produced a doctors pattern. And are there other forums specific to other brands and patterns? I haven't had much chance to browse around.

Heck...we collect anything except sharp sticks around here, There's even a place for your knapped blades. You've got lots of reading here to catch up.

Fran

Sauconian wrote:Heck...we collect anything except sharp sticks around here, There's even a place for your knapped blades. You've got lots of reading here to catch up.

Fran

I'll have you know I collect sharp sticks!!

Sauconian wrote:Heck...we collect anything except sharp sticks around here
Fran

Fran
You don't?????

I guess me & Charlie will have to rectify that situation.

Dale

My sharp sticks;
From rustic edge, to chisel point, to button-down points, a sharp stick collection is a joy and a treasure! I am still searching for the Holy Grail, a twig from the old Waterville picnic grounds.

Charlie,

Eric and I have a whole collection of vintage sharp sticks to sell you ! All from Walden.

They ain't gonna be cheap... but I'll throw in a couple of rare ones too, from Allentown.

Fran

Well, I don't have any Waterville or Walden sticks but I do have a number of Vintage Oregon sticks.
Sticks related to such world famous cutlery companies as Murphy (Murphy combat knives & the original maker of Gerber Knives), and of course Gerber sticks, Al Mar sticks, Benchmade sticks, and Columbia River Knife & Tool sticks.

I even have a stick verified to be sharpened by Orvet, the barely known & occasionally heralded sometimes knife maker & customizer of knives.
(I think I can even get him to sign one).

Unfortunately, I do not have a way to scan them, as they won’t fit my scanner.
However, I just ordered a photo booth today & if the interest remains high in the sticks, I can make, …er, ……. I mean photograph some sticks for this thread when my new booth arrives.

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Fran,
Please post pics of all the sharp sticks (you may exclude the dull ones) in your collection.
Perhaps we can get Bryan to set aside a special thread for Stick Swapping!

Dale

With apologies to AnotherKnifeCollector, for totally hijacking his thread!! Back to Waterville guys!!!!


(Real Walden sticks, Fran?? Sharp???)

Four months later a Waterville beaches itself in the Pacific Northwest!!
This knife was preceded by a Tsunami!!
I have compared it to a Case 6347 premium Stockman, so you can get an idea of size. It also weighs twice as much as the Case! I've never seen that shield before either; have you??
Here's big Mamoo!! When either blade snaps, all the crows leap from their roost!!

hey charlie, that is a big mamoo! great knife with an interesting shield.


my contribution. water-ville co. ivory quill knife. 3" closed.

jonet143 wrote:hey charlie, that is a big mamoo! great knife with an interesting shield.


my contribution. water-ville co. ivory quill knife. 3" closed.

I think you have the largest vintage collect of knives with imperfections in the country!!!

Pen & Toothpick wrote:

jonet143 wrote:hey charlie, that is a big mamoo! great knife with an interesting shield.


my contribution. water-ville co. ivory quill knife. 3" closed.

I think you have the largest vintage collect of knives with imperfections in the country!!!

what? tranlate please.

I can't translate, but I will say that both the knives shown above are great.

Both have such interesting designs and such a richness about them.

That big old Jack has a backspring like a bear trap. You'd have to put rocks in your other pocket for ballast if you carried that thing.

Phil

jonet143 wrote:hey charlie, that is a big mamoo! great knife with an interesting shield.


my contribution. water-ville co. ivory quill knife. 3" closed.

I can't tell the size, but that quill knife looks like a Little Mamoo, Johnnie ! Nice!!

Sauconian wrote:Just this one.

Fran

I had a xchance at one exactly like that a few weeks back, but it had greenish horn handles. Blade was worn but still snapped like a trap, I nearly fell over when he proudly stated his $600 price tag

Found this Waterville Cutlery Co. knife at a flea market this weekend.Folded it measures 4 inches long. Can anyone out there tell me anything about it?