Winchester Knife Co

[JAMESC41001]

Joe, the worm groove in the jigging is interesting. That is one of the most appealing aspects of the knife. I’m wondering how common that was on Winchester Knives. The long pull on the master spear blade is awesome. And my second favorite part of the knife. The shield is pinned which is nice Although I do not know if that was common with Winchester. I assume it was. Hard to tell from the pic but the pins seem to have little dimples on them. Cutleres woould use special hammers with thes dimples to help spread the heads of the pins. Sometimes they would follow up with a couple swings of a flat face hammer to clean them up. I haven’t looked to closely at Winchester knives to really know as I do not collect them. This looks to have been cleaned up a bit. The edges look a little soft and thierr appears to be a little compound residue between the brass and bone. Whoever did it did not overdue the bolsters though. Sometimes the wheel will carry the indent from the bone into the metal by the edge. That is the long way of saying I’m not sure. I can tell you that knife was done with skill as it is a beauty. Is there any wobble with the blades. There seems to be a little extra room by the back springs but it’s hard to tell??

[danno50]

Very nice Dan. That is a keeper. That bone is very familiar. I have both a Walden and Honk Falls with the same bone. I wish I knew more about it. How did it become common among the different companies. And is there a specific time frame. I know it is not really possible to narrow down specifically but maybe a general understanding is possible.

Thanks James. Sellens says that this model at 3 1/2" was in the Simmons catalogs from 1917 to 1934. I am assuming it is Winchester made from peanut740 and msteele6. Also, I believe that Keen Kutters with a stamped pattern number with no preceding K were manufactured by Winchester.

What fine old knife that is, Dan.
Well, I've been holding back and himen and hawin, trying to figure this old dogleg out.
Now I see Dans and his has the little pen in front of the main blade.
I'm afraid to put it down the drain. It will clog up my plumbing.

Joe, JohnR also posted a bonehandled dogleg jack on page 6 of this thread, which has the pen blade in front. Also the shield on yours is slightly different from the shields on John's and my doglegs. Your knife is a great looking old knife, whether or not it is a true Winchester, I have no idea.

[FRJ]

Thank you, James and Dan.

My knife is stamped only on the mark side of main blade. No other stamps.
So far I think my knife is on shakey ground.
I welcome other opinions.

[BWT]

Joe I'm in the same boat as you. Yours is a beautiful knife Winchester or not. I'm probably off the shaky ground and into the quicksand with the lockback I posted on page two There is definitely some really nice knives being posted for sure!!!

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have this knife I have been researching to try to determine where it fits in to the Winchester story. It is blade etched "The Winchester Store", no other tang stamp or markings. It is identical except for the markings to a Landers, Frary, & Clark 03662 camper style knife that I have, thus it was made by LF&C for Winchester. One "theory" is that this may have been made about 1918, just before Winchester got their own knife making operation up and running. I have shown it to many Winchester collectors at local gunshows and no one has seen one like this, but have offered me $100 for it..

Winchester Store knife at top, LF&C at bottom.

Note identical can opener, offcenter bail holes, shield, awl blades, handle material.

[LongBlade]

Very interesting Olde Cutler and nice knife ... Now that is a new twist to this thread in hearing LF&C made knives for Winchester prior to them starting their own shop - good piece of info which makes this knife of yours probably pretty rare especially with the etch - now I can see why you were offered $$ for it ...

[OLDE CUTLER]

Very interesting Olde Cutler and nice knife ... Now that is a new twist to this thread in hearing LF&C made knives for Winchester prior to them starting their own shop - good piece of info which makes this knife of yours probably pretty rare especially with the etch - now I can see why you were offered $$ for it ...

I had some posts and more photos of this a year ago. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54024
This is a theory for now until more info and more Winchester collectors can weigh in on it. Even though the L F & C knife has a broken off blade, it is my "evidence" knife for this theory.

[LongBlade]

Very interesting Olde Cutler and nice knife ... Now that is a new twist to this thread in hearing LF&C made knives for Winchester prior to them starting their own shop - good piece of info which makes this knife of yours probably pretty rare especially with the etch - now I can see why you were offered $$ for it ...

I had some posts and more photos of this a year ago. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=54024
This is a theory for now until more info and more Winchester collectors can weigh in on it. Even though the L F & C knife has a broken off blade, it is my "evidence" knife for this theory.

I agree Olde Cutler and understand it is a hypothesis at this point - but the evidence knife is very similar (both also have the black compo handles though bit different even though the LF&C is more pocket worn and the shield is a match on top of blade similarities) - the etch is pretty strong evidence it no doubt was made for Winchester .. I do believe that LF&C did some contract work so that fits as well...

