All About Pocket Knives

Here are a couple of old Hammer Brand knives that I have, just recently acquired the black one. The tang stamp on the "cracked ice" "Klearpearl" handled one dates it from 1938--1941, while the black plastic handled one has a well worn tang stamp that dates it from 1945--1955. They are essentially the same knife though other than the handle materials. ...(The size difference in the pics is an illusion, they are both the same size)... What realy impresses me about both of these knives is that despite the fact that they have both seen plenty of use, how well they have held up over time. Both of them are still really solid, no wiggle in the blades, and both have great half stops and snap like a bear trap. With the Imperials I have it's always been kind of hit or miss with the snap and handle wear, but the Hammers all seem to hold up well. I know Hammer Brand was made by Imperial, but was was there any difference in the production methods or materials used that would cause them to hold up better over time? Anyone else have some solid old Hammers to share?
Mike

Here's some. These have the same attitude in the snap department.
You have some nice knives, Mike.

Thank you very much, those are some great looking knives you have there as well! That one in the second pic looks like it is the same pattern as the two that I posted, very nice.
Here is another Hammer Brand, this one is a bit smaller than the previous ones, only 2 3/4 " closed. Tang stamps dates it from 1945--55. I was lucky enough to inherit this one from my great great grandfather, who lived from 1881--1963. He was a blacksmith who had his own shop in Missouri. I never knew him, but like to handle this knife and imagine him using it in his shop for various tasks, and ponder the stories this knife could tell if it could only talk. My mother had found this knife in an old shoebox of his personal things, and when she learned of my "knife accumulating" hobby she passed it on to me. I gave it a gentle cleaning, but didn't want to scrub off any of the history, so besides a light oiling she is pretty much as my great great grandfather John the blacksmith left it....
Mike

A true treasure, Mike. Good for you.

Always like to hear those history stories with a family heirloom knife.
Thanks for sharing, Mike.

Paul

How about a couple of pictures of one Hammer? Got this one today, a 1945-55 era celluloid shell-handled 3-3/4" equal end jack with a green/black color that looks like an early version of the Army's digital camo pattern. I really like the second blade being a cap lifter/screwdriver blade instead of being a pen as is more typical - makes it a more functional design (sort of a half-scout design).

That is a really cool knife Old Hunter, I just saw it on the "knife finds" thread and commented there too! Never seen that scale pattern before, you are right about it looking like the Army's digitized camo, hard to focus on is right! Wonder what the process was for coming up with designs on those old Imperials and Hammers, always seem to see new ones popping up, some of them must be one of a kind I would imagine...? The caplifter/screwdriver secondary is definitey the way to go, that's really the only other blade I use on a scout knife anyway. Great find!

Thought this was a pretty cool Hammer / Craftsman knife. I know nothing about it, just the
configuration is neat.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/230788573285?ss ... 1423.l2649

IM

This is what they both used at that time[img][album

313 Mike wrote:Here are a couple of old Hammer Brand knives that I have, just recently acquired the black one. The tang stamp on the "cracked ice" "Klearpearl" handled one dates it from 1938--1941, while the black plastic handled one has a well worn tang stamp that dates it from 1945--1955. They are essentially the same knife though other than the handle materials. ...(The size difference in the pics is an illusion, they are both the same size)... What realy impresses me about both of these knives is that despite the fact that they have both seen plenty of use, how well they have held up over time. Both of them are still really solid, no wiggle in the blades, and both have great half stops and snap like a bear trap. With the Imperials I have it's always been kind of hit or miss with the snap and handle wear, but the Hammers all seem to hold up well. I know Hammer Brand was made by Imperial, but was was there any difference in the production methods or materials used that would cause them to hold up better over time? Anyone else have some solid old Hammers to share?
Mike

The attachment couple of Hammers.jpg is no longer available

this is what it was at that time for both.

Here's my most recent Hammer Brand pick up...really liking this one! Dates from '45-'55 and looks to me like it's never been used...

...figured as long as I'm bringing up this old thread, I might as well drop this Hammer in here too...
Mike

...and this one sure does belong here too, one of my faves.....ain't she purty?
Mike

I gut me one today at the fleamarket she's a switch or an automatic ::shrug::The spring works great but the tip has been broken.

Cool switch dogg! If she's solid except that tip, maybe you can re profile that blade and make it into a user!

...might as well stick this one in here too.... (anyone ever heard that old Bob Marley song called "Hammer"...like most Bob songs it is more than a bit repetitive but catchy. "I need a hammmer, a hammer, a hammer a hammer, to hammmer them down.." Sort of the theme song for my growing accumulation of Hammers I guess..)

Yea Mike that is what I'm going to do Everything else is solid.I just picked up a Hammer like yours but in a jack GREAT walk +talk.

Sounds good dogg...you should post up a pic when you get that re profiled, I'd like to see how she turns out! It's uncanny how well the walk and talk holds up on these old Hammer Brand knives, pretty much every one I pick up is still lively as can be, it's almost like they are eager to get back into action!
Mike

Here's a Hammer with the harder to find '36-'37 tang stamp. I tried to take some up close shots of the tang stamp but they turned out fuzzy...if you double click the pic with the blades open though you can see it better. The very bottom of the stamp is sort of hidden by the front bolster, but it is definitely the old one. (This knife is razor sharp by the way, bit me on the finger when I was cleaning her up! still fiesty after all these years....)
Mike

Mike here is the HammerBrand I told ya about the pic doesn't do her justice and I started to profile the push-button.

Nice lookin' Hammer Jack there Dogg! Seems to be in very nice condition too! Sort of a silver & gold thing going on there...Yukon Cornelius would love that one!

Mike you are definitely findin some beautys! You have that passion that JoeDirt and I call Shell obsession.
I like your style man.

...and the re-profile on the push button looks like it's coming along nicely as well. Are you going in the wharncliffe direction with that blade? That would be cool, a push button wharnie Hammer, one of a kind....

Thanks for the kind words Singin'! I sure don't have anything to compare with the amazing knives I've seen from you and Joe Dirt, but I'm starting to accumulate a few keepers! Drooling over some of the fantastic shells you all have posted has certainly fueled my fire...

Mike;kinda in that direction I'm going to file the hump off the back of the blade then see what happens

Well there are still apparently a boat load out there to find and the prices are still right on most.