Classic signs of dastardly doings...

[Robo]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/303031937598
This knife is being sold as a 1930s era Winchester Pattern #1936. Winchester called them "Powderhorns". Although I'm not 100% sure what this knife was concocted from, it screams FAKE! Part of the difficulty with Identifying "genuine" Winchester knives is the fact that Winchester licenced the name out in the 80s and 90s to Blue Ridge Cutlery. Technically, these knives have to be considered "Genuine" too. It's when they in part or whole are fobbed off as 1930s Era knives that fraud is being committed either knowingly or unknowingly by the seller. The seller in this case appears to be a pawn broker and this is the only knife he is offering. It would be easy to say "How could he NOT know this isn't a 30s era knife?" But every time I see a picture of the first "Case Tested" I bought I remember how little I knew then. What is glaringly obvious to me now wasn't obvious at all way back when in 2016. But what the seller knows or doesn't know isn't the point.

So how do we know this isn't a #1936 Powderhorn:

1. The bone handles are not era correct (See pic) These don't look like the handles Blue Ridge used either; or frankly any company I know of.

2. The worn down area on the spine of the blade just above the tang (on both sides) indicates some other trade mark MAY have been ground off and fake ones applied via cold stamping. The fact that there appears to be a double stamp on the tang isn't neccaserily a sign as this happens on legit knives on occasion. But If this is a Blue Ridge Winchester blade only the pattern number which had a "0" added and the year of manufacture ('92 for example) would have to be scrubbed and the "1936" applied.

3. The frame itself appears odd to me. I'm not even sure if this is a 5" frame and no size is listed. If it's 4.25 inches that would be the dead givaway as this looks nothing like a medium size Winchester of the 30s. (See last pic #1924)

To add to all this confusion, You also have to bear in mind that there's a fairly large quality gap between the Powderhorns former Walden employees made on former Walden machinery for their new owner, Winchester, early on, and the lighter gauge assortment knives produced near the end of Winchester's foray into pocket knife manufacturing. But I've yet to see a modern Winchester Powderhorn that looks anything like the originals at any stage. (The Powderhorn pictured for reference below I believe to be a mid-era example--not as robust as the first Powderhorn, but not as thin as the later era assortment knives. The last picture includes an example of the more robust earlier model but this is a 1050 with pyramite handles)

[peanut740]

You are confusing Blue Ridge with Blue Grass.Blue Ridge is a large distributor in Marion Va.and Blue Grass is located in Manchester Ohio.

[geocash]

Thanks for your time & trouble, Robo. I have a couple of Blue Grass Cutlery Winchesters & fortunately I knew what I was getting when I got them. I'm a sucker for toothpicks & I'd love to have a good '30s Winchester or two but I know I don't know what to look for which makes me vulnerable to such shenanigans as you've pointed out. It's gonna be a while...

[peanut740]

The OP knife is neither an original Winchester or Blue Grass reproduction.

[Robo]

You are confusing Blue Ridge with Blue Grass.Blue Ridge is a large distributor in Marion Va.and Blue Grass is located in Manchester Ohio.

Yes! thanks for the correction. Blue grass!

[thefarside]

The OP knife is neither an original Winchester or Blue Grass reproduction.
Roger

I agree with Roger, the eBay knife is just a bad fake.

[Robo]

The OP knife is neither an original Winchester or Blue Grass reproduction.

I agree, it doesn't look like any of the ones I've seen. But I spent a little time over at Worth point trying to find something with that blade and I did find a number of them. I have no idea whether they're legit, licenced reproductions. Maybe someone else can enlighten us. Here are a couple photos: note especially the "1936" on the pile side tang with nothing to indicate that they are repros like the Blue grass repros.

[Robo]

Thanks for your time & trouble, Robo. I have a couple of Blue Grass Cutlery Winchesters & fortunately I knew what I was getting when I got them. I'm a sucker for toothpicks & I'd love to have a good '30s Winchester or two but I know I don't know what to look for which makes me vulnerable to such shenanigans as you've pointed out. It's gonna be a while...

Thanks! I've been there with the toothpicks early on. I bought at least 10 Case Classic 098 pattern toothpicks thinking they were Case knives, made by Case and not repros. Then one day I was roaming around Ebay and found a 1972 Case 61093. I remember thinking, "It's a little small but what the heck I'll buy it!" and I did. Needless to say when it arrived and I saw what turned out to be the genuine article I started investigating and found out the difference and I never looked back. The Classic 098 toothpicks are well made, very attractive knives--but they look nothing like the real ones. In your case you already know there's a difference between reproduction Winchesters and the real deal so it's a matter of studying both to the point the differences are plain to you. --sage words of advice from a guy who never fails to call Blue Grass knives "Blue Ridge"--Ha Ha! Stay Humble!

[kootenay joe]

Bernard Levine has stated that Winchester is the most commonly faked knife of all USA brands. He claims there are at least 10 fakes for every 1 that is authentic.
kj

[peanut740]

The OP knife is neither an original Winchester or Blue Grass reproduction.

I agree, it doesn't look like any of the ones I've seen. But I spent a little time over at Worth point trying to find something with that blade and I did find a number of them. I have no idea whether they're legit, licenced reproductions. Maybe someone else can enlighten us. Here are a couple photos: note especially the "1936" on the pile side tang with nothing to indicate that they are repros like the Blue grass repros.

I don`t like any of these knives.

[Robo]

The OP knife is neither an original Winchester or Blue Grass reproduction.

I agree, it doesn't look like any of the ones I've seen. But I spent a little time over at Worth point trying to find something with that blade and I did find a number of them. I have no idea whether they're legit, licenced reproductions. Maybe someone else can enlighten us. Here are a couple photos: note especially the "1936" on the pile side tang with nothing to indicate that they are repros like the Blue grass repros.

I don`t like any of these knives.

I hear you, brother.

Thanks for the help, everyone, there's an "i" in pocket knife but there's no "i" in team. And it takes a team to take on the wolves.