All About Pocket Knives

They look good to me.

Elbertson said "maybe they're filling the vacuum left by Camillus' demise." I'm thinking you're right - in a very literal sense! I'm sure many have heard that Bear & Son bought a lot of Camillus tooling at the bankruptcy auction - but maybe Utica got some of it as well. Looking at my new Utica rope knife, I had a nagging feeling that I had seen something like it before - and when I dug through my rolls, I found a strikingly similar Camillus hawkbill. Same square bolster, identical shape to the frame and handle, very similar pinning, even the etched woodgrain pattern looks the same (indexed slightly differently). Looking at the Knife Center web page, they are also offering a 3 3/4 inch "coping knife" that looks to be a near duplicate of a standard Navy-issue Camillus rope knife. And then there is a TL-29 copy in two and three blade models. Something tells me the sudden return of Utica to the folding knife market has a lot to do with Camillus tooling. If true, I would say that is some of the best news to knife collectors in a long time. Nothing will take away the sting of losing Camillus, but if another American manufacturer is going to take on a big chunk of their product line, using the same tooling, that's great news.

Can some of our real Camillus experts take a look at the Knife Center page for Utica and see what they think?

Nice work on this thread trail! Like you, I'm interested in hearing what the Camillus people have to say.

I know Utica made a TL-29 as well as a Coast Guard approved-type rope/riggers knife on contract for the military decades ago,and I don't know how specific the specs may have been on those models.That doesn't mean that they're using their original tooling,of course.That may have disappeared long ago,who knows.It appears most high volume production military contract folder models seem to have been made with more consistent adherence to design specs between the government contractors than the fixed blades were.Just my 2 cents food for thought....'cause I don't know

Elbertson, that's a good point. It suggest another possibility, that Utica saw an opportunity in the demise of Camillus and pulled their own old tooling out of mothballs to make the classic working patterns again. And there is always the possibility they have been making these knives all along, just so low key as to be under everybody's radar. All just pure speculation on my part.

A thread from over a year ago discussing the same subject. Utica Cutlery sure likes to keep a low profile. They must be a "regional" brand like Yuengling beer.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11961

vikingdog wrote:A thread from over a year ago discussing the same subject. Utica Cutlery sure likes to keep a low profile. They must be a "regional" brand like Yuengling beer.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11961

Mmmm. Yuengling Lager. Did you know Yuengling is available all the way down in North Carolina now? I was pleased to run into that in '07 when we had a reunion at Cherry Point. I also bought a case last September in Buffalo, NY.

Back on subject, I had to control myself to keep from ordering three of the Utica's. Had my credit card information entered and was getting ready to pull the trigger when my checkbook slapped me up side the brain housing group. I think the grandsons will enjoy one each though when Christmas comes and maybe I'll sneak one in for myself.

Jerry, It's hard to beat that Yuengling Lager, also Black & Tan, and Lord Chesterfield Ale isn't bad either! I'm about 50 miles from the brewery so I was weaned on it.

For some reason the Kutmaster line is flying under the radar.

Trail,
Nice ones!
And very interesting comparison with Camillus!

I got a chance to eyeball a lot of the Utica line of knives while visiting their booth at the Blade Show and I can tell you they put out some nice product. I think the reason there isn't more collector interest lies in the fact that they produce only a limited offering of traditional slip joint knives and that they don't really seem to be trying to capture the collector market. (JMO)

Phil

I wonder if they have a new scout knife in the works?

Wonder whos making them?

Check out the website. I think this is the company producing them.

http://kutmaster.com

Utica Cutlery makes their own knives in house. Kutmaster and Utica are two of their brand names.

They need to make a Scout!! ......actually..I hope they make a lot of different patterns.

"they don't really seem to be trying to capture the collector market." I think you're right Philco. They're making nice knives to carry and use. Did you get talk to anyone with Utica Cutlery or pick up a business card?

Johnnie, send them an e-mail? Maybe you can get some info out of them now that the Blade show is over. I didn't get a response to my inquiry.

Their new barlows are in stock at Knifecenter.com. I had to order this one:

I'll give'r a try.
Pretty barlow.

vikingdog wrote:"they don't really seem to be trying to capture the collector market." I think you're right Philco. They're making nice knives to carry and use. Did you get talk to anyone with Utica Cutlery or pick up a business card?

At the time I visited the Utica booth the folks working it were engaged in conversation with a couple of other folks. I hung around and looked the knives over but eventually left thinking I'd get back there later...............of course that didn't happen.

Phil

Well, thanks to you vikingdog, and your thread on the new UTKs I'm now about $150 poorer. I liberated 5 of 'em from knifecenter. Probably will get one or two more.

First I've seen them use 1095. Don't know if I'll like it....so use to them using 420. I think the small trapper and the premium stkmn they produced for schraylor a few years back.

Later they sold them under their own name through knifesupply.com and Discount Cutlery. Wish them all the best.


Oh yeah, thanks for the heads up on knifecenter.

Money well spent blue! Which patterns did you get? I like those green bone scales. Got to support the remaining USA knife makers.

Mike

Waiting (10 days now ) for my green stockman to arrive from Knifecenter!! Cant wait to fondle it... John

jmh58 wrote:Waiting (10 days now ) for my green stockman to arrive from Knifecenter!! Cant wait to fondle it... John

Its here!! Very nice knife. Got the 3 1/4 size and am going to get the other 2 in the future. John

John, I wonder what took yours so long? Mine was here in a few days. I bought the green barlow. My son commented on how nice it was so many times that I gave it to him. I may order a green stockman myself.

Mike

Mike.. When I ordered, the knife was not in stock. It was worth the wait though. Nice cool color (green bone) sides. Will definetly be getting the others. Like that pine series.. John

Speaking of long waits - I ordered this one a couple of months ago. It finally came in yesterday. That was ok, since I wasn't in a hurry and Knife Center was good enough to drop me an email every couple of weeks letting me know it was still on back order. Thanks Knife Center for hanging in there for me with Utica, because I really like the knife. I thought with the demise of Camillus the old small rope knife pattern was probably one for the history books, but fortunately Utica has continued to make it. Here's mine. It's a good tight knife, very well-made. And check out that tang marking!