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hardware and other store knives.

Some of the other knives I like to collect are "Store Brands" Most tend to come from hardware stores but there are plenty of them out there. Many have a history to them. Many of the used American made ones can be bought for dirt cheap and will provide you with years of additional service. Quite frankly if you're one of those people who insist on buying American and you're looking for a quality Electrician knife or hawkbill for an EDC, then a good used Klein Tool "USA" is just the ticket. (It'll run you around $10 or less (including shipping)!

Top to Bottom:

Hibbard Hawkbill (Hibbard, Spencer, & Bartlett Co. Chicago Illinois, they became True Value)

The handle is wood with brass liners. The blade is carbon steel (1095?)

I'm not 100% certain but I think Hibbards were outsourced to Camillus or Ulster.

The next three are all 1960-80s era Klein Tools (also Chicago Il.)

All three have plastic handles with brass pins and liners, Stainless blades and bails. ( The bottom may be carbon steel, not 100% certain) The screwdrivers lock with a brass liner lock.

A hawkbill electrician, a Spear master Electrician, and small one blade rope knife. While Klein makes numerous tools, their pocket knives were outsourced, often being made by Ulster, Camillus, and Utica and numeous other New York cutlery companies. I think they are now made in China but I'm not 100% certain.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on February 21, 2016 at 16:47

Great looking "pearl" fishing knife Charles!

Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on February 21, 2016 at 16:51

Yeah Syd I do n't like wedge grind blades either, but that's a looker, and marvelously well looked after from the '60s.

Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on February 21, 2016 at 17:23

Thanks Howard. Though I like the looks of the grind on the blade, I just hate when it comes time to sharpen it, it is the single hardest knife I own to keep sharp, but I still like it because it is a good conversation starter, (not many people have ever seen one). It is in pretty good condition other than the pitting seen in the photos, but I keep it coated in Frog Lube these days so it should survive well into the future. I carry it occasionally, and it still snaps like a gator. I also frequently carry a 4" Craftsman 95232 Folding Hunter from the 70's, but don't have any photos of that one, (yet).

Howard P Reynolds said:

Yeah Syd I do n't like wedge grind blades either, but that's a looker, and marvelously well looked after from the '60s.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on February 21, 2016 at 18:09

The awful truth about hardware store brands is Frost has decided to buy some of these old store trademarks and are not churning out essentially "Steell Warriors" under these fabled names. Every Time they mention selling an Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett or E.C. Simmons, or Miller Bros. I cringe. They don't even attempt to release knives that were actually made by the company. They just churn out the usual patterns and stamp 'em with new markings. At least SMKW made an attempt to stay true to the knives Marbles made when they bought the TM and moved production to China and El Salvador.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on October 23, 2016 at 19:51