Imperial Knife 1938 Pocket Knife

[Ramengelion]

When I was a boy, my father gave me a pocket knife he said belonged to his great-grandfather. In my teenage years, I lost it only to have it recently returned to me. In light of my carelessness, I figured that my father would be better off taking care of it for now. I'd love to restore it to as much of it's original condition as I can and present it to him for Father's Day. I've attached some images of the blade. I don't have access to many tools, but if it's absolutely necessary, I could probably get my hands on some.

[FRJ]

Welcome,
some one will undoubtedly come along and tell you about the decorative shell handles that are missing from your grand old knife.

Please, don't do a thing to it.
Personally, I don't think you can do anything to improve it.

It may have looked like one of these.

[Ramengelion]

Well, that much hasn't changed since I had received the blade, so that does not deter me. I'd like to remove some of the tarnish from the blades and the case. If that sort of thing could be... added back on, that could be nice. That said, I have no idea what the original pattern looked like.

[knives-are-quiet]

Is it just your camera and lighting or has this whole knife turned a greenish blue?
I'd also like to here the story about how you got the knife back after losing it and where it has been all this time. Sometimes the story behind the knife is more interesting than the knife itself.

JW

[Ramengelion]

Is it just your camera and lighting or has this whole knife turned a greenish blue?
I'd also like to here the story about how you got the knife back after losing it and where it has been all this time. Sometimes the story behind the knife is more interesting than the knife itself.

JW

That greenish blue is the lighting and the result of my 8MP , but poor quality lens, phone camera. Most of it ranges from a metallic shine to a dull, dark grey. As far as the story, my father had given me the knife when I was 8 or so, and I carried it everywhere with me afterwards as a good-luck charm. I only ever used it for cutting a string here or there. Around the age of 16, I found it mysteriously missing! (i.e., not in my pocket.) It's daily removal at night and replacement in my pocket had become so routine, that I didn't notice that it was gone right away. Just last week, I picked up a friend of mine at the airport and brought her home for memorial day. We (My girlfriend and I) stay for dinner and just as we are about to leave, my friend's father approaches me and asks if I lost a pocket knife here. Until now, I had considered the thing lost in one of my many moves, but when he produced the knife I recognized it immediately. My joy was cut short when he said he had found it between his daughter's mattress and bed frame. My girlfriend's face turned beet red and he wished us a nice ride home.

[PigSticker]

Ha--Sounds like the old guy is tryin ta tell you someting to me

[Ramengelion]

Story aside, what can I do to polish it up and make it look new?

[TripleF]

Get your hands on some Amway Metal cleaner and scrub it down with a toothbrush....that'll remove some of the blackness.

Next I'd buy some fine grit sand paper at Ace Hardware and hand rub it down.

You'll be impressed. I do it all the time!!

P.S. - post the "after" pics!

[Joe Dirt]

Man, that's a great story! Sounds like something that would happen to me.

It's a "shell handle" "short bolster" Barlow. They were produced by Imperial Knife Company from 1936 to 1955.
There's not much you can do with the blades other than replacing them.
If you can ask your dad if he remembers what colors the handles were, I can probably come pretty close.
The blades from a 3 1/8" Imperial serpentine are a direct replacement for the Barlow blades!

I'll have to look and see if I have a 3 1/8" with the "Imperial Prov. R.I.l" stamp if you are interested in restoring the knife.
Just PM me if you want any work done on the knife.

oh yeah, welcome to the forum!

..... Joe (I'm still laughing... hahaha)

[knives-are-quiet]

Is it just your camera and lighting or has this whole knife turned a greenish blue?
I'd also like to here the story about how you got the knife back after losing it and where it has been all this time. Sometimes the story behind the knife is more interesting than the knife itself.

JW

That greenish blue is the lighting and the result of my 8MP , but poor quality lens, phone camera. Most of it ranges from a metallic shine to a dull, dark grey. As far as the story, my father had given me the knife when I was 8 or so, and I carried it everywhere with me afterwards as a good-luck charm. I only ever used it for cutting a string here or there. Around the age of 16, I found it mysteriously missing! (i.e., not in my pocket.) It's daily removal at night and replacement in my pocket had become so routine, that I didn't notice that it was gone right away. Just last week, I picked up a friend of mine at the airport and brought her home for memorial day. We (My girlfriend and I) stay for dinner and just as we are about to leave, my friend's father approaches me and asks if I lost a pocket knife here. Until now, I had considered the thing lost in one of my many moves, but when he produced the knife I recognized it immediately. My joy was cut short when he said he had found it between his daughter's mattress and bed frame. My girlfriend's face turned beet red and he wished us a nice ride home.

Ahhhh..Haaaa...Very interesting story...I thought it might be...
I bet you not only recognized the knife immediately but when and where you had lost it?
You could reshape that main blade into some sort of functional one but she'll never be the same. The secondary small blade looks savable.
If your not into spending much, just clean it up with what one of these other guys mentioned and sharpen her up.
If it was me, I'd take Mr. Dirt up on his offer and have it restored. Remember it's for your Father.

J W

[brando090]

Nice story
When you get a chance, i would love better photos.