Col Coon timeline? (pictures added)

[Dan97526]

Gentlemen,

I just got a hold of my first Col. Coon knife, a 4" stockman. I usually don't buy stainless knives, but this one was just too nice to pass up. I didn't have a Col Coon, but what really sold me on the knife was the workmanship and the fact that it was the only three-backspring stockman I've seen. That might be very common, but I hadn't seen it before.

What I am wondering is if this knife was made by Adrian Harris' original company. It is stamped

COL COON
TENN, U.S.A.

Unfortunately Colonel Coon himself is AWOL; the familiar drawing is not present. "Patent 3,317,996" is stamped on the spey blade. It has nice jigged bone or delrin handles, tan on the jigging and a cream color on the smooth parts. There is an unstamped long oval shield.

What makes me wonder is this knife is in nearly-new condition and I read that Harris sold out to Case in 1986. It actually looks like a Case knife; the jigging pattern looks very similar to my 1980 Case trapper. Did Case ever make knives with the Col Coon stamp? I understand Queen also made (makes?) some Col Coon knives recently, but I don't think it's a Queen. Did any other companies make Col Coon?

I'd also be grateful if anyone could ballpark the value of this knife. Not that I usually care; if I like it, I keep it and I'm not planning on selling this knife. That said however, I think I underpaid for this knife significantly.

Thanks,

Dan

[Dan97526]

I checked out the patent number at the Patent Office website. Patent 3,317,996 is registered to Antonio Paolatonio. I'm guessing that this knife is a Colonial, then. Little sad about that, if that is indeed the case. Still, it's a nice knife.

Dan

[Paladin]

Dan,
I am a long ways from being an expert on Col Coon Knives but I do not believe Colonial ever made any of their knives. I suspect he was using the patent under some sort of license agreement.
I have been told that Harris used Camillus components in building his knives.
I have owned a couple of the Col Coons that had no etch and I always assumed that they were made late in the history of the company, but have no proof of that. When I had them they sold for about $40 -$50.
Maybe someone will come along who can give us some real facts.

Ray

[jonet143]

hey coonhunter! i bet he can offer some info.

[knifeaholic]

Harris bought blades and other parts from both Camillus and Colonial to nake the original Colonel Coon knives.

[El Lobo]

Dan,
Can you post a picture? Maybe Roger or one of the guys can tell by looking.
If you go to the Colonial HISTORY page, they do mention making knives/components for Colonel Coon.....

http://www.colonialknifecompany.com/history.htm

.....that would probably date it before Adrian Harris sold the brand (for his presentation box in particular...IIRC). But, an agreement to use a patent is possible as well. Could even have been assembled of components from more than one company, to get that special knife?

Bill

EDITED:
IMO, you shouldn't feel too bad if it is a Colonial, as they could make a very nice knife. Here is a Russell Barlow they made, half-sunken joint, nice stag and great fit.....

[El Lobo]

knifeaholic is too quick for me...

Sorry for the redundant information.

Bill

[rock]

Well i'm no expert on the Col Coon but i have owned several over the years. I had a friend who lived in Lawrenceburg Tenn. which is only about 40 miles from Columbia Tenn. where the Col coon's were made. He knew i collected knives so he got me several, this was sometime in the early eighties. They were nice, wish i hadn't got rid of them.

[Coon Hunter]

Dan, If you could post a pic of the Colonel Coon you bought maybe I could help with some of your questions.

Thanks !
Roger

[Dan97526]

Thanks, everyone. See below for a pic.

[Gr8Scout]

There is a very, very strong Colonial, Camillus, Colonel Coon Connection. Here are some pics with the honchos from all three companies together:

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... php?t=3423

I collect texas toothpicks; one of my favorites is my Col Coon/ Gator Cutlery club 5" bone handled knife.

And El Lobo is right; Colonial could make an exceptional knife if they so choose to.
Photo shows, from top to bottom, Col. Coon, Imperial (solid handles and bolsters) and Colonial (beautiful gold sparkle checks celluloid handle)

Phil

[Dan97526]

Here's a cheesy phone pic. Sorry, my camera died. I'd replace it if I could ever stop buying knives....

Actually I have several Colonials bouncing around in my accumulation of knives. I don't have anything against them, and I didn't realize Colonial's reputation for quality was a bit suspect. This is a well-made knife no matter who put it together.

My disappointment was that it wasn't a "real" Colonel Coon, whatever that may be. With the history of American knifemaking rife with "Co. A making components for Co. B, stamped with B's logo" I suppose I shouldn't worry about it.

Very nice toothpicks, Phil.

Anyway. on to the knife:

[yerout]

Dan, as for your knife you posted the pic of this is not a Colonel Coon Knife it is a fake, the knife you have is an Old Cutler there are hundreds of these floating around I have one myself, Adrain Harris to the best of my knowledge and research never produced a knife with any type handle material except Bone or Stag. This is also the information I recieved after talking with Mr. James Murphy who was the Founder of the Colonel Coon Collectors Club.

