NYKC Hammer Brand - Blue

[Simple Man]

Got this off Ebay, (sellers pics). From researching it looks to be a pre-Imperial, 1878-1932 New York Knife Company Hammer Brand. It was listed as 1938-1941, but I believe it was already Imperial at that point. My first inclination was to pull the blue scales and rescale it in Ebony or Micarta and carry it. I had someone suggest that I'd be better off leaving it as is, given it's relatively unused condition for it's age.

So what do ya think. Am I on the right track as far as age and provenience?
Is it heresy to redo it given the age and condition, or it's not worth enough anyway so have at it?

I'm starting to lean toward leaving it as is, depending on actual condition once it arrives.

Reference threads:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22667
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... 35&t=21716

[Cutty]

Had that one on my watch list, got busy and never bid on it. Glad someone here got it. I was wondering the same thing on the actual age??


Fill me in on how it is in hand when you get it, so I can be even more jealous

[cato]

nice one SM

[reddirtknives]

I was bidding on it from day one but for some reason said naaa. Either I didn't look at all of the pics or the seller added some pics after the first day of the auction. I was the first bidder but I was busy at the time, Hmmm maybe thats why I don't remember seeing the other pics. I only bid between $12 and $13 because I had never seen baby blue celluloid handles on a NYK Co. Hammer Brand. I was thinking it might be one of the China Taylor models and lost interest. It sure does stand out with those baby blue scales and I think you should leave it all original...

[knife7knut]

From the closeup pics I definitely think it is pre-Imperial NYK and it is in great condition.I still recommend leaving it as is.

[Joe Dirt]

Neat find!!!
I believe it is a re-handled cigar pattern to begin with.
The blades ARE DEFENATLY New York Knife Co.!

I would carry it the way it is.

...... Joe

[knife-nut]

Can you tell if the handles are celluloid? They do not look like any celluloid handles I've ever seen on a vintage New York Knife. If they are not original I would rehandle it in ebony or whatever you want. JMHO.

[Simple Man]

Dunno yet, you can see all I have. It looks composite though, delrin-ish to me, not cell.

[bonehead]

Yes a NYKC Jack. I also believe the scales have replaced. The knife itself looks really nice. BH

[Simple Man]

Well, I'll get it in hand and maybe that will tell us more.

[msteele6]

Those handles do look a bit dicey, however, there are a lot of things that I haven't seen before that turn out to be correct. If I were you I'd keep looking at old NYK knives (and catalogs) to try to confirm whether this material was used by them at some point. Fortunately there is a pattern number on the knife that may give you some guidance.

One thing is certain, the knife will only be original once.

JMO

[Simple Man]

Well, it arrived. Good news, bad news. Good news is it looks good, as far as I can tell, scales seem to match up to the knife. It feels right in hand, not cobbled together. Scales are some kinda of plastic with a glassy finish, NOT delrin. Doesn't really seem like celluloid, but it well could be. Bad news is (for me) it is in such good condition, good springs, good blades, that I have been convinced to waver from my original intention. No new scales for this one, but it is still ugly in my opinion, the turquoise does not do it for me. I'll list it in the trade room before long.

[tjmurphy]

Is that a shell handled knife? Thin plastic cover over stamped metal base? I think that the handles are correct in that I've seen the same knife in red and yellow, which would indicate a series. JMO.

[Simple Man]

Nope, NOT a shell handle. Real live scales and bolsters without a doubt.

[knife7knut]

Glad you decided to leave it as is SM.When you get ready to turn it loose shoot me a PM;I may be interested in it.

[RobesonsRme.com]

I agree with those that think the blue scales are not original to the knife.

Think of what kinds of knives NYK made, mostly working man's patterns.

Think about the time period from which this knife hails.

Think NYK would have put out a knife with turquoise handles?

I don't.

I also don't think they are as well fitted to the frame as they should be if NYK cutlers put them there, although "shrinkage" could account for that, I suppose.

You obviously think the knife is "ugly", you've said so more than once.

Get it rehandled in ebony or old bone. I don't think that would do anything but enhance its value.

At least you wouldn't be embarrassed to carry it.

Charlie Noyes

[RobesonsRme.com]

A PM from Simple Man genuinely suggests I might be incorrect about the handles. They may actually be original to the knife.

So. Ignore almost everything I wrote above.

Going back to my Robeson hole.

Charlie

[msteele6]

I saw this knife for sale on eBay and it put me in mind of this thread. This knife is an OVB, a brand frequently manufactured for H.S.& B. by NYK. I think that it illustrates that H.S.& B. roughly in the time frame of the subject knife was using this handle material. By the way, I don't think that this eBay knife is an NYK product.

[Simple Man]

Nice, that is still only the second one i've seen.

edit - Well what do ya know, it looks like there are (2) blue OVB Barlows listed at the moment. One does look a bit darker, but that could well be camera lighting.

[ole_muddy]

I think it likely that the handles are original. I think the knife itself dates 1928-31 when New York Knife Co. was on its last legs and trying to reduce production costs to increase sales and stay afloat. Unfortunately they failed. I wouldn't do anything to the knife at all, but I would try to get opinions on the knife from some long time dealer/collectors. Bruce Voyles occurs to me and there's two or three guys in the New England area that are well schooled on NYK Co. but I'm having trouble remembering names. I got the old fart's disease--C.R.S. Maybe someone else can think of a oldtime pro or two to send you to.

Eric