All About Pocket Knives

Does anyone have info on Western States cutlery? I have a 2 blade small pocket knife that has Wester States Cutlery Boulder Colo stamped on the tang. Its a beautiful knife that I have had for at least 45 years. I hope to be able to post pictures of some of my knives one day.

Western States puts it before1953, which is when the name changed from Western States Cutlery to just Western Cutlery.

For more detailed info, we will need pictures of the overall knife, the stamp itself and pictures of each blade to determine the pattern and model numbers.

Hi there. It's great that you've had your knife for so long. If you want to know everything there is to know about the Western States brand, there is a book called The Knife Makers Who Went West, by Harvey Platts, that is a history of this brand. It's out of print, but easily found second hand.

Thank You for the information I will try and find a copy.

zzyzzogeton wrote: ↑Fri Aug 26, 2022 4:11 pm Western States puts it before1953, which is when the name changed from Western States Cutlery to just Western Cutlery.

For more detailed info, we will need pictures of the overall knife, the stamp itself and pictures of each blade to determine the pattern and model numbers.

Here is a link to another post from gpadget with pictures of the knife and its stamp. https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=85870. Search his posts to find other posts he has made inquiring about the knife. I believe that is the only one with pictures of it but some contain additional tidbits of info.

I suggested it might be an early Western States made on contract by another cutlery when they were jobbers, before setting up their own factory.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat Sep 27, 2025 5:05 pm

zzyzzogeton wrote: ↑Fri Aug 26, 2022 4:11 pm Western States puts it before1953, which is when the name changed from Western States Cutlery to just Western Cutlery.

For more detailed info, we will need pictures of the overall knife, the stamp itself and pictures of each blade to determine the pattern and model numbers.

Here is a link to another post from gpadget with pictures of the knife and its stamp. https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... hp?t=85870. Search his posts to find other posts he has made inquiring about the knife but I believe that is the only one with pictures of it but some contain additional tidbits of info.

I suggested it might be an early Western States made on contract by another cutlery when they were jobbers, before setting up their own factory.

Ken

. The knife has a tang stamping that Gave me the same thoughts .early contact knife .1912 - early 1930 .i have only seen the western cutlery co stamp on contract fix blades , razors , manual hair clippers , scissors .

Like the old saying goes, “great minds run in the same gutter”……..or something like that!

Ken

Based on the oddness of the stamp (the CO under the arch but above the city/state), I'm also leaning towards it being one of the contract knives made for Western, 1913 to 1918, by primarily Case.

Case was paying Platts for Platts' shares of Case that he (Platts) "sold" to Case to fund Platts' relocation to Colorado for his health and to start a new business. Union Cutlery (Kabar) was the next major supplier of knives.

Comparing it to the knives of those 2 manufacturers would be the most likely way of identifying the model/manufacturer.

Unfortunately, ZERO Western catalogs or sale literature seems to have survived from those early years. Platts did not start making their own folding knives until 1919 and didn't start making their own fixed blades until about 1928.