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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on April 20, 2015 at 14:28

Michael- Probably circa 1891-early 1900's- The fact that it has ENGLAND on the tang stamp dates it after 1891. The McKinley Tariff Act, among other things, required the country of origin to be stamped on the blade. In 1914, the Act was revised to require the additional words MADE IN- that was changed again in 1921, I believe. The heyday for this style Bowie was in the late 1800's & early 1900's. Your Bowie would have originally had stag handles.Similar examples can run around $175 in good condition.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on April 20, 2015 at 14:34

Cool, thanks John. I did now know about the Made In part. It is much older than I thought. nice.

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Permalink Reply by tim payne on April 20, 2015 at 18:25

nice vintage piece michael

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on April 21, 2015 at 7:57

Glad you like it, you guys should have seen the Keen Kutter I had to pass on, simular vintage to this with beatiful jigged bone scales, looked like it was made yesterday still had its sheath and could have been mine for only $475. I should start collecting bottles to return msybe by the end of summer....

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Permalink Reply by Michael Squier on April 24, 2015 at 14:21

Any chance you know what kind of metal they used on this knife? I know its carbon and not stainless but it has a very bright look to it, not grey from age. I think it was used a a garden tool at so e point, the first 4 inches of the blade are scratched in line with the blade the way a trowel or shovel are, odd. No sign of much sharpening for cutying though.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on April 24, 2015 at 16:20

Nice stamping .. I've only seen this one  .

For some interesting history .. Re: Levine’s 3rd Ed pg 345 .. 5th Ed pg 359

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on April 24, 2015 at 17:17

As with Dale I have never seen this one.  Thanks for sharing

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on April 24, 2015 at 17:44

Michael-- Wade & Butcher used crucible steel--Crucible steel is made by melting iron and other materials in a crucible and then pouring the molten metal into a mould.This gives the metal a highly increased tensile strength & hardness. There are various procedures to do this used by various companies and different places around the globe-- Wootz, for instance, is a type of crucible steel.Later on in the USA it was called tool steel.I don't know  the formula Wade & Butcher used in their crucible steel. Crucible steel is usually a very tough hi-carbon steel, but may have had other metals added which give your knife that appearance-- Wootz,for example, pre-dates Damascus, but kind of the same idea.Crucible steel was superior to other types of steel available at the time  your knife was made. 

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