All About Pocket Knives

I typically don't keep duplicate knives. But when I have two of the same pattern I always compare the two to see if they are the same. I've noticed that in the short time of Remington making knives that there are often times variation within the same pattern. They have the same frame size but often times will have different blades in them.
First knife is a R6483

R3433
I think the black knife could possibly be a contract knife.

Specifications have +/- tolerances. Tooling wears out and has to be replaced. Cost reductions are implemented. Suppliers change over time. And as you already pointed out, outsourcing or contract manufacturing. All of these manufacturing and business realities can cause differences in the end product. Whether the differences are minor or substantial is somewhat subjective.

As collectors we enjoy the perspective of looking back and closely comparing specimens. At the time these were made, the purchaser just started carrying and using without noticing or caring that the knife just purchased was slightly different from the same patten knife someone bought a year earlier.

Ke

Beautiful little knives, Keith.
There is more than blade difference in the 6483. The knife with the dark bone and the long shield has a catch bit in place at the secondary blade. This makes the secondary blade a bit thinner and allows the primary blade to be noticeably longer.
I prefer this build in these pen knives but I wouldn't turn down the other.
Here's hoping you kept both of them.

Your exactly correct Joe. The 6383 has a lot of differences. I just find it interesting. With them being different I'll keep them both for reference. In Remington knives I see often bolster variation within a pattern. Square vs round, straight vs slanted, plain vs grooved. I don't study other brands but is this common in other vintage knife manufacturers?

Keith,that is interesting.I know Case has some variations in the same pattern occasionally.And I am sure others did too.Many companies didn't use pattern numbers so we may not notice changes either.Remington for they're relative short life as a Knife manufacturer pumped out a whole bunch of knives.Also maybe the hard economic times had something to do with the variations?

Here is another knife with variations. The R1073. Some with a bare head and others with a bolster.

Keith, I have an example or two in my farmers jacks. I’m not at my computer, I’ll post them when I get to it.

That would be great to see.

Wow I love this kinda stuff! Nice look see Keith!

I acquired another pattern variation. R1062, the same issue as the R1073 I posted above. One is a bare head and the other isnt. One is slick black the other is wood. Both have the same era tang stamp