Old John Primble

randy.stephens · Post by **randy.stephens** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:17 pm

This morning while getting up leaves in my yard a old friend from the Lincoln Mill village in Huntsville, Alabama drove up. It was a real surprise as we only see each other onece every couple of years. I never knew eith of my Grand Parents so her Mother and Dad became like Grand Parents to me. I loved and treated them as close family. They lived in the mill village duplex next to ours. To my surprise she handed me a knife indicating that she thought it belonged with me. Please see images. To my surprise as I examined it, it seemed to be a high quality knife. It is a Primble with No. 5371 stamped on the back side of the main clip blade. The front tang is stamped "JOHN PRIMBLE" over "Belknap" over what appears to be three letters I can't positively identify followed by "A MFG Co." . I would appreciate any information concering this knife especially the approximate age, scale material, and general quality.

Thanks a lot. It's a sincere honor to be a very small part of this forum.

Randy

orvet · Post by **orvet** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:09 pm

Randy,
I think the three letters you cannot identify are HDW. Standing for "Hardware." Belknap was a hardware company & John Primble was one of their brands. Someone who knows more about Primbles than I do will be along soon. I think many of these were made by Schrade, but I think Camillus also made some of them as well as other manufacturers.

Welcome to AAPK.

Dale

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:17 pm

Hi Randy,

I'll take a swing here...hopefully others will come along and add or correct for you.

I'd say the stamp says...HDW. & MFG. CO......which describes Belknap.
That stamp was used between 1940-1968, IIRC. The handles look like jigged Delrin to me, which would put it from about 1958-1968. Likely made by Boker, Camillus, or one of the Imperial companies for Belknap.

Next......

Bill

OOOOPS.....Dale is too quick, and I am way too slow. Sigh.

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:22 pm

jim parker's knife collectors encyclopedia:

4" premium stock
made in germany
mint value $400

that's a fine little knife.

jonet143 · Post by **jonet143** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:53 pm

bill and dale are on the money i think. the knife i referenced is bonestag.

those delrin handles date it to 58-68.

and welcome to our sight.

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:39 pm

Hey Randy that is one sharp looking knife, classy...

wells689 · Post by **wells689** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 3:05 am

HI, NICE KNIFE i collect primbles info on this is hard to come by and somewhat incorrect this knife does not have the star on back of main blade ,which i would say is not made by boker, but schrade or camilus all else sounds correct super knife!!!

radicat · Post by **radicat** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:33 am

Just going by my notes here, for what it's worth, Schrade started using this stamp without the star in 1965. With the star, most likely Camillus (German import) until then. Possibly Boker or Utica as well.

jfarmer · Post by **jfarmer** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:50 pm

Hey that is a neat one. I like the bolsters.

James