All About Pocket Knives

Here's an old Stiletto Cutlery Company knife (model #2126) for your inspection and comment.
This is a Heavy Duty Jack with a main blade thickness of 0.188" and a bear trap of a snap.
Based on Levine's Guide to Knives (4th ed) this Stiletto knife could have been made by several different manufacturers.
Those manufacturers were Napanoch c1901-1917, New York Knife c1920-1931 or Union Cutlery c1933-1942.

Based on reading this knife (see photos) which original manufacturer could have produced this knife?
And what is (are) the reason(s) for your assessment / answer?

I've seen Winchester knives almost identical to this one and Winchester acquired Napanoch in 1919 It may be a Napanoch model that Winchester kept producing after the takeover.

Hi Bill, thanks for the reply and the information about this knife. The knife design appears to be a really old pattern.

What type of wood was used on this knife? Was it Rosewood, Ebony or Cocobolo?

Just a guess, but it looks like ebony to me.

I'd also say Ebony for the handles and New York Knife Co, Ulster, Utica, Napanoch and Robeson are some of the companies that made that pattern.

Thank you, Bill

Hi Mike (galvanic1882). Thank you for your feedback on the wood type and for providing the list of manufacturers who produced this knife pattern.
Did the other manufacturers of Utica, Robeson and Ulster also have a really thick main blade, similar to the 0.188" of this knife?

galvanic1882 wrote: ↑Thu Nov 20, 2025 12:10 pm I'd also say Ebony for the handles and New York Knife Co, Ulster, Utica, Napanoch and Robeson are some of the companies that made that pattern.

I don’t have an Ulster or Robeson catalog but I’ve seen both companies version of the pattern and both had thick main blades. Here’s a picture of my NYK and a catalog cut from a Utica catalog.

“Stiletto Cutlery Co. New York”, according to Goins Encyclopedia, was in use from 1896-1942. Says it is a trademark used by Miller, Sloss & Scott, and also Baker, Hamilton & Pacific Co. Oddly, despite having New York in the stamp, Miller, Sloss & Scott was headquartered in San Francisco from 1891-1901 when they were “absorbed” by Pacific Hardware & Steel in 1902. Pacific Hardware acquired the Stiletto trademark at that time. They merged with Baker & Hamilton in 1918, after which they were known as Baker, Hamilton & Pacific Hardware Company.

The intriguing thing to me is the “OIL THE JOINTS” stamp. It might be a clue as to the manufacturer. It’s a mark generally thought of as Sheffield (Wostenholm, maybe others). What U.S. makers also used it?

Ken

Mike, your NYK is in absolutely fantastic condition. Thanks for showing it to us.
I remember seeing a NYK catalog page with a Hercules knife.
The Utica Plumber's knife model 72332 looks like an identical pattern to my knife.

Hi Ken, thank you for passing on the information about Stiletto Cutlery Co, which is contained in Goins Encyclopedia.
It's very helpful to me and others collectors to read about the history of the Stiletto Cutlery Company.
I agree with you about the "Oil the Joints" tang stamp being typical of the English knives made in Sheffield.
As in most cases, when learning about old knives we are constantly on the hunt as we attempt to connect the dots.