The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
- Another Knife Collector
- Posts: 634
- Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:00 am
- Location: Michigan, USA
The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
I recently picked up my first Southington made knife and after some searching I was able to find some great posts about them around, but couldn't find any definitive thread about the company.
The company was organized in Southington, Connecticut in October 1867 with Amon Bradley as president. Wheaton Plumb became superintendent of the company in 1868 having previously worked for Waterville Knife Co and the Co-operative Knife Company. By the 1870's the successful company had begun to expand to manufacturing a number of hardware items and tools, eventually ending the production of pocket knives in 1905 to concentrate elsewhere and becoming Southington Hardware Company in 1908.
My knife is a small genuine tortoise shell handle congress marked:
SOUTH-
INGTON
CUT CO
Now let's see yours!
The company was organized in Southington, Connecticut in October 1867 with Amon Bradley as president. Wheaton Plumb became superintendent of the company in 1868 having previously worked for Waterville Knife Co and the Co-operative Knife Company. By the 1870's the successful company had begun to expand to manufacturing a number of hardware items and tools, eventually ending the production of pocket knives in 1905 to concentrate elsewhere and becoming Southington Hardware Company in 1908.
My knife is a small genuine tortoise shell handle congress marked:
SOUTH-
INGTON
CUT CO
Now let's see yours!
-Phil
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Sweet Southington knife!!! I'll get some photos of my few Southingtons and post them soon...
____________________________________________________________________________
Lee
Lee
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
What an elegant little Congress that is.
Here's three of mine.
Here's three of mine.
Joe
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
And mine
I buy roosters combs and farmers..........................................................jack knives [/b]
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Gorgeous knives Joe - an ivory (?) handled quill, nice jack and a wharncliffe whittler too
WLF - that is one nice Farmer's jack with sweet jigged bone ... is that second blade a coping blade?
Here's a few of mine -
Southington smooth bone jack:
Southington "Stabber" - 4" closed and one big blade, about 1/8" thick and double swedge... if I am right the "stabber" was considered a poor man's dirk but quite frankly probably was used as a hunter as well... check out that huge spring as well - snaps like a bear trap
A few things I have noticed with Southington knives - lots of their blades had a double swedge and the tang stamps were either straight line or curved... also lots of them were barehead just from my own observations which are probably somewhat limited compared to others...
Southington - another good old quality CT maker .....
WLF - that is one nice Farmer's jack with sweet jigged bone ... is that second blade a coping blade?
Here's a few of mine -
Southington smooth bone jack:
Southington "Stabber" - 4" closed and one big blade, about 1/8" thick and double swedge... if I am right the "stabber" was considered a poor man's dirk but quite frankly probably was used as a hunter as well... check out that huge spring as well - snaps like a bear trap
A few things I have noticed with Southington knives - lots of their blades had a double swedge and the tang stamps were either straight line or curved... also lots of them were barehead just from my own observations which are probably somewhat limited compared to others...
Southington - another good old quality CT maker .....
____________________________________________________________________________
Lee
Lee
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Great looking knives, Lee. Really nice.
The tang on the jack looks rough although still has a very readable stamp.
Beautiful Farmers Jack, Lyle.
The tang on the jack looks rough although still has a very readable stamp.
Beautiful Farmers Jack, Lyle.
Joe
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Thanks Joe.... that jack is what I call "as found condition" - just as I like them .... funny I have seen more often than not worn and rough tang stamps on Southingtons, and have only seen a few (if that many) where the whole tang stamp was completely legible... think the old Southington craftsmen really made those blades tight in the pivots based on the wearing of the stamps
____________________________________________________________________________
Lee
Lee
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
LB it's a spey,typical shape and one of the characteristics identifying early farmers jacks.
I buy roosters combs and farmers..........................................................jack knives [/b]
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
-
- Posts: 10068
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:02 pm
- Location: Tecumseh,Michigan
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
I have a couple smaller ones but this is my favorite. The stamp is a bit unusual in that it is done in two lines.
Adventure BEFORE Dementia!
