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"The good ole days" - show us some OLD KNIVES

I was talking with my Grandson the other day, and I told him, "I like old knives" - he said "I like the new ones". I shared that with my wife and she said "you gotta be old to like the old things". Maybe she is right. I find myself more and more liking older things, sayings, buildings, guns, knives, and a large assortment of older things. Seems like things made more sense (to me anyway) in the good ole days.

So when were the good ole days?? For me (I'm 67) the good ole days were in the 60's. When it comes to knives, I like a knife that was made either before I was born (1946) or at least before I graduated from High School (1964). I graduated in Arcade, New York and was surrounded by great cutleries, and didn't even think about it at the time. How many times have I driven by the Robeson factory in Perry, NY and didn't even know it.

Anyway, I like old Knives. I like all knives, but especially the older ones. Lets use this discussion to show some-of what you may think as an older knife. Looking forward to seeing a taste of "the good ole days".

Tags: Old, Robeson, Vintage, knife, knives, older

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 31, 2013 at 7:17

Steve, super Boker pics.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 31, 2013 at 9:27

An Olsen OK Jack - I bought it in the early 70's at the Fred Bear Museum in Grayling, Michigan - I carried it for quite some time and it served me well, you don't hear much about Olsen Knives. But "The Good Ole Days"

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 31, 2013 at 12:30

You can do some dating of knives based on corkscrews. The earliest corkscrews were basically that -- a screw. Later corkscrews were made from solid bars that were filed by hand to create the lands and grooves. This was followed by machine cut lands and grooves. Both the hand cut and machine cut corkscrews have the appearance as seen in the photo of the Boker so this is definitely an early style corkscrew. I'd assume 19th century. The machine cut ones are more precise, however it takes close inspection to determine which were hand cut or machine cut. The final corkscrews were made from coiled wire that was given a point. This is basically the modern or present day corkscrew.

I’d need to do a little digging to find out when the coiled wire came into being but it was in the early part of the 20^th Century (1920s-1930s). At the same time the older machine cut corkscrews continued for some time after the coiled wire were introduced because they were more reliable at the time.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 31, 2013 at 13:49

Tobias, interesting - surprising what you can find out using a small detail. I do not have any knives with corkscrews as yet.

What do you know about the Remington Scouts above??

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 31, 2013 at 13:59

The info I have on Remington Scouts is as follows (part of my Scout Knife Manuscript)

Remington (1923-1939)

Remington and other companies were contracted to make Official BSA knives simply because New York Knife was unable to keep up with demand. Most Remington UMC Official Boy Scouts Knives were made in their plant in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Production of Official Boy Scout knives began in 1923, however unofficial Scout knives were made before that time. Remington continued making BSA knives until their cutlery division was sold to the Pal Blade Company in 1939. The Contract was then picked up by Pal. Besides making the Camp knife, Remington was also tasked with making the EZ-Out Jack Knife. Official Remington BSA knives have the Boy Scout emblem with or without the Boy Scout Eagle and the “Be Prepared” motto. At least three different styles of shields were used. These knives also had an Official Boy Scouts of America Blade etch.

Unofficial Remington Scout knives had other shield designs including a Scout hat or Acorn shield with the word “Scout” on it. The blade etch read “Remington Scout knife.” (not Official Boy Scouts of America) The Acorn shields on Remington knives denote a punch blade and was also used on cattle knives.

Remington also made two blade Official BSA knives, a 3 3/8in camp knife, as well as two types of official BSA fixed blade knives.

Remington also made the first Official Girl Scout knives.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on July 31, 2013 at 14:12

Those sure were the good ole days. Did the official 1923 Scout knife (Remington) have the acorn shield? Can you date my 3 Rem Scouts above.??

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 31, 2013 at 14:32

A lot of companies made scout knives, you mean if it wasn't made by Remington, it wasn't "Official"?

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 31, 2013 at 14:55

There are Official Boy Scouts of America knives that were made specifically for the Boy Scouts of America.

Later on the were products licensed by the Boy Scouts of America to use one or several of the Trademarked logo but not an actual "Official Boy Scouts of America Knife" (for instance the current offerings by Case, Sarge, and Schrade Old Timer which are officially licenced but not an Official Knife.)

The following is list of companies that were contracted to make the "Official Boy Scouts of America Knife" (again collected data from my unpublished Scout Knife manuscript) Hope this helps clarify what an "Official Boy Scouts of America" knife is and who actually made them.

Makers of the Official Boy Scout 4 Blade Camp (number 1) Knife and when they were contract to produce them.

(Makers who didn’t make four blade camp/utilities are noted*)

New York Knife (1911-1931 - some sources say 1910-1931)
Remington (1923-1939)
Ulster (Dwight Devine & Son(s) - (1923-1940)
L F & C [Landers, Frary, & Clark] (1931-1939)
*Cattaraugus (1933-1940) (non camp knives - 3 and 4 blade wood carving knives)
Pal (1940-1942)
1943-1946 - production was suspended due to the war.
Camillus (1946-2007)
*Western (1948-1979 – Non camp/Utility, fixed blades)
Imperial (Early 1950s-1980s, primarily Camillus built but re-handled by Imperial)
Ulster (1963-1985 round Shield)
*Wenger (1982-2002 – non camp knives)
*Kershaw (1980s-Present – Non Camp)
*Victorinox (2000- Present non-camp knives)
China (Taylor Brands. LLC) 2008-Present
Bear MGC - 2009-2011 – ( non camp knives except for the 2010 Jamboree Camp knife, possible 2009 production of 2009 camp knife)

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on July 31, 2013 at 16:41

Thanks Tobias, this makes sense. I was after a small Camillus Boy Scout knife, with the Boy Scout emblem on it. There was a lot of people after it and willing to pay top dollar. I couldn't understand what made this knife so special, other than it's great condition. I ended up with it and now I'm glad I did. {Camillus 1946-2007}

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on July 31, 2013 at 17:10

Good show, Robert.

Camillus made a good number of the BSA knives. Almost all of them will have delrin handles. I believe they all were made wiht the round BSA shield. The earlier ones will have carbon steel (1095) back springs while later models have stainless backsprings as well as blades. (I think the switch over occurred sometime in the 1960s but don't know for sure. The easiest way to date the Camillus BSA knives is with the tang stamp. Of course the earliest Camillus Scout knives would have an older style can-opener as well as an early tang stamp.

19461950