Cattle Knives, 45 pattern!

[peanut740]

Jerry

[RalphAlsip]

Thanks Roger and Tom. Here is a Case Tested XX 06245 1/2 with rough black handles.

Thanks for looking.

[RalphAlsip]

Here is another composition handle Case Tested XX 02245 1/2 in smooth black. Thanks for looking.

[jlw257]

Jerry, you have one of the finest Knife Collection I have ever seen.

Larry

[FRJ]

That smooth black is so smart, so beautiful!

[olderdogs1]

Jerry,
' Those are some beautiful 45 pattern knives you have. It is plain to see why you like them so much .

I will post one of mine that I really like. It is on the Whittler frame. 8345 1/2 SAB.

Thanks for looking!

Tom

[RalphAlsip]

Larry, Joe, Tom - thanks for the compliments on my composite handled knives.

Larry, your 54's, 75's, and 91's put my little pile of 45's to shame.

Tom, the 45 SAB whittlers are very difficult to find. Your MOP is example is very nice

One of the reasons I like to collect 45's is because there is a large number of variations in the number blades, the handle materials, and the blade configurations.

I have shown my WR Case & Sons 8345 1/2 SAB before, but here it is again for comparison to the fine example that Tom posted. I believe mine might have been rehandled based on the collection it came from. Mine is also a contract knife based on the "Bradford Penna" stamping and I would like to believe it was made by Napanoch, although the 63045 Pliers knife with Bradford Penna stamping was made by Valley Forge. In addition to the Bradford Penna stamping it has an unusual pattern stamp on the back of the saber ground clip blade that says "8345 SABER". The clip blade shape and nail nick on Tom's example matches to the Tested XX 6345 1/2 SAB while the clip blade on my example looks more like a clip blade you would see on a 83SAB whittler.

Please let me know if I am posting too many pictures and blathering on too much. In case you couldn't tell I'm a bit (lol) of a nerd when studying these old knives.

[RalphAlsip]

Here is a 6345 1/2 SAB Whittler. This knife a pretty good example for this variation. The bone examples I have seen all show use and sharpening along with indicators of poor storage and care. This variation (45 SAB Whittler) is the scarcest 45 cattle pattern.

Thanks for looking.

[FRJ]

Please let me know if I am posting too many pictures and blathering on too much. In case you couldn't tell I'm a bit (lol) of a nerd when studying these old knives.

Ha!!
This is a great show. I could look at your pictures (and others, too) and read the comments all day long.
This is great stuff. Thanks for the thread. Carry on!

[jlw257]

Jerry,Tom, WOW! Keep them coming

[peanut740]

Jerry and Tom

[zp4ja]

Real beautiful oldies Jerry and Tom.

[RalphAlsip]

This example is a Case Tested XX 06245 long pull spear main blade handled in green bone.

The frame on this particular knife is a little different than the 45's shown previously. This frame has a little "swell" in the center and it is 3 3/4 " long when closed. The other style of frame is more "rectangular" and 3 5/8" long when closed. I can't explain why with an authoritative/documented basis. If anyone does know (Steve?) I would be grateful to learn.

The 45 Scout knife (6445 and 640045) pattern have a 3 3/4" frame. The 6445 is made with brass liners and pins. The pictured knife also has brass liners and pins. The other Tested and XX 45's I have that are on the 3 5/8" frame have nickel silver components. So long story short, my guess is that this 06245 is built on the Scout knife frame. This could also mean that 06245 is not the correct pattern number. For example, it might be something like 062045 (?).

I have no doubt the knife is legitimate. Peculiarities like this are interesting (to me), and maddening sometimes, when trying to verify authenticity on old Case knives.

[gsmith7158]

Jerry that's quite interesting that the knife is on the scout frame. Iwonder if they had requests from a retailer for that or there is some other reason for that run. It is certainly difficult to understand Case line of thought on some of the knives that were produced in the tested era and the earlier Case and Sons. I understand that their main focus was to make money but just a little documentaion would have been nice don't you think?

[RalphAlsip]

This example is a Case XX 06245 regular pull spear blade handled in green bone. It is 3 3/4" long when closed like the Tested XX 06245 so it is on the same frame as the Tested XX.

In addition to pictures of the XX knife, I created a spear blade comparison between the Tested XX spear blade and the XX spear blade. There is an easily noticeable difference in person, but not as much as the comparison picture indicates. The XX blade is a regular pull while the Tested XX blade is a long pull which explains some of the difference in appearance (swedging for example), but the size of the blades is different. The Tested XX blade is about 1/16 or maybe 1/8 longer and the XX blade is wider and flatter. The tangs are also different shapes. The XX knife does not have a pattern number stamp, which likely indicates that it was manufactured early in the XX era maybe between 1940 and 1948.

Thanks for looking.

[gsmith7158]

I'm going to post one here and why not. It came from one of the premier poster in this thread RalphAlsip who graciously allowed me to acquire it. A tested era 2345 1/2. Thanks Jerry she got here this morning.

[RalphAlsip]

Greg, thanks for posting your Cattle knife. It would be great to see others.

Here are pictures of a couple of Case Tested XX 06245 1/2 with green bone. They are subtly different from each other. One is long pull on 3 5/8" frame with nickel silver pins and liners and the other is regular pull on 3 3/4" frame with brass pins and liners.

Thanks for looking.

[RalphAlsip]

Here are pictures of a Case Bradford 5345. All of the blades are stamped including the pattern number stamping.

Sometimes I wonder if this example has been re-handled (or worse) because it is in extremely good condition. In a couple of days I will be posting pictures of a couple more Case Bradford 45's for comparison. If this knife has been messed with, it was done by a highly competent knife mechanic.

Thanks for looking.

[peanut740]

Jerry

[RalphAlsip]

Thank you Roger.

Here are pictures of a Case Bradford 5345 1/2 which is essentially the same knife as the previous 5345, but with a clip main blade instead of a spear main blade. The 5345 1/2 has been cleaned but still has full blades and decently bright stamps. All blades are stamped including the pattern number. The 5345 1/2 is likely a transition knife from Bradford to Tested. I am speculating transition due to the Case Tested XX inside the circle stamp. The 5345 posted earlier has all Bradford stamping.

Thanks for looking.

[gsmith7158]

Sweet, sweet, sweet.

[stockman]

Jerry, Nice Bradfords.

Harold

[steve99f]

Those are some beautiful knives Jerry, thank you for showing them. Just awesome.

[zp4ja]

Great oldies and information you are sharing here Jerry. Some fine knives.
Hope life finds you well.
Jerry

[jlw257]

Jerry, great bunch of Cattle knives

Larry