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Nice knife k7Knut!! And an old lockback as well - lovely jigged bone on that one as too!! I have seen both straight-line stamps and the curved stamps as well for Southington - I know Another Knife Collector's was also a straight line stamp such as yours when I enlarged the photo - not sure about Joe's knives posted but mine had the curved stamp on both... as with some other knives I guess hard to date them based on the stamps... but I always wonder if both stamps were available (for this maker and others as well where multiple stamps existed) and they used what they felt best fit the tang... Nothing new to you guys but other makers were more easily dated based on the stamps to a certain degree (Remington as just one example)...
WLF - I must have been half asleep while drinking my coffee looking at your farmer's jack - don't know why coping blade came to my mind especially on a farmer's jack ... guess I thought I was seeing a squared off corner ... but no doubt probably the nicest farmer's jack I have ever seen
WLF - I must have been half asleep while drinking my coffee looking at your farmer's jack - don't know why coping blade came to my mind especially on a farmer's jack ... guess I thought I was seeing a squared off corner ... but no doubt probably the nicest farmer's jack I have ever seen
____________________________________________________________________________
Lee
Lee
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
This old thread should be put back in service.
Another Knife Collector started it off with good information and a beautiful knife.
Here is a fine little (3 5/16") equal end jack with Ebony covers and half stop on both blades.
Except for that crack above the shield and some blade loss, this knife is a good as the day it left the bench.
What a honey!
Thanks for looking.
Another Knife Collector started it off with good information and a beautiful knife.
Here is a fine little (3 5/16") equal end jack with Ebony covers and half stop on both blades.
Except for that crack above the shield and some blade loss, this knife is a good as the day it left the bench.
What a honey!
Thanks for looking.
Joe
-
- Posts: 892
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:14 pm
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Boy that’s nice
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Nice Southington Joe ...
____________________________________________________________________________
Lee
Lee
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Great knife.
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Nice knife Joe, Southington is another of those old companies that made very high quality knives. They are not easy to find in good condition.
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
It is very true, John.
I'm always glad to find one.
Thanks for the nice comment.
I'm always glad to find one.
Thanks for the nice comment.
Joe
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Clear stamp Joe.
I buy roosters combs and farmers..........................................................jack knives [/b]
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
-
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2015 11:07 pm
- Location: con-n
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
This town is busy with plazas now and a popular gunstore and Smith. I have knever seen this brand and that one is kneat. As good as knew.FRJ wrote:This old thread should be put back in service.
Another Knife Collector started it off with good information and a beautiful knife.
Here is a fine little (3 5/16") equal end jack with Ebony covers and half stop on both blades.
Except for that crack above the shield and some blade loss, this knife is a good as the day it left the bench.
What a honey!
Thanks for looking.
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
These are the only 2 Southington's I have, both unusual, one is a large jack with bone on one side and stag on the other with 2 different tang stamps and the other is a baby Barlow that unfortunately was cleaned but still a very nice knife, the last pic shows it in comparison to a standard Barlow and a 14 TC Barlow which is a small one.
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
John, that is pretty cool old Southington jack, saved from one week to the next.
That little Barlow is a great knife.
Thanks, John.
That little Barlow is a great knife.
Thanks, John.
Joe
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Thanks Joe, appreciate it. I found that Jack at a junker flea market in PA, quite a surprise to come across that. The Barlow fooled me as I bought it online and was expecting a full size Barlow with The SC Co bolster stamp, imagine my surprise when that little knife came out of the box, have never come across another like it.FRJ wrote:John, that is pretty cool old Southington jack, saved from one week to the next.
That little Barlow is a great knife.
Thanks, John.
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Nice one Joe.
I buy roosters combs and farmers..........................................................jack knives [/b]
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
Re: The Southington Cutlery Company, Let's See Yours
Missed your nice little collection John. You have amassed quite an overall antique collection.
I buy roosters combs and farmers..........................................................jack knives [/b]
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle
GEC SFOs and others at LICK CREEK CUTLERY- www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wlf
May the Father and Son bless
Lyle