shell handled knives

[Joe Dirt]

Great find on the Karved Kameo's, singin! "steers n deers"
Looks like all you need now is the deer in "horn" and "MOP".

There listed in the 1959 Imperial catalog over on the Schrades-r-us site.

The steers were available in serrated or non-serrated. I haven't seen a deer without the serrate... not sure if they
made them with the option.
The MOP can be found in 3 different colors (maybe more), blue, black, and a reddish brown.

There's one more lurking out there... it's a camp knife with the deer in the jigged pattern. I haven't seen them advertised,
so I don't know when they were made but most likely at the same time the others were. Guess it would be called a "Karved Kameo Kamper"
(of course you know most of this, as you helped me find the one's missing from my collection )

That Key Barlow is in super condition, redrider!
Most of them you see are "ambered" and fading away!
Heck, there all in great condition
The Colonial IS a shell... they used tabs that folded inside of the liners to attach them.

Nice knives guys!!!

..... Joe

[Joe Dirt]

These are a couple of my favorite shells.

There "foil wraps".

Foil wraps are constructed by covering the shell with a piece of fairly heavy bond paper, then a piece of printed tin foil is wrapped over the paper. They are then covered by a clear celluloid wrap scale.

The clear cell shrinks dramatically compared to the other colored cell wraps.

.... Joe

[singin46]

Very cool Joe, and thanks for the lesson in Foil, I never knew how they did it before.
Those in the top pic are 2 I've never seen before. The Risque toothpick with the bail, I have seen this handle before in the other patterns but with red as a base color, never the blue. Gotta be a pretty rare piece there bro! Great finds!

[rarreola]

This is my Imperial pen knife.

[singin46]

That one looks almost unused. Nice

[gino]

Here is a couple

Not sure of the top one. Sinsle blade. It does resemble a Hammer brand. ??

Imperial Prov USA 2 blade

[Joe Dirt]

That's a clean knife, rarreola!!

Gino, the knife in the top pic is a trick knife with the lock ground off and a nick ground in.
Maybe someone didn't like the trick???

.... Joe

[gino]

Thanks I was sthinkin the same

[garddogg56]

I have the twin to that Imperial, those are clean looking knives

[1967redrider]

That Key Barlow is in super condition, redrider!
Most of them you see are "ambered" and fading away!
Heck, there all in great condition
The Colonial IS a shell... they used tabs that folded inside of the liners to attach them.

Nice knives guys!!!

..... Joe

Thanks Joe! I was surprised at the excellent condition of these knives when they arrived.

[just bob]

I didn't realize I had this many of these until I dug a little.

[gino]

Nice collection Bob. I forget what I have sometimes too until I really look. LOL

[cattaraugus57]

Sold most of mine but then picked up this Imp/hammer brand Barlow,(shell hybrid?) The Bolster is a shell type being clipped on but the handles are pinned so....it's a shell type and not so....
Has the "hammer"marks on the top of the blade and the Hammer brand arm logo on the one bolster,couldn't pass it up

[Joe Dirt]

Boy, I couldn't tell ya how many times I have bought a knife only to find a box in the closet or under the bed with the very same knife in it that I already had

It's still a fun surprise, ain't it Bob! Nice "find".

Hay catt, that Imperial Barlow was part of a series that was made to commemorate the "Hammer Brand" knives that they discontinued after '55. Hammer Brand was likely discontinued after the success of the Old Timer???! (Someone please correct me if I'm wrong - won't be the first time )
They were made in the '70s and advertised as "Hammer Brand Open Stock" and "hammer forged" even though the hammer marks are just a stamping.
Great find!!!

I just got one of the fixed blades a few days ago!

.... Joe

[Joe Dirt]

It's not a shell but....
here's the fixed blade - now, just need to find the other two fixed blades and I can check the series off my list.

I need to take some of the patina off so the hammer marks will be more visible.

.... Joe

[cattaraugus57]

wow thanks Joe! I remember seeing that picture posted now,but I didn't realise it was that old.
It's in nice shape too.
So you have almost all of them from that series?..nice!

catt57

[gino]

Here is a couple

Early Imperial fisherman knife
Richards Sheffield Englad scout

[Iron Hoarder]

I was on vacation in Spain last week and in the market they were selling brand new shell handled pocket knives with pearl handle stickers in numerous colors. I didn't buy any but they were stamped CHINA on the tangs. I can't believe they would reproduce these of all things but they have. I can't believe I'm saying this but watch out for fake shell handles.

[cattaraugus57]

man, what next?..I guess it doesn't surprise me though...

[vikingdog]

A recent flea market find.

[Just Plain Dave]

I reckon I would have graved that one had I come across it!!!! NICE!!

[edgy46]

Hammers and others.
first pic Hammer Brand Imperials
second and third pic Imperials

[1967redrider]

sweet knives, edgy46!

[orvet]

man, what next?..I guess it doesn't surprise me though...

What is next………?
Imitation artificial flavoring?
Counterfeit copies of Chinese knives in Pakistan?

IS NOTHING SACRED?

[Big Barn]

Imperial made knives for anyone who asked.
They often just stamped them U.S.A.
They would do short runs as well as thousands for there customers.

....... Joe

I believe you're thinking Colonial who just used the USA stamp