All About Pocket Knives

Hello All!

I have several Bulldog Brand Sowbelly (or is it Serpentine?) knives in my collection. I am having trouble identifying a few of them and hope somewhere here can help.

First, I have a 3 7/8" single blade sowbelly with tortoise handles, club shield, and English steel blade with Cuttin Horse etching.

Second, I have a 3 5/8" single blade sowbelly with abalone handles, acorn shield, and surgical steel blade with Pit Bulls etching. This knife has "Prototype 1 of 6" on the reverse side of the blade.

Third, I have a 3 7/8" 3 blade sowbelly with abalone handles, club shield, and surgical steel blades with a peacock etching. This knife has "SS 005" on the reverse side of the blade.

Fourth, I have a 3 7/8" 3 blade sowbelly with bone handles, club shield, and surgical steel blades with Cuttin Horse etching.

Fifth, I have a 3 7/8" 3 blade sowbelly with orange and blue celluloid handles (name ?), club shield, and surgical steel blades with Cuttin Horse etching. This knife has 1993 stamped on the main blade.

If anyone can help me identify the BKC# - or any other information such as # made or value - for these knives I will be very grateful.

Also, I have what was represented to me when I bought them to be BKC 350 and BKC 350-A. These knives have 3 blades, stag handles, crest shield, and Our Best etching on the blade. The knives I have appear to be identical. How do I tell these apart?

Similarly, I have what was represented to be BKC 351 and BKC 351-A. These knives have 3 blades, stag handles, club shield, and Cuttin Horse etching on the blade. How do I tell these apart?

Thanks in advance for any and all information!

Ryan

Here are some pics of a few of the knives described above:
Let me know if additional (read better) pics of any of the knives will help and I'll see what I can do.

Thanks again,
Ryan

Ryan, you have posed a fine puzzle. Your descriptions are so precise I'm sure you have spent some time looking through the Pocket Knife Trader's books and became frustated. I tried looking for some of the 3 7/8" Cuttin Horse knives and didn't find a single one. The only single blades listed had stag or green bone handles with a book value of $300, a real world value (best guess) of less than half that. Of course, celluloid would go for much less. The one I could find, the Peacock etch with abalone celluloid, was bkc# 852, 1 of 100, book value $165. I bought one like it several years ago for about $70. Does yours have the club shield? That indicates 1st/2nd generation, while the surgical steel stamp is 3rd generation. Sorry I can't be of more help. If you have the time, you might try looking back through the General Knife posts until you find some by Hukk. He was very knowledgable about the Bulldogs and made many informative posts.

Rustle,

Thanks for the information. The peacock etched knife with abalone handles that you identify as BKC 852 does have the club shield. The guide I have (vol. 7) indicates that BKC 852 has a spade shield. Can you explain the discrepancy? Also, regarding value, the 1st and 2nd generation knives I have seen sell on eBay recently (including those with celluloid handles) have brought roughly 75% of the listed value. Is that not a fair indication of the "real world" value? Thanks again for any additional information that you can provide.

Ryan

great looking knives ryan, love the abalone