Identification tips - example knife

[happyrock]

Hello all - Apologies if this is the wrong area, I tried searching but didn't find anything that stipulates where to ask these questions.

I'd consider myself a knife novice, but good at research. However, this knife has stumped me and I was wondering if there were any tips, resources etc that people would share for identification and also to help me identify this particular blade. It feels solid and has a good patina and says 'Made in USA'. Also if I should be photographing different angles of the knife for identification?

Thanks in advance, I look forward to learning some more.

[jerryd6818]

Welcome to AAPK. Glad to have you aboard.

Welll, since it's stamped "Can Opener", I'm gonna guess it's a "Can Opener".

[happyrock]

Welcome to AAPK. Glad to have you aboard.

Welll, since it's stamped "Can Opener", I'm gonna guess it's a "Can Opener".

Yes, I did pick up on the "Can Opener" stamp, but figured it was an obvious ploy to throw me off the trail.

[Beavertail]

Welcome to AAPK. Glad to have you aboard.

Welll, since it's stamped "Can Opener", I'm gonna guess it's a "Can Opener".

[glennbad]

Don't mind Jerry, he hasn't had his coffee yet. Or maybe too much of it.

Wasn't the USA stamp used by Camillus and someone else? That being said, any of those blades could have been swapped out on the knife. That may not be the case, but with the very proud bolster pins, you have to consider it.

As to that pattern of knife, the can opener style is often used to identify the maker.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Welcome to AAPK
I wrote up an article here on AAPK about the can openers on various knives a while back. Click here to see how your can opener works.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56338&hilit=can+opener

[Reverand]

Welcome!
It does remind me of an older Camillus knife, but there are others who made very similar knives. I saw some pitting on the bolsters. Are they steel? If so, that one was probably made during or immediately after WWII.
It does look as if the pins have been replaced. Some blades might have been replaced or some other work done on it. That does hurt the pure collector value, which probably is not that high on that knife to begin with (There were tons of those made, with many still floating around out there)
But that repair might have been 50 or more years ago:. I have bought knives with poor repairs just because of the character that it adds!
And I love those beautiful bone handles. Wish these old knives could talk!

[happyrock]

Welcome!
It does remind me of an older Camillus knife, but there are others who made very similar knives. I saw some pitting on the bolsters. Are they steel? If so, that one was probably made during or immediately after WWII.
It does look as if the pins have been replaced. Some blades might have been replaced or some other work done on it. That does hurt the pure collector value, which probably is not that high on that knife to begin with (There were tons of those made, with many still floating around out there)
But that repair might have been 50 or more years ago:. I have bought knives with poor repairs just because of the character that it adds!
And I love those beautiful bone handles. Wish these old knives could talk!

Good eye - the bolsters are steel and have a little pitting. Nice call on the pins too, but I will say the blades and bolsters all seem to match so the replacements would be very old as well it seems.

I didn't think of it so much as a collector knife, was able to get it for a couple bucks and the blades are in good shape and liked it has the can opener.

Thanks for the input!