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Dating confusion for a Western Stockman

by Brian H Bentley

Aug 16, 2013

Hi.

I need some help. I am working on documenting my collection of blades. Today I'm researching a Western 742 - sorry to admit I forgot I had it!

I have run into some confusion after reading various internet forums about Western date stamps. Some claim Western started a date code (symbols) in 1977 that appeared with the Western/U.S.A. Others claim a letter code A=1977, B=1978, C=1979, ..., appeared under the model number on the reverse.

I am attaching some photos (rookie effort). Although I have seen a catalog description that listed bone scales for a 742, my knife appears to have delrin scales. The blades are definitely carbon steel.

Thank you for any help you can offer.

Cheers, Brian

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  • up

    peter force

    YOUR WELCOME..always glad to help!-CHEERS AS WELL-peter

    Brian H Bentley said:

    Thank you, Peter. I think your info explains the confusion about date codes being on the back, and then the front, of the main blade. I appreciate your time to help me out.

    Cheers, Brian

    peter force said:

    hey brian not to much to offer but i can tell you this. in 1977 western did start using letters for the dating system...i remember this only because i was born in 1977 ..so i collected a few westerns with the A for fun.i can say this.the few i do own are great knives.

    ___1984-became Coleman-Western___ BUT.. i have only 1 coleman/western knife that came with a pile of junkers but it made a nice EDC and it had the letter J in a circle stamped on the front..sorry no picture .. i gave it away. my only guess is that COLEMAN kept up on the dating---again thats a guess{at least for a little bit} but its the only thing i could think of... ANYONE WITH A COLEMAN -WESTERN WITH A LETTER CODE??  .. anyway wanted to toss up an example of what i meant by COLEMANS CODE. so went and found picture that was similar to BRIANS.. i did this as well to show that LOOK.. even after being sold to COLEMAN almost no difference..compare the 2 main blades and even the bodies of the knife.that is of course in looks.i dont know from experince as i only owned the one coleman but from what i have read most,it seems, didnt like the coleman-western knives and still dont.

    and yes BRIAN- thats delrin!... on another note for those who dont know.....DELRIN was not used on knives in the USA until around 1961+ ...from all that i have read and gathered.. {please if i have that wrong ,correct me,as its a handle material that helps me to date knives that have been rehandled.} -hope i helped..

     

    Sep 8, 2013

  • up

    Jean-François

    Sorry that I have overlooked this discussion. When comparing the date on the box with the letter on the tang, one finds 1977 for A, 1978 for B, 1979 for C... Coleman just continued the code. I have got this Coleman Western with  an M on the  tang.    I can't say if there were any N stamps - as you know, Camillus Cutlery absorbed Coleman Western in 1991.

    Sep 15, 2013

  • up

    Ugly Old Guy

    Brian, the Alpha date code starting with "A" in 1977 is correct.

    I have a couple with the "D" (1980) date code. A L66 and a 062 two blade folding hunter.

    Prior too '77 the only way I know of to get a rough idea of the era it was made is the tang stamp ... at least on the folders.

    Dec 30, 2024