All About Pocket Knives

Friend of mine has two knives he doesn't use much. One he's thinking of selling to me and the other we are just curious as to when it might have been made.
First, the one I'm interested in buying is this OTHELLO by Wingen. Blade is heavily stained but not pitted, some rust pushing one of the scales a bit. It appears to have nickel silver pins and walnut scales.



Found the same blade pattern with stag handles, much nicer sheath and marked by Anton Wingen for $49.00. This one is marked G C CO 049. I'd like to buy this knife but I have no idea what to offer and I don't want to take advantage of my pard either. I was thinking $20.00-$25.00 but really have no idea. Wingen stuff on ebay is all over the place price wise.

This old Cattaraugus Cutlery knife belonged to his Dad. It's been used and somewhat abused, but it's family. It's marked CATTARAUGUS 225 Q. I'm guessing it's 1940's to 1950's just from the look and style of the sheath. I've got no experience with those old knives. My pard and I are pretty close the same age so it could have been bought as far back as the mid to late thirties. Blade style is reminiscent of that 30's to 50's "hunting knife" style.



Thanks,
Willie

The Cattaraugus is a 225Q ("Q" for "Quartermaster") made under contract to the US military during WWII. Great knife, just not as well known as the Kabar.

coffeecup wrote:The Cattaraugus is a 225Q ("Q" for "Quartermaster") made under contract to the US military during WWII. Great knife, just not as well known as the Kabar.

Thank you sir! Maybe my hammerheaded pard won't use a rock to pound it through a deer's pelvic bone anymore..

Owd Wullie wrote: Thank you sir! Maybe my hammerheaded pard won't use a rock to pound it through a deer's pelvic bone anymore..

It works better if you have your little brother hold the knife in position, and stomp on it with the heel of your boot. If the knife is sharp, one stomp will do it. (Not that I've ever done that.) (I was the little brother.)

Good one. I learned from a REALLY crusty old fart of a West Texas cowboy that a BIG knife isn't necessary. He gutted his deer with a very worn old Case stockman. He showed me where the cartilage is that runs through that pelvic bone and how to split it with a pocket knife. He also used a lever action 22 Savage High Power lever action to kill anything that he wanted to. Once again proving that BIG isn't really necessary in that game. He shot a LOT of West Texas mule deer with it. He always picked his shot and never missed. Theo was fun. ( I had to know him for 5 years before I found out that Theo stood for Theodorus, which you never called him, unless you were ready to fight)

Yep, pick your shot a .22 cal long rifle will take a deer down. Took quite a few on the family ranch with a bolt action Winchester model 69A. Even took one on a dead run, I could not pass up that angle on his ribcage - 1 shot kill through the heart (only 50 yards) and he dropped like he was hit with a big 30 cal. Usually I would go for a head or neck shot, but some you know you just can't pass up. Yep, used a Case stockman to dress it out and have used a 3 inch Parker lockback - the Bobcat, I still have it.

I used to guide hunters in that area and they almost always had too much knife. (had to tease some I knew about bringing a sword ) Some had excellent knives - others apologized for only having a pocket knife. Why? As the guide I dressed out the deer and feral pigs and sometimes I'd use a pocket knife to dress out our kill.

Thanks Owd Wullie your story brought back some nice memories for me.

Owd Wullie wrote:Good one. I learned from a REALLY crusty old fart of a West Texas cowboy that a BIG knife isn't necessary. He gutted his deer with a very worn old Case stockman. He showed me where the cartilage is that runs through that pelvic bone and how to split it with a pocket knife.

When I was a kid we always split the pelvic arch at the suture, and if the deer was 2 1/2 years old or less we could do it with a pocket knife, but Dad broke his Case 6375 doing that. In recent years I never split that bone or open the hide there, either. It is a useless and destructive thing to do, because it is hard on knives, gets the meat dirty, and otherwise accomplishes nothing. My friends and I instead do a simple "analectomy" with a SHARP knife. It can be a pocket knife, but a fillet knife would be perfect. Then we just pull the colon out forwards with the rest of the "ick." Try it. If it is even remotely warm out I still do split the sternum and all the way up the throat, to get things cooled down. I still have my Winchester 69A .22 rifle. Nice gun. I never shot a deer with it, but I shot a few with a .222 Remington. I don't recommend those little guns for deer.

Owd Wullie wrote:Friend of mine has two knives he doesn't use much. One he's thinking of selling to me and the other we are just curious as to when it might have been made.
First, the one I'm interested in buying is this OTHELLO by Wingen. Blade is heavily stained but not pitted, some rust pushing one of the scales a bit. It appears to have nickel silver pins and walnut scales.



Found the same blade pattern with stag handles, much nicer sheath and marked by Anton Wingen for $49.00. This one is marked G C CO 049. I'd like to buy this knife but I have no idea what to offer and I don't want to take advantage of my pard either. I was thinking $20.00-$25.00 but really have no idea. Wingen stuff on ebay is all over the place price wise.

This old Cattaraugus Cutlery knife belonged to his Dad. It's been used and somewhat abused, but it's family. It's marked CATTARAUGUS 225 Q. I'm guessing it's 1940's to 1950's just from the look and style of the sheath. I've got no experience with those old knives. My pard and I are pretty close the same age so it could have been bought as far back as the mid to late thirties. Blade style is reminiscent of that 30's to 50's "hunting knife" style.



Thanks,
Willie

Great looking knives, especially the Cattaraugus Quartermaster!
I like the design as a working all-round blade, and this one looks like it has been put to use for many years.
If only such knives could talk...
I believe the Quartermaster model was brought back in production some time in the eighties or early nineties by some manufacturer (Ontario..?). I think I remember seeing it in a SMKW-catalog and was going to order it, but for some reason never did.