All About Pocket Knives

I had a fixed blade day at the flea market last Sunday.

The first was a nice Schrade Walden 137L with sheath: The next was a nice Western #628: An Othello by Anton Wingen Jr.: The last two are a Western L66 that needs a new handle and a Kinfolks #330F: I don't know much about the Kinfolks, here the tang stamps on this knife.
Can anyone enlighten me about Kinfolks, aside from the fact they were related to the Case family?

Kinfolks was started i little valley in 1926 by tint champlin building was built almost on top of the old standard knife building.it closed in 1957 in little valley. Hope this helps dale

Thanks Ricky.
Does anyone know about the knives, how is the steel?
This knife appears to have excellent steel, in spite of how someone botched the sharpening.

Nice haul!!

Nice finds Dale! I like em all

A little-known fact about Kinfolks (or actually, about Schrade): The Schrade Cutlery Company (Cutco) (pre-1947) never made fixed blade knives. None. Zip. But they did order some from Kinfolks and put the Schrade name on the tang. These are quite rare.

Dale.. Nice score.. That Kinfolks is SUPER!! NICE!! John

tongueriver wrote:A little-known fact about Kinfolks (or actually, about Schrade): The Schrade Cutlery Company (Cutco) (pre-1947) never made fixed blade knives. None. Zip. But they did order some from Kinfolks and put the Schrade name on the tang. These are quite rare.

Thanks Cal, I was not aware of that!
That is the kind of info I am looking for regarding Kinfolks!

Dale, I can't tell you specifically what steel was used in the makings of your Kinfolks, but I can share a little of the info which I have. By 1926, 16 variations of Case Knife Co's. have come and most have gone. There were 32 Case corporations that existed from1902 to the present. In 1926 Tint Brown and his cousin, Dean Case incorporated Kinfolks.They made razors and fixed blade knives for W.R. Case & Sons & Cattaraugus cutlery. In 1929 Tint died and eventually Dean Case becomes majority stock holder of Kinfolks.1941 Kinfolks factory burns. Cattaraugus offers Kinfolks off hours to fulfill Gov't. contracts.
kinfolks remains till 1957, when disagreements shuts it down. Late 1957, Robeson cutlery buys name, inventory and equipment and starts producing Kinfolks knives
again as " new era " production begins. Kinfolks stays in production till 2008 when Kinfolks name is acquired, registered and returned to the Case family. Keep in mind, these are brothers, cousins, uncles, brother- in - laws, and all are Case family members in some way ,shape, or form. There was a lot of feudin' going on. your knife could be from around the mid 1930's on. The letter F in the tang stamp indicates a " full " blade. Kinfolks used the best steel available and in 1950 introduced the " Frozen Heat " process for hardening stainless steel, which is now standard practice in the knife industry. Kinfolks was just one variation of the Case family knife business. It just made a lot of right and left turns along the way. All that being said, you have a dang nice knife Dale. Bull

Thanks Dale, I appreciate the info.
Good stuff!

See you in Eugene in April.

Knice scores Dale......verrrrrrrrrrrrrry knice!

Dale, I've only had one experience with a Kinfolks stamped knife. When I was 10 or 12 years old, mid 50's, I scraped together enough money to buy a fixed blade Kinfolks from a sporting goods store in Orlando. Having it only a few days, I dropped it and it actually broke in half right at the handle. My dad helped me get it replaced but it was a big deal. The dude at the sporting goods store said I had thrown it at a tree and broke it and Daddy told him, "Even if he thrown it at a tree, it shouldn't have broken!" Ended up with another knife of some description, don't remember what but I remember my dad going to bat for me!
Treefarmer

Wow Phil, that is not encouraging!
I guess anyone can have a bad batch from the heat treater.

tongueriver wrote:A little-known fact about Kinfolks (or actually, about Schrade): The Schrade Cutlery Company (Cutco) (pre-1947) never made fixed blade knives. None. Zip. But they did order some from Kinfolks and put the Schrade name on the tang. These are quite rare.

Not to thread-jack, but that is interesting. I have seen these knives and have owned a few, but was never able to find them in catalogs. And you are correct, they are almost as rare as hen's teeth.

Here is one I currently own...

Here is a Schrade Cut I have listed now on eBay. Only one with this marking I've ever owned. No reserve.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321319921851?ss ... 1555.l2649

Nice find! I am still trying to fight the urge to start fixed knives too....