David A. Krauss, Ph.D.
 2005

Knives have been made at the factory of Queen Cutlery Company of Titusville Pennsylvania for over 100 years. It is arguably the oldest and last American Cutlery that truly continues to produce knives in the same way as they were produced there when the factory opened in 1902; traditional bench-made American cutlery. This is remarkable in this day and age. The factory’s first tenant was the Schatt & Morgan Cutlery Company: Queen Cutlery Company displaced Schatt & Morgan there in 1933. Queen City Cutlery Company first began to produce knives in 1918 around the end of the First World War, incorporated in 1922, and shortened their name to “Queen Cutlery Company” in January of 1946. Queen is now the last American cutlery factory that truly makes knives “the old fashioned way.”

Founded by five supervisors who had been fired from the Schatt & Morgan Cutlery Company which had been founded in 1897 in Gowanda , New York when the company purchased the Platts’ factory there, the company moved to Titusville in 1902, bringing men and materials with them to the new factory location. The two companies were in competition in Titusville for about eleven years until Queen City Cutlery was able to purchase Schatt & Morgan. The story of Queen City Cutlery is so woven from the threads of Schatt & Morgan Cutlery that one needs to know a little of that history also.

John W. Schatt and Charles B. Morgan established the Schatt & Morgan Cutlery Company in 1895. Initially founded as the “New York Cutlery Company” (not to be confused with the well known New York Knife Company) the pair opened an office in New York City sometime in 1896. Some time in 1896 or early in 1897 they moved to Schatt’s hometown of Gowanda New York , and in July of 1897 they purchased the Platts’ cutlery plant there. (The Platts family then moved to Eldred Pennsylvania and on to various associations with the extended Case family.) The company was housed in Gowanda from 1897 until 1902 at which time they moved to the Titusville , Pennsylvania factory where they incorporated. Schatt & Morgan went bankrupt in the late 1920’s, and was sold to Queen City Cutlery in August of 1933 at a sheriff’s auction. The five supervisors who had been fired from Schatt & Morgan back in 1922 were able to return to the place where they had started. At that time C.B Morgan, former president of Schatt & Morgan ended up working for the very men he had previously dismissed. Since Queen Cutlery Company resides in that same Titusville factory to this day, so the story of Queen Cutlery Company really began with its predecessor, Schatt & Morgan.

By 1903 Schatt & Morgan was manufacturing 40,000 dozen knives per year in Titusville and had twelve salesmen on the road with sales all around the country per newspaper reports of the day. Several building expansions were undertaken to keep up with production, beginning as early as 1907. In less than five years the company had doubled the size of their facility to keep up with an ever-increasing demand for their cutlery. The First World War altered the growth of Schatt & Morgan, due to the rationing of materials needed for the war effort, but primarily due to the short supply of skilled workers. The great influenza epidemic of 1918 also took its toll in Titusville and elsewhere. The company was further crippled by the 1922 firing of five of their most skilled workers, all supervising department heads. These were the men who in that same year would incorporate their own business: Queen City Cutlery Company. These department heads apparently had been making skeleton knives (knives without handle scales) on the sly since around 1918 and then wholesaling them out on their own. They were discovered in 1922 and promptly let go. The Schatt & Morgan work force subsequently dropped about thirty percent, or from about ninety to sixty workers that year, probably as a result of firing those supervisors.

Those men, incorporated as Queen City Cutlery, moved about a mile away and began manufacturing cutlery themselves. Ironically, as noted above, on August 21, 1933 Queen was able to purchase the business and all its contents at a sheriff's auction.

The five men who founded Queen City Cutlery were Frank Foresther (1883-1939), Geza Revitzky (1880-1979), E. Clarence Erickson (1897-1961), Jesse F. Barker (1895-1970) and Harry L Matthews (1897-1967). Harry Matthews married Geza Revitzky’s daughter and their two sons were active in the business until 1975. Frank Foresther’s son, Louis, was also active in the company from 1939 until his death in 1956. Clarence Erickson’s daughter Eleanor married Walter Bell who became president in 1961 when his father-in-law died. Bell was president of the company in 1969 when it passed out of family hands and was purchased by Servotronics Corporation. Bell retired in 1972. As of the beginning of 2005, president of Queen Cutlery Company is Bob Breton. Retired master cutler and cutlery designer, Fred Sampson, still lives in Titusville and remains helpful in resolving some of the questions collectors have regarding Queen’s products over the years.

