All About Pocket Knives

knifeaholic wrote:I thought this one was interesting. The tang stamp is a bit different. Not STAINLESS CUTLERY CO but STAINLESS STEEL USA.

Not sure whether it was a Camillus made knife but it looks like it could be.

I think that the advertising aspect was a large part of this new stainless technology and Camillus was certainly in to that big time with these small pen knives. Looks like Camillus construction so that may just be a variant of there other stamp.

Also note on the one that I posted - the file blade is not stainless. That seems to be true of Case XX era stainless gen't's knives - the files and scissors were usually carbon steel while the spear/pen blades and springs were stainless.

Thanks for that good information, Steve.

Here are 2 Stainless Cutlery Co. advertising knives. The idea behind selling advertising knives was that they would be given away. Many of the recipients would never have bought a knife with stainless blades but would accept it as a freebee and after using it might have become less adverse to this new type of steel. A bold blade etch "Stainless Steel" made sure everyone was informed of the type of steel they were using.
Advertising knives can help date knives as with this B.O.P. Elks Minstrels 1928 knife, which with the squared corners and slightly convex sides is a Coffin or Crown pen knife pattern, rather rare.
The "Shine-All St. Joseph MO." is a senator pen with a neat shield of a Shine-All barrel on the front side.
These both have the look and feel of a high quality knife, which they are. Camillus was no doubt doing their best to show people that stainless steel was a worthy addition to a fine knife.
kj

Here's another little Stainless Cutlery Co. pen knife that I just picked up. Looks pretty much unused. Makes you wonder where have these things been hiding for the last 80 or so years.

Love the barrel shield on that one, Roland!

Thanks Glenn, both of those Stainless Cutlery pen knives are so nicely made that they are a pleasure to hold & open/close the blades. I agree with Greg: "Makes you wonder where have these things been hiding for the last 80 or so years."
Nearly all the ones i have seen are unused and i don't recall hearing of this brand until after the internet knife forums came about. Was "Stainless Cutlery Co." a brand with a collector following say more than 20 years ago ?
kj

Very nice knives, guys.
Thanks for showing them.

Here's another one of these Stainless Cut. Co.'s that I just picked up. I haven't seen one like this before similar to the 33 but a skosh shorter.

Great find Greg, beautiful knife, love those handles!!!

BWT wrote:Great find Greg, beautiful knife, love those handles!!!

Thanks Bill it is a looker!

Greg, looking back through this thread you have shown some really nice Stainless Cutlery knives.

This last jack you are showing is a real beauty.
Thanks for showing it here.

FRJ wrote:Greg, looking back through this thread you have shown some really nice Stainless Cutlery knives.

This last jack you are showing is a real beauty.
Thanks for showing it here.

Thanks Joe! I don't know what it is about these but seems like there are a lot of nearly unused examples out there. Unusual for knives made from 1920-40.

I found this thread, and this forum, after researching this little gem I picked up today. I would have never guessed it was as old as it is if it wasn’t for this forum.

bhuber, Welcome to this great knife forum. Lovely pearl pen knife, 1920's or early 1930's. Made by Camillus as a separate line from their regular knives which up to that point always had non stainless blades. I think Camillus went all out to make the Stainless Cutlery knives high end to help win people over to stainless steel blades. The very colorful pearl on your knife is an example of using the best material they could obtain.
kj

Welcome to the forum, bhuber.

You started off with a great little knife.

kootenay joe wrote:bhuber, Welcome to this great knife forum. Lovely pearl pen knife, 1920's or early 1930's. Made by Camillus as a separate line from their regular knives which up to that point always had non stainless blades. I think Camillus went all out to make the Stainless Cutlery knives high end to help win people over to stainless steel blades. The very colorful pearl on your knife is an example of using the best material they could obtain.
kj

Thank you! I ended up buying it on a whim and actually thought it was a much more modern knife with the “STAINLESS STEEL” plastered across the blade. I was buying a Case Tribal lock and ended up getting this for $20! Good deal or not, I’m happy paying that! I enjoy all knives, but recently got into old slip joints. I thought I knew a lot more than I actually do about them. Thankfully I found this place!

FRJ wrote:Welcome to the forum, bhuber.

You started off with a great little knife.

Thank you!

Welcome to AAPK bhuber. You certainly know how to make an entrance! That's a beauty and in great condition. I'd say you gotta bargain.

Ken

$20 for this pearl pen knife is a very good deal. If you are relatively new to buying vintage knives it is helpful to know that price has little to do with the quality or original price of the item. Prices of collectible items is strictly supply and demand. Most knife collectors prefer jack knives. There are far fewer pen knife collectors, so prices for collectible pen knives tend to be on the low side. Even so, $20 for the above knife is a very good deal for the buyer.
kj

Bhuber that's an excellent pearl pen knife you've picked up. Congrats on a fine old piece of cutlery !

Thanks for all of the kind words and the warm welcome! I’ve been collecting knives for a long time but antique pocket knives is a whole new ball game but can be much easier on the pocketbook!

I was very pleased to pick up this Stainless Steel Cutlery Co. pearl handle split spring whittler this week I believe that Roland showed one earlier in this thread just like this one. The quality that Camillus put into this brand is just phenomenal. Milled nickle silver liners and look how thick the blade stock is. Just amazing to me.

Beauty Greg.

wlf wrote:Beauty Greg.

Thanks Lyle!