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Tuna Valley Production List

Hi Courtney, I had a question that I was hoping you could help with, regarding the production history for the Tuna Valley knives.

I know the about the first 2 years that Perry Miller released the knives. The stag Trapper in 2009, and the 3 different handle materials on the Congress that were from 2010.

I also know about the knives made from 2012 to present, as they are well documented on the Daniels Knife website.

But I'm having a hard time finding any information about if any knives were made in 2011, and if so what they were, what handle materials, and what quantities. I know this was before your time, but do you have any info to help out?

Thanks.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on October 22, 2015 at 21:41

Carl,

Great Question! here is what I know

Tuna Valley Cutlery (Perry Miller 2009-2011)

#53 4bl.Cigar Stockman in Blood Red Peach Seed Jig Bone (1 of 73)2010
#53 4bl.Cigar Stockman in Brazilian Cherry Wood (1 of 75)2010
#53 4bl.Cigar Stockman in Burnt Stag (1 of 75)2010

#73 1bl.in Stag (1 of 25)2009
#73 2bl.in Stag *end cap (1 of 100) 2009

I do not remember Perry producing a knife in 2011. We do have a member that captured the info from Perrys site before it went down. Ron is going to look for the info and get back with us tomorrow

The knives were numbered. I would LOVE to know which numbers were modified by the Daniels family. Regrettably that information was not captured before the bolsters were re-done.

Permalink Reply by Carl Bradshaw on October 23, 2015 at 0:08

Cool Jan, I didn't know that the 2012 congress were the same exact knives with re-done bolsters. I thought they were just a copy of the original design, with a different bolster idea.

Good to know!

Permalink Reply by Courtney Daniels on October 28, 2015 at 17:15

Carl,

After Perry made the knives you listed, he did not make any more orders. So there was actually no knives made in 2011. Perry did not do very well with the brand and that is how we ended up taking it over in 2012.

Thank you for your question.

Permalink Reply by Carl Bradshaw on October 28, 2015 at 20:41

Awesome, thanks for your confirmation Courtney. I appreciate your expertise. :)

And I mistakenly referred to the cigar stockmans above as "congress", just a slip of the tongue that came out through my fingers. hehe

Permalink Reply by Carl Bradshaw on July 18, 2016 at 10:20

After approximately 9 months of investigating and talking with people, here is what I have gathered together as the most complete Tuna Valley list that I can put together. There are still a few missing pieces (shown in bold/italic), that I can't find. If anyone can help fill them in, please share. This list is updated as of July 18, 2016

Just as some background, the original Tuna Valley's were made in a company in Germany and imported and sold through Case during their merger/movement with Platts. The name was revived by Perry Miller in 2007, and he made a few 1 piece prototypes under the name, then production runs in 2009-2010 (all made by Great Eastern Cutlery). The Daniels family bought out the name from Perry in 2011/2012, and started making production runs in 2012, originally through Great Eastern Cutlery, and then switched over to Queen Cutlery, who has been making them all ever since 2013. For the 2012 year below, I listed which company made each pattern.

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All the release dates shown were gathered from the Certificate of Authenticity slips that go out with each knife.

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1906 - thin handle ladies knife - 2 blade - pearl handle - estimated 600 pieces made (I'm told less than 5 known to exist)

1906 - thick handle ladies knife - 2 blade - pearl handle - estimated 600 pieces made(I'm told less than 3 known to exist)

1906 - small 1/2 congress - 2 blade - pearl handle - estimated 600 pieces made(I'm told less than 3 known to exist)

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2007 - scout trapper - 2 blade - abalone handle - 1 piece prototype

2007 - scout trapper - 2 blade - ivory handle - 1 piece prototype

2007 - scout trapper - 2 blade - burnt stag handle - 1 piece prototype

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Nov 16, 2009 - (called 1st edition) - scout trapper - 2 blade - burnt stag - 150 pieces made, serialized, list price $150

