Old Cattle Knives

OLDE CUTLER · Post by **OLDE CUTLER** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 6:57 pm

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?

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?

KAW · Post by **KAW** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:46 pm

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?

gsmith7158 · Post by **gsmith7158** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:30 pm

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?
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.

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:47 pm

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

.... 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

... 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

... I think it is cool to see a punch on a Stockman

Ken - That looks like a classic Cattle knife to me and quite nice in MOP

and no punch or awl needed

....

wlf · Post by **wlf** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 9:14 pm

And..... I can just see the cowboy with a pearl cattle knife. I'm grin'n

LongBlade · Post by **LongBlade** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 9:31 pm

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

....

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...

OLDE CUTLER · Post by **OLDE CUTLER** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:00 pm

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.

peanut740 · Post by **peanut740** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 7:44 pm

Looks like New York Knife.Fine knife OC.

KAW · Post by **KAW** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 8:28 pm

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!...

stockman · Post by **stockman** » Wed Dec 12, 2018 12:43 am

Fine old cattle knife with nice old NYK bone.

Harold

tongueriver · Post by **tongueriver** » Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:18 am

That is a looker, Jim; I don't know the answers to your questions except that I am pretty sure there are no Schrade CutCo genes in that one. And I think it dates to before 1930 (say).

tongueriver · Post by **tongueriver** » Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:24 am

LongBlade wrote:.. maybe they were for fancy cowboys who drive a Cadillac .... .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hQibx6FDRU

1fartsmella · Post by **1fartsmella** » Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:54 am

OLDE CUTLER wrote: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.
IMG_2581.JPG
IMG_2582.JPG

OC, I agree with Roger. This HSB has all the DNA of a New York Knife Co cattle knife. The first pic is a lo-res scan of an old ebay auction photo from 2005. An etched NYK cattle knife. I had to keep a copy of this "Grail" knife that went for a lot of money back in 2005. The second pic is a copy from a 1908 catalog with the Cattle Knife Etched knife on the right. It came in Ebony and Stag (jigged bone). The Knife is 3 3/4" closed. I would guess that your knife was etched with the same etch when it was new. Check the wholesale price in 1908 was $15 bucks per dozen. Likely $2.00 each retail back then.

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:42 pm

OC, that is a beautiful old Cattle knife.

Picked up this Wards with nice bone and an unusual shield, knife is all steel construction.

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 11:29 am

A New York Knife Co, used but not abused.

KnifeSlinger#81 · Post by **KnifeSlinger#81** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:56 pm

Sweet old cattle knives, they really get my motor running

KnifeSlinger#81 · Post by **KnifeSlinger#81** » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:21 pm

Hey folks lets see some more of those cattles that are out there

gsmith7158 · Post by **gsmith7158** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 1:16 pm

Here are acouple of new ones I just got. I do believe the Case will ride in the pocket some.

KAW · Post by **KAW** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 8:46 pm

Greg... that's a really fine lookin' Empire you have there...

... the Case is not bad either... eventho its not a brand I collect... they're still nice to look at...

gsmith7158 · Post by **gsmith7158** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 8:59 pm

KAW wrote:Greg... that's a really fine lookin' Empire you have there...
... the Case is not bad either... eventho its not a brand I collect... they're still nice to look at...

Thanks Ken! They are both fantastic knives. I was very happy to find the Empire.

KnifeSlinger#81 · Post by **KnifeSlinger#81** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:39 pm

What an excellent find that empire is Greg. The case is no slouch either.

gsmith7158 · Post by **gsmith7158** » Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:05 pm

KnifeSlinger#81 wrote:What an excellent find that empire is Greg. The case is no slouch either.

Thanks Paul!

FRJ · Post by **FRJ** » Sun Feb 17, 2019 1:09 am

gsmith7158 wrote: I was very happy to find the Empire.

Yer killin me here!

That thing is just as good looking in this thread.

rugmar · Post by **rugmar** » Mon Feb 18, 2019 7:57 pm

Here is my only "cattle knife". I just found this one a week or two ago and couldn't resist it's charm. I love the blade that says for cutting flesh only. At first I thought maybe it said for cutting flush only but found out from this wonderful site that I was wrong.

luckydog64 · Post by **luckydog64** » Mon Feb 18, 2019 9:23 pm

Nice knife Rugmar. Is that a Cattaraugus?

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