Old Cutler

Colonial Knife was incorporated in 1926 by three brothers; Antonio, Domenic, & Fredrick Paolantonio. It grew to become one of the largest pocket knife manufacturers in the US during the 1960s. The company shut down in 1998, but was back into production under the Colonial Cutlery International Corporation in 2001. Colonial Cutlery International, Inc. brand is the imported line of knives and tools while the U.S.A.- made products fall under the Colonial Knife brand.
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by doglegg »

treefarmer wrote:dogleg, that's a nice pile of knives, looks to be several different patterns. Were any made with bone handles?
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Sorry I missed this earlier Philip, I would have to look but I don't think so.
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by JohnR »

I've picked up a few Old Cutlers, as others have stated they are nice knives. This is the latest.
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by doglegg »

I have posted this other places (some wrong) but I suppose it would fit good here. My latest ,a hawk bill stockman, and it has fancy file work.
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by Papa Bones »

JohnR wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:50 pm I've picked up a few Old Cutlers, as others have stated they are nice knives. This is the latest.
::woot:: Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhh, JohnR, those handles are beautiful. Very nice
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by Papa Bones »

doglegg wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:14 pm I have posted this other places (some wrong) but I suppose it would fit good here. My latest ,a hawk bill stockman, and it has fancy file work. DSCN6037.JPGDSCN6038.JPGDSCN6043.JPG
Shaweeeet!! ::tu:: ::tu::
Sometimes I Sit and Think ::hmm:: .... Other times I just Sit
I May Grow Older, But I refuse to Grow Up!!
I'll sharpen it for you, but I don't give out band-aids!!

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Re: Old Cutler

Post by doglegg »

Thanks Papa Bones, I was on an Old Cutler hunt for a while. Really well made knives and usually very reasonable. Thanks again. ::handshake::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

doglegg wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:14 pm I have posted this other places (some wrong) but I suppose it would fit good here. My latest ,a hawk bill stockman, and it has fancy file work. DSCN6037.JPGDSCN6038.JPGDSCN6043.JPG
Hi Floyd,

Looks like you have a nice collection of Old Cutler knives going on! ::tu:: Congratulations on your fine selection of OC's. ::tu:: ::nod::

I stumbled across the first OC I have ever seen on eBay Germany this morning. ::tu:: ::super_happy:: The scales look like the same material as the ones on your OC. Those wouldn't just happen to be white bone by any chance would they?

Could you look at these pictures & then guess what this knife might sell for if it were in the states. Just to give me an idea of what it might be worth. ::shrug::

Thanks for your time. ::handshake::

YF,
Tom
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

TPK wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:56 am
doglegg wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:14 pm I have posted this other places (some wrong) but I suppose it would fit good here. My latest ,a hawk bill stockman, and it has fancy file work. DSCN6037.JPGDSCN6038.JPGDSCN6043.JPG
Hi Floyd,

Looks like you have a nice collection of Old Cutler knives going on! ::tu:: Congratulations on your fine selection of OC's. ::tu:: ::nod::

I stumbled across the first OC I have ever seen on eBay Germany this morning. ::tu:: ::super_happy:: The scales look like the same material as the ones on your OC. Those wouldn't just happen to be white bone by any chance would they?

Could you look at these pictures & then guess what this knife might sell for if it were in the states. Just to give me an idea of what it might be worth. ::shrug::

Thanks for your time. ::handshake::

YF,
Tom
One more picture. ::tu::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by doglegg »

Tom I was on a real Old Cutler addiction for a while. They were made by Colonial to go from Ford and Chevy market to Oldsmobile and Lincoln. They are really well made knives and the blades are 1095 steel. I'm not sure about the blade steel on their trapper as it was a Camillus product. I don't think there were any bone handle ones as Delrin was the handle material of choice. I think there might be some wood handle ones as well but I may be wrong. I've found them to be super quality knives and for the most part very reasonable. I think there were two sizes, large and medium, and I really like the mediums a little better but that is just personal preference. I've not gotten a bad one and they are usually very friendly priced. I think you will be pleased with one. Hope this helps. Tom if I remember I've been on the shallow side of $50.00 on about all of the ones I bought, some in the $30 range. ::handshake::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

