Civil War Era Russell Stag---Can Anyone Help??

by Lee Saunders

Mar 28, 2012

I bought this blade as a Civil War era Russell Stag.  It certainly looks like it fits the era and certainly is an old knife.

The primary tang is marked

<>R<>

J RUSSELL & CO.

  GREEN RIVER

       WORKS

The reverse of the tang is blank.

The blade has been worked....a lot.  Sharpened and shaped.  It may be the sharpest knife that I own.  A big, fat, heavy, beefy blade. 

This thing is like 4 5/8ths inches closed, 7 3/8ths open.  It has a ton of snap both directions and strong stops for an old knife.

The blade is etched on the same side the tang is marked.

Although the lettering is worn, it clearly says KNIFE.

I tried to show it in the photos ut it is a challenge.  Imagine if you had it in front of you and the bottom half of the letters KNI were rubbed away plus the bottom 1/3 of the F.  The E is fully recognizable.

I am looking for help identifying what this may be.  To me it looks like some of the Navy knives I have seen from that period.  A Rigging knife or something.

Has anyone seen this knife or owns this knife?  Any leads on further identifying it?

It was simply sold to me as I said as a Civil War era genuine India Stag.

Thanks for looking and for the help folks!!

 

 

 

 

  • Lee Saunders

    I think maybe my research has solved part of the problem.

    The knife is a Navy Knife and originally the knife blade was etched like this:

    Russell

    NAVY KNIFE

    The "R" had the arrow thru it which identified the Russell's of the time.

    I found that in  the book Big Book of Pocket Knives Identification & Values on page 297. 

    It presents the issue you see Steve:  the handles.

    It says the handles should be cocobolo.  So I am thinking that either the knife was made after the  original run with cocobolo, or someone replaced the original handles with these stag handles.  That is a possiility because the handles are in good shape.  But it fits like original and it does have the two holes at the far end just like the original knife with the cocobolo had.  A hole for a Bail and a 2nd hole...not sure what that is for (?)

    But, it's a Navy Knife and that answers part of what was confusing my poor little mind.

    One very small crack extending from a pin.  Even with my 30x loupe it is hard to tell if it's a crack or the stag.  But the stag is in great shape and looks like it could be newer than the knife.

    I'm hoping someone here has this knife or has seen the knife....or has books I don't have that can help me .

    Boy I sure do like this Big Book of Pocket Knives Identification & Values .  It is excellent.

    I found some of the history you were talking about in another book Steve, but you explained it better than the book does!

     

    Mar 29, 2012

  • J.J. Smith III

    It does look like an old hawser knife.  Might check with Terry Waldele.  He has a good selection on Naval knives.

    Mar 29, 2012