All About Pocket Knives

Thanks Paul, Perry and Kathy!(almost sounds like an old 1960`s band ) oh wait that was Peter, Paul and Mary....my bad This is such a great forum! and so many incredible knives being shown.....thnaks to all!

Bob

This one is from when Case Tested XX made their knives where Christ lost his shoes in Pakistan
wazu013

Anyone have info on a knife like this? It says "Real Shepherd Knife" on the blade and has a poor Sheffield England tang stamp. I love the old bone handles though. I could have sworn someone posted a picture of one over the last year but I did a search and got nothing back. Any info is appreciated!

This little knife turned up on ebay, blurry photo and the seller even admitted "blades have little rust on them", but the Coast tang stamp was something I didn't have, so I put in a low bid. In the end I was high bidder at $3.68 and pretty soon the knife was in hand. "Little rust" was an understatement, as there was active rust on the thing, so I dropped it in a bottle of mineral spirits and did some research. Turns out Coast Products of Portland OR is still in business, still selling knives, flashlights, lanterns and multi-tools. The company was started in 1919 and is run by the third generation of the founding family.

http://www.coastportland.com/files/Abou ... oducts.pdf

I didn't think it likely that they made their own knives, even in the early days, and was fully prepared to find a "Japan" stamp on the back on the tang. The new knives on their website have a distinctly "Made In China" look. However, what I found was a tang stamp Coast over Port USA on the main blade and patent over 3,317,996 on a secondary. A little light research turned up the following over at Blade Forum:

"According to the USPTO records, the patent number you quoted was issued to Antonio Paolantonio (Colonial) on May 9, 1967 for a knife bolster assembly. It was his answer to the Swinden patent owned by Schrade and allowed for solid bolsters to be press fit onto pocket knives rather than pierced and pinned in place." - Codger_64

I think that is good evidence that my Coast is a Colonial product. A lot of elbow grease got the rust off and left it nice and shiny. There is not much snap left and a fair amount of pitting on the main blade, but on the other hand it has three backsprings and an unusual stamp.

Paul,
I used to buy from Coast Cutlery when I managed a cutlery store back in the 1980s.
Until 4 or 5 years ago I believe they were the US importer for Puma, (or maybe just the West Coast importer).

Many companies have made knives for Coast including Buck, Camillus & Schrade, IIRC.

1967redrider wrote:

Anyone have info on a knife like this? It says "Real Shepherd Knife" on the blade and has a poor Sheffield England tang stamp. I love the old bone handles though. I could have sworn someone posted a picture of one over the last year but I did a search and got nothing back. Any info is appreciated!

That is a rather rare etching for that sort of knife. Nearly all of them said Real Lambs Foot Knife. Nice find and in great shape too. Put it somewhere safe. Can you tell which Sheffield company made it?

great knives guys always good to expand our growing list.
this week i found a Dittert & Co. ...1900-1930

That looks like a top drawer piece Paul! Genuine tortoise is always a prize.

Bret888 wrote:That looks like a top drawer piece Paul! Genuine tortoise is always a prize.

Brett, thanks

Iron Hoarder wrote:

1967redrider wrote: Anyone have info on a knife like this? It says "Real Shepherd Knife" on the blade and has a poor Sheffield England tang stamp. I love the old bone handles though. I could have sworn someone posted a picture of one over the last year but I did a search and got nothing back. Any info is appreciated!

That is a rather rare etching for that sort of knife. Nearly all of them said Real Lambs Foot Knife. Nice find and in great shape too. Put it somewhere safe. Can you tell which Sheffield company made it?

Iron, not a clue but how could I tell? The picture of the tang and the blade etch are all the markings there are. Do you know of any sites or reference books that I might be able to use? Thanks!

Paul, if that Dittert is the same one that was listed on Ebay, you STOLE it!

Very nice.

Charlie Noyes

1967redrider wrote:

Iron Hoarder wrote:

1967redrider wrote: Anyone have info on a knife like this? It says "Real Shepherd Knife" on the blade and has a poor Sheffield England tang stamp. I love the old bone handles though. I could have sworn someone posted a picture of one over the last year but I did a search and got nothing back. Any info is appreciated!

That is a rather rare etching for that sort of knife. Nearly all of them said Real Lambs Foot Knife. Nice find and in great shape too. Put it somewhere safe. Can you tell which Sheffield company made it?

Iron, not a clue but how could I tell? The picture of the tang and the blade etch are all the markings there are. Do you know of any sites or reference books that I might be able to use? Thanks!

If you can't read the tang stamp and there isn't anything stamped on the back of the tang I'm afraid there is no way to tell.

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Paul, if that Dittert is the same one that was listed on Ebay, you STOLE it!

Very nice.

Charlie Noyes

thanks Charlie..................

Just had a fellow stop by my office with an "Anvil" brand jack 4 inches in length and what looks to be a plastic or delrin handle. Tang is stamped "Anvil" with "Prov.USA" underneath and the scale has an anvil on a shield inlaid in it. Pen blade has "Patent" over "3,317,996". Anybody know about this company?

Jigs,
The Anvil brand was Providence Cutlery's answer to Schrade's Old Timer.
They were most carbon steel, iirc, and were a decent knife.
I think they were not highly thought of because they were made by Providence, which many people associate with inexpensive knives.

I have an Anvil or two and I would compare them to Old Timers.
The swell on the handle seems to me serve an ergonomic function to give one a good grip.

Here's an old and pretty obscure brand,,,American Shear Co., the company started in 1853 and added knives to their line in 1870. American Shear sold out to Waterville Cutlery in 1914. This Jack is 4 inches closed length with ebony handles. Great halfstop too. Check out those serifs!

Thats a really nice piece of history there Perry and a georgious knife! Nice find! thank for showing!

Bob

Thanks Bob! I'm pretty sure this blade would've been originally a Spear, judgin from the shape it's in now and the overall size. So with a lot of wear to it, it still has a lot left IMO. The mind wanders about who carried it and whether or not they fought in the Civil War or even how they wound up buyin it new. I love it!

This is Brantford Cutlery Co. Jack that the notch has been added to later but all original blades and stamps according to Bernard Levine. Solid little Ebony Jack Probably made around the late teens to early 20s.

She's a beaut, singin.

I'm growing really fond of those easy openers.

Thank ya Red, they're addictive alright.

great find ! nice full fat blades..........

Another fine oldie Singin.
Those oldies really talk to me.

Thanks Paul and Bill!

This one was advertised as "Vtg Eagle Top - Single Blade Knife - Scout Knife" and included lots of good clear pictures. The stamp did look like Eagle Top but I thought, maybe Eagleton, though it is way too modern compared to the other Eagletons we have seen here. The shell handle looked like an Imperial or Richards. Once I had the knife in hand, things didn't get any clearer. At first I thought it might be Eggleston, but in the end I hit on Eaglestar as my best guess. If anybody has any ideas I'd like to hear them.