New Member hello, and questions.

[AndrewH]

My first post and hello to everyone, . Hope all are well.
I am a long time knife enthusiast and have recently picked up a couple of Western fixed blades.
The last few days have been spent researching them here on and off but a couple of questions remain.

My main question with this knife is that I have not seen any reference to an aluminium guard in what I have read so far.
So that raises concerns regarding it. It has a 4 1/2” blade and measures 2.7 ish mm stock thickness.
Can someone help with authenticity and age please. The space next to the two brass shims in the handle were heavily filled with verdigris when I got it and left a gap that required filling.
Thanks for any replies and help.

[1967redrider]

I cannot help you with your knife concerns, but to AAPK! Someone will be a long to help you soon. I can say the pinned pommel on these isn't something easily removed, so I have doubts that someone altered your knife. But anything is possible I guess. Hope you enjoy this website, lots of great info and members.

John
*Edit- I found this thread and it might help
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... rt#p847113

[XX Case XX]

Hi Andrew. Glad you found us.

What's interesting about AAPK is, while everyone here seems to have a good understanding of knives in general, we also have some that are very knowledgeable about specific brands. There's a few here that know quite a bit about "Western" Brands.

As stated in the previous post, I'm sure one of those guys will be along shortly to answer your questions. Keep checking back on your post as sometimes it takes days to get an answer.

__________
Mike

[AndrewH]

Hi Andrew. Glad you found us.

What's interesting about AAPK is, while everyone here seems to have a good understanding of knives in general, we also have some that are very knowledgeable about specific brands. There's a few here that know quite a bit about "Western" Brands.

As stated in the previous post, I'm sure one of those guys will be along shortly to answer your questions. Keep checking back on your post as sometimes it takes days to get an answer.

__________
Mike

I cannot help you with your knife concerns, but to AAPK! Someone will be a long to help you soon. I can say the pinned pommel on these isn't something easily removed, so I have doubts that someone altered your knife. But anything is possible I guess. Hope you enjoy this website, lots of great info and members.

John
*Edit- I found this thread and it might help
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... rt#p847113

Thank you both for the welcomes and the link.
I will keep checking.

[zzyzzogeton]

The OP's knife is an XL66 from 1941. This was one of the first 2 pattern 66s of any handle version. The other was the xW66 with a cocabolo wood handle. Notice one is lower case and the other is upper case. All original, no one has modified it.

Several of the 1941 knives had aluminum guards. There is nothing in the literature explaining why. I think Western was simply experimenting around to see what would sell, etc.,

Western used a capitol "X" as the leading or second letter in other model knives with other handle materials in 1931, 1936 and 1941 - indicating bakelite in black, brown swirl and assorted colors, black underlayment w/ composition plastic (celluloid), leather, cocobola wood, sole leather, and black bakelite in 1943. Consistently inconsistent is all I can say about Western's use of "X" and "x" as a handle material indicator.

[AndrewH]

The OP's knife is an XL66 from 1941. This was one of the first 2 pattern 66s of any handle version. The other was the xW66 with a cocabolo wood handle. Notice one is lower case and the other is upper case. All original, no one has modified it.

Several of the 1941 knives had aluminum guards. There is nothing in the literature explaining why. I think Western was simply experimenting around to see what would sell, etc.,

Western used a capitol "X" as the leading or second letter in other model knives with other handle materials in 1931, 1936 and 1941 - indicating bakelite in black, brown swirl and assorted colors, black underlayment w/ composition plastic (celluloid), leather, cocobola wood, sole leather, and black bakelite in 1943. Consistently inconsistent is all I can say about Western's use of "X" and "x" as a handle material indicator.

Awesome. Thanks very much for the information . That Will be why there was so much green gunk built up around the brass then.
Cheers.

