All About Pocket Knives

I got this knife in a batch of older knives I bought at an auction. This one sends a lot of warning signs to me when I look at it but I would like for the folks here to look at it and tell me their opinion.
It appears unused which one would not expect in a knife of that age. May be a complete fake. Just a little too good to be real!!

Thanks,
Tom

Tom it is.Looks to be in good shape other than being dirty as he!!.

What warning signs are you seeing? I see no modern parts, no modern methods of finishing, the stamps look right and do not appear to be cold stamped. It is also not a popular pattern to fake. I haven't seen enough northfields to comment on the jigging style or type of bone, but it seems to be age appropriate. The condition is very nice, and reason enough to be wary, but initial impressions for me say its genuine. I'm interested in what others have to say.

Roger,
All of the knives in the auction were dirty like this. I haven't done a thing to this one as you can see. You can tell the knife was never carried at all when you have it in hand.

Tom

Wait, I mean send that fake to me for proper disposal.

Here's a question from someone not familiar with this brand.

Are the pin types "right"? The bolster pin looks indicative of German cutlery methods. Then the bone is pinned with brass pins, but maybe stainless on the spring?

Please elaborate if this is standard practice for that brand, thanks.

Good eye on that Glen the pins on that don't look right. Is there anyway to compare it to an original? Many times when a knife is taken apart the person puts it back together with the pins they have on hand.

Are the bolsters steel or nickel silver? I was assuming they were steel and the pin steel and iron bolsters have discolored differently, as I have seen that often enough. I know on lower end "working" knives like this jack knife it was standard practice to use dissimilar metals for the spring versus handle pins, however I do not know if Napanoch did this.

Napanoch is not a brand with which I am very familiar, but that knife looks right to me.

Think about those very nice, bone handled Napanoch tool kits. That looks like the same bone to me.

Steel or iron hinge pins are not exclusive to German made knives.

Charlie Noyes

The bolsters respond go a magnet even when not near the pin. The spring pin and the far left pin are white and the other two are brass colored. Thanks for any opinions and help.
Tom

I've noticed this look on old steel bolster and pins before.I think it is because the grain of the steel is lined up different. The German knives that are most noted for the pins and bolsters that are different color are nickel silver.

I don't know if this helps, but here is a thread when I visited the Wawarsing knife museum. There are a handful of pics right after the Ulster cornerstone slab, those are all Napanoch knives in the glass cases. Maybe there is some useful evidence. If not, it's still fun to look at the pics again!

http://allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_f ... &start=180

At first glance the knife looks good. Handle material, pulls, grinds.

What material are the center and end pins in the knife handles? Magnetic? They almost look like aluminum.

Hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like the master blade stamp could be pantographed. I see what looks like some circles in the letter ends but hard to tell.

How is the spring and blade fit opening and closing?

What don't you like about the knife Tom?

Wayne

Wayne,
I don't think the pins are aluminum. The blade fit is great on the small blade, not quite as good on the main blade although it looks the same thinkness.
What I don't like is how the blades don't look finished, they look like they never had a crocus finish.

Tom

I thought the finish looked ok from your pics,the pins in the handles are what puzzled me.

Goins says Napanch was closed in 1939 but the owner's daughters "retained a large inventory of parts which were assembled and sold in the early 1970's". Maybe this knife was one of those, assembled with mismatched left over parts? Could also explain why no crocus finish. Just a thought............

Ken

Thanks for all of the comments and help with this knife. I really appreciate it!


Tom