Union Canoe maybe gunboat? Gas Key Rehandle?

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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Cabphoto
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Union Canoe maybe gunboat? Gas Key Rehandle?

Post by Cabphoto »

Hi There folks

So I have some questions about this knife I am hoping you sleuths can help. We have a large canoe or gunboat? I am confident in its authenticity mechanically speaking. I am not sure if the handles are replaced or not. What do you guys think? No shield seems wrong and the bone pattern seems wrong to my untrained eye. If it is a re handle it's very good. The knife works beautifully all smooth and tight with prominent half stops though not on the presto gas key.. Is it called presto? The pins look like maybe they're spun? Not sure they were spun then? Let me know your thoughts. Hopefully I can cover it in the 10 photo limit.

Thanks for your help.

Chris
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knifeaholic
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Re: Union Canoe maybe gunboat? Gas Key Rehandle?

Post by knifeaholic »

The knife has been rehandled in modern bone, and the blades heaviliy buffed. The key blade is from a scout pattern. It is a Prest-O-Lite key, used for opening the valve on a can of flammable gas for early headlamps on carriages and autos.
Cabphoto
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Re: Union Canoe maybe gunboat? Gas Key Rehandle?

Post by Cabphoto »

knifeaholic wrote: Sun Oct 05, 2025 4:54 pm The knife has been rehandled in modern bone, and the blades heaviliy buffed. The key blade is from a scout pattern. It is a Prest-O-Lite key, used for opening the valve on a can of flammable gas for early headlamps on carriages and autos.
So Presto-O-Lite key not even original to the pattern? Thank you for responding.
knifeaholic
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Re: Union Canoe maybe gunboat? Gas Key Rehandle?

Post by knifeaholic »

Cabphoto wrote: Sun Oct 05, 2025 5:13 pm
knifeaholic wrote: Sun Oct 05, 2025 4:54 pm The knife has been rehandled in modern bone, and the blades heaviliy buffed. The key blade is from a scout pattern. It is a Prest-O-Lite key, used for opening the valve on a can of flammable gas for early headlamps on carriages and autos.
So Presto-O-Lite key not even original to the pattern? Thank you for responding.
No, not original to that pattern.
Cabphoto
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Re: Union Canoe maybe gunboat? Gas Key Rehandle?

Post by Cabphoto »

Thank you so much for the info. Really appreciate you.

Chris
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Re: Union Canoe maybe gunboat? Gas Key Rehandle?

Post by Gunsil »

Steve is correct. I also think the pen is a replacement and maybe even the main blade. There are two stag ones on ebay right now, both with the proper spey blade where this one has the screwdriver, both have more narrow pen blades, and both have dentate long pulls on the main blade. I have seen a KA-BAR marked one with a common nail nick on the main blade so it is possible that they did away with the long pull but I don't like any of the blades on this one. Knife should also have a shield but whoever replaced the handles left it off.
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