WEST-CUT Hunter

[tongueriver]

WESTACO was the "low end line". Made during the Great Depression. Cheaper price. Made by the same people on the same assembly lines. Same quality, "maybe" cheaper materials, but I doubt it. Mainly a marketing ploy to sell more knives to be able to keep their people employed and bringing in a cash stream.

They didn't last long because they are rarely seen.

TR - what is the blade length on that one? And is the handle material buckhorn/stag or bone stag? Based on the blade shape and appearance, it looks like one of the pattern 49 models, 4 inch or 5 inch blade options. There's an L49-5 with a triple spacer pattern, a 539-5 with single handle pieces of buckhorn between only 2 sets of spacers and a 2 spacer X249 with composition pearl handles and 2 spacer sets.

The kicker is that I can't any reference to a knife with that spacer/handle piece arrangement in any of my documentation. My gut tells me "1941" based on all the other 49 versions that year.

I believe the handle pieces to be genuine stag. I was not deciding whether it was a 43 or a 49 pattern. The blade is a scant 4.75 inches from the guard. I am including pic's of the sheath that it came in. It fits well and I think it is probably the original????

[zzyzzogeton]

I still think it is a 549, whether it is a -4 or a -5 would be the question. 4.75 is just mean. Western was a little lax on blade lengths.

Many of Western's -4 knives, e.g., G46-4, any ?49-4, and the ?44-4s, etc. Some of the -4s were 4.0 or 4.125 (4-1/8). Other -4s were 4-1/2". That is per advertising descriptions in the catalogs.

The -5 knives would be 4-7/8" or 5". So 4.75" is just not nice. It doesn't fit. I don't remember finding ANY knife with a 4-3/4 " blade right off the top of my head.

So it is most likely a 549-X, either a -4 or -5.

[tongueriver]

Thanks, ZZ!

[FRJ]

J.O. and Cal, those are very cool knives.
Western made some very nice knives, as you know. I have a few of their sheath knives.

ZZ, what great information!