The Mini TrapPER DIEM -- Your Daily Mini Trapper

[jerryd6818]

Well I made the mistake of telling him I was going to send it (NO RECIPROCITY WAS MANDATED) so being the hard head that he is he had to send that Watchman Brother 1503CF Cowfish. Now wait just a cotton pickin' minute. Doesn't that take it out of the realm of "Bomb" and stick it firmly in the category of "Trading"? Just saying. I guess I could have sent the Watchman Brother back to him but that's just crazy talk right there.

Any hoo ~Q~, I'm glad you're pleased with the Boker. Mission accomplished.

[QTCut5]

As I was adding the orange Boker bomb to my Mini-T pile, I discovered another brand that I have only one of in my mini trapper collection. I believe I've shown this one previously, but since I had forgotten I had it, I feel it deserves another stroll down the catwalk.

The brand is Utica and I have no idea when it was made. I also can't decipher the pile side tang stamp. It looks like "U T K" under "Warranted"...What could this mean?...any ideas?

[jerryd6818]

Love the bone and the swedge on that main blade.

You don't think the UTK is a stylized U-Ti-Ka

[Papa Bones]

As I was adding the orange Boker bomb to my Mini-T pile, I discovered another brand that I have only one of in my mini trapper collection. I believe I've shown this one previously, but since I had forgotten I had it, I feel it deserves another stroll down the catwalk.

The brand is Utica and I have no idea when it was made. I also can't decipher the pile side tang stamp. It looks like "U T K" under "Warranted"...What could this mean?...any ideas?
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The curved Utica tang stamp was used from 1910 up to around 1937. Others have said up to 1940 near the beginning of WW-II. The UTK Warranted Stamp is considered by some to be on the early knives.

It has been discussed on other sites also.
https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topic ... -help-date

[QTCut5]

Love the bone and the swedge on that main blade.

Yup...me too...and the long pull. It's essentially the same (or very similar) master clip blade as on the 1991 Schatt & Morgan Keystone Series I 042151--my favorite S&M model.

(I also picked up another 1992 S&M Series II 042151 last month which uses the same style master clip blade--photos to follow.)

You don't think the UTK is a stylized U-Ti-Ka

Ya know, that was my best guess, too...following in the same vein as the "UN-X-LD" or "I XL" motifs seen on other brands. But, the "K" ("kay") just didn't seem quite right to me if it was supposed to sound like the final syllable "kuh" in "Utica" (or even "kah" which is how the letter "K" is pronounced in Spanish). Either way, I feel it's a bit of a stretch if "U T K" is intended to be a stylized form of Utica. So, I don't know.

The curved Utica tang stamp was used from 1910 up to around 1937. Others have said up to 1940 near the beginning of WW-II. The UTK Warranted Stamp is considered by some to be on the early knives.

It has been discussed on other sites also.
https://iknifecollector.com/forum/topic ... -help-date

Thanks for that info, Smitty. Always nice to have a date (approximate or range) of manufacture. But, I see that I'm not the first to wonder about the meaning/significance of "U T K" which makes me feel a little less ignorant (or at least not alone in my ignorance). Misery may love company, but ignorance prefers answers.

[jerryd6818]

I only have one and I wouldn't trade it for love nor money.

[jmh58]

[jerryd6818]

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Ain't they purdy? I see ~Q~ bestowed some of his generosity on you. He's special so by extension, that means you're special.

[jmh58]

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Ain't they purdy? I see ~Q~ bestowed some of his generosity on you. He's special so by extension, that means you're special.

John

[danno50]

The brand is Utica and I have no idea when it was made. I also can't decipher the pile side tang stamp. It looks like "U T K" under "Warranted"...What could this mean?...any ideas?
P3050049.JPGP3050041.JPGP3050042.JPGP3050043.JPGP3050044.JPGP3050039.JPG

Beautiful knife! Great old pick bone, blade grinds and clear, well stamped tang stamps!

