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Knife trivia- Feel free to answer or post a new challenge--

I'll start with an easy one- You probably all have seen this tang stamp or a variation there of on a Remington knife- What does UMC stand for??

A little tougher one- What famous author mentioned a particular style knife in two of his most famous works and helped make the knife famous ?? Name the author and / or the knife ??

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on September 9, 2014 at 16:43

from 1891-1895 the Tang Filmore Cutlery was used by what company?

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Permalink Reply by Ricky L McConnell on September 9, 2014 at 18:41

Was it Roberson ?

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Permalink Reply by Michael D. on September 9, 2014 at 19:23

It was German so I'm going to guess Boker.

Jan Carter said:

from 1891-1895 the Tang Filmore Cutlery was used by what company?

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Permalink Reply by Michael D. on September 9, 2014 at 19:25

Very interesting. Could you site your source please. Thanks.

John McCain said:

Michael D, you are close in your answer on the Congress knife-- Actually, it predated Lincoln by a couple of years- First attributed to Joseph Rogers & Sons, Sheffield- It was really just a marketing ploy invented by Sheffield knifemakers- Back then, the average working stiff only bought or used one pocket knife for all his needs- To increase sales, Sheffield makers started advertising knives for specific purposes. IE- a fruit knife for cutting fruit, a pruning knife for pruning, a doctors knife for emergency work for the physician, etc.- Joseph Rogers & Sons hit on the idea of calling a knife the Congress, with blades suitable for sharpening pen nibs or whittling-- They figured, who would not want a knife supposedly carried by their own elected officials-- Well, the idea worked, and the Congress pattern became extremely popular-- The popularity increased even more when it was discovered that President Lincoln carried one in his pocket.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on September 9, 2014 at 20:13

I'm sticking with Dexter Russell.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on September 10, 2014 at 10:46

Jan, I'm going with Robeson Cutlery- Millard Fillmore Robeson founded the company and I'm guessing they used his middle name---

Jan Carter said:

from 1891-1895 the Tang Filmore Cutlery was used by what company?

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on September 10, 2014 at 12:14

Michael D -Here is one version-http://fineblade.blogspot.com/2011/08/would-congress-sell-you-congr...- However, some suggest it got it's name from the literal meaning of the word "congress" or a coming together, supposedly talking about how the blades came together in the center--That being said, Bernard Levine, in his Levine's guide to Knives and Their Values, 4th Edition page 242, stated that "The congress knife appeared on the scene sometime in the first third of the last century(1800's).It is one of the earliest patterns created specifically for the American market. Not only is the congress a purely American pattern for most of its history it was a purely southern pattern .Until a generation or two ago, you would hardly find one west of the Rockies or very far north of Mason & Dixon's line." Lincoln was shot April 14, 1865 and it would appear the Congress name predated his death. Anyhow here is a pic of an early Joseph Rodgers and Sons Congress- Tang stamps like this were used as early as 1837 onward til 1901.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on September 10, 2014 at 16:08

It was indeed Roberson

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Permalink Reply by Michael D. on September 10, 2014 at 21:42

Thanks. Interesting info. Nice knife.

John McCain said:

Michael D -Here is one version-http://fineblade.blogspot.com/2011/08/would-congress-sell-you-congr...- However, some suggest it got it's name from the literal meaning of the word "congress" or a coming together, supposedly talking about how the blades came together in the center--That being said, Bernard Levine, in his Levine's guide to Knives and Their Values, 4th Edition page 242, stated that "The congress knife appeared on the scene sometime in the first third of the last century(1800's).It is one of the earliest patterns created specifically for the American market. Not only is the congress a purely American pattern for most of its history it was a purely southern pattern .Until a generation or two ago, you would hardly find one west of the Rockies or very far north of Mason & Dixon's line." Lincoln was shot April 14, 1865 and it would appear the Congress name predated his death. Anyhow here is a pic of an early Joseph Rodgers and Sons Congress- Tang stamps like this were used as early as 1837 onward til 1901.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle "Fingers" DellaPelle on September 10, 2014 at 22:02

ooh That interesting....

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Permalink Reply by Ricky L McConnell on September 11, 2014 at 22:21

What company bought the Belknap Cutlery Company when it went out of business ? And what line of knives did it carry ? As a bonus what year did it go out of business ?

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Permalink Reply by Michael D. on September 12, 2014 at 19:11

If this is the Belknap company I heard about then it wasn't a cutlery company to my knowledge but a large hardware company like Lowes. Their knives were made by other companies.

I'm going to guess then. They made a lot of barlows and Bluegrass bought them (the cutlery name?) in 1968.