Old Cattle Knives

This forum is dedicated to the discussion and display of old knives. The rich history of all the many companies that made them through the early years will be found here as well as many fine examples of the cutlers art. Share pictures of your old knives and your knowledge here!
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

Yet another old Hammer Brand cattle knife I picked up for $2 at the flea market. The handle coloring on this one is somewhat "Parquet-ish".
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by whitebuffalo58 »

I think I have it's clip bladed brother OC. I averaged more then $2 a knife on the lot it came in, so I think you did great.
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WB
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

whitebuffalo58 wrote:I think I have it's clip bladed brother OC. I averaged more then $2 a knife on the lot it came in, so I think you did great.

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WB
Yours looks like the same pattern on the handles, but with a different background color. I think mine was a bargain because the master blade had been chipped. The curve of the cutting edge doesn't look quite right. I have several Hammer cattle knives, but all of mine have a large spear blade. I don't have one with a clip blade, will have to keep an eye out for one.
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by RalphAlsip »

This is a Russell USA Cattle knife. In the top-down view note that the brass liner adjacent to the punch is a partial liner and the space in the blade well where the liner would have been is occupied by the punch. This design allows the other 2 blades to be straight and the punch is bent.
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Russell USA Cattle Knife
Russell USA Cattle Knife
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stockman
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by stockman »

Jerry, That is a very rare knife. Also nice.

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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

My brother in law gave me this Kutmaster cattle knife that he got in a box of stuff at an auction. Front bone is good, rear has a big piece broken off. Some one tried to tighten up the joints by hammering the pins, but did not use a slacker. Now you can barely pull the blades open they are so tight. That will all be fixed when it comes apart to rehandle.
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by djknife13 »

I just picked up this Enderes dark jigged bone cattle knife in super nice condition along with the other two tag alongs. I believe Camillus made this one (could be wrong). Levines lists them in the late 1920's. ___Dave
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by Tsar Bomba »

Judging by the shield and "jigging" that is indeed a Camillus.
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

I just finished rehandling the Kutmaster cattle knife pictured above. Replaced the broken bone handles with elk stag. Now it is an EDC in my pocket.
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by Tsar Bomba »

Nice work on making that Kutmaster really pop, OC! ::tu::

That should be a fine EDC for a long long time. ::nod::
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

Has not been a post here in awhile. I picked up a couple of junior cattle knives for my pile over the weekend.
Camillus 64, 3 3/8"
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Landers, Frary, & Clark, 3 3/8", number 80633 3/4, with what looks like gold swirl celluloid. For Flesh Only etched on spey blade.
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by BWT »

Nice finds OC!!!
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by FRJ »

Here's an old Shapleigh with a Boker sheepsfoot (I recon that otta be a spey, Pilgrim) that was installed a long time ago. Nice job! ::nod::
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by KAW »

All great lookin' knives... ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::

Would someone please explain to me what makes a cattle knife different from a stockman?
At first I thought it was an equal end 3 bladed knife vs. a serpentine, but I see posted on this thread serpentine pattern knives being called cattle knives. Some have a punch, but others appear to have the same blades combination as a stockman. Each time I think I have it figured out, I get more confused. ::doh:: ::shrug::
'til later....
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by gsmith7158 »

That is the generally accepted definition Kaw. Those who continue to post these serpentine stockman deserve a good tongue lashing don't you think? :D
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

gsmith7158 wrote:That is the generally accepted definition Kaw. Those who continue to post these serpentine stockman deserve a good tongue lashing don't you think? :D
Oh Oh, he is talking about me? My bad. I was calling them cattle knives because they had an awl instead of a sheepsfoot on an otherwise stockman frame. And junior because they are 3 3/8" or less. So all cattle knives are equal end?
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by KAW »

OC... your photos are not the only ones. The serpentine pattern has been presented throughout this thread.

So I guess this Dwight Devine Ulster would be considered a cattle knife even though it doesn't have a punch blade?
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by gsmith7158 »

OLDE CUTLER wrote:
gsmith7158 wrote:That is the generally accepted definition Kaw. Those who continue to post these serpentine stockman deserve a good tongue lashing don't you think? :D
Oh Oh, he is talking about me? My bad. I was calling them cattle knives because they had an awl instead of a sheepsfoot on an otherwise stockman frame. And junior because they are 3 3/8" or less. So all cattle knives are equal end?
OC just a friendly little poke in the ribs. This is another one of those hotly contested ideals that always brings on a lot of conversation but seldom arrives at a definitive answer. ::sneaky::
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by LongBlade »

The answer as to a definition of a Cattle knife to a Stockman is about as clear as the sky on a cloudy rainy day :D .... I think for the most part Cattle knives are equal end frames and Stockmans are serpentine handles with exceptions:

If one reads Levine there are a variety of Cattle knives and indeed there are some called premier serpentine cattle knives... supposedly what differentiates a Cattle Knife from a serpentine stockman is that Cattle knives have Spear point master blades while Stockmans always have a clip blade as the master... Also a Stockman can theoretically have a punch blade (and not all Cattle knives have a punch or awl)... Yet when I look at some of the examples of illustrated knives for each category I see a few Cattle knives with clip blades and one Stockman knife example with a spear blade... From a personal perspective I also think Cattle knives are more robust in hand whereas Stockmans are slimmer...

So is it just opinion?? In some cases probably and many others I think it is pretty clear - how's that for an answer :lol: ... IMO - Going back through the thread I can see knives that I would call Stockman knives for sure...

My opinion -

Olde Cutler - I would say you have some sweet Stockman knives ::tu:: :) ... I think it is cool to see a punch on a Stockman ::nod::

Ken - That looks like a classic Cattle knife to me and quite nice in MOP ::tu:: and no punch or awl needed :) ....
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by wlf »

And..... I can just see the cowboy with a pearl cattle knife. I'm grin'n
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by LongBlade »

wlf wrote:And..... I can just see the cowboy with a pearl cattle knife. I'm grin'n
Lyle - I was thinking the same thing - it’s not the first I have seen in MOP... maybe they were for fancy cowboys who drive a Cadillac :lol: :lol: ....

One other thing regarding handles - according to the “book” the majority were celluloid or jigged bone but “fancy” ones (I quote fancy) were MOP or fancy celluloid...... I would think given wood may be more durable that it would be a handle of choice but guess not...
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OLDE CUTLER
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

My nephew dropped off this cattle knife to have a little work done on it. It is a Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett, and Co. with nice bone handles. I understand Schrade, Camillus, and /or New York Knife made most of these. Is it possible to determine the manufacturer of these by the shield, and the observation that the three blades each use a different pull? The spear master has a match strike, the sheepsfoot has the short D shaped nail nick, and the skinner has a long pull.
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by peanut740 »

Looks like New York Knife.Fine knife OC. ::tu::
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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by KAW »

Sweet lookin' cattle knife OC... that one has it all going for it... nice jigged bone... luv the blade combination in such great shape and with those different pulls!... ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu:: 8)
'til later....
Ken

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Re: Old Cattle Knives

Post by stockman »

Fine old cattle knife with nice old NYK bone.

Harold
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