[taximan -2]

my first post,,,20 years ago i inhearited this knife,,just today i was ,with the help of my computer,able to figgure out the rusted letters on the blade read {western states} can anyone help me with the history of this knife,,,it is one blade ,wellow pearl,folding 9 and 3/4 in. open,,,,5 and 1/2 in. closed,,,,blade is4 and 1/8,,,,,too rusted to read most of the letters,,,,rumor is that it was my grand pa's i would love to know the age and model,,,worth dosent matter,cause it is priceless thanks,steve

[Reverand]

Welcome to AAPK! I hope that you feel at home here.
I am no expert on Western knives, but I understand that they began making knives in 1911, so yours would have to have been made after that.
If there is a model number on the back of the tang then it was manufactured after 1955. If the handles are made of Delrin instead of celluloid, then it was made after 1961.
A clear picture of the tang stamp might help identify the age a bit closer. You can compare it to the chart found about halfway down on this page:

viewtopic.php?t=39799

If you need to see the front and back of the tang more clearly, you can scrub it with the lead of a #2 pencil. It will clean off a lot of the rust and gunk, but will not damage the metal at all. Avoid sandpaper and abrasives. One with sentimental value needs to be especially cared for.

I put new handles on one earlier this year that is the twin to yours. It was a really good knife, well made and solid. You have a good piece of history there!

[taximan -2]

the #2 pencil worked well ,i will remember that trick,i hope,,,,,i still cant read most of the letters,but the letters [westernstates]are in a arch,,a picture would not work,i can berely make out remnents of most letters using a magnafying glass,any idea how old the one you replaced the side plates was ? thanks, steve

[Thomasg]

my first post,,,20 years ago i inhearited this knife,,just today i was ,with the help of my computer,able to figgure out the rusted letters on the blade read {western states} can anyone help me with the history of this knife,,,it is one blade ,wellow pearl,folding 9 and 3/4 in. open,,,,5 and 1/2 in. closed,,,,blade is4 and 1/8,,,,,too rusted to read most of the letters,,,,rumor is that it was my grand pa's i would love to know the age and model,,,worth dosent matter,cause it is priceless thanks,steve

Your knife is a no. 2016 BH . Here is a picture of your knife from a 1941 catalog page from the knife makers who went west .

[Mumbleypeg]

Sorry but that picture from the book doesn’t look to me like the knife posted by taximan. Note his knife does not appear to have the double “scallop” (center “hump”) like the one from the book, and it has a different bolster. (Look carefully at the bolster/handle cover interface - maybe that is damage though ).

Ken

[Thomasg]

Sorry but that picture from the book doesn’t look to me like the knife posted by taximan. Note his knife does not appear to have the double “scallop” (center “hump”) like the one from the book, and it has a different bolster. (Look carefully at the bolster/handle cover interface - maybe that is damage though ).

Ken

Nice observation .I’m bad ! Here is a picture from 1931 catalog page without the center hump that may be a better fit ?

[Mumbleypeg]

I think you nailed it there. Maybe taximan can confirm the 5-1/2 inches closed length.

Ken

[taximan -2]

thanks everyone,i do believe you found it, indeed it is 5 and 1/2 in. long.... from now on its a model A125 1931 WESTERN STATES folding knife ... i learned more about this knife in the last 2 days than i did in the last 20 years thanks gain steve

[taximan -2]

couldnt stand it !! i just had to remove those nasty rust pits

[Thomasg]

couldnt stand it !! i just had to remove those nasty rust pits

Looks great ! What kind of process did you use to get the nice new shine ?

[taximan -2]

first i used a fine file,,,then 220 sand paper,,,then 600 sand paper,,,now i'm looking even finer sand paper,,,,1000-2000 ,,, 6-8hrs into it so far

[steve99f]

Since you already went there, Autozone etc carry very fine sandpapers up to 8K grit, maybe more. Nice old knife!

[Thomasg]

first i used a fine file,,,then 220 sand paper,,,then 600 sand paper,,,now i'm looking even finer sand paper,,,,1000-2000 ,,, 6-8hrs into it so far

Thank you for your reply.I usually leave my knifes as close to as found as I can .almost all of my knifes have carbon blades .some have some pitting that in is part of the natural aging process .I can live with the pitting , but I have a couple that are that are discolored from out gassing that could use some improvement. I will try the sanding to see if they can be cleaned up and improved .celluloids knifes sometimes out gas and can ruin the knife and others stored in the same vicinity .when the knifes out gas the best option is to put new covers on them .I’m posting a picture of a western states that I had re covered by Reverend.I did notice some cracking and shrinkage on your knife that is also a trait of celluloids .sometimes they shrink some with no farther damage , sometimes they out gas .No one really knows why or how to prevent the gassing