All About Pocket Knives

I have heard that Miller Bros. stopped making pocket knives around 1925.
Look at this picture of a 2 blade pearl screw on handles with tangs on both blades stamped Miller (arched) and Bros. underneath and comment.
I purchased the knife more that twenty years ago and the handles are firery pearl and the blades and backspring are polished to a shine. My question is if this knife was made in 1925 or before, how does the blades and backsprings shine and sparkle. I have never cleaned the knife in the over twenty years I have owned it.

Hi Nice knife TCT. Sorry I can't say if it is 'real'. Miller Bros did use screws to attach the handles. Could be an early stainless steel knife. I have Sheffield examples from the same time period that are still shiny. I suppose it could have been poilished at some point in the past. Most polishes will also protect against tarnish. No way of knowing forsure. Maybe someone else will have more info. s-k

chrome plating first in 1924, common in 30s - stainless 1915 on
just guessing

jonet143 wrote:chrome plating first in 1924, common in 30s - stainless 1915 on
just guessing

Hi. Stainless Steel was invented around the start of WW1 but I believe did not appear in pocket knives until the 1920s. By the end of the decade it was quite well established. This applies to Sheffield knives but think US would be similar. Would like to hear more on the topic. s-k

jonet143 wrote:chrome plating first in 1924, common in 30s - stainless 1915 on
just guessing

I think you are right! I looked at the knife under a mag glass and it does seem the blades are chrome plated. That would answer my question as I have a couple of other Miller Bros. and they seem to have the darker carbon steel blades. ~You are a smart knife person~

Interesting... a chrome plating over a carbon steel blade. Is this unusual? s-k

From Houston Price...

(paraphrased)

Miller Brothers sold its cutlery divison in 1917 to Meriden Knife Company, favoring the business of steel pens. So, it could be stainless or chrome, as it sounds like they were capable of the work. It could also be pre-1917.

What is the exact marking? Maybe we can narrow it down a bit.

Bill

P. S.
Nice knife!

P. P. S.
Meriden later became part of Landers, Frary & Clark...just as additional information.

El Lobo wrote:From Houston Price...

(paraphrased)

Miller Brothers sold its cutlery divison in 1917 to Meriden Knife Company, favoring the business of steel pens. So, it could be stainless or chrome, as it sounds like they were capable of the work. It could also be pre-1917.

What is the exact marking? Maybe we can narrow it down a bit.

Bill

P. S.
Nice knife!

The only marking is on the tang of both blades and it is Miller (lettering arched) and under that Bros. (straight letters)

I have never heard of chrome plating being used on pocket knife blades in that era (or ever, really). If the blades were stainless steel you would know it, they would almost be white.

I suspect that it is just a carbon steel bladed knife with the original factory bright crocus finish, or it could have been buffed at some point.

It is not unusual for an antique knife to maintain its original blade finish if it has been put up somewehre and not used.

I have never seen one with three handle screws, but I imagine that its real, for one thing would be tough to fake the screw on handles.

w r case used chrome on the 652 hunter according to ferguson. i owned two miller brothers cutlery, meriden stamped knives with screwed on handles. neither was chrome plated though. i was only guessing about the chrome but i would'nt say never.

jonet143 wrote:w r case used chrome on the 652 hunter according to ferguson. i owned two miller brothers cutlery, meriden stamped knives with screwed on handles. neither was chrome plated though. i was only guessing about the chrome but i would'nt say never.

Yes, Case and Kabar both made HUNTING knives with chrome plated blades...that's why I specifically said "pocket knife" blades in my post.

And I don't know when Case and Kabar started making plated blade hunters, but I believe it was later, more like the mid 30's.

A chrome plated blade is easy to spot....the blade edge where it is sharpened and has no chrome, will develop a patina but the chreome plated sides of the blade will stay very bright. And you will see chrome flaking off at the area of the sharpened edge.

that's a big part of my participation on this forum...to learn. thanks

I took another picture as close as I could get of the tang stamping. I had someone else look and he said it was a knife that was just buffed shined or polished real good. In fact you can see your reflection in the blades and even the backspring. It was hard to get a good picture of the blade because you get a reflection. A magnet sticks to the blade. He said it is not chrome plated at all, just good buffing. This knife has been in a knife pack in a attic for over twenty years. The other knives in the pack had tarnished some on the blades and the backsprings, but not this one.