Why is 32 on a Utica knife?

[bocaj]

No matter how much I learn.. I just know there is a lot more to learn . So , can anyone help me figure out why the number 32 is the fourth line of the tang stamp on my Utica knife ??!
It is on all three blades !

[Ridgegrass]

That's a mystery. No one seems to know much about UTICA stampings and dates. The half moon stamp seems to be older, certainly before the KUTMASTER in 1937. Maybe its a date? pattern number? I have a bunch of older UTICAS and would really like to know more. Good luck. J.O'.

[bocaj]

Thanks. Strange that a company that well known has tough history to uncover. I will try to find a bit more if possible

[1967redrider]

Utica is still in business, to my knowledge, but often overlooked. Sweet knife.

[ScoutKnives]

I have seen it on plenty of early Utica Girl Scout knives , pre war .
Just not enough room on the stamp to put “pat apl 32”
Patten date

Mike

[wlf]

I have seen it on plenty of early Utica Girl Scout knives , pre war .
Just not enough room on the stamp to put “pat apl 32”
Patten date

Mike

In that case , it would seem that the patent # was included in the stamp, right? Not enough room on the tang?

[ScoutKnives]

That would be my guess

Mike

I have seen it on plenty of early Utica Girl Scout knives , pre war .
Just not enough room on the stamp to put “pat apl 32”
Patten date

Mike

In that case , it would seem that the patent # was included in the stamp, right? Not enough room on the tang?

[ea42]

I doubt 32 would be a U.S. patent number, that would have to have it originating in the mid 1800's.

Eric

[ScoutKnives]

“Pat apl 32” is the date the Patent was applied for , not the actual patent number .
I’ll see if I can take a couple pictures of the examples I have .

Mike

I doubt 32 would be a U.S. patent number, that would have to have it originating in the mid 1800's.

Eric

[ea42]

Mike I totally missed where you put patent date on your initial post. That sure makes a lot more sense. I'm apparently a little dense today LOL. Tried doing a search for 1932 Utica patents but came up with nothing. A 1940 patent is all that keeps showing up.

Eric

[msteele6]

I've seen this number 32 or 31 stamped on quite a few Utica made knives including at least a Seneca and also on a few Challenge Cutlery knives. It doesn't seem to be confined to a single pattern, I've never been able to come up with a logical explanation.

[ScoutKnives]

Two early 1930s Girl Scout examples with the pat apl 32 stamp . Both blades are stamped the same .
I have two other examples that are stamped Pat apl 36 and Pat apl 40 .

Mike

[JasonCat]

Mike, nice scouts!!

Here is my 2 cents...

2-digit numbers are often found on Utica knives of the late 1920s to the late 30s and show up either below the main blades tang stamp or on the pile side of the main blade. I see many people claim they are pattern numbers or possibly even date stamps. I have seen these numbers range from 28 to 33 if memory serves correct. Unfortunately, it is not clear exactly what their meaning is. I dont believe they are pattern numbers as the same 2-digit number often shows up on different pattern knives. Date stamps almost seem to make sense because the numbers seem to fall into the approximate date range the knives were likely made but I am not confident in this guess either. Its unclear why they would have felt the need to date them. I dont believe they have anything to do with the patent either, its just coincidence its located under the "pat. apl." line of the tang stamp. These 2-digit numbers often show up on Utica made contract knives as well and can help confirm Utica made the knife.

I wish I had more to offer but thats all I have been able to come up with collecting Utica knives for the past couple years. Hope it helps.

[ea42]

Jason you need to get a part time under cover job there and sneak in to the archived files!

Eric