Wards Master Quality - Restored Skinning Knife

BRAND:  Ward Master Quality

MAKER:   Western

PATTERN:   Skinning knife

BLADE ETCH:  ORVET CUSTOMS (logo)/ DALE VINCENT

OAL:   8-1/4”

BLADE LENGTH:   4-1/2”

GUARD:   Aluminum

POMMEL:  Aluminum birds head pommel

HANDLE:   Original aluminum rings and colored spacers with new impala jigged Amber bone inserts.

TANG STAMPS:   WARDS/MASTER QUALITY/LICENSED UNDER/PAT. NO. (some numbers illegible) 179

SHEATH:   New handmade leather sheath that I made using the original sheath for a pattern.

BLADE WEAR:   I don’t know what this pattern originally looked like with the Wards branding, but I think the blade is nearly full.

MADE IN:  U.S.A. 

CUSTOMIZED IN: U.S.A. by Orvet (Dale Vincent)

ADDITIONAL INFO:  This knife was originally made for Montgomery Wards & Co by Western Knife Company in Boulder Colorado. Western is widely noted for their bifurcated (two-part) tang in the handle of many of their knives. This originally had a beautiful handle with celluloid inserts between the rings at either end of the handle. Celluloid unfortunately is prone to breaking down, a process called off-gassing, and when this takes place it releases acidic vapors of nitric and sulfuric acids which can cause corrosion of the steel and brass of the knife itself. You can see the pitting on the front side of the blade and the deterioration of the lower line of the tang stamp. These are caused by the off-gassing process. I removed the old celluloid inserts and cleaned the knife. Then I replaced the celluloid inserts with bone inserts made from cow bone that was jigged to look like impala horn and dyed an amber color.

The original sheath was made of much lighter leather than the replacement sheath. I use the original sheath is a pattern and made a heavier hand stitched sheath to fit this knife.

This is a restored & customized vintage knife. Like most old soldiers it may have a few battle scars, but it is ready to go to work! 

*By Purchasing, The Buyer Confirms It Is Legal For Them Purchase And Own This Knife.

 Shipped by Priority Mail

Item # 44064