All About Pocket Knives

Here one just got at an auction, but not a lot on it (or out there to research )to date it or have much background


Fixed knife with clip blade, leather handled
8 3/8 in overall
4 1/2 in blade
Aluminum pommel and what appears to be an aluminum guard on top of the handle stack

All I ca tell so far is the script alone is indicating production after Case bought them out

Case never bought Kinfolks out. Kinfolks was formed by Case and Cattaraugus to make fixed blade knives for them in 1926 and Case resumed making their own fixed blades in Bradford in 1932-33. Kinfolks continued making Catt fixed blades until they all went to war production in 1942. Your knife appears to be a pre war knife. no closer way to date them. Kinfolks was the most prolific maker of fixed blades for other companies, I have a list of twenty brands you will find on Kinfolks made knives and I am sure my list is not complete. If your sheath is not marked Kinfolks it is likely a replacement.

Gunsil,
Have you shared your list? Several of us like the Kinfolks knives.

No, I have never shared my list, I am always finding more brands. I have a lot of Kinfolks marked knives, I like them too. Dean Case who's father owned Kinfolks was a friend of mine and wrote a book on the knives although there are some mistakes in his book. I visited Little Valley with him and he showed me the old factory. In general, if a knife looks like a Kinfolks knife it was made by Kinfolks which is why so many Case and Catts are identical to many marked Kinfolks. Those Case hunters made by Kinfolks usually have aluminum guards, the Case hunting knives made by Case usually have nickel guards. KA-BAR and Remington used nickel guards, Marbles generally used brass guards. Queen and Western used aluminum guards too but their styles don't look like Kinfolks so in general if an American made knife from before WW2 has an aluminum guard and it doesn't look like a Queen or Western it was likely made by Kinfolks. I've been a bit sick lately, maybe I can dig out my list and post it here if I get the energy to find it.

Many thanks , especially for the history lesson Gunsil !