All About Pocket Knives

Can anyone tell me what "Premium Stock" means?

Hi Rifle,

I'll quote what "Blades Guide To Knives And Their Values" has to say about it. (From page 267)

"The Premium Stock Knife is a serpentine-shaped double-end pocketknife that ordinarily has two springs and three blades. Some stock knives have four blades, and a few have five or as many as six. Five and six-bladed stock knives have three springs. Any stock knife under 3 1/2 inches long closed is called a 'Junior Premium Stock Knife.'
The premium stock pattern was introduced about 1890 as a less bulky and dressier version of the cattle knife. The stock knife was designed as a rancher's pattern, so it was at first marketed mainly in the West.
The master blade of a stock knife is always some type of clip point. The second blade is usuallly a spey for castrating young animals or for skinning. The remaining blade or blades can be a pen, sheepfoot or harness punch."


Hope that helps you,

Phil

Thanks Phil, that helps.

hey phil great response!!

gotta love dem books!

a few times i can remember this subject coming up in my travels and
it seems the main thing about the stockman to be premium or not
is mostly just the size.most say if over 4 inches it a premium.

here is also where old catalouges come into play.
most of my earlier Western knives catalouges
the premium stockman is exactly 4 inches.
any other stcokman in the catalouges are all just called stockman.
no matter what size.