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Aug 1, 2010 - (called 2nd edition) - cigar stockman - 4 blade - burnt stag - 100 pieces made, first 75 serialized, last 25 not - list price $175

Aug 1, 2010 - (called 2nd edition) - cigar stockman - 4 blade - jigged red bone - 100 pieces made, first 75 serialized, last 25 not - list price $145

Aug 1, 2010 - (called 2nd edition) - cigar stockman - 4 blade - brazillian cherry - 100 pieces made, first 75 serialized, last 25 not - list price $145

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***The 2nd edition knives didn't sell as well as intended, and so when the Daniels Family bought out the Tuna Valley name, they also acquired all leftover unsold knives. They took all the burnt stag ones, and sent them to Oiseau Metal Arts, and had the bolsters engraved, which covered up the serial numbers. They then took all the remaining bone and wood handled ones, and dimpled the bolsters, which covered up the serial numbers. They then sold all these knives as a 2012 edition, even though they were actually made in 2010.

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No knives were made or sold during the 2011 year.

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Feb 7, 2012 - lockback trapper - 1 blade spear point - amber stag - 40 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

Feb 29, 2012 - cigar stockman (reconditioned) - 4 blade - jigged red bone - 35 pieces - list price $140 - made by GEC

Mar 6, 2012 - cigar stockman (reconditioned) - 4 blade - brazillian cherry - 50 pieces - list price $140 - made by GEC

Apr 18, 2012 - swing guard - 1 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $265 - made by Queen Cutlery

Apr 18, 2012 - lockback - 1 blade - ebony wood - 50 pieces - list price $120 - made by Queen Cutlery

Apr 23, 2012 - lockback trapper - 1 blade clip point - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $220 - made by GEC

May 13, 2012 - cotton king - 1 blade - ebony wood - 50 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

May 21, 2012 - cotton king - 1 blade - burnt stag - 25 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

???, 2012 - cotton king - 1 blade - amber stag - 30 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

Jun 11, 2012 - sunfish whittler - 3 blade - burnt stag - 35 pieces - list price $225 - made by Queen Cutlery

Jun 11, 2012 - sunfish whittler - 3 blade - amber stag - 35 pieces - list price $225 - made by Queen Cutlery

Oct 24, 2012 - lockback trapper - 1 blade clip point - amber stag - 40 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

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The following knives were made in 2012 and have embellished bolsters done by Oiseau Metal Arts

Mar 22, 2012 - lockback trapper - 1 blade spear point - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $195 - made by GEC

Apr 8, 2012 - lockback trapper - 1 blade clip point - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

May 1, 2012 - cigar stockman (reconditioned) - 4 blade - burnt stag - 15 pieces - list price $195 - made by GEC

Jul 23, 2012 - sunfish whittler - 3 blade - burnt stag - 7 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by Queen Cutlery

???, 2012 - sunfish whittler - 3 blade - amber stag - ? pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by Queen Cutlery

Aug 13, 2012 - cotton king - 1 blade - mammoth ivory - 13 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

???, 2012 - lockback trapper - 1 blade spear point - amber stag - ? pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was) - made by GEC

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Feb 11, 2013 - moose - 2 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $125

Feb 11, 2013 - moose - 2 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $175

Apr 23, 2013 - sweybelly trapper - 2 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $145

Apr 23, 2013 - sweybelly trapper - 2 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $145

Sep 18, 2013 - coke bottle - 1 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $230

Sep 18, 2013 - coke bottle - 1 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $230

Nov 18, 2013 - tadpole - 2 blade - burnt stag - 125 pieces - $100

Nov 18, 2013 - tadpole - 2 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - $100

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2013 with embellished bolsters by Oiseau Metal Arts

May 27, 2013 - moose - 2 blade - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - $475

Sep 9, 2013 - sweybelly trapper - 2 blade - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - $500

