Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

The Cattaraugus Cutlery Company was started by John Champlin and his son Tint in 1882. It was first incorporated under the name J.B.F. Champlin and Son as a wholesale distribution company based in Little Valley, New York. The business proved to be a successful endeavor, and it soon branched into a knife production company named Cattaraugus.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by JohnR »

Couple of Catt's that I've posted elsewhere that belong in this thread, none of the 3 knives have pattern numbers. A pair of jumbo jacks,4 1/4", a single and a 2 blade. Then a 3" jack with great bone. I'm thinking all 3 knives are fairly early.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by steveatgator »

hey guys. below is a whittler that belonged to my grandfather. probably from the 40's or 50's. i sharpened it up, and was very impressed with how sharp the old steel can get. i use more modern clip knives at work a lot and love the convenience, but this one is my favorite for sure. my mom sent it to me recently. if it is super valuable i will stop carrying it and ask her if she wants it back to sell. i hope not, because i would like to keep carrying it. thoughts? and thanks for everything i have learned in the little bit of time i have been looking at the forum.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by richard »

this is a 2 blade i bought for $30. that i was told was early 1900,s buy the seller.
looks same era as yours?
i like your 3 blade with the wharncliff blade.
i carry mine alot.
its in my pocket today :D
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by steveatgator »

thanks, richard. the wharncliffe cant be beat for stripping wire, which i do a lot of. i like the two tone scales on yours.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by richard »

i also have this one. i quite like.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by JohnR »

Added this Catt 32739 3 3/4" slim Gunstock, I thought it was a whittler but have found it described as a gunstock stockman which would explain the spey blade.

Appears to be a fairly rare pattern that if in mint condition has considerable value according to a couple books, this one is far from mint but does have good bone and close to full blades.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by richard »

nice looking knife
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by wlf »

Nice John I probably would call it a whittler too.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by Miller Bro's »

Very nice!
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by JAMESC41001 »

Great pattern and a great knife John!
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by danno50 »

Nice find, John! ::tu:: Looks like a whittler blade configuration to me as well.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by JohnR »

Thanks for the comments guys, it's a nice looking knife. I left out that it is not a split spring, maybe why it's listed as a gunstock stockman in some of the books.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by ludwig26 »

Heres a Cattaraugus I picked up today. Anybody help with the time frame it was made. Its still snappy and tight.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by GRS »

I have had this knife for twenty or so years. It is a Catt and I wonder if anyone can tell me more about it.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by richard »

its got a freemasons emblem on the scales. did it come with the purse /case ?
maybe a master of the lodge knife.given to ever 'G' was?
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by richard »

i found this about the freemason letter G . [quote[When did the letter G become part of the Square and Compass? No one knows exactly, but it is believed to be somewhere between 1730 and 1768, here in the United States. The "G" is not used in the center of the square and compasses in all jurisdictions around the world.]quote]
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by peanut740 »

Cattaraugus made several of those enameled fraternal knives for many different organizations.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by GRS »

I got the purse and knife together. I do believe they probably came together. I had the stitching “very fine” repaired on the purse. My father-in-law gave it to me after I joined the Lodge back around 1979 or 80. He had purchased it from an old man in the Lodge years before but I didn’t know Much about it. I just thought it was very nice and displays all the working tools of a Mason.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by peanut740 »

I have done some traveling myself. ::handshake:: There are folks that collect those Catt enameled knives trying to make a set.They will bring a good price for a small knife.I would say it originally came in the pouch,sold separately. ::tu::
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by Twhite »

Hello hello new to the forum and I have a Catt I was hoping someone could give a general date of manufacture. My dad picked it up a few years ago and recently gave it to me.
Closed length 3-7/8”
Blade 2-7/8”
Secondary blade 2-1/8
Stamping 3C inside of a circle
Number 21269C I think

Thanks
Tom
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by richard »

nice knife, they made these from 1890 untill 1930.
i dont know if they reproduced them at a later date ?
are any of the blades stamped 'little valley N.Y. ' ?
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by FRJ »

Very nice swell center Jack, Twhite. Beautiful blades.

Here is a nice little string cutter. Covered spring. A hard to see Cattaraugus etch on the main blade. 2 5/8".

Thanks for looking.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by Twhite »

richard wrote:nice knife, they made these from 1890 untill 1930.
i dont know if they reproduced them at a later date ?
are any of the blades stamped 'little valley N.Y. ' ?
No nothing other than the numbers and the 3C
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by knife7knut »

Just received a half dozen of these from my good friend and fellow knife nut Guy Manwaring.
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Re: Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

Post by galvanic1882 »

Twhite wrote:Hello hello new to the forum and I have a Catt I was hoping someone could give a general date of manufacture. My dad picked it up a few years ago and recently gave it to me.
Closed length 3-7/8”
Blade 2-7/8”
Secondary blade 2-1/8
Stamping 3C inside of a circle
Number 21269C I think

Thanks
Tom
Great knife Tom and Cattaraugus knives with the 3C marking are hard to find.

Love that covered back Pearl Joe, I had one years ago but let it go. Here are pictures I have posted before of covered back Catt's
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