doglegg wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:27 pm Tom I was on a real Old Cutler addiction for a while. They were made by Colonial to go from Ford and Chevy market to Oldsmobile and Lincoln. They are really well made knives and the blades are 1095 steel. I'm not sure about the blade steel on their trapper as it was a Camillus product. I don't think there were any bone handle ones as Delrin was the handle material of choice. I think there might be some wood handle ones as well but I may be wrong. I've found them to be super quality knives and for the most part very reasonable. I think there were two sizes, large and medium, and I really like the mediums a little better but that is just personal preference. I've not gotten a bad one and they are usually very friendly priced. I think you will be pleased with one. Hope this helps. Tom if I remember I've been on the shallow side of $50.00 on about all of the ones I bought, some in the $30 range. ::handshake::
Thanks for the Input Floyd. I appreciate it. ::handshake:: This small Stockman is described as being 6 cm long so it's about 2 1/2 inches. A size I can deal well with. The auction goes on untill like 9:30 P.M. on tuesday evening but it's only at a few Euros at the moment. I'm hoping it stays low. If it does stay low, I will throw in a last second bid of probably 20 - 25 Euros & just hope for the best. That's how I buy almost all of my knives on eBay over here. I have found that if I try biding normal on something, someone with deeper pockets always comes along & over bids me. Throwing in a last second "Hail Mary" bid about 5 seconds before the auction ends works much better for me. I will try to get this one & I'm pretty excited about it because I have never seen one over here. We shall see how it goes on tuesday. ::tu:: ::pray:: :D

Thanks for your time Floyd, now I know it's at least worth the amount I am willing to bid on it. ::tu:: :wink:
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

JohnR wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:50 pm I've picked up a few Old Cutlers, as others have stated they are nice knives. This is the latest.
That's a really nice looking puppy John! ::tu:: Beautiful handles! ::tu:: Nice find! ::handshake:: :D
Does that etch read "1 of 30"? I can't make it out. ::cb::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by JohnR »

TPK wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 3:13 pm
JohnR wrote: Mon Aug 19, 2019 9:50 pm I've picked up a few Old Cutlers, as others have stated they are nice knives. This is the latest.
That's a really nice looking puppy John! ::tu:: Beautiful handles! ::tu:: Nice find! ::handshake:: :D
Does that etch read "1 of 30"? I can't make it out. ::cb::

Thanks Tom, yes it reads 1 of 30.
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

My first Old Cutler was in today's mail. :mrgreen:

Near mint condition. Fine F&F. A wonderful addition to my collection! I am very happy to own this one! ::nod:: Here are some pictures of it. Thanks for looking! ::handshake:: ::super_happy::
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Re: Old Cutler

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Additional Information:

If anyone has ever wondered about the Patent Nr. on these Old Cutler knives, I found out that it had to do with the Bolsters. The idea behind them was to allow them to be mounted when the rest of the assembley steps were nearly completed. Here's a picture I found that makes things a bit clearer as to how these bolsters were designed. ::tu:: :D

Click on the picture to enlarge it. ::nod::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

I'm curious if any of our Knife Mechanics & MOD Makers have ever worked on one of these knives. ::hmm::
It would be interesting to know what they thought of these, I'll call em " click into place bolsters". Or do other knife brands also have these? ::shrug::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by treefarmer »

TPK wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:51 pm Additional Information:

If anyone has ever wondered about the Patent Nr. on these Old Cutler knives, I found out that it had to do with the Bolsters. The idea behind them was to allow them to be mounted when the rest of the assembley steps were nearly completed. Here's a picture I found that makes things a bit clearer as to how these bolsters were designed. ::tu:: :D

Click on the picture to enlarge it. ::nod::
Tom,
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by doglegg »

Not a knife mechanic Tom. But congrats on a sweet knife. ::nod:: ::tu::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by knifeaholic »

The way that they are assembled appears to be similar to Schrade's Swinden system.

I picked this set up not long ago.