[OLDE CUTLER]

Some additional photos. For reference, the Winchester Store knife has the bail, L F & C is missing bail. Yes, the handle material is much more worn on the L F & C.

[Miller Bro's]

No doubt L.F. & C. made it, I have one just like it etched Winchester Store.

Winchester decided to expand their business and allow independently owned businesses like hardware or gun stores sell Winchester products under the company store program. Winchester manufactured just about everything or had it made for them with their name on it, from ice skates to flashlights. This was their Winchester stores program. After about ten years the Winchester stores program failed, Simmons hardware ended up with the exclusive to market Winchester products, by 1931 Winchester was done manufacturing their own high quality knives and the company was bought by Western Cartridge who decided to make a line of cheap quality knives, big mistake. Cutlery sales plummeted and by the start of WWII they gave up making their own knives just like Remington and got back to making guns for the war effort.

With Simmons still marketing Winchester knives in their hardware stores, it's not a stretch to assume they looked to L.F.& C.
to fill their need for knives of all descriptions not to mention all the other stuff L.F.& C. manufactured. This is where I believe these obviously L.F.& C. made knives come in.

What you just read is my opinion of what happened your milage may vary

Here's a nice original Winchester pocket knife that I got outbid on fleabay several years ago

[peanut740]

That sounds reasonable to me MB. Nice hard to find in that condition Winchester also.

[wlf]

NIces knives Dan, Joe ,and OC. OC thanks for that post and thanks to Dimitri for that educated opinion.

[Old Folder]

Here is my only original Winchester I have. The oldies are not easily found here on the West Coast.
Pattern #2933. 3" Stag Handle, one large Spear and one Pen, nickel silver tips, shield and liner.
Blades are snappy and tight. (No half stops)

[peanut740]

Nice knife Dan.It looks like bone to me.With Winchesters, 9 in the pattern can be stag or bone.

[FRJ]

Very nice little pen, Dan.

[Old Folder]

Very nice little pen, Dan.

Thank you Joe.

[LongBlade]

That is a beauty Dan ....

[woodwalker]

Beautiful old knife Dan!!

[woodwalker]

No doubt L.F. & C. made it, I have one just like it etched Winchester Store.

Winchester decided to expand their business and allow independently owned businesses like hardware or gun stores sell Winchester products under the company store program. Winchester manufactured just about everything or had it made for them with their name on it, from ice skates to flashlights. This was their Winchester stores program. After about ten years the Winchester stores program failed, Simmons hardware ended up with the exclusive to market Winchester products, by 1931 Winchester was done manufacturing their own high quality knives and the company was bought by Western Cartridge who decided to make a line of cheap quality knives, big mistake. Cutlery sales plummeted and by the start of WWII they gave up making their own knives just like Remington and got back to making guns for the war effort.

With Simmons still marketing Winchester knives in their hardware stores, it's not a stretch to assume they looked to L.F.& C.
to fill their need for knives of all descriptions not to mention all the other stuff L.F.& C. manufactured. This is where I believe these obviously L.F.& C. made knives come in.

What you just read is my opinion of what happened your milage may vary

Here's a nice original Winchester pocket knife that I got outbid on fleabay several years ago

Man that one is clean Miller's Bros! Very nice!!

[Old Folder]

Nice knife Dan.It looks like bone to me.With Winchesters, 9 in the pattern can be stag or bone.

Thanks for that info Roger.
Having it in my hand it appears to be Bone. In James Parkers "Official guide to Collector Knives 9th edition 1987" Mr. Parker seems to list most of his # 9 pattern knives as Stag rather than bone. I should pay more attention to what is in my hand rather that my books.
I learned something new. (again)

[Old Folder]

Thank you woodwalker
Thank you Lee

[BWT]

Beautiful knife Dan

[peanut740]

Nice knife Dan.It looks like bone to me.With Winchesters, 9 in the pattern can be stag or bone.

Thanks for that info Roger.
Having it in my hand it appears to be Bone. In James Parkers "Official guide to Collector Knives 9th edition 1987" Mr. Parker seems to list most of his # 9 pattern knives as Stag rather than bone. I should pay more attention to what is in my hand rather that my books.
I learned something new. (again)

I've never seen a stag 1920 folding hunter.The Offical Guide to Collector Knives says"9-sometimes used for bone or stag".Stag Winchesters are rare.I had a really minty small 2 blade stag stockman that was etched on both blades,with for "flesh only." on the spey,and Winchester stainless on the master.

[Old Folder]

Thank you Bill.
I wish I had more Winchesters to share.

[danno50]

Very nice pen knife, Dan!
Dimitri, thanks for the information and the informed opinion. I had mistakingly assumed that Winchester continued to make Keen Kutters for Simmons into at the least the mid 30s?