It is important to note that Queen City Cutlery was an innovator and a pioneer in the use of functional stainless steel in pocket cutlery in America . (Stainless is defined as having at least 11% chromium in the alloy.) As early as 1926 Queen City Cutlery was listed in the regional trade publications as manufacturers of “High Grade Stainless Steel Cutlery.” Stainless steel had been introduced in England in 1914 and first patented in America in 1915, but the change in blade material was initially opposed by many cutlers as often happens when new technologies are introduced into an existing field. Queen was the primary innovator of this change from carbon steel to a stainless steel formulation that was well suited for blades and backsprings. Queen was the first American cutlery company to successfully introduce a large variety of stainless steel cutlery to the market. The first nickel-chromium steel produced in America was made in Titusville at the Cyclops Steel Company under the leadership of Cyclops’ chief metallurgist Charles Evans in 1917. Queen’s willingness to experiment and to push the limits of cutlery steel was also in evidence in 1999 when they began to use ATS-34 steel on master blades, and again in 2002 when they began using both D-2 and 420HC steels for blades.

Queen used a wide variety of handle materials over the years; some of the most expensive and rare being “smoked pearl”. In addition to mother of pearl the company also has used various horn, bone, stag, and woods as well as numerous synthetic materials to haft their knives. Although Rogers jigged bone was used on many of their early knives, by the mid to late 1940’s Queen began producing most of their knives in Winterbottom bone. Winterbottom bone was originally produced in the Winterbottom factory in Egg Harbor , New Jersey , and from about 1950 to 1959 Queen used that style of jigged bone almost exclusively. Today Queen is well known for their use of Winterbottom bone and they continue to produce some of their knives with both bone and synthetic handles in that distinctive jigging style. Synthetic handles of plastic and nylon materials were used more and more beginning in the 1950’s and Queen began hafting most of their knives in synthetic Winterbottom style by 1959.

Overall the 1950’s and 1960’s were not good decades for traditional American cutlery as inexpensive Asian and European cutlery flooded the market while at the same time this country became less rural and more industrialized with less need for pocketknives for day-to-day cutting chores. Not only did Queen begin using Delrin Winterbottom and other less expensive synthetic handle materials, they also stopped tang stamping their knives around 1960 to further reduce production costs. Queen would resume tang stamping in 1972. From 1922 to 1955 Queen used approximately twenty different tang stamps.

Servotronics had also purchased Ontario Cutlery in 1967. (Ontario purchased the rights to Robeson Cutlery name in 1971; therefore Servotronics owns that name also.) Queen Cutlery Company reintroduced a Schatt & Morgan Series in 1991, a Robeson Series in 1995, and a “File& Wire” Series in 1998 respectively. Current Queen Cutlery knives are made with both users and collectors in mind. Because they are a relatively small company, able to manufacture high quality traditionally made cutlery they continue to be in high demand for contract work from other “manufacturers”. They have recently introduced other Queen special factory order lines, “Queen Classics,” and Schatt & Morgan “Premier”. (It remains ironic that even today the Queen mark is not as valued as several of the collectable cutlery marks which Queen produces under contract for other “brands”, as those knives are really “Queen” made products regardless of what their various tang stamps purport.)

Collectors and users of cutlery as well as anyone with an interest in American manufacturing history can be grateful that Queen continues to manufacture all their pocketknives in the original Schatt & Morgan factory in Titusville . Quality cutlery is produced there today in essentially the same way as it was produced there over one hundred years ago; real bench made cutlery with a human touch. This company remains a remarkable constant in small scale American manufacturing and is the third oldest industry in Titusville . Readers may wish to know that Queen opened a factory store there in 1998 where one can purchase cutlery; and tours of the facility are given when factory planned events occur. All collectors should be grateful that the tradition of high quality cutlery manufacture continues at the Queen Cutlery Company.

David Krauss is the author of American Pocketknives: The History of Schatt & Morgan and Queen Cutlery. His book is available online at: http://www.americanpocketknives.com/

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Queen Cutlery is a well-known maker of finely crafted pocketknives. Queen Cutlery's factory is located in Titusville, PA, about two hours northeast of Pittsburgh. All Queen products are made at the Titusville factory. While all manufacturing is done in the Titusville factory, most other functions, including sales, accounting and customer service, are handled in Franklinville, NY at the site of Queen's sister company, Ontario Knife Company.

Queen Cutlery's roots go back to the Schatt and Morgan Cutlery Company, which was founded in Gowanda, NY in 1890 and moved to Titusville in 1895. Queen Cutlery is still housed in the original Schatt and Morgan factory and many of the delicate hand processes and operations employed by Schatt and Morgan are still being used by Queen. Skilled craftsmen are essential to build a "factory knife" by hand and, while it doesn't lead to mass production or extremely low prices, the results are beautiful, functional knives. Our many awards are a testament to the skill of the Queen craftsmen.

Queen Cutlery's pocket knives have won awards from Blade Magazine, The American Blade Collectors Association and the National Knife Collectors Association.

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Queen Cutlery Co. has its roots in the old Schatt & Morgan knife company of Titusville, PA. Back in the 1920's, a group of cutlers at Schatt & Morgan would go out back of the factory and play softball on their lunch hour. The management did not approve of this and in the resulting disagreement, this group of cutlers was fired from Schatt & Morgan and founded their own company nearby. The company was originally known as Queen City Cutlery, and in 1946 the name was shortened to Queen Cutlery Co.

