Western Knife Date Codes

[deo-pa]

I have a Western stockman model S-244 pen knife (see below) that I really enjoy carrying. It's stamped as follows: Main blade front = WESTERN USA, Main blade back = S-244 STAINLESS, Secondary blades on back = S.

I've read about Western's process of using letter codes starting with A in 1977 to date knives. Goins says the letter was put under the USA. I've been assuming that there wasn't enough room to stamp a date code under the USA on small knives so the S on the secondary blades is a date code, which would make it a 1995. Does this seem like a reasonable assumption or might the S be something else (say Stainless)?

If it is a date code then that means that both the WESTERN USA stamp and the letter date codes continued through both the Coleman (1984) and Camillus (1991) eras. Is that correct? Thanks,

Dennis

[orvet]

Camillus bought Western from Coleman in 1991.
The immediately discontinued the date codes according to Tom Williams who was the Camillus Historian.

The 's' is probably for stainless. I know Camillus used that on some other knives.

[deo-pa]

Thank you orvet. I've subsequently found this knife in online PDFs of 1980 and 1982 Western catalogs, so it is probably dates from late 70s to early 80s.

[tongueriver]

I don't think Western ever put a date code on folding knives but I could be wrong and would like to know...

And here is another question. Goins says Western States 1911 to 1951, and Western after that. And this is quoted EVERYWHERE as gospel. However, Platts, a late owner, who wrote the book on the company, The Knifemakers Who Went West, said that the first Western Cutlery buildings started construction in Boulder in 1918, after the War. And he goes on to say later that the company changed their letterheads in 1942. Old man Platts was bringing knives out West from his connections in Pennsylvania and New York and selling them in Colorado at least until after WWI, and all the way to 1928 at least for the fixed blades. I have never seen a post-WWII knife with a Western States arched stamp, and I don't think they exist. I think the 1911-1951 dates that Goins quotes are misleading. I think that Western States branded knives should be given the date window of 1918 to 1942, recognizing that there is always some wild cards in the world of cutlery. But I could be wrong and would like to know...

[orvet]

Platts book is my go to for anything authoritative on Western.
I would take Platts over Goins.

[deo-pa]

I think you're wrong Tongue about no date codes on Western folding knives. The photos below show a Western USA stamp with an I date code (1985) and a Coleman-Western with what appears to be an M date code (1989). The 1985 date code would also be in the Coleman era (but just barely), so maybe it was very late Western. (By the way, the knife stamped with the I is for sale now in the Sander's Knives store.)

I also have a PDF 1980 Western catalog that shows folding knives on the cover with date stamps, but also shows some folders on the inside pages with date stamps and some without. Either Western was inconsistent with their date stamping or they were reusing older photos in their catalog.

By the way, I see no knives in either my 1980 or 1982 catalog with circles around the date codes but I do see some with the circle and some without the circle in my 1986 Coleman-era catalog, which leads me to think the circle was a Coleman-era feature.

Finally, http://iknifecollector.com/group/stockm ... n-stockman has another discussion about Western dating issues. Ah, the joys of dating knives, even modern ones!

Dennis