All About Pocket Knives

Here are a few of mine. It's hard to date the fixed blades. I haven't had any luck finding exact dates. New to the site, look forward to being on it a lot. Could really use some tips on cleaning knives.

This is my favorite. My very first Western and the knife that got me into collecting.

OldKnifeCollector wrote:This is my favorite. My very first Western and the knife that got me into collecting.

OKC, Short answer - This knife is a post-WW2 knife, made sometime between 1946 and 1952. The pattern is a "28", the "small" bird and trout. Unfortunately, the exact model number is unknown.

Basis -

The first clue to manufacturing date on pre-1977 Western fixed blades is any reference to the double-tang patent number.

Western allegedly dropped the patent reference in 1952, so for this one, the latest manufacturing date would be 1952. When it was purchased is anyone's guess - a 1951 knife night not have sold until 1960, as an exaggerated example, if sales were slow or stock wasn't rotated frequently.

I say "Allegedly" here as a comment in TKMWWW by Harlon Platts, the president, say they did. But I have 3 examples with both patent numbers AND model numbers, which didn't start until 1954, so 1952 to 1955 can be "IFFY".

Since it has "Made in USA" on it and a reference to the patent number, it was made AFTER WW2 ended.

The 28 is a post-WW2 pattern and from what I have determined researching through old outdoors magazines, Western didn't ADVERTISE any new models until 1947, so allowing a fudge factor for them possibly making the 28s prior to any mass advertising, 1946 would be the earliest it was made.

Most of Western's fixed blade sales from September 1945 to 1947 were WW2 era leftovers - G46-5 (Baby Shark), G46-6 (Shark), L71 (Seabees), L77 (Commando).

The exact model number is unknown as no catalogs from 1946 to 1949 were included in The Knife Makers Who Went West, with 1950 being the earliest included. The only 28s in TKMWWW for 1950 is the 28AP, with colored plastic handles and the L28, with stacked leather.

Going with pre-WW2 modeling, bone (which is what the handles appear to be on my monitor), the model would have been 528 if antler or 628 if bone, but I don't have any proof.

When they replaced bone and antler in 1961 with simulated bone Delrin plastic they assigned "6" as the Delrin plastic handle indicator.

OldKnifeCollector wrote:Here are a few of mine. It's hard to date the fixed blades. I haven't had any luck finding exact dates. New to the site, look forward to being on it a lot. Could really use some tips on cleaning knives.

I would need blade measurements and OAL on the top 2 to be sure, but they APPEAR to be either an L36 or an L44 (first) and an L66 (second).

On the 628 (B&T), is there a model number on the pile side ricasso or on the guard?

Great pics of Western knives, guys. A few of mine. L39 skinner, 652 pen, 292 peanut, S901 camper/scout, 062 folding hunter. The Western 062 folding hunter is very distinctive among the different brands of folding hunters. It is a lot slimmer and more graceful looking.

I am fond of the older WESTERNS myself.

Wow. That is a hell of a collection. I just recently got back into collecting. It will take me a long time to get to that level. I don’t get as much time on my collections as I would like with college and work.

tongueriver wrote:I am fond of the older WESTERNS myself.
1930s Westerns001.jpg
Westerns002.jpg
April 2012 group 1.jpg
April 2012 group 2.jpg
April 2012 group 3.jpg

Just got home from work. I’ll try to get you measurements either tonight or tomorrow. Thank you for the help.

zzyzzogeton wrote:

OldKnifeCollector wrote:Here are a few of mine. It's hard to date the fixed blades. I haven't had any luck finding exact dates. New to the site, look forward to being on it a lot. Could really use some tips on cleaning knives.

I would need blade measurements and OAL on the top 2 to be sure, but they APPEAR to be either an L36 or an L44 (first) and an L66 (second).

On the 628 (B&T), is there a model number on the pile side ricasso or on the guard?

I managed to pick up a couple of Westerns and a Western States over the weekend.
Western W742 stainless stockman Western S-693 lockblade with Racoons etching This Western States 4 1/2" jack is pretty rough and will need some work.

Lots of great knives being shown. I have a few myself, but it seems I’ve deleted most of my pictures. I’ll have to take some more. But here are a few I found here on this forum, all bone handled.

The pics got out of order. The ad should have gone with the last group. That’s a complete set of bone handled 74x patterns including the 741 muskrat that isn’t in the ad. The Bowie is from 1967. I know because that’s the original sales receipt with it. Never carried or sharpened. I’ll have to photo the fixed blades and other folders later.

Posting some fixed blades, hoping to get this thread going again. 3 are stamped W E S T E R N, BOULDER, COLO. MADE IN U.S.A., the Orvet Custom and Bowie are stamped W E S T E R N, U.S.A. with their pattern numbers (W49 & 640). I have a relic with deteriorated cell scales around here some place too, might need to get it rehandled some day.

Some guy on eBay has been making bank on gorgeously rehandled Westerns like this-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Boulde ... 1438.l2649

I drool over the material he uses, the stag Dale used is really awesome too.

The W49 has a leather Coleman® WESTERN hangar-style sheath.

The top two are Official Boy Scouts of America knives.

Nice fixed blades all. I don’t collect them as such.
4”farmers jack:

Thanks, Lyle, and that is another gorgeous knife.

Nice knives everyone , one of my favorites S-742

wlf wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:34 pm Nice fixed blades all. I don’t collect them as such.
4”farmers jack:

That is gorgeous! Wow!

In your opinion, did Western make that one in house or was it made for them? Either way it’s extra nice!

Colonel26 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 8:56 pm

wlf wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:34 pm Nice fixed blades all. I don’t collect them as such.
4”farmers jack:

That is gorgeous! Wow!

In your opinion, did Western make that one in house or was it made for them? Either way it’s extra nice!

Probably Utica Wade,IMO.

wlf wrote: ↑Mon Mar 09, 2020 7:12 pm

Colonel26 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 08, 2020 8:56 pm

wlf wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2020 5:34 pm Nice fixed blades all. I don’t collect them as such.
4”farmers jack:

That is gorgeous! Wow!

In your opinion, did Western make that one in house or was it made for them? Either way it’s extra nice!

Probably Utica Wade,IMO.

It sure is a looker!

All Utica except 2nd down is the Western States. Bottom is the old UTK stamped Utica.

My S-901

I have had this Western display for a couple years,I think it's time to fill it.

Mighty Light 546

I have 1 western 546 lock back. Very similar to a Buck 286. IMO

Nev

Western S-522 Lockback

Nev

OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:43 pm Great pics of Western knives, guys. A few of mine. L39 skinner, 652 pen, 292 peanut, S901 camper/scout, 062 folding hunter. The Western 062 folding hunter is very distinctive among the different brands of folding hunters. It is a lot slimmer and more graceful looking.

IMG_1757.JPG

L39 was my first fixed blade. My mother got it for me with Green Stamps or Plaid Stamps (she collected both) in 1958, the summer I turned 14 yo. It's been rode hard and put away wet. Dale rebuilt it for me some years back (probably early 20-teens).