Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Former Schrade President Walley Gardner and principal Joe Hufnagel joined with nine master cutlers to form a group of US craftsmen with over 300 years of combined knife making experience to create Canal Street Cutlery. It was first located in upstate New York where a long and rich tradition of quality knife making dates back to the 19th century. Unfortunately, the company closed its doors in 2015, but not before making some great knives. The brand was resurrected in 2018 as Canal Street Cutlery Co-Op & focused on making very small batches of high quality traditional knives. As a Co-Op, it was owned by the knife makers who worked there. Unfortunately, the business model couldn't hold up & the entity again ceased production.
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RalphAlsip
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Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by RalphAlsip »

I'm hoping to get clarification related to whether, or not, Canal Street made the Ka-Bar copper bolster and copper dogs head knife pictured below. If not Canal Street I would be grateful for opinions as to who did make it. Thanks in advance.
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Ka-Bar Lockback Copper Bolster Copper Dogs Head
Ka-Bar Lockback Copper Bolster Copper Dogs Head
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by Stakeknife »

Holy Moley, I think I have the exact same knife! :lol: I'll post some pics tomorrow. I have the exact same questions. By the way, I really like it! ::tu::
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by philco »

I have my doubts about that being a Canal Street build, but I've sent a PM to "the man", Eric who should be able to give us the low down on this question.
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by ea42 »

Yep, that was made by Canal Street. We made the smaller pinch lockback and that larger squeeze lockback for them as well as a drop point sheath knife, a barlow, a trapper, and a single blade trapper. All had the copper bolsters. As far as I know Canal Street was the exclusive builder of that Coppersmith line.

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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by Stakeknife »

Here's mine, it has a differant blade and the pooch is mounted in a differant location. Also no lanyard hole. One of my fav EDC.
Mine is stamped Olean N.Y. ::tu::c

So Eric you used to work at Canal St?
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image.jpg
image.jpg
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by ea42 »

Ed, that's the smaller model, we did two sizes for them. Here's a quick shot for comparison. That funky rough look on the butts of the knives is some kind of weird reflection, they're quite smooth:
Kabar Lockbacks.jpg
I worked there for about five years, probably assembled and cutlered 98% of the lockbacks that went out the door. Great bunch of people to work with, I miss them all.

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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by RalphAlsip »

ea42 wrote:Yep, that was made by Canal Street.
Eric, thank you for the confirmation. The knife certainly has a Canal Street feel to it. The Ka-Bar rendition of the Squeeze frame seems a tad bit shorter/smaller than the Canal Street marked Squeeze frame.
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by big monk »

philco wrote:I have my doubts about that being a Canal Street build, but I've sent a PM to "the man", Eric who should be able to give us the low down on this question.
Phil, you should have recognized the knives ?? :) -- same pattern/knives as the "" Diamondback Rattler set"" you got from me :)
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by philco »

You're right Monk, I should have. I've got a couple of those squeeze lockbacks but to be honest with you the photo in the original post didn't have much to reference the size of the knife and I thought it was a smaller knife than what it was.
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by WillClinger »

All made by Canal Street:
Ka-Bar group of six
Ka-Bar group of six
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by ea42 »

Great group shot, you beat me to it lol!

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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by WillClinger »

Eric, I thank you for the Squeeze and Pinch lockbacks I carry on day hikes, and for all the other Canal Street knives you had a hand in making.
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by RalphAlsip »

ea42 wrote:Yep, that was made by Canal Street. Eric
Eric, I'm hoping I don't wear out my welcome with yet another Canal Street Ka-Bar SFO question...

This Ka-Bar Union Dog's Head locking swing guard folding hunter surely seems like a Canal Street product. I would be very grateful for any insight you (or anyone) could provide.

Many thanks.
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Ka-Bar Union Dog's Head Locking Swing Guaurd Hunter
Ka-Bar Union Dog's Head Locking Swing Guaurd Hunter
Ka-Bar Union Doghead Locking Swing Guard Hunter #3A.JPG
Has a nice box like a Canal Street
Has a nice box like a Canal Street
Ka-Bar Union Doghead Locking Swing Guard Hunter COA small.jpg
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by ea42 »

Ralph, that's definitely a Canal Street made knife. We made that along with an elephant toenail, a trapper, and a sheath knife all with the same bone for them.

Eric
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by wazu013 »

RalphAlsip wrote:
ea42 wrote:Yep, that was made by Canal Street. Eric
Eric, I'm hoping I don't wear out my welcome with yet another Canal Street Ka-Bar SFO question...

This Ka-Bar Union Dog's Head locking swing guard folding hunter surely seems like a Canal Street product. I would be very grateful for any insight you (or anyone) could provide.

Many thanks.
Ralph,
If you look on the swing guard next to the patent number you'll see the letters CS stamped on it.
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by RalphAlsip »

wazu013 wrote: Ralph, If you look on the swing guard next to the patent number you'll see the letters CS stamped on it.
wazu, thank you for pointing that out! Attaching a close-up view for posterity.
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Ka-Bar Union Doghead Locking Swing Guard Hunter SG Close-up.jpg
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by wazu013 »

RalphAlsip wrote:
wazu013 wrote: Ralph, If you look on the swing guard next to the patent number you'll see the letters CS stamped on it.
wazu, thank you for pointing that out! Attaching a close-up view for posterity.
::tu::
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by 1967redrider »

Anyone know if this Ka-Bar folding hunter was made by Canal Street? I can't seem to find any information on this 0983 number stamped on the pile side of the mail blade. Could it mean it was made in September 1983 or is it a pattern number? ::shrug::
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KabarDogsHead1.jpg
KabarDogsHead2.jpg
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by Airborne 1 »

@ea42
If I was a betting man I'd say no. but we have a res.expert ! ::hmm::
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by 1967redrider »

Thanks for your reply, Airborne, that's what I'm hoping for. ::handshake::
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by ea42 »

Definitely not Canal Street. Maybe Queen? I know they had a similar pattern to that but not sure if they ever did the grooved pulls. ::hmm::
I'm 95% sure it's Queen though.

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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by 1967redrider »

ea42 wrote:Definitely not Canal Street. Maybe Queen? I know they had a similar pattern to that but not sure if they ever did the grooved pulls. ::hmm::
I'm 95% sure it's Queen though.

Eric
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by Sharpnshinyknives »

ea42 wrote: Thu Oct 19, 2017 4:15 am Yep, that was made by Canal Street. We made the smaller pinch lockback and that larger squeeze lockback for them as well as a drop point sheath knife, a barlow, a trapper, and a single blade trapper. All had the copper bolsters. As far as I know Canal Street was the exclusive builder of that Coppersmith line.

Eric
Hey Eric, What year were these made? I just bought a Barlow, hasn’t arrived yet, but I am curious about the year of production on these Coppersmith knives.
Thanks
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by bkazz5 »

Thanks for all the good info in this post. Here are 3 of the 4 kabars mentioned earlier. Don't have the elephant toe. Wish I did.
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cs 1.jpg
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Re: Ka-Bar Made by Canal Street

Post by Sharpnshinyknives »

Got this Barlow Coppersmith in today. Bought it right here on AAPK from Brent at LuvStag. I had been outbid on one just the day before he posted this one for sale in his store. I couldn’t move fast enough to get this one. I love the mirror polished backsprings. That’s a feature that really sets a knife off for me.
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IMG_2379.jpeg
IMG_2382.jpeg
IMG_2383.jpeg
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