All About Pocket Knives

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat Sep 13, 2025 5:25 am Nice find! I’ve managed to find several knives and a razor stamped North American Cutlery and either Wichita, Kansas or Beaver City, Nebraska. Goins Encyclopedia says the mark dates to 1921-1928 but there is another theory that the knives are even older, dating to the ~1890 time period. We know at least a couple of the Case Brothers were farming in Nebraska after they left Cattaraugus Cutlery, and before they founded Case Brothers Cutlery. Addie Case Burrell was born in Furnas County, Nebraska in 1896 (Beaver City is the county seat, and located only a few miles from the Nebraska/Kansas state line). Case Brothers was in operation from 1896-1912. Either way the brothers were believed to be operating as jobbers - there was no cutlery factory in either Beaver City nor Wichita.

So it is unlikely their knives were made by Case Brothers Cutlery because depending on which theory you believe, the North American Cutlery stamp is either older than Case Brothers, or several years after Case Brothers Cutlery’s bankruptcy. One of the North American Wichita Kansas knives I have is a large single-blade jack. I have an identical knife that is stamped Phoenix Knife Co., which was in operation 1892-1916. The two knives are unmistakably identical, which makes the 1921-1928 dates impossible. https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 6#p1185206
The other knives I have may be by Phoenix, and Napanoch (1900-1919). And one is stamped Germany on the pile side. The straight razor looks to me like probably Cattaraugus - although stamped North American Beaver City, it has the Cattaraugus Indian chief etch on the blade.

All of the knives and the razor I’ve mentioned are pictured here in other threads (a search for North American Cutlery (or just “Wichita”) will find them. Your knife was made for the Case brothers, but for the reasons stated I’m doubtful it was made by Case Brothers. And I’m betting it is older than you think! JMO

Congratulations on the find, and thanks for showing it.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat Sep 13, 2025 5:25 am Nice find! I’ve managed to find several knives and a razor stamped North American Cutlery and either Wichita, Kansas or Beaver City, Nebraska. Goins Encyclopedia says the mark dates to 1921-1928 but there is another theory that the knives are even older, dating to the ~1890 time period. We know at least a couple of the Case Brothers were farming in Nebraska after they left Cattaraugus Cutlery, and before they founded Case Brothers Cutlery. Addie Case Burrell was born in Furnas County, Nebraska in 1896 (Beaver City is the county seat, and located only a few miles from the Nebraska/Kansas state line). Case Brothers was in operation from 1896-1912. Either way the brothers were believed to be operating as jobbers - there was no cutlery factory in either Beaver City nor Wichita.

So it is unlikely their knives were made by Case Brothers Cutlery because depending on which theory you believe, the North American Cutlery stamp is either older than Case Brothers, or several years after Case Brothers Cutlery’s bankruptcy. One of the North American Wichita Kansas knives I have is a large single-blade jack. I have an identical knife that is stamped Phoenix Knife Co., which was in operation 1892-1916. The two knives are unmistakably identical, which makes the 1921-1928 dates impossible. https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... 6#p1185206
The other knives I have may be by Phoenix, and Napanoch (1900-1919). And one is stamped Germany on the pile side. The straight razor looks to me like probably Cattaraugus - although stamped North American Beaver City, it has the Cattaraugus Indian chief etch on the blade.

All of the knives and the razor I’ve mentioned are pictured here in other threads (a search for North American Cutlery (or just “Wichita”) will find them. Your knife was made for the Case brothers, but for the reasons stated I’m doubtful it was made by Case Brothers. And I’m betting it is older than you think! JMO

Congratulations on the find, and thanks for showing it.

Ken

tvic wrote: ↑Sat Sep 13, 2025 1:09 pm Nice find there, Clark, and great information, Ken! Thanks!