Old Hawkbills

This forum is dedicated to the discussion and display of old knives. The rich history of all the many companies that made them through the early years will be found here as well as many fine examples of the cutlers art. Share pictures of your old knives and your knowledge here!
Post Reply
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

nice stag on that IXL mooseman! ::tu::
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Post by upnorth »

muskrat man wrote:Charlie, thats interesting, so my ka-bar could very well be of case manufacture? I have two of them the real nice one and one that was tipped that I reshaped as a user. got two more inbound in a hawk collectioin I just acquired
I meant the other way round, MM. Case had them made by others!! A lot of their Barlows were done by others, and most of their scouts, I have heard. Maybe someone knows more.
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

oh, ok I Oh, ok I had it backwards ::dang::

thanks Charlie, that explains it
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
knifeaholic
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5598
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:41 am
Location: Central Massachusetts

Post by knifeaholic »

Here are two older CASE 61011 hawkbills that I just picked up. One has a rare tang stamp - it is CASE'S BRADFORD.

BTW, Case made their own hawkbills in hous until about 1981. Then later they were outsourced to Camillus and that continued until recently when Camillus went under.

The ones made in house at Case will have bone or jigged pakkawood handles (61011) or smooth walnut (11011).
Attachments
img236.jpg
img236.jpg (82.23 KiB) Viewed 3915 times
knifeaholic
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5598
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:41 am
Location: Central Massachusetts

Post by knifeaholic »

upnorth wrote:
muskrat man wrote:Charlie, thats interesting, so my ka-bar could very well be of case manufacture? I have two of them the real nice one and one that was tipped that I reshaped as a user. got two more inbound in a hawk collectioin I just acquired
I meant the other way round, MM. Case had them made by others!! A lot of their Barlows were done by others, and most of their scouts, I have heard. Maybe someone knows more.
Case outsourced various knives over the years. The 640045 scout was outsourced (Ulster and Camillus) but the 6445R was made in house.

There were some jack patterns (620035 and 620035-1/2) outsourced to Ulster/Kingston. And barlows (Ulster, Utica/Kutmaster). But barlow patterns were also made in house.

Some 048 patterns were outsourced to Camillus during the 1970's, but these patterns were also made in house. I belive that Alcas made some sodbusters for Case as well.

And I have heard that originally (from the mid 70's to the early 90's) that Alcas made all of Case's "modern" lockback knives like the Sharkstooth, Mako, Hammerhead, and others. AFAIK these have been made in house though since the early 90's.

And then the later hawkbill and electrician knives (delrin handles) and the later version of the riggers knife (locking spike) were made by Camillus. Case did make the hawkbills, electrician's, and riggers in house though up through the late 70's.

Ther may be more that I will think of.
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Post by upnorth »

Thanks for filling in the knowledge, KA!!!
Real nice hawks you have there!!
User avatar
smiling-knife
Posts: 3365
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:39 pm
Location: Bedford, UK

Post by smiling-knife »

Great looking Hawkbills everyone ::tu:: . The scales on the IXL and the Knifeaholics pair are very nice indeed ::nod:: s-k.
User avatar
sunburst
Posts: 2921
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:07 pm
Location: The Scrublands of Central Florida

Post by sunburst »

That George Woodhead and Hawk are "primo", very nice...I love the hawkbill but have never figured out how to sharpen one correctly?? ::shrug::

Sunburst
“The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways”
User avatar
smiling-knife
Posts: 3365
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:39 pm
Location: Bedford, UK

Post by smiling-knife »

Here is one I picked-up earlier in the week. The mark is Becker GEBR (Bros) Solingen. Goins lists the mark as 1920-1940. Not sure if this is a maker or merchant name. :) s-k
Attachments
20-01 004.jpg
User avatar
Diligence
Posts: 446
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:43 pm
Location: Alberta

Post by Diligence »

SK - how do you do it? Do you actually walk up to 95 year old grandmothers and ask them if you can rummage in their attic?

Great find.

I'm frozen and jealous - it's cold this morning, and I really want to find a flea market to browse through.
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

Nice one S-K!

K-A thanks for the input, that is interesting, I have two newer case hawkbills that I thought looked awfully similar to camillus hawks, maybe they made them?

Here is an old german hawk. Can't recall tang stamp will have to check. I like the bolster
Image
Attachments
hawkbill 006.JPG
hawkbill 006.JPG (0 Bytes) Viewed 4256 times
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
lenny357
Posts: 1119
Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:47 pm
Location: California
Contact:

Post by lenny357 »

Already have a post on this but thought I would add it for historical purpose. Columbia Hawk Bill looks to me the spring is tapered, most powerful spring/snap I have felt, makes the old lady jump..lol
Age?
Value?
Attachments
DSC02610.JPG
DSC02609.JPG
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

Here's a few that came in the mail today.