This makes sense, since the pins are all invisible in the bolsters.
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by OLDE CUTLER »

I was selling them at gunshows in 1979 - 1983, and was my best selling brand. I used to buy them from a wholesaler for $35 a dozen and sell them for $9-$10 each. Some nice ones being displayed here. I remember my best sellers were the trapper, stockman, and Barlow. All the ones I ever had and sold were Delrin handled.
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by Jeffinn »

TPK wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 7:05 pm I'm curious if any of our Knife Mechanics & MOD Makers have ever worked on one of these knives. ::hmm::
It would be interesting to know what they thought of these, I'll call em " click into place bolsters". Or do other knife brands also have these? ::shrug::
I’ve had one or two of these apart. The system is a bit different than the Swinden key. I originally thought I could drill out the bolsters for some new pivot pins (similar to what’s done with the Swinden key knives), but it wasn’t something that could be done. I’ve got one disassembled in a bag somewhere in my shop, I’ll have to dig it out and snap a few photos.
The system itself seemed pretty solid but it wasn’t exactly friendly to modifications. If I remember right the disassembly process was fairly difficult. And the bolsters on the one I had disassembled weren’t nickel silver, I tried to solder one to the liner and the metal just disintegrated (maybe some sort of cheaper, lighter alloy?)
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

treefarmer wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 8:41 pm
TPK wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 6:51 pm Additional Information:

If anyone has ever wondered about the Patent Nr. on these Old Cutler knives, I found out that it had to do with the Bolsters. The idea behind them was to allow them to be mounted when the rest of the assembley steps were nearly completed. Here's a picture I found that makes things a bit clearer as to how these bolsters were designed. ::tu:: :D

Click on the picture to enlarge it. ::nod::
Tom,
Did you notice the name of the attorneys at the bottom of the page?
Treefarmer
No I didn't but that's funny. :lol: Thanks for pointing that out Philip! ::handshake:: ::super_happy::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

doglegg wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:23 pm Not a knife mechanic Tom. But congrats on a sweet knife. ::nod:: ::tu::
Thanks Floyd! ::handshake:: :D
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

knifeaholic wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 10:24 pm The way that they are assembled appears to be similar to Schrade's Swinden system.

I picked this set up not long ago.

This makes sense, since the pins are all invisible in the bolsters.
Great looking knives knifeaholic! Those Look Awesome! :D ::nod:: ::tu::
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

OLDE CUTLER wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 11:25 pm I was selling them at gunshows in 1979 - 1983, and was my best selling brand. I used to buy them from a wholesaler for $35 a dozen and sell them for $9-$10 each. Some nice ones being displayed here. I remember my best sellers were the trapper, stockman, and Barlow. All the ones I ever had and sold were Delrin handled.
$35 a dozen. ::woot:: Wow! :shock: I paid that much for this one. ::doh:: Ya should have saved 4 or 5 dozen of them, they'd be a hot seller now as well. ::nod:: :lol: I hope I find a couple more of them over here some time in the future to add to my collection. ::tu:: :D
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Re: Old Cutler

Post by TPK »

Jeffinn wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 12:25 am
TPK wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 7:05 pm I'm curious if any of our Knife Mechanics & MOD Makers have ever worked on one of these knives. ::hmm::
It would be interesting to know what they thought of these, I'll call em " click into place bolsters". Or do other knife brands also have these? ::shrug::
I’ve had one or two of these apart. The system is a bit different than the Swinden key. I originally thought I could drill out the bolsters for some new pivot pins (similar to what’s done with the Swinden key knives), but it wasn’t something that could be done. I’ve got one disassembled in a bag somewhere in my shop, I’ll have to dig it out and snap a few photos.
The system itself seemed pretty solid but it wasn’t exactly friendly to modifications. If I remember right the disassembly process was fairly difficult. And the bolsters on the one I had disassembled weren’t nickel silver, I tried to solder one to the liner and the metal just disintegrated (maybe some sort of cheaper, lighter alloy?)
Jeff
That's interesting information Jeff! ::nod:: Thank you for sharing that! ::handshake:: I figured it looked easier to install them on that plan than it actually is to do. The overall quality of the knife seems to be pretty good though. These knives would make a nice little EDC but since I only have this one in very nice condition, it's in my little showcase. If you ever finish the ones you have, I'm sure they will make a knifer very happy. ::nod:: Wouldn't mind having one of them myself. ::nod:: But if I know me, it would end up in my showcase instead of my pocket. ::dang:: :lol:
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