All About Pocket Knives

I was in an antique store in Thomasville, Ga., and found this 8” Universal. I had never heard of a Universal brand, and there is not much available online. Blade is stamped Universal No. 3204. Anyone know the history of this brand, possible date of this knife? But, for $20, it’s got a home. Also in the same shop, I found a 4 rivet Case XX survival machete. Good knife day!

Is this the Universal from Germany, or the L.F. & C. Universal (c. 1897), do you think?

In what little I read online, I did see a reference to LF&C, but there was such a small amount of info available, I could not determine how the two were connected. Any thoughts on the connection? With the sheath being stamped the way it is, that might be a clue about age. You or someone else might have thoughts on that.

Nice knife! Even nicer in that it has the original sheath in good condition for being well over a century old.

"How Could I Resist for $20" Me neither. Probably explains why I have quite a few more knives than I know what to do with, as if I see something that is far below what it's worth, I buy it. Yet, most have been regular EDCs. I recently got a Camillus CUDA Quick Action Jr.; a knife that, in 2001 was $180 new, for $24 on the store here. Someone messed up the clip (the screws in it didn't actually hold the clip on, and super glue was the only thing holding it on--I need to order larger screws and re-tap), but it's still fully functional. My local knife store always undervalues less-than-perfect (but still perfectly usable) knives purchased from collections that may not be pretty, but are solid EDCs--I've never paid more than $40 for one.

BryanJ, I have no idea if your Universal is German, LF&C, or some other maker, but for what it is worth I did find the following information on the website for Bernal Cutlery:

“In 1909 LF&C purchased the trademark Universal from Levi Snow of New Haven Ct. and Universal branded knives were made in a large variety from LF&C. This knife is likely from the earlier end of the 1909-1950 spectrum.”

The knife they are referring to is below. I don’t see the LF&C initials on your knife but the border around the word UNIVERSAL seems similar to the border on the one below. So I’d guess yours is a LF&C knife.

Dennis

OP knife was made by LF&C, I own two of them.

Thanks Gunsil. Any clue how old it is?