Empire Knife Company

[gsmith7158]

Duffer I would have to agree with you, the long pull protruding in to the tang is consistent with Empire. Great pick up!

[FRJ]

Beautiful little jack you have there, Lloyd.
Interesting information I wasn't aware of. Thank you.
I'll have to check out a couple knives tomorrow.

[LongBlade]

Nice knife Lloyd ... I have an Empire made Shapleigh Cattle knife - the stamp has the HDW"E" and have never heard that as an indication - thanks!! The give-away for me on my knife was the Alvord punch but also I had read somewhere that the plain diamond shield on your knife (and mine as well) were also Empire related... other shields sported the "D-E" for Diamond Edge... just have not seen enough examples to know for sure if the shield holds true in all cases...

[FRJ]

Here's a couple of examples.

[LongBlade]

Thats cool Joe ... no doubt the HWD knives look like Schrade from the bone and the HWDE knife no doubt has that Empire "look".. and nice knives too

[Duffer]

Thanks Greg, Joe and Lee! Also, thanks Joe for posting the additional photographs of some nice DE knives--more evidence of the HDW versus the HDWE tang marking pointing to producer. I looked at my Shapleigh DE folders more closely this morning. The DE folders with the distinctive peach seed handles are quintessential Schrade and have the HDW on the tang and the prototypical Empire looking DE folders have the HDWE on the tang. The jury is still out on this but it seems very plausible that this could be an indicator of the manufacturer. I think most seasoned vintage folder collectors could just tell by looking at the DE example in question but this just adds another interesting piece or sign via the tang stamp pointing to the origin question. Lloyd

[btrwtr]

Here is what I believe to be an Empire produced Shapleigh HDWE DE Serpentine or Dog Leg small Jack. It is 3.125 inches closed. Look at the tang stamp or marking. I have come to learn through another Shapleigh DE collector's observations that those produced by Schrade had hardware abbreviated as HDW on the tang where those produced by Empire had hardware abbreviated as HDWE. It also has that Empire look to it. Anyway, thanks for looking your comments or thoughts are appreciated. Lloyd

Great information! Thanks!

[gsmith7158]

Here is a comparison that seems to fortify this little tidbit of evidence. The pearl whittler is a Shapleigh with the Hdwe stamp. I tried to win it last night but got out bid in the final second
The bottom knife is a bone Empire whittler that I have looks like an exact match.

[Duffer]

Two nice Empire Whittlers Greg! I think I would lean towards your example as I just love pick bone handles! Not to take away from the pearl example just my taste in vintage folders. I saw that DE Whittler on EBay and there was definitely some interest. I bid on it earlier but was outbid and never got back to it again until it was over. I think your example is in better condition and the fact that it is clearly marked Empire would put it at a premium over the pearl one I think. Lloyd

[gsmith7158]

Two nice Empire Whittlers Greg! I think I would lean towards your example as I just love pick bone handles! Not to take away from the pearl example just my taste in vintage folders. I saw that DE Whittler on EBay and there was definitely some interest. I bid on it earlier but was outbid and never got back to it again until it was over. I think your example is in better condition and the fact that it is clearly marked Empire would put it at a premium over the pearl one I think. Lloyd

Thanks Duffer! I would have liked to have had that pearl whittler but I couldn't justify going any higher. If you look at the blades though you can see it is an exact match though. Mine is marked with a pattern #928 one of the few Empires I have with a pattern #.

[Duffer]

Greg more proof that the Shapleigh DE HDWE branded knives are Empire produced! Thanks for the additional evidence, Lloyd

[gsmith7158]

Ok boys, if you need a COA for any of your Empire knives you can get these Empire letterheads from our buddy Eugene at a bargain basement price.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/182685760898

[LongBlade]

Ok boys, if you need a COA for any of your Empire knives you can get these Empire letterheads from our buddy Eugene at a bargain basement price.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/182685760898

... he always has good prices .... anyway check the last 3 photos of that auction... huh.. maybe I'm missing something

[gsmith7158]

Lee looks like he was running out of ink on his printer.

[LongBlade]

Here is an Empire Stabber Jack I scored awhile back but I finally took some photos. The blade is not a saber grind but it is noted in Levine’s that stabber jacks were not necessarily saber grind blades (aka poor man’s daggers) but also single spear point blades .. all were regular jacks between 3 &1/2” to 4” (there were 2 references to stabber jacks in the jack knife section – in any case nice double swedge on a bigger single blade in all examples)… I like stabber jacks as they remind me of jumbo Boys knives ) …

This Empire at 3 & 3/4” has brass liners and pins with a horn handle (and no bug bites - always nice to find horn with no bug damage … I believe the tang stamp is abit more rare but can use some opinions – “Empire Knife Co / W Winsted / CONN” – at least compared to those stamped Empire / Winsted / CT which are seen most often (and on the majority of my Empire knives as well)… Be great if someone can help shed some light on the possible dates when this tang stamp was used?? Goins does not have this exact stamp listed and he only notes one with W Winsted but Empire / W Winsted / CT (1880-1930) and not “Knife Co” nor “CONN” … but in reading about Empire history it seemed early knives used this stamp (at least W Winsted) and then it was used again in the later 1800s when W Winsted again became a site of the shop (post 1880) - but in truth not clear to me among references… I am just guessing (maybe hoping and I can be wrong but I’m thinking this stamp was earlier than later, even though later is still pretty old .… but any info would be much appreciated!! I know for many companies best we can do with tang stamp dating is just a range of dates and sometimes hard to pinpoint a range other than the company’s dates of existence.

Thanks!!
Lee

[gsmith7158]

Lee that's a great one! I only have one with the W. Winsted marking. A kind of reverse dogleg Jack. Here is a similar Jack in cocobello.

[FRJ]

That is a real beauty, Lee. Glad you got some pictures of it and gave it a show.

I have a W. Winsted and it may be on this thread but don't know where. Maybe I'll get new pictures of it.

[LongBlade]

Thanks Greg and Joe ..

Interesting knives Greg .. never have seen an Empire like that reverse dogleg... what is the closed length? The stamp is somewhat different and think if I see it correctly the same as the W Winsted listing in Goins... That 2 blade regular jack is sweet - love those tribal spear blades on Empires

[FRJ]

Here is a new photo of my W. Winsted. This knife is 4 inches long and has Rosewood? covers.
A very strong knife as you would expect from Empire.

[LongBlade]

Great looking knife Joe ... and same stamp as mine - does it have "CONN" underneath W Winsted? Interesting that it also has the match striker long pull!! Guess that would be a stabber jack with a clip blade - and I like that long swedge and how the pull is located just underneath....

[FRJ]

Thanks Lee, I don't think it has the "CONN". If it does it's hidden by the bolster.

[steve99f]

Those are some beautiful knives you are posting up guys. You don't find those Empires just laying around do you? I just love those grinds on the blades.

[FRJ]

Thanks Steve. These knives are real treasures from back in the day.

[FRJ]

Here's an old used Empire. Not a bad knife as a swell center whittler with stag covers and rat tail bolsters.
This thing is actually kind of sweet at 3 5/8".
Thanks for looking.

[peanut740]

Cool knive Joe.Great stag!