IKCO The Imperial Knife Company

[mickeyevans]

I've seen this one on this thread
I got it because the condition is vg to ex, I think,
46 to 56 tang stamp

[Old Hunter]

Mickey, very nice knife with a terrific shield! OH

[singin46]

my favorite Imperial, and the two sides are different darkness, is this common?
I have a chance for two IKCO very colorful celluloid, Christmas colors, one is in triangle one is in rectangle
the blades have little to no snap and some wobble but handles are great
price is 48 for both, does blade condition render them valueless or not worth collecting?

Mickey, let me start by saying sorry for not answering your question about the different sides of the Imperial WW2 EOs.
It is pretty common to find the sides not matching. I have a couple and one has non matching sides. Pretty sure the lighter scales are Rogers bone tho. As to the other question you have, blade condition if they are almost gone, i personally wouldn't buy them.

[mickeyevans]

that was my conclusion too, I made a lower offer but he would not go down, thanks for the info Singing,
that is one of my favorites. You think it was military issue or just war time production?

[singin46]

They were issued to the military along with a few other varied makers and designs like the PAL Cutlery EOs and standard clip blade jacks. Camillus, Case and Kabar also made knives for the military during WW2. There may be others as well but I'm old now and can't remember.

[mickeyevans]

they only gave us bayonets in Nam
country guys sent home for fixed blade buck and Puma and showed us city guys how to use a whet stone and appreciate a good knife
that is when I became a Buck lock back guy for life, till now

[jerryd6818]

You think it was military issue or just war time production?

I'm pretty sure there was no war time production (knives) other than for the military.

[mickeyevans]

I saw one almost like this from Perry
1930-36

[Joe Dirt]

WoW! Mickey! Great colorfull knife!
Looks like you have cought the Imperial fever!



Hey Mason, that's a nice little bit of history on the "boys knives".

... Joe

[mickeyevans]

can't find this Imperial tang stamp anywhere, but it is time to see what I have read and learned
solid NS tip bolsters, copper pins and side scales, double ended spring, makes for a thin two bladed Sleeveboard Pen (3 1/8inch)
snaps like a trap, spear and pen blades are all there
my novice guess is that it is a older (1930's) good quality, very good to ex condition, Imperial pre shell knife
the cell shrinkage looks worse in the blown up photos, hardly noticeable in hand
only thing I am baffled by is how that shield stays on
PS are we doing Hammer Brand here or another thread?

[mickeyevans]

think that color is blood and something
if I am totally wrong and it is a Chinese knife there will be more blood when I use it to commit Hari Kari

[Joe Dirt]

The "Stainless Steel" stamp is shown earlier in this topic, Mickey... I can't remember if it's dated or not. The knife looks '30s -' 40s though.
As for the shield; I's mounted by heating each end and pressing it into the celluloid handle.

Do you want to know if there is a topic on the New York Knife Co. Hammer Brand or the Imperial Hammer Brand? There are both topics around here somewhere.
I think NYKC is in knife lore and "Hammer Brand" is in general dissucion. (The Hammer Brand topic
has both companies represented in it including the shell handles.)
Also check out the "Shell Handle" topic in general dissuion for more Imperial Hammer Brand stamped knives.

... Joe

[jerryd6818]

As for the shield; I's mounted by heating each end and pressing it into the celluloid handle.
... Joe

Take a closer look. The shield has a tab on each end and the handles have holes drilled in them to match the tabs. The tabs are bent down, go through the hole in the handle and is clinched over on the back side of the handle.

[singin46]

Oh yeah, those are both great Mickey and are some colored handles I personally have never seen till now.

[edgy46]

Great old Imperials Mickey

[mickeyevans]

thanks guys, it's on to the shell knife thread now, 56 pages to digest and lot's of photos to take

[msteele6]

Here are a few I've managed to scrounge in the last couple of years. The bottom knife in the first picture reminds me of the skin on a sliding turtles neck. It's amazing the number of colors and designs in these old Imperials.

[singin46]

WOW!!! Those are amazing

[junebug]

GREAT GROUP OF KNIVES!!!!!!!

ha...that one does LOOK like a RED EARED SLIDER!

[msteele6]

Just received this old Imperial with "end of day" style handles. The easy opener isn't marked but I've always assumed that it was an Imperial made knife. The serpentine jack has the old arched tang stamp which Goins' dates to the early 1920's. Unfortunately the secondary blade on the serpentine jack appears to have been replaced but the knife itself is still beautiful to me and the arched stamp is pretty uncommon.

[singin46]

Here's one that came in this week. Boys knife with traces of green paint still present.

[msteele6]

That would have been a popular color right after WWII. I can't read the tang stamp real well, I K C O / U.S.A.?

[singin46]

Yep.

[gino]

I received this in a trade from a friend here at AAPK and its very special to me, I also think its just plain coooool

[Miller Bro's]

The bottom knife in the first picture reminds me of the skin on a sliding turtles neck.

That is the most attractive celluloid handle I have ever seen!