All About Pocket Knives

OK<
I finally need to ask, what is a transition knife? Yesterday, I was on a popular website, one knife was described as a transition knife made in either 64 or 65 because it had an XX shield but a uSA stamp, but, when I toggled back and forth between that one and another, I could not tell a difference.
Parker's guide has many entries for transition knives, but again, there is no explanation.
I do understand an obvious transition, for instance, from USA to dot, where one blade has the 65-69 stamp and another blade has 70s dots. Other than that, its very confusing to me, and this is one of the questions I think many "newer" collectors need to know. I know some of you "timers" (respectfully )out there have the information, and I thank you in advance for your help.
Any other "tricks of the trade" are always welcome too.Thanks a ton Glenn

HEY!

Transistion knives are truly collectable as they are easy to pinpoint the date of manufacturing. "In most cases:" You have to be intimatly familar with the tang stamps, sheilds, design and material of construction of the particular company to be able to clearly indentify a knive as transistional. I suggest Sargents book on knives and collecting although there are others that are just as good. The best way to learn is to do as I have done and continue to do. LOOK at lots of knives and really read the knife, don't just assume that what you see is all there is. Questions and answers will soon appear in your cutlery mind. LIKE when did CASE start using dots, when did then quite using stag, when is the last the used rodgers bone, when did the bolster on the copperheads change, These things and many others are the factors that determine a transistion knife and of course will help you with fakes too. In a nutshell transisitons are knives made with parts from different manufacturing periods in time. Remember though, they must be continous. I don't believe CASE every used materials from the the 1920's intermingled with materials from the 1960's. Bill correct me if I am wrong on this. If a CASE tested has a one blade stamped as such and another with a circle with case in it, that is a transistiional, but they must be on differnt blades and be correct for the knife. Not just something an old timer but together. HOPE I am clear on this.


READ READ and READ, LOOK LOOK LOOK, But LEARN LEARN LEARN to evaluate the entire knife, not just the handle or stamp or blade design. This separates the knowledgable from the want a be's IMO.

I am done now

I don't believe I'll be doin' any correctin' on anything pa knives says in regards to PA KNIVES...

I'll just add a little I learned from Houston Price's Guide. He mentions that the "Transition Knives" happen as logos/stamps change (XX to USA, USA to 10 dots,etc.) and that sometimes the blades might be mixed as stock is depleted. Minor variations in stampings aren't that unusual, (ie...the position of the top point of the large "C" in relation to the top of the "a"), and that the knife in question would be identified by the stamping on the master blade, not any others.

Bill

Thansk you guys, its nice to know I still have alot to learn. I thought I WAS paying attention to the knives, but evidently, I am just learning some things. I got cornfused when I went to a well-known site and he indicated one knife was a trans from XX to pre-dot because the shield was an XX but the stampwas pre-dot, so, I looked and toggled back and forth but I could not tell the diference. Some of the trans knives are easy to spot and some are way more elusive, but, my knifer friends, I always like to get your side of things and am forever grateful when I learn something new.Passing it on is what this is all about. Thanks again to both of you. -Glenn