Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

The KA-BAR brand originated as a trademark of the Tidioute Cutlery Company. Tidioute was later taken over & renamed the Union Cutlery Company which continued making the brand until Union eventually adopted it as the company name in 1952. Cutco Corporation later acquired the company in 1996.
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Arandall
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Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

Post by Arandall »

Any help is appreciated. Blade is 4 in. Handle is approximately 5.5in. I see Union Cut Co stamp. Things that seemed different to me are its large size 9.5 total, and the 4 different handle materials /colors ( bone? Antler?) It's very very sharp to my surprise.
Any idea the name of the blade, what the 4 different handles are, date range, possible value? One fork blade broken. Got its patina in the pacific northwest hunting, fishing, logging country. The stories and memories this blase carries, wish I could hear them....Should I clean it? ( I hear no....?) I genuinely very greatly appreciate any info and help.
FYI I removed the background of the pics. Knife has no damage other than missing fork prong.
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stockman
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Re: Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

Post by stockman »

Your knife should separate to make a knife for cutting and a fork for eating. Sometimes called a hobo knife. To bad about the broken fork. Harold
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Mumbleypeg
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Re: Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Welcome to AAPK. Nice old “hobo” knife, but unusual handle covers. There are some folks here who know a good deal about KA-BAR and Union Cutlery knives (I’m not one of them). Hopefully someone that can tell you about the knife will be along.

Read here for answers to your questions about cleaning it. https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 37&t=54157
In the end it’s your knife and your decision.

Any value is greatly diminished due to the broken fork. As Harold said, it should come apart into two separate parts, knife and fork. Most of them I’ve seen can be “unlocked” by opening the fork halfway and then sliding it apart horizontally (lengthwise).

Ken
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.

If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.

When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.

https://www.akti.org/
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djknife13
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Re: Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

Post by djknife13 »

Nice old Union Cutlery knife. Yeah it's too bad about the fork tang. It appears to me from the pictures that one side is stag and the other is jigged bone and the four pieces of handle material have aged differently to give the different colors. I'm guessing that maybe the two halves were switched some time in the early days of this knife with one being stag and the other bone. Sometimes salesman's knives came with different scales on each side to show dealers options for ordering. All this is guessing of course and like you said, if only the knife could tell you. Clean the knife with the graphite end of a No.2 pencil and you won't do any damage to the knife as far as what value there is still left in the knife and will still it's appearance. Avoid sand paper and don't buff it mechanically._____Dave
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1967redrider
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Re: Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

Post by 1967redrider »

Very cool, old knife. 😎👍 I bet someone broke that tine trying to get it open.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
Arandall
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Re: Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

Post by Arandall »

stockman, Mumbleypeg, djknife13 and 1967redrider - Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond to my questions. I've been lurking here a while and have noticed how great everyone is. I very genuinely appreciate it and can't thank you guys enough. That being said, Thank You!
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steve99f
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Re: Help ID Cool Antique Patina'd Pocket Knife

Post by steve99f »

I have an old reprint of a pre KA-BAR Union Cutlery catalog. Using the provided dimensions and photo's, this looks like a pattern 2291K & F. Brass lined and nickel silver bolsters. If the knife doesn't have the KA-BAR tang stamp, that makes the knife no later than 1923. Also came in jigged bone #6291K & F.
Cool old KA BAR.
steve99f
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