Sep 9, 2013 - unassembled sweybelly trapper in display case - 2 blade - mammoth ivory - 10 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was)

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May 5, 2014 - gunstock jack - 2 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $170

May 5, 2014 - gunstock jack - 2 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $170

Jun 1, 2014 - scout - 4 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $185

Jun 1, 2014 - scout - 4 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $185

Oct 6, 2014 - fish scaler - 1 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $210

Oct 6, 2014 - fish scaler - 1 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $210

Oct 6, 2014 - fish scaler - 1 blade - buffalo horn - 25 pieces - list price $180

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2014 with embellished bolsters by Oiseau Metal Arts

Feb 2, 2014 - tadpole - 2 blade - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - list price $350

Oct 20, 2014 - gunstock jack - 2 blade - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - $450

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Feb 2, 2015 - muskrat - 2 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $155

Feb 2, 2015 - muskrat - 2 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $155

Feb 2, 2015 - muskrat - 2 blade - buffalo horn - 25 pieces - list price $120

May 20, 2015 - railsplitter - 3 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $175

May 20, 2015 - railsplitter - 3 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $175

May 20, 2015 - railsplitter - 3 blade - buffalo horn - 25 pieces - list price $125

Oct 2, 2015 - gunstock jack - 2 blade - timekeeper resin - 10 pieces - list price $325

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2015 with embellished bolsters by Oiseau Metal Arts

???, 2015 - railsplitter - 3 blade - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - list price $500

Feb 9, 2015 - scout - 4 blade - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - list price $475

May 27, 2015 - muskrat - 2 blade - mammoth ivory - 25 pieces - list price $500

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Feb 8, 2016 - scout - 4 blade - timekeeper resin - 8 pieces - list price $325

???, 2016 - moose - 2 blade - timekeeper resin - 2 pieces - (I don't have what the original selling price was, or if it was even ever for sale)

Feb 17, 2016 - teardrop - 1 blade - burnt stag - 50 pieces - list price $175

Feb 17, 2016 - teardrop - 1 blade - amber stag - 50 pieces - list price $175

Feb 17, 2016 - teardrop - 1 blade - buffalo horn - 25 pieces - list price $125

Feb 17, 2016 - teardrop - 1 blade - timekeeper resin - 25 pieces - list price $350

Permalink Reply by Carl Bradshaw on July 18, 2016 at 10:31

Also, forgot to mention, a lot of the production runs 2012-2016 have very limited prototype runs for them also that I have seen sold every now and then. I didn't include them in the list.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 18, 2016 at 12:17

Carl,

This is an amazing amount of effort with all you have had going on the past couple of years! I should not be surprised as I have worked with you on knife research projects previously and you are always very thorough. Thank you for being willing to share this project!

Permalink Reply by Carl Bradshaw on July 18, 2016 at 12:34

Happy to help. The more Tuna Valley collectors there are out there, the better!

Permalink Reply by Carl Bradshaw on July 21, 2016 at 18:13

Member Bill Fletcher was able to fill in the missing info regarding the 2012 Cotton King knives listed above.

Ebony - release date May 13, 2012 - list price $150

Burnt Stag - release date May 21, 2012 - list price $200

Amber Stag - release date May 21, 2012 - list price $200

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on July 21, 2016 at 19:24

WAY TO GO BILL FLETCHER!!

Permalink Reply by Dennis on July 21, 2016 at 20:01

I appreciate all this great information. Again thanks Carl and Bill for the infor.

Permalink Reply by Carl Bradshaw on August 2, 2016 at 8:53

1 other thing I forgot to mention. Any knives that 1.) were made at the factory that didn't pass inspection, but are still a good usable knife, or 2.) any knife returned to a dealer due to a cosmetic flaw or handle crack, were given a blade etch "EDC" and sold without a tube or CoA.

I've seen a few of these pop up recently for sale, and wanted to make sure everyone knows what they are. Still good knife for using, but their collectibility/resell value isn't there.