Big Chief

The Queen Cutlery Company manufactured knives in Titusville Pennsylvania for 96 years. The company opened its only factory there in 1919 and commenced to make some of the best US crafted cutlery you will find. Unfortunately, the Titusville manufacturing plant closed down in 2018.
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treefarmer
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Big Chief

Post by treefarmer »

Been reading for a while about the #45 and today I finally latched on to a BIG CHIEF. It seem like it would be a very practical knife. As noted in other posts there were several variations of this aluminum handled knife. This one has half stops, it walks and talks, it has a little blade loss and suffers from scratches on the blade. The 1st line etch is still prominent, Queen Steel#45, but the 2nd line is almost gone due to sharpening angle. I think it says "Made in USA". The tang is stamped only with "PAT. NO. 2728139". The gunk on the blade should cleanup with a little "Mothers" ::nod:: !
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jerryd6818
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Re: Big Chief

Post by jerryd6818 »

Phil, I've never handled one but as I understand it, when they say Big Chief, they mean BIG CHIEF. I get the impression they're quite a handful.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by treefarmer »

Jerry,
It's a very light weight knife, would be great with my set of "summer service dress regulation" shorts, while mowing or messin' in the garden. This one has tremendous snap, coming from the half stop, you best have them fingers out of the way ::woot:: !
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Re: Big Chief

Post by tjmurphy »

Here's one that I've had for several years. The "Big Chief" has an interesting drop-in, internal spring. And there's the other line of blade etch.
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Hey Jerry, you've had a "Big Chief", although it was a POS and you sent it back.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by treefarmer »

TJ,
Your #45 has a little different blade etch, this has one "steel" after Queen. Also after taking the pic of the blade my 2nd line is definitely, "Made in USA". Have no idea how to get close on the dating a Big Chief ::shrug:: .
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Re: Big Chief

Post by tjmurphy »

By George, it is different. No idea on dating either ::shrug:: Here's that patent showing the drop-in, internal spring.

http://www.google.com/patents/US2728139
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Re: Big Chief

Post by treefarmer »

Good info, TJ. From the looks of the patent drawings, the back spring kinda' slides into a notch on the back end of the handle piece and the front of the spring is held in place by the blade after its is set with its' pin. Very simple, few parts and practical. Are these #45 still in production?
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Re: Big Chief

Post by carrmillus »

.......I remember finding one of these in dad's old toolbox, but it had no snap at all, I guess it was missing the spring ?????.............. ::shrug:: ..............
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Re: Big Chief

Post by carrmillus »

treefarmer wrote:TJ,
Your #45 has a little different blade etch, this has one "steel" after Queen. Also after taking the pic of the blade my 2nd line is definitely, "Made in USA". Have no idea how to get close on the dating a Big Chief ::shrug:: .
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.....in goin's, there is a similar mark without the"#45"-1950-1960................ ::shrug:: ...............
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Re: Big Chief

Post by nifbuf »

You can read about the #45 in the third article posted here: http://www.queencutlery.com/Articles.html
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Re: Big Chief

Post by tjmurphy »

Based on the "Q" artwork, I would say that your knife is the older of the two.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by dianamdvd »

Are there any known counterfeits of the Queen Steel Big Chief? My knife (5 inches closed) looks identical to all #45's that I've seen, however, the pat stamp on the tang - is not well done. You can only read the bottom part of pat no and the numbers themselves, though correct are not deeply stamped and hard to read and if there was ever anything etched on the blade, I'm not seeing even a hint of it. It has been sharpened, and there are a few scratches on the blade, but I would think even with a magnifier, if there was ever any etching I should be able to see something...
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Re: Big Chief

Post by treefarmer »

dianamdvd, ::welcome:: to AAPK!
I don't think the Queen 45 knives are too likely to be counterfeited as they are not made like a traditional slip joint pocket knife. They are unique in their design and there are apparently several different configurations of the pattern. They are certainly not as collectible as an older Queen with Winterbottom handle material, but they are still worth having. I've only found 2 in my ramblin' around. :(
I would venture that all evidence of a etch on the blade could be removed by certain normal activities over the years.
See if you can show a picture of your 45 and it's tang stamp. Maybe someone can add a more reliable review.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by Colonel26 »

Most excellent TF. Those seem to be just about he right size too, especially for overall britches pockets.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by bighomer »

treefarmer wrote:Good info, TJ. From the looks of the patent drawings, the back spring kinda' slides into a notch on the back end of the handle piece and the front of the spring is held in place by the blade after its is set with its' pin. Very simple, few parts and practical. Are these #45 still in production?
Treefarmer
TF I think they are out of production since 2004, they made several different types. First picture is from Queens2002 catalog. Others are of my big chief front and back veiws.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by gsmith7158 »

I've been doing a little maintenance on my pile the last couple of days and while I was cleaning up this Big Chief I really was marveling at what a stout and well built knife it is. With all that's going on at Queen I thought I would drag this old post up and see how many of you guys have an old Big Chief and hope for better days at Queen.
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------------------

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Re: Big Chief

Post by jerryd6818 »

Thanks to T.J. Murphy, I have one. I'm quite pleased with it. Much appreciated T.J.

I sincerely hope Queen pulls through these rough times. I would hate to lose that knife buying option, especially their S&M line.
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Queen #45 Big Chief - Open Mark.JPG
Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
Jerry D.

This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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Re: Big Chief

Post by treefarmer »

I've got a couple of Big Chiefs but neither are as nice as Jerry or Greg's. Here's one of them along with best wishes for the Queen company's issues.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by FRJ »

After seeing this thread the other day I remembered that I had yearned for this knife in the past and looked to see if there was one on the bay.
There was.

I wonder if I got the deluxe model with the extended pivot pin? ... on both sides ...
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Re: Big Chief

Post by gsmith7158 »

That's a great snag Joe! Better watch your pinky finger if it has a snap like mine doex ::nod::
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Re: Big Chief

Post by FRJ »

Thank you, Greg.
They did put a responsive spring in these things. ::nod::
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Re: Big Chief

Post by jerryd6818 »

:lol: A responsive spring he says. Yeah! It came off a 3/4 ton pickup.
Forged on the anvil of discipline.
The Few. The Proud.
Jerry D.

This country has become more about sub-groups than about it's unity as a nation.

"The #72 pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012
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Re: Big Chief

Post by bighomer »

Here's my big chief and his little brother.
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Re: Big Chief

Post by treefarmer »

bighomer,
I've got to find a little one now that I know the difference. :)
Is the etch on the Big Chief an advertisement for a company or does that refer to something about the knife? ::hmm::
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Re: Big Chief

Post by bighomer »

Farmer it's advertising. ::tu:: If you go back a ways on this thread I posted a picture of a catalog cut, there a few different configurations of this knife. The picture sucks but you can get a idea of the different ones. ::tu:: ::handshake::
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