Image
Image

Different kutmaster varients
Image

a pretty nice ka-bar
Image
Image

a "small" jigged cell kutmaster. I have recently learned that kutmaster made hawkbills in two different frame sizes a larger version and a smaller version about 1/2" or so shorter.
Image
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

Ok, maybe the last ones weren't old enough :)

How about an A. Wright and Son LTD Sheffield England? My first Sheffield pruner ::ds::
Image
Image
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
lenny357
Posts: 1119
Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:47 pm
Location: California
Contact:

Post by lenny357 »

Nice arch in it's back MM, shinny too ::ds::
User avatar
sunburst
Posts: 2921
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:07 pm
Location: The Scrublands of Central Florida

Post by sunburst »

muskrat man wrote:
How about an A. Wright and Son LTD Sheffield England? My first Sheffield pruner ::ds::
This is my favorite one MM, I kinda feel a twinkling of an itch to work on a few of these myself..Thanks for sharing them with us..

Sunburst
“The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways”
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

thanks fellas. I know dunlaps have already been posted, but this is a really nice one I got in a small group recently.
Image
Image
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

I updated some pics on this page of the hawk thread, better clarity. Here is a hukhill hawk I just got in the mail today.
Image
Image
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
jonet143
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 6922
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:33 am
Location: w'ford-tejas

Post by jonet143 »

never seen one of those! hukill-hunter co. was a wholesaler in pittsburgh, pa. c1902-?
johnnie f 1949

on the cutting edge is sometimes not the place to be.
please support our troops - past and present
if not a member...join the NKCA! they're on our side.
knife7knut
Posts: 10697
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
Location: Tecumseh,Michigan

Post by knife7knut »

sunburst wrote:That George Woodhead and Hawk are "primo", very nice...I love the hawkbill but have never figured out how to sharpen one correctly?? ::shrug::

Sunburst
I use a Smith's retractable tapered round sharpener for all of my hawkbills and serrated knives.Also has provisions to sharpen fish hooks(see groove in closeup of blade).
Attachments
SmithsFullyOpened1.JPG
SmithsFullyOpened1.JPG (13.18 KiB) Viewed 4080 times
SmithsFullyOpened.JPG
SmithsFullyOpened.JPG (12.87 KiB) Viewed 4080 times
SmithsPartiallyOpened.JPG
SmithsPartiallyOpened.JPG (12.41 KiB) Viewed 4080 times
SmithsClosed.JPG
SmithsClosed.JPG (22.51 KiB) Viewed 4080 times
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
User avatar
sunburst
Posts: 2921
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:07 pm
Location: The Scrublands of Central Florida

Post by sunburst »

knife7knut wrote:
sunburst wrote:That George Woodhead and Hawk are "primo", very nice...I love the hawkbill but have never figured out how to sharpen one correctly?? ::shrug::

Sunburst
I use a Smith's retractable tapered round sharpener for all of my hawkbills and serrated knives.Also has provisions to sharpen fish hooks(see groove in closeup of blade).
Thanks knife7knut I really appreciate you taking the time to share that.... ::nod::

Sunburst
“The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways”
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

knife7knut wrote:
sunburst wrote:That George Woodhead and Hawk are "primo", very nice...I love the hawkbill but have never figured out how to sharpen one correctly?? ::shrug::

Sunburst
I use a Smith's retractable tapered round sharpener for all of my hawkbills and serrated knives.Also has provisions to sharpen fish hooks(see groove in closeup of blade).
you too huh? Mine is a bit different, maybe not a smith brand but its a tapered tound sharpener, double ended one side is hald fround with a fishhook sharprned or the rounded side and the other end is full round tapered, works great. Too many old timers stuck thier hawkbill to a good flat "wetrock" and after a while of doing this they had a rope knife instead of a hawk :?
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
muskrat man
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 5684
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:04 am
Location: Ohio
Contact:

Post by muskrat man »

don't think I posted this one before. A nice little Boker USA, all original, never sharpened
Image
Custom knives, repair, restoration & embellishment
Certified Hubertus, Taylor, & Schrade repairman past and present
http://www.muskratmanknives.com
https://www.facebook.com/Muskratmanknives
User avatar
CCBill
Posts: 1057
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 6:35 pm
Location: The Lone Star State...

hawkbills (all Case)

Post by CCBill »

# 7,8 & 9 -- Case Brothers, Little Valley, N.Y. 1900- 1912
# 10 -- Case Brothers, Springville, N.Y. 1912- 1915
# 11 -- W. R. Case & Son (singular) Bradford, PA. 1903- 1905
# 12,13& 14 -- W.R. Case & Sons, Bradford, PA 1905- 1920
# 15 -- Case Tested XX -- Bradford, PA 1920- 1945
# 16 -- Case XX, Bradford, PA 1945- 1964
# 17 -- Case XX U.S.A -- 1974
# 12, # 15, and # 16 are un-sharpened.
Some of my dates may not be right. Let me know and I will correct them...
Sorry about the lousy picture. Hopefully you can see them OK.
Attachments
hawks.jpg
hawks.jpg (47.94 KiB) Viewed 4449 times
Only two things are infinite, the Universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
Albert Einstein...
User avatar
upnorth
Posts: 2959
Joined: Sun Oct 15, 2006 8:43 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Post by upnorth »

Very impressive old Casehawk collection there CC!!
Old Case knives, even work knives like Hawks and Sods are a pleasure to behold!!
Post Reply

Return to “Knife Lore - Traditional Knives From the Old Days”