Western States sheath knife

[98src]

A new purchase from the bay, mainly to get an example of the "Buckin Bronco" scabbard. The knife is in very bad condition but a little research revealed that it could have been made by Kinfolks for Western. Any opinions?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/306704487979?_ ... g&LH_BIN=1

[zzyzzogeton]

This stamp is from the 1925 to 1927/1928 era. and was most likely made by Kinfolks or Case. Kinfolks was started by Case to help with their backlog of fixed blade knife orders. Case had been making folding knives for Western since 1911, so it would have been natural for them to start making fixed blade for Western as well.

I have seen this stamp on Union and Case/Kinfolks knives. They are relatively rare due to the fact they were made 100 years ago and were generally "rode hard" as they were an everyday tool for farmers, ranchers and hunters.

Western started offering non-kitchen cutlery fixed blade around 1925, with the items being made by Marbles, Union, Case and Kinfolks. They started making their own fixed blade in-house around 1928, but continued having them made by others until about 1930 or so, when they finally got the all the kinks worked out.

Marbles knives were stamped Marbles.

For posterity's sake, for when the pic disappears someday, the stamp reads

WESTERN STATES (in an arch)
over
CUT. & MFG. CO.
over
BOULDER, COLO.

[Gunsil]

Hi Wayne, I do have a Marbles Ideal with the arched Western States stamp on the ricasso. Not the same arched stamp as the OP knife. I don't know when they did that since the 1925 WS catalog I sent you a copy of has the Marbles listed as Marbles. I agree the OP knife is a Kinfolks made knife. Kinfolks made all the fixed blade hunting knives for Case 1926-1932. Union Cut also made a lot of WS marked knives for WS.

[zzyzzogeton]

Gene,

Thanks for that tidbit.

My GUESS is that the Marbles stamped knife would be from 1925-1926. Just a supposition that the first round of "Marbles for Western" knives came directly out of stock on hand and only later production orders were stamped WESTERN STATES.

Does your knife lack the CUT. & MFG. line? This line is rarely seen as it was in use for a very short period of time.

[Gunsil]

Yes Wayne, my Ideal WS does not have the bottom line like the OP knife has and the arched mark is much more tightly arched and similar to the Union Cut made WS knives I have. I agree with your idea that those Marbles in the 1925 catalog must be the first ones sold by WS.