Roger

[Dan97526]

Interesting. Looks like I just bought my first fake. But since it's a well-made knife and I'm only into it for $20, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. It will make a good user. I think I will seek out a real Col Coon now though.

A gentlemen on another forum kindly emailed me after finding this thread. He said he had the same knife, and had posted a thread on that forum with an ad for this knife as one of SMKW's "warehouse finds." Here's his thread and the picture he posted (there's a link to a more readable version of the ad on his thread):

Col Coon/Colonial?

I have garnered the impression that SMKW has a bit of a bad name amongst some in the knife community. Is it because of practices like this? Furthermore, how could SMKW use a trademarked name in this fashion?

[El Lobo]

JMO.

As I mentioned, maybe there were some blades made on contract that for whatever reason didn't get used. Then other components were used to cobble a knife together. A plausible story was then concocted...er, ah...added, and there you have it. Or...maybe not.

It is often difficult for the collector to discern what really happened in this hobby. Sometimes the only history is in the memory of a very few.

Again, JMO, others may differ.

Bill

[Turkey Creek Tom]

Which one is the Colonel? and Which one is the coon?
The two bladed congress is a wood handle Colonel Coon.
Don't see many of these.
I think the plastic handle knife was made from left over Col Coon blades that were supplied by Camilis or Colonial.

[Gr8Scout]

TurkeyTom and yerout... thanks for the great information and solving the mystery.

A mention was made of the business practices of SMKW. I'm not gonna pile on, just mentioning it again, I think that makes the point.

How do we fight chicanery from a relatively few in the knife industry? We do it here, everyday, exchanging valuable information.

So this turned out to be a very, very good thread.

[mawd1949]

This thread has a comment that CC's were only made in stag or bone. I've seen pictures of pearl and I have this wood handled congress that looks kosher to me. Comments appreciated.

[Paladin]

Since the Colonial Cut Co was mentioned several times in the thread, and since we all recognize that they are mainly known as a producer of not terribly expensive knives, I seem to recall a series they produced called The Old Cutler. I may need help on that name but that was a knife of very, very good quality.

[Turkey Creek Tom]

This thread has a comment that CC's were only made in stag or bone. I've seen pictures of pearl and I have this wood handled congress that looks kosher to me. Comments appreciated.

You have a wood hand real life coon there. A real rare knife. Notice the picture above where I posted one.
Adrian Harris a Tennessee boy went to a military school and due to his southern way of talking, classmates dubed him "Col Coon", that became the name of his knives. He used stag, bone, wood and pearl...but I don't believe the Col ever used any plastic. He made several knives for me. He also did the fancy blade work for Case and others on the collector knives.
You hold onto that rare wood handle congress!

[knifeswapper]

Post these in the stag thread, but had to put them here as well...

[El Lobo]

WOW!!

Really nice ones Mike. Several thumbs UP!

Bill

[bgibson27]

yes i live in columbia tn i goto church across the street from adrians old house and shop. my uncle went into his shop and looked at his knifes every wensday before church. its amazing to see that this country knows of adrian. i will talk to a friend of mine and get the history on him and bring it back to yall. he helped build col. coons shop. col. coon lived in a neighbor hood called ashwood. its right before mt pleasent tn. and his shop still stands. its sad the irs hit him like they did. aint that the goverment for ya but thats another subject. i will share what i learn and i found a four blade (just getting in to this) that adrian gave the guy who built the shop and its numbered #41 and he only made 100 of its kind and its the most beautiful knife ive ever seen ill post a pic tommorow.

[yerout]

To correct a post made about 5 yrs ago about the Delrin handle Colonel Coon Knives after more research by several people this is what Mr. Harris had to say about those knives.

Around 1980, I was trying to get Tennessee Knife Works off the ground and have enough capital to go into box making, insert making, and chemical milling. Since the "Old Cutler" line was selling good at the time (because it was well made and cheap). The "Old Cutler" had a good thick blade, 1090 tool steel, and the handles were solid delrin. On a joint venture (between Al and myself), we made 1,000 of these knives with the tang stamp Col. Coon, Tenn. U.S.A. (I already had this stamp). I had met with their sales rep and the idea was to sell these knives to the local hardware stores for an inexpensive "using" knife. These knives were made in Providence, RI by Colonial Knife Co. and I was going to distribute them through Tennessee Knife Works. They were not marketed as being made in Tennessee, but as being distributed by Tennessee Knife Works. At the time, there were a lot of knives coming in from Japan and selling for a cheap price. My idea, was to have an American made knife that would be in competition with these. I also thought I could sell more than the Old Cutler brand. I am sorry to say, they did not sell. The ones that did, I think were used because we only made 1,000 of these (some with white handles) and there are very few around now.

I hope this clears it up,
Thanks !
Roger