Western USA

[leggo]

I picked this up this morning and 5 other knives for a $20.00 bill. I haven't seen another on this forum that just has WESTERN with USA under it right under the guard , also the butt on this isn't turned at like a 30 degree angle like the similar ones on here it's a full tang knife , the butt is inline with the blade. It is stacked leather ?...I think. from what I can see through the grime and dirt on it . I'm hesitant about how to go about cleaning it. Any ideas about what I've got here ?
I took another look at it , and it looks like it might be stacked plastic ,derlin ,bakelite ? Age , value of it ?
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While I'm at it here's also a picture of Tru-Edge with ONTARIO KNIFE CO. under it on the blade , and MADE IN USA under that. It has OLD HICKORY stamped into the wood handle. The handle pins are brass colored , I haven't researched it yet ...but I figure it's probably just a real common small machete maybe intended for pruning small branches. Any ideas ?

When I previewed this post I see that the pictures of the WESTERN it looks like the butt or pommel is turned about 30 degrees ..so I guess what I previously said means nothing. Also pictured is a World War 1 US on one side aluminum handle and L.F.&C. 1917 mess kit knife ?

[Cowdiddly]

The Western is an L66 skinner I think. L66 standing for stacked leather handle and 66 is the pattern. One of the most common and cheapest handle. Cleaned up it might fetch the 20 you paid but it that shape not much, Has great CV steel though and make a great user. made before 1977 cant read if it has a date code for after 1977
The other one is a Cotton sampler knife made for taking plugs out of cotton bales. Not sure what they are used for today. 1095 steel and will get razor sharp and would make a good one to hacksaw/grind a bushcraft pattern out of, its just dying to become a drop point hunter, if you dont get it above 400 degrees and take the temper out of it.
The army thing was a standard issue for army mess hall use.

[Colonel26]

Very good vintage Western. I agree, it's an L66. Use a bit of oil, maybe some OOOO steel wool and it'll slick right up. Also a #2 pencil works good too to scrape off any crud.

Western I am convinced had the best steel hands down. Really good stuff.

Your knife, if there's no letter code, dates from about 1973-1976 if I'm recalling my dates correctly. Before that it would have also said Boulder Colo, and starting in '77 it would have had an A date code.

Very good price on the three.

[leggo]

Thanks you guys for the info. While you guys were responding I was doing a post on knife discussion asking about a safe way to clean the leather. Yes earlier this morning on one of the folders I used a pencil on a blade to remove some dirt and rust...it's the first time I ever tried that (I remembered that method from another post one time) it's amazing how good that works. I've let rusty blades soak in white vinegar before and used WD-40 and it helps too.