All About Pocket Knives

I believe this knife was made closer to 1900 than what I see in tang stamp information. I have always been under the impression that 'Indian Trail' identified a knife as being made by Cattaraugus. Now the shock of finding this knife in an antique mall was even more confusing since the owner called me to say a nice knife was there. Rolling it in your hand, closed, one could be 'cut' by the sharpness of the jigged bone! Tiny pitting, some blade wear but no sign of any use vis-a- vis the handles. Pinched iron bolster, liners and pins..It was not made to be an expensive knife. In the past. I have seen the flat iron 'pommel' on other knives used like a hammer. This one is mirror polished and with a half stop. I hope you like it as much as I do.

That's a real beauty you have there.

That is one sweet find! A mall would be the last place I would expect that one to pop up.

herbva wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:04 pm That is one sweet find! A mall would be the last place I would expect that one to pop up.

Indeed a sweet find!

He said it was an antique mall. Probably not the type of mall you were thinking?

For those who may not know, an antique mall is a HUGE building with many, many vendors, all selling antiques in their own little cubby of the store.
A fun place to wander, for sure!

You’ll find this helpful in understanding the origins of “ Indian Trail” jigging, http://www.knife-expert.com/bonehand.txt. See the 6th paragraph.

Ken

Very nice knife. I have a question that might be 'stupid.' When you (and others) say "iron" bolsters, is that really what you mean? I want to believe that you mean steel. I see this occasionally and wonder. My guess is that is a bit of a play of the language, as in "iron horse" (motorcycles) and "shootin' irons" (firearms)?

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:15 pm

herbva wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:04 pm That is one sweet find! A mall would be the last place I would expect that one to pop up.

Indeed a sweet find!

He said it was an antique mall. Probably not the type of mall you were thinking?

For those who may not know, an antique mall is a HUGE building with many, many vendors, all selling antiques in their own little cubby of the store.
A fun place to wander, for sure!

Right you are Steve, I did miss that critical word "antique". However, I still haven't seen anything I would want to buy in the antique malls around here.

herbva wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:58 pm Right you are Steve, I did miss that critical word "antique". However, I still haven't seen anything I would want to buy in the antique malls around here.

Sad to say I'm right there with ya - squat for decent knives up here in the North East.
Nothing at the antique shops or malls, nothing at the flea markets. *sigh*
And stores that even stock knives are few and far between. A 90 minute drive to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA.

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:09 pm

herbva wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:58 pm Right you are Steve, I did miss that critical word "antique". However, I still haven't seen anything I would want to buy in the antique malls around here.

Sad to say I'm right there with ya - squat for decent knives up here in the North East.
Nothing at the antique shops or malls, nothing at the flea markets. *sigh*
And stores that even stock knives are few and far between. A 90 minute drive to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA.

I know that it's a bit of a hike for you, but I was so stoked up about going to the Shenandoah Valley knife show with my good buddy John (1967redrider) last spring, and of course it was cancelled. I put that wad of cash (and have added to it) and am hoping to enjoy blowing it at the 2021 show.

Great looking knife!!! Great find!!!

No two ways about it. That is a fantastic knife!!! Wow!

herbva wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:39 pm

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 10:09 pm

herbva wrote: ↑Mon Dec 21, 2020 9:58 pm Right you are Steve, I did miss that critical word "antique". However, I still haven't seen anything I would want to buy in the antique malls around here.

Sad to say I'm right there with ya - squat for decent knives up here in the North East.
Nothing at the antique shops or malls, nothing at the flea markets. *sigh*
And stores that even stock knives are few and far between. A 90 minute drive to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA.

I know that it's a bit of a hike for you, but I was so stoked up about going to the Shenandoah Valley knife show with my good buddy John (1967redrider) last spring, and of course it was cancelled. I put that wad of cash (and have added to it) and am hoping to enjoy blowing it at the 2021 show.

There is that Rusty Rooster Antique Mall just East of Princess Anne's on the Maryland Eastern Shore, you and the Mrs. should drive down and check it out. I found some decent knives there, on the cheap too.

