All About Pocket Knives

Always hoped I'd bump into a Civil War era knife. I landed this , faded stamp, of what appears to be Cambridge Cutlery.
Date? 1865 according to my Price Guide to Collector knives book

Goins' says 1900-1920 for Cambridge. The letter font on your knife is not what was used in the mid 1800s, keep up your search for CW knives.

Scott, don't pay any attention to Gene, he's just a party pooper. If he you think that's a Civil War era knife, then it's a Civil War era knife.

Levine and Price both say Cambridge was a U.S. Navy contractor but Levine says "c.1900". Not much agreement among the authors. It's a cool knife. I really like smooth white bone handles. I have a Corsan, Denton, and Burdekin that looks very similar to yours and it is 1860's. ?? J.O'.

That is a sweet old survivor, Scott!
Are the handles bone, or ivory?

Reverand wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 11:50 pm That is a sweet old survivor, Scott!
Are the handles bone, or ivory?

Yessir, thanks!!

No clue...

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 10:32 pm Levine and Price both say Cambridge was a U.S. Navy contractor but Levine says "c.1900". Not much agreement among the authors. It's a cool knife. I really like smooth white bone handles. I have a Corsan, Denton, and Burdekin that looks very similar to yours and it is 1860's. ?? J.O'.

Looks like Levine is the odd man out in this case.

Ridgegrass wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 10:32 pm Levine and Price both say Cambridge was a U.S. Navy contractor but Levine says "c.1900". Not much agreement among the authors. It's a cool knife. I really like smooth white bone handles. I have a Corsan, Denton, and Burdekin that looks very similar to yours and it is 1860's. ?? J.O'.

JO, Corsan, Denton, and Burdekin is pre CW by a couple years. I've had a couple of dirks by them, cool old maker. Scott, gotta read the knife, the blade stamping on yours uses a more commonly seen in the 20th century lettering. Were it CW one would expect to see smaller letters with serifs. I have had a couple Cambridge bowie type knives, they look like early 1900s by blade shape, guard, and bone handle jigging.

I am far from being an authority(on anything),but one feature on the O.P.'s knife makes me think it may be earlier than has been suggested: the use of what appears to be a steel pivot pin. It seems to have been used on English made knives prior to 1900.
I can't enlarge the pic w/my phone,so cannot commemt on the font used on the stamp.
Here are a couple pics of a Cambridge Cutlery Work bowie hunter showing the tapered tang & stamp. Not sure when this one was made.

herbva wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 9:37 pm Scott, don't pay any attention to Gene, he's just a party pooper. If he you think that's a Civil War era knife, then it's a Civil War era knife.

He calls it like he sees it. I for one appreciate his contributions

eveled wrote: ↑Wed Oct 18, 2023 9:35 am

herbva wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 9:37 pm Scott, don't pay any attention to Gene, he's just a party pooper. If he you think that's a Civil War era knife, then it's a Civil War era knife.

He calls it like he sees it. I for one appreciate his contributions

I agree, he certainly does call it like he sees it and I appreciate his extensive knowledge and contributions too. If my joking around offended anyone, I apologize.

I appreciate members like Gene. Maybe a bit gruff at times, but always on the money. The Kabar post about killing a bear needs to be in the AAPK HoF. That was great. Far better to ruffle a few feathers than to have someone with 50 years of BS try and answer each and every question.

knife7knut wrote: ↑Wed Oct 18, 2023 6:13 am I am far from being an authority(on anything),but one feature on the O.P.'s knife makes me think it may be earlier than has been suggested: the use of what appears to be a steel pivot pin. It seems to have been used on English made knives prior to 1900.
I can't enlarge the pic w/my phone,so cannot commemt on the font used on the stamp.

The OP knife appears to have steel bolsters so the pins would have been steel regardless of when or where the knife was made.

Nice bowie!

Eric

... No joking around on AAPK!!!