What Did I just Buy??

[BBQDAWG]

I need help. I recently purchased what I thought was a Cattaraugus Scout Knife with a compass. Not being knowledgeable on this particular knife, I jumped on it when I perhaps should have done some research.

The numbers on the clip point blade are 1115780 and has the Cattaraugus Cutlery Company Little Valley New York stamping.
The screwdriver/bottle cap opener blade has 422106 stamping (very faint) on the tang.

There are two items on this knife that have me scratching my head.

1. The knife doesn't have a spearpoint main blade. It's a clip point blade.
2. The handle on the back is black, where the front side is brown. (Both handles appear to be bone)

I have attached a couple of photos to help.

[kootenay joe]

I do not collect Catt. so i cannot answer the question about master blade. Regarding the bone handles it is quite common that one side is darker than the other. Pieces of bone absorb dye differently so some pieces are darker, some lighter. Also if a knife is stored on it's side for a few years, the top side handle can get faded by exposure to light, especially sunlight. As long as the jigging is a match you can be fairly certain that both handles are original.
kj

[knife7knut]

I am not an expert on Cattaraugus knives either but looking at the pictures a couple of things come to mind:
First of all I don't recall ever seeing a can opener blade with that shape.
Secondly the master blade could possibly have started life as a spear point and been re-profiled.This because the swedge runs into the nail nick which rarely happens on a production knife and the swedge seems overly long.As I have never seen a Catt scout knife I cannot be sure;just my opinion.

[Mumbleypeg]

Not sure what you have there. It’s not an official BSA scout knife. IIRC the 1115780 is a patent number. Not sure what the other number on your knife is because I don’t recall that any Catt pattern numbers had more than 5 digits. The last digit of Catt pattern numbers denotes the handle material - “6” should be ebony. The clip blade is unusual, my guess is it’s probably not original to the knife. Different color handles on opposite sides is not unusual. It’s possible the knife could be one of the many made from surplus parts sold after Cattaraugus closed.

FWIW here’s a similar knife I have, which has unmatched handle covers. IIRC the patent number is stamped on the pile side of the master blade.

Ken

BBADBB67-F917-47E2-89B8-9C564666DCAF.jpeg (58.97 KiB) Viewed 2365 times

[richard]

i would say the main blade is a reworked.spear blade.
the catts i have seen like this have a pattern no. 42209 or 42219.
looks like a original compass.?
the replacements have 'japan' stamped on them. in large letters.
i have heard some people say. the covers are stag not bone?

[ScoutKnives]

The knife is correct and all original IMO , just a rare variation with that master blade .
I have seen and owned a few . Not uncommon at all for Cattaraugus to put two different color handles on this pattern .

[thefarside]

I agree with Mike (ScoutKnives), it is a good knife. I owned one similar to your example etched "California Clip".

[BBQDAWG]

O.K. one more question for the Catt guys. Is there a reference document that I can use to determine when the knife was made? Or a range of years the knife was made?

[Steve Warden]

Now, see, I was going to say it was made sometime between then and now.
But since you asked the Catt guys, I'll just go away

[rmsize]

I believe the Cattaraugus Compass/ Utility is correct because I have one almost identical to yours. Mine has the same US PAT Number, 1115780, and the pattern #422106 on the Can Opener blade. The only difference is that mine has what appears to be Rough Black handles.

[BBQDAWG]

Now, see, I was going to say it was made sometime between then and now.
But since you asked the Catt guys, I'll just go away

Well, that narrowed it down a bit. Thanks for your research. LOL

BTW, I was in the Air Force from 1970 thru 1974. E-4, 36251. Moved around a bit in that time. Lackland, Sheppard, Scott, Ft. Monmouth, Warin Thailand, Patrick. USAF was good for me, don't want to do it again, but it was good for me.

Thanks for your service Sarge.

[Steve Warden]

Now, see, I was going to say it was made sometime between then and now.
But since you asked the Catt guys, I'll just go away

Well, that narrowed it down a bit. Thanks for your research. LOL

BTW, I was in the Air Force from 1970 thru 1974. E-4, 36251. Moved around a bit in that time. Lackland, Sheppard, Scott, Ft. Monmouth, Warin Thailand, Patrick. USAF was good for me, don't want to do it again, but it was good for me.

Thanks for your service Sarge.

And thank you

[1fartsmella]

I beleive the patent was for a combined compass and a knife: Nov. 3 1914. https://patents.google.com/patent/US111 ... nt:1115780