Kershaw 1040 ???????

[Mossdancer]

Have had this in the drawer for many years. After pulling it out it appears to be a folding field II. How ever I have never had one without that marking on it. Any of your knowledge will be appreciated. Could it be a predecessor to the Field II? Maybe a prototype. The handle looks to be bone with the striations in it. If not what type is the synthetic material. Does it hold any value? Approximate year of manf? Thanks for your assistance.
moss

[knife7knut]

That is a strange one indeed! Looks like the bolsters were never finished.Could well be a prototype;do you remember where you got it? Being from Oregon,maybe it slipped out of the factory.Here is a pic of mine(along with a fixed blade version);note the differences in bolster shape.

[Mossdancer]

Picked it up here on the coast of NW Or. Yours appears to be the larger one called I think the Field. Very nice cutter.
moss

[orvet]

The 1982 Kershaw catalog lists the 1040 Folding Field II with bone handles and scrimshawed scenes by Gary Harbor. A mallard scene and deer scene were offered that year.
It was also produced that year with water buffalo bone handles, though the example in the catalog showed some color in the bone.

It may be that yours just has plain white water buffalo bone or it was made for scrimshaw, but was never scrimshawed.

I vaguely recall that some were made later with white bone handles. I don't remember the year, but with that tang stamp it was probably before KAI Cutlery bought Kershaw.

[Mossdancer]

Thanks Dale.
wb