Dog Head emblem

The KA-BAR brand originated as a trademark of the Tidioute Cutlery Company. Tidioute was later taken over & renamed the Union Cutlery Company which continued making the brand until Union eventually adopted it as the company name in 1952. Cutco Corporation later acquired the company in 1996.
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chorizotaco
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Dog Head emblem

Post by chorizotaco »

I tried to search old threads and didn't find anything so here goes.

When did the Dog Head emblem come into being? It's odd to me since the whole company was founded on a Bear.

Anyone know?
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by peanut740 »

Kabar was Union Cutlery when they started using the dogs head shield ca. early 1920's.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by Gunsil »

I believe Union Cut used the famous dog head shields before the 1920s. They were available with the Union inside the North America mark and with the Union Cut arched stamp so they pretty much had to have been made as early as the 19teens.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by aimwell »

I have a Western States with a dogs head shield, just wondered if anyone else has one. Its identical to one made by Union Cutlery. I have them both.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by zzyzzogeton »

Please post a pic of the Western dog's head. I've never seen one.

Western did not make knives in-house until 1919, contracting manufacturing out to Union Cutlery, Camillus and Case, among others (Case actually made a lot of knives for Western to pay Mr Platt for his share of Case when Platt sold out).

Their first fixed blades were made by others as well until the late 1920s.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by peanut740 »

aimwell wrote:I have a Western States with a dogs head shield, just wondered if anyone else has one. Its identical to one made by Union Cutlery. I have them both.
Yes,I have a couple of lever lock dogs head Western States folding hunters.There was also one in Voyle's most recent auction that ended earlier this week.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by peanut740 »

Here they are.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by aimwell »

Many thanks for posting those westerns with the dog head shields, probably made for them by Union. I dont get on here often as you can tell
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chorizotaco
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by chorizotaco »

WOW! ::cb::
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by stockman »

Roger a couple nice knives. I don't see that lock often.

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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by peanut740 »

Thanks Harold. ::handshake::
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by brucegodlesky »

here's an old dogs head lockback stamped Keystone Co.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by btrwtr »

North America Union stamp with Dog's Head shield.
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by stockman »

Wayne that is a Dandy.

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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by Gunsil »

Here are a couple with the cool lock mechanism, one Union North America mark, other KA-BAR. They also made a rarer smaller knife with this lock but no doggie.
fullsizeoutput_1c5.jpeg
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by edge213 »

Did Kabar make all of these knives?
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Re: Dog Head emblem

Post by Gunsil »

Union Cutlery Co made all the dogs head shield knives, whether marked KA-BAR, Union Cut Co, or Western States.
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