Identification of a queen knife

[Hddaddy58]

I purchased this knife. I have never seen one like it before and I cannot find any information about it. I don’t know if it is an out and out counterfeit or something that was made toward the end of the Queen run. Pictures attached.
Stamped Queen steel 396
I do not see a # 396 listed?
The knife is very well made . Great fit and finish. Micarta handle.

[QTCut5]

That truly is an oddball...I've never seen one like it either. I've also never seen a Queen tang stamp with a pattern number included (a blade etch, yes, but not as part of the tang stamp). The location and size of the stamp on the side of the blade is also unusual. My gut instinct says it's counterfeit. Going to need to hear from a Queen expert, but I'd be very surprised if it was legit.

[Hddaddy58]

Thank you for your insight. It looked odd to me . However the knife is so well made?

[QTCut5]

The more I look at that Queen stamp, the more genuine it appears It can't be easy to forge a stamp like that with all the small details...everything about it looks legit except I've never seen that style Queen stamp with a pattern number between Queen Steel and USA (doesn't mean they never made one, I've just never seen one) and there's none exactly like it on the tang stamp chart. Very curious, indeed

The blade shape and frame pattern do not look like anything Queen ever made. And that shackle/lock release definitely doesn't look like a typical Queen design element either. Can't wait to get some insight from other members and hopefully a Queen expert will chime in....I'm dying to know

[bighomer]

Game keeper series 1972 to 78 catalog l think, there's a picture of a fixed blade in the series. If you lookd at the game keeper list you'll see a 396 listed.

[bighomer]

I have the Queen historical catatalogs bookmarked. Every catalog produced from 1947 till 2017 is in there, but some if them were of multiple years and not all knives are shown, but there are list of knives made with pattern numbers in some of the older catalogs and a lot of the numbers change in the later years of production.

[Killgar]

I found these on Queencutleryguide.com. According to that site the 396 never appeared in any catalog.

Screenshot 2025-11-06 104413.png (199.05 KiB) Viewed 4779 times

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

That's cool. I've never seen the shackle lock mechanism on a knife that didn't also have a spike.

[bighomer]

That's cool. I've never seen the shackle lock mechanism on a knife that didn't also have a spike.

It was a safety guard for the hand as well as a blade lock release.

[knifeaholic]

That knife was part of Queen's GAMEKEEPER series - knives with Micarta handles, there were anumber of fixed blades, a few slipjoints, and that lockback.

It was a more "high end" series, most likely intended to compete with Buck Knives. Made only for a short time, early to mid 70's.

I have a Queen 1972 catalog that shows the whole Gamekeeper line, including that knife. Though the catalog shows it as #390, 5" closed.

If anyone is interested, I'll post it.

[Killgar]

It's my understanding that Queen had two folding knives in the Gamekeeper series numbered 390 (pics below). But I'd say the OP's knife is more of a fulcrum or lever release than a "lock back", although Queen might refer to it as a "lock back" knife.

Here are pics of one the 390's. Although the Queen catalog says it's a locking knife I don't know the type of lock. Possibly a form of liner lock like on the TL-29 electricians knife with the guard also being the lock.

queen 2b.jpg (14.5 KiB) Viewed 4457 times

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Screenshot 2025-11-13 150032.png (162.25 KiB) Viewed 4441 times

Screenshot 2025-11-13 150042.png (41.74 KiB) Viewed 4441 times

And here are pics of the 390 lock back.

1_fb1499c970b6f2fa19b327b0c78a222f (1).jpg (62.64 KiB) Viewed 4457 times

1_fb1499c970b6f2fa19b327b0c78a222f.jpg (64.3 KiB) Viewed 4452 times

queen 1..jpg (51.59 KiB) Viewed 4457 times

Screenshot 2025-11-13 131859.png (188.12 KiB) Viewed 4434 times

[bighomer]

[Hddaddy58]

I want to thank everybody for all the information and their input on the knife. I knew if anything could be found out about it. It would be on this site. You guys have a wealth of knowledge. Again, thank you and have a great Thanksgiving and a merry Christmas