That's a beautiful find, outstanding!

Firstly, a collogue just mentioned 'Eastern Shore' which I believe is MD. two weeks ago, I received from a knife friend who knows I go in many different directions, a 'Dewey' ruler. It meant nothing to him but he thought of me..Fantastic! After the Spanish American War, school children were given one of these to show our pride in Adm. Dewey for sinking the Spanish fleet of Adm. Cervera. Oh, my point..he found it in a cluttered 'antique mall' not far from Ocean City MD.

Regarding 'Indian Trail' bone. Bernie Levine, author, bon vivant and agent provocateur has been a fixture in the knife community for a very long time. Here is an excerpt from 'Knife' magazine regarding 'Cattaraugus' and handle material:

Some manufacturers cut long, extra-wide grooves into their bone handles in addition the basic jigging. These grooves are thought to represent channels made in the bone by “worms” (or insects), and are supposedly a desirable aesthetic characteristic. Cattaraugus initiated this design element calling it “Indian Trail.”

So there you have it, two different interpretations with the final authority's long, long gone to give a definitive answer. Happy that we are not discussing the 'merits' of different cell phone models.

I bid you all a good night from Miami..

The article to which I linked was also published in Knife Magazine. The author was the aforementioned Bernard Levine! So it’s only one “authority” with two different versions. I wonder if he learned something new, or just forgot whichever one he authored first?

Whatever the story, it’s one of my favorite handle covers.

Ken

That’s about as nice an example of that pattern from Robeson one is likely to see.

I do not know if Robeson and Cattaraugus got those handles from the same source or not.

Charlie

Great old knife

Harold

Several makers used worn groove bone.Robeson,Cattaraugus, Napanoch and Phoenix for sure.Possibly others also.

peanut740 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 1:20 am Several makers used worn groove bone.Robeson,Cattaraugus, Napanoch and Phoenix for sure.Possibly others also.

Case

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 1:57 am

peanut740 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 1:20 am Several makers used worn groove bone.Robeson,Cattaraugus, Napanoch and Phoenix for sure.Possibly others also.

Case

Ken

Napanoch made many early Case knives,and Phoenix at least made the earliest Case and Son toenails.

I was thinking more of Case fixed blades. Possibly made for Case by Kinfolks, but many had worm-groove or “Indian Trail” bone handles.

And there’s this, which may or may not have been made by KA-BAR. Whoever made it, it’s Rogers bone that I’ve always thought of as “Indian Trail” bone

Ken

That is the best looking hawkbill pruner I have ever seen!

RE: Indian Trail/Wormgroove...I suspect that much like with many terms used to describe knives ("Wharncliffe" comes to mind), the meaning has expanded over time to include variations that are similar but not exactly identical to the original meaning.

Eg. Here's a Robeson Pocket-Eze #51 with Amber Wormgroove Jigged Bone. (That is the company's name for it printed on the box label).

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 3:09 am That is the best looking hawkbill pruner I have ever seen!

RE: Indian Trail/Wormgroove...I suspect that much like with many terms used to describe knives ("Wharncliffe" comes to mind), the meaning has expanded over time to include variations that are similar but not exactly identical to the original meaning.

Eg. Here's a Robeson Pocket-Eze #51 with Amber Wormgroove Jigged Bone. (That is the company's name for it printed on the box label).
PC120020.JPGPC120021.JPG

I like that one!

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 5:54 pm I like that one!

Thanks, Steve... ...I like it, too TBH, I've never been particularly interested in wormgroove jigging that much.

Check out how much the amber bone color comes through when photographed under different light:

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:55 am

Steve Warden wrote: ↑Thu Dec 24, 2020 5:54 pm I like that one!

Thanks, Steve... ...I like it, too TBH, I've never been particularly interested in wormgroove jigging that much.

Check out how much the amber bone color comes through when photographed under different light:

Good job with the photos!! I wouldn't have called that worm groove, but that's me. I'm with you, not particularly interested in worm groove, but I do like yours very much.