Fake hen and rooster

[SmileyBuck]

Purchased a hen and rooster to be my first H&R and I'm still looking for my first H&R

No H&R name
No model number
All brass
Smooth bone

Looks old

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Hen and Rooster knives made during the time when A.G. Russell owned the brand and controlled the company are stamped similarly with no name under the Hen and Rooster on the tang. They do often include Bertram on the back but not all. I’m guessing this knife came from that time period.

[SmileyBuck]

Hen and Rooster knives made during the time when A.G. Russell owned the brand and controlled the company are stamped similarly with no name under the Hen and Rooster on the tang. They do often include Bertram on the back but not all. I’m guessing this knife came from that time period.

You believe it to be real? Most everybody I have showed it to says H&R never stamped "solingen stainless 440" on their knives

[kootenay joe]

"Quote": You believe it to be real?
Many collectors of vintage German cutlery consider the bench made "C. Bertram" knives with the Hen & Rooster logo stamped into the tang to be the only real authentic Hen & Rooster knives.
BY 1980 H&R markings were acquired by Kissing Crane and H&R became a factory production knife, no longer a knife made by a cutler at his own workbench.
kj

[CJohnson73]

Prior to the 1980s, Hen and Rooster knives were among the greatest ever created! A G Russell tried to keep them functioning from 1970 until 1980, but had to relinquish control of the firm to creditors in 1980. Mr. Russell did his best to keep the firm running, but the US dollar's exchange rate versus the German Mark proved difficult. BTW, I wish I had purchased some original Hen Rooster when they were available, but I was raising a family and couldn't afford them. Now they're 'handmade' in Spain. Anyways, it looks nice.

[SmileyBuck]

Thanks for the replies my main concern was it is a Chinese fake not worth the box it came in it seems well made the bone looks good but it has a gap in the back spring but that looks like it's do to damage instead of F&F

[1967redrider]

I can't imagine someone would counterfeit a H&R, but stranger things have happened. Ol' Frosty has done a number on the H&R name over the resent years. There's even H&R International.

[RevolverGuy]

A lot of people claim that the early pre-1980 H&R knives were the best, but honestly I think a lot of that claim goes to A.G. Russell saying so. He was quite proud of the company and I have a lot of respect for his contributions to the knife world, but I have owned H&R's from all eras and for me the quality from the Klaas produced knives have sometimes surpass what Gutmann was putting out. Klaas introduced a lot more patterns and materials as well.

As for the knife, I believe this is a franken-knife. The pin on the bolster looks like it had been replaced at some point. If it was an early knife, I don't recall ever seeing H&R produce the copperhead pattern until later years. A lot of the older one's were stamped "Germany" and not with "Solingen". Many times you'd have the Gutmann stamp as well on the other side. Only time they've ever had blade steel stamped are the one's made in Spain/China. Your knife doesn't have any indication of it being made in Spain either... Where was it purchased? I would return to seller and look into a refund.

[SmileyBuck]

A lot of people claim that the early pre-1980 H&R knives were the best, but honestly I think a lot of that claim goes to A.G. Russell saying so. He was quite proud of the company and I have a lot of respect for his contributions to the knife world, but I have owned H&R's from all eras and for me the quality from the Klaas produced knives have sometimes surpass what Gutmann was putting out. Klaas introduced a lot more patterns and materials as well.

As for the knife, I believe this is a franken-knife. The pin on the bolster looks like it had been replaced at some point. If it was an early knife, I don't recall ever seeing H&R produce the copperhead pattern until later years. A lot of the older one's were stamped "Germany" and not with "Solingen". Many times you'd have the Gutmann stamp as well on the other side. Only time they've ever had blade steel stamped are the one's made in Spain/China. Your knife doesn't have any indication of it being made in Spain either... Where was it purchased? I would return to seller and look into a refund.

Purchased at a gun show for $10 don't have much in it so if it's an actual H&R its going into my collection if not it'll end up in pocket or traded

[seeker7391]

I have one. I was very excited about uit until I turned it over and it said Spain.
Then my Dad was going to put a handle on it and he stuck a magnet to it. So now I am really dissapointed!

[1967redrider]

I have one. I was very excited about uit until I turned it over and it said Spain.
Then my Dad was going to put a handle on it and he stuck a magnet to it. So now I am really dissapointed!

Some newer Hen & Rooster fixed blades have Toledo, Spain steel. Personally I don't see that as a disappointment, unless you were specifically looking for German Solingen?

[seeker7391]

Not really. I was just excited about it. Well now that youve cleared that up the dissapointment is gone. Thanks. I'll be looking forward to seeing how it looks with a handle!
Thanks for the reply.

[Madmarco]

to AAPK, Seeker!

[Alien883]

Hen and Rooster knives made during the time when A.G. Russell owned the brand and controlled the company are stamped similarly with no name under the Hen and Rooster on the tang. They do often include Bertram on the back but not all. I’m guessing this knife came from that time period.

You believe it to be real? Most everybody I have showed it to says H&R never stamped "solingen stainless 440" on their knives

They actually never did!!