The depression of the late 1920's-early 1930's was hard on a lot of knife companies, and Schatt & Morgan was forced to close its doors in 1933 due to economic conditions as well as other business factors. Subsequently, the owners of Queen purchased the factory and equipment of Schatt & Morgan at a sheriff's auction, and moved into this facility.

Despite the many changes in the knife industry over the years, Queen continues to this day to make its knives in the old Titusville factory, still using much of the same equipment that has been in use for decades. It is truly the last of the old-line American cutlery makers that still makes knives the old-fashioned way.

 

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Dating Queen knives relates directly to the company's history. Originally established in 1895 as the Schatt and Morgan Cutlery Company, the factory fell prey to the hardships of the Great Depression and closed its doors in the early 1930's after nearly 40 years of operation.

Five former employees, who in 1922 had established a competing company known as the Queen City Cutlery, purchased the possessions of the bankrupted Schaat and Morgan Company, including all machinery and equipment.

In 1969, Queen City Cutlery was purchased by Servotronics Corporation who remains the parent company of Queen Cutlery and its sister company, the Ontario knife company. To this day, Queen knives are produced using old Schaat 
and Morgan tools, machines and processes.

Of the three distinct periods in the company's history, Queen knives dating back the Schaat and Morgan period fetch the highest value of all collectible pocket knives from all makers.

The value of old knives can be astonishingly high. It's important to properly date your old Queen knives to determine their accurate value. Though online blogs and knife stores may post snippets of information on how to date Queen knives, you will do better to research the value thoroughly.

The best book to use as a reference for valuing and dating Queen knives is American Premium Guide To Pocket knives & Razors 7th Ed by Jim Sargent. You'll find full descriptions of the insignia and markings that will help identify the age and value of your queen knife, as well as a guide pertaining to the condition of the knife.

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QUEEN OFFICIAL ENTITY 1922

Schatt & Morgan was formed in 1897 in Gowanda, New York, and moved to Titusville, PA in 1902. The firm continued at that location until it filed for bankruptcy in 1933.

Queen Cutlery was founded in 1918, however, it did not become an official entity until 1922, the Queen City Cutlery Company. In 1933, Queen purchased the assets of Schatt-Morgan and moved in. Our current operations are still at that location.

Robeson cutlery, founded in 1879, has an interesting history as well. The cutlery business was purchased by the Ontario Knife Company, the sister company of Queen Cutlery, in 1971.

 

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Queen affiliations from other cutlery's

The beginnings of the Ontario Knife Company are shrouded in the mystery of a fading past. It seems certain that three men – William B. Ensworth, Charles Albert Brace and William Maudsley, were in the picture from the start at Naples, New York, in 1889. The name of the Company derived from Ontario County where Naples was situated. The early knives were manufactured on a waterpower-run grindstone and sold via pushcart through the neighboring countryside. 

As the company began to grow more space and more power was needed so an old sawmill at Cadiz located near the Village of Franklinville was purchased and also run by water–power from the Ischua Creek. 

Around 1902 a move was made from Cadiz to Franklinville as the company kept growing and again more space and more power was needed. This would be Ontario Knife’s current location. Also, on August 12, 1902 the company was incorporated and retained the Ontario Knife Company name. 

In 1904 the owners of another local knife manufacturer, Empire State Cutlery Company, purchased the interests of the original Ontario Knife Company stockholders and in 1905 the two operations were combined in Franklinville under the Ontario Knife Company name. Once again the company expanded and a new building was built between 1912 and 1914 and is still in use by the company. 

In 1923, James A. Chrestensen, who had been with the Company for a dozen years, became president and the beginning of the “Old Hickory” line would begin. His son Robert F. Chrestensen would take over as president after his father retired in 1952. Ontario Knife would expand its role in the cutlery industry with a membership in the American Cutlery Manufacturers’ Association in which Robert was a past president. 

Servotronics purchased Ontario Knife Company in April 1967 and in 1969 they also purchased QUEEN CUTLERY COMPANY a sister company of Ontario Knife. Queen Cutlery manufactures pocket knives mostly for collectors, while Ontario Knife specializes in fixed blade knives. The two cutlery companies complement each other very well and to this day maintain the hard work and dedication in their manufacturing operations that leads to the finely hand crafted cutlery our customers enjoy.

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SERVOTRONICS

Servotronics purchased Ontario Knife Company in April 1967 and in 1969 they also purchased Queen Cutlery Company a sister company of Ontario Knife. Queen Cutlery manufactures pocket knives mostly for collectors, while Ontario Knife specializes in fixed blade knives. The two cutlery companies complement each other very well and to this day maintain the hard work and dedication in their manufacturing operations that leads to the finely hand crafted cutlery our customers enjoy.

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