shell handled knives

[Dinadan]

Okay - this thread has been around for several years and I never posted a knife. Here is an Ulster fish knife that I like. I think that most of the pocket knives that I grew up with were shell handled. I am pretty sure that all my old fish knives were shell handled, anyway.

[whitebuffalo58]

Whoa, talk about strong out of the gate! Very nice!

You know, I've been collecting shell handled toothpick/fish knives for a very long time and I've never come across one with an Ulster stamp. There couldn't have been many.

Thank you for showing that one, Mel! Another knife on the 'to find' list.



WB

[Dinadan]

Thanks, WB. I do not think of myself as collecting fish knives, but every now and then I see one that I like and buy it.

[Wbyonder]

Love these knives guys!! Here are a few of mine, mostly imperials and hammers! Keep them pics comming!!!

[Wbyonder]

Forgot this unusual shell it's a large stockman Jawika Ireland,and a unusual imperial cover!

[Wbyonder]

Forgot this unusual shell it's a large stockman Jawika Ireland,and a unusual imperial cover!

[whitebuffalo58]

Love these knives guys!! Here are a few of mine, mostly imperials and hammers! Keep them pics comming!!!

Wow, nice showing Wbyonder! Some great colors in the mix! I have a Barlow with those "stag'd" handles and I believe Dimitri (Miller Bros.) had a toothpick with those same handles. They are unique.

Thanks for sharing!


WB

[Wbyonder]

Thanks guys, I just love learning from you all and seeing all the pictures!!! I also collect safety razors, and knives are the same, always something you haven't seen or don't know existed! it would be miserable for me as collector to come too a point where I new everything about something, And had seen everything, So lucky for me , that will never happen!! Not even close, and learning history that most people could care less about , makes me smile have a great night one and all!

[bighomer]

I don't have all the great colors that you fellers are showing, but here's a few.

[Wbyonder]

Great ones!! I had forgot about all the shell campers, I that a hawk ill on that last barlow I spy, if so that's, old school Kool!! Thanks for sharing!!

[Tsar Bomba]

Okay - this thread has been around for several years and I never posted a knife. Here is an Ulster fish knife that I like. I think that most of the pocket knives that I grew up with were shell handled. I am pretty sure that all my old fish knives were shell handled, anyway.

While it's hard to be sure given 2D photos, I'm fairly confident that your Utica's fish shield is identical to my Imperial's.

Was there any interplay betwen Imperial and Utica? I don't think Utica was ever brought under the same company umbrella like Schrade and Imperial were, but Utica would have had to have access to the same machining to produce a shield that uncannily similar to the Imperial knife, no?

I don't have all the great colors that you fellers are showing, but here's a few.

big-H, I only recently discovered that Imperial made shell-handled automatic fish knives/ticklers like the second from the top in your photo, and I've been crazy about finding one ever since. How does it fire? It probably was a cut above the usual shell-handled fish knive in price, huh?

[bighomer]

It is WBY and here's a couple of more that is cool to me , the ones with screw driver blades. Tony I wish,sorry to say but it's it's a fake. Colonial made several to look like switch blades but are not.

[whitebuffalo58]

bighomer, you've been holding out on us, nice grouping!

I see a couple of unique ones, the Electricians Camper is one. You can tell by the electrical snipe on the screwdriver of mine, that somebody took the name a bit to literal. Does yours have a "You Can Rely On Certified" etch?

Tsar Bomba, if I was a bettin' man, I'd put my money on that Ulster being a contract knife, made by Imperial.


WB

[bighomer]

WB l don't see any etch, someone reprofile the screwdriver blade on mine. It's got some more fine steel, razor sharp. Scott( triple f) had one for sale a couple years ago but I missed out on it.I thought I had a couple more of the fish and toadsticker type knives but they seem to be missing in action.

[Tsar Bomba]

Tsar Bomba, if I was a bettin' man, I'd put my money on that Ulster being a contract knife, made by Imperial.

Agreed, WB. The world of cutlery was often very "incestuous" and I've been utterly gobsmacked at times to see things like identical knives wearing Case and Robeson livery from the early part of the 20th. Speaking of Case, I believe Utica made a fair number of Barlows for Case in the early days, too. Makes this hobby of ours ever so much more fun to try and chase down the backstory behind all these "cooperative builds".

But now I've gotta run down a Utica-stamped fish knife...

[Wbyonder]

Thanks for the picture BigHomer, I have a bunch of barlows, but none with the hawkbill like that , its like the big antlered buck in a field, your eyes are just drawn to it!

[OLDE CUTLER]

I picked up this one yesterday at a gunshow. It is a Jowicka Ireland camper style that must have been imported into Canada to sell as a souvenir to tourists with LOTS of money. LOL The shell handles on this one attach differently, as it does not have the typical end tabs like the Imperials did. Looking at the inside with a light 2 small tabs can be seen on each side that are bent over against the liners.

[Reverand]

I picked this one up off eBay for $1.04 (plus shipping!).
The tank stamp is VERY light.
The seller said that it is a Clover Brand Syracuse knife. I can make out the “C”, and most of the word “Syracuse”.

Goins says that this is a Kastor company. I had not seen any shell handles before except for Imperials, and this one is in good enough shape that it excites me.
I know it is not valuable, but then again none of my knives are. But I don’t see many of these, and the Eagle Scout in me has a hard time passing up Camping knives, especially one with Morse Code on it!

[WillyCamaro]

I really like that one Rev... What's $1.04 (Plus shipping!) for a pretty unique camper. I am in the same thinking as you, mine are Imperials. Love the stuff. Good i found this thread, now i can post em' all (10 of em').
First off, old Richards Sheffield England 1 blade jack that i pick up at the Yorkton Gun & Collectibles show. Great walk and talk with full half stop. Just someone ground the tip to a sharp point...
Next, Imperial Ireland 1 blade jack. Like new condition, blade tighter that a dog's hind leg (maybe a little to tight), and tight half stop. Sill original grease on the tang. Just a little cover shrinkage, otherwise she's perfect. $10 bucks to boot... Gun show pickup also.
Final gun show grab, an absolute perfect condition Imperial USA 2 blade cigar jack. This bad boy is factory perfect condition, not joking. Even original bail in perfect condition. Maybe these 2 were put away in storage, to be in such nice shape... $15 for this beauty...
I'll post some more tomorrow...
Willy

[WillyCamaro]

Here's a few more pics to get ya drooling...

[garddogg56]

I like. Those Willy and Reverand Icons ::tu::Here is a group of my favorite shell handle knives from Imperial USA in fish-tail pattern.

[WillyCamaro]

Thank you garddogg!
Here are a few more,
Brand new in the original box, sharp as heck, teeny tiny, Imperial Frontier Series, Beckley Coal advertising, 1981, stockman. I was cleaning this little one last night and she nipped me right across the pointing finger. So sharp didn't feel a thing. Imperial sharpening quality for ya.
Sellers pics of course.

[TripleF]

Don't believe that's a shell handle WillyCamaro..

This fish knife by Colonial is though!!

[woodwalker]

Don't believe that's a shell handle WillyCamaro..

This fish knife by Colonial is though!!

That's a beauty Scott!!

[TripleF]

Don't believe that's a shell handle WillyCamaro..

This fish knife by Colonial is though!!

That's a beauty Scott!!

When I pulled it out of the sheath....I was like ....it's a beauty!