[Ivoryman]

Beeee-uuuuuuuuuuu-teeeeeeeeee-fuuuuuuuuuuul Q. Wow, that is gorgeous bone and condition. Utica still making new fans after all these years.

[QTCut5]

On the other end of the spectrum of attractive knife handles...

2002-2018 Queen #51T Brown Winterbottom Delrin

[jerryd6818]

Added this slightly used 1990 Hen & Rooster with genuine deer stag handles to the pile today.

[Papa Bones]

On the other end of the spectrum of attractive knife handles...

2002-2018 Queen #51T Brown Winterbottom Delrin

Well......it is a Queen, and it is a Mini-T, but me thinks they should have stuck with the black or black and white Delrin handles.

Added this slightly used 1990 Hen & Rooster with genuine deer stag handles to the pile today.

Nice

[QTCut5]

Well......it is a Queen, and it is a Mini-T, but me thinks they should have stuck with the black or black and white Delrin handles.

It's actually much more attractive if you call it "Chocolate Brown" (because everything's better if you add chocolate, right!) even though it looks more like "Swamp Mud Brown"

[QTCut5]

Added this slightly used 1990 Hen & Rooster with genuine deer stag handles to the pile today.

Although I'm not usually a fan of blade etching, I like the etch on your 212DS, jerryd.

Here's my H&R Mini-Ts with blade etches:

[Papa Bones]

Added this slightly used 1990 Hen & Rooster with genuine deer stag handles to the pile today.

Very nice Jerry. You should name that Honey Stag. Because it is Sweeeeeet!!

[QTCut5]

Today's Mini TrapPER DIEM is a 1992 Schatt & Morgan 042151 with wood handle. I don't know what kind of wood it is (cocobolo, rosewood, zebra wood, walnut never have been too good identifying different types of wood ). At first I thought it was a Keystone Series II Mini Trapper that had been re-handled in wood, but the lack of etching on the blades suggests otherwise. I've never seen this particular model with a wood handle, no shield and no blade etch, but I suppose it's possible that the etching was buffed off at the time the handle was modified. I would be surprised if it actually left the factory like this.

[jerryd6818]

~Q~ I think you nailed it. 1992 Series II with the blade etch polished off and re-handled with wood.

[QTCut5]

~Q~ I think you nailed it. 1992 Series II with the blade etch polished off and re-handled with wood.

That's the only explanation that makes sense to me, too.

Here it is with two original 1992 Keystone Series II 042151 Mini-Ts from my collection.

[Papa Bones]

Today's Mini TrapPER DIEM is a 1992 Schatt & Morgan 042151 with wood handle.

Here it is with two original 1992 Keystone Series II 042151 Mini-Ts from my collection.
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Still, a good looker in wood. I would rub some True Oil on it. It should bring the grain of the wood and give it some high gloss.

[QTCut5]

Couldn't believe my good fortune when I stumbled upon, and subsequently won (for less than my max bid, which is always nice ), this Queen City Cozy Glen Classic Jigged Greenbone Mini Trapper. According to legend, Ken Daniels produced only 100 of this particular model--which is essentially a Queen #51 pattern and nearly identical to the Queen Dan Burke #51 in the blade shape/geometry. I don't know if any other Cozy Glen Classic patterns were ever made and/or released. This was after KD left Queen Cutlery and just before he started GEC in 2006. At that time, it is said that he lived on Cozy Glen Street in Oak Hill, Ohio, hence the name on the tang stamp (unconfirmed because I'm both too lazy to research it and really don't care enough to bother anyway...but it sounds plausible enough. )

[jerryd6818]

WOW ~Q~!!! What a find! I'll bet you were willing to go "all in" for that baby.

[jmh58]

SCHWEEETTT Q !!! Thats a looker!!! And Congrats!!!
John

[TPK]

Man! That's a pretty one Q! Congrats on the nice find!