Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

This forum is dedicated to the discussion and display of old knives. The rich history of all the many companies that made them through the early years will be found here as well as many fine examples of the cutlers art. Share pictures of your old knives and your knowledge here!
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mountainad82
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by mountainad82 »

I am always on the lookout for C.M. McClung Hardware knives from Knoxville, TN. I just picked up the best example I have found so far. This particular knife has full blades and even has the “Cranberry” brand etch!

Adam
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by espn77 »

That's really nice. I'm unfamiliar with them. Thanks for showing.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by americanedgetech »

That sir, is a beautiful knife! ::nod::
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mountainad82
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by mountainad82 »

Thanks guys! C.M. McClung was a goods distributor located in Knoxville Tennessee that was sort of like a regional Sears and Roebuck that operated from about the 1890s-1970. They branded items with different trade names such as “Cranberry” “Cherokee” etc. Pocket knives were branded “Cranberry” or “Keeneredge”. I knew (from old catalog images) that the Cranberry brand was etched on the blade of some knives but this was the first example I have seen where the etch was still visible. Most of these knives got “used up”. Any guesses on who may have manufactured this one?

Adam
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by edge213 »

Adam, that is a mighty fine pocket knife.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by mountainad82 »

The latest C.M. McClung knife that I have turned up. It is a Keeneredge branded pen knife with pretty celluloid handle. C.M. McClung was located in Knoxville, TN. Keeper edge brand was used from the 1930’s-1960’s.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by Robo »

I discovered the the existance of Sporting goods distributor, Fred Biffar's Trade Mark "Dixie Switch" knife in Goins. I actually saw an ad for one in the Golden Rule section of the Big Book Of Pocket Knives first, but it makes no mention of Biffar. G.R. was a Chicago based Company and it was a picture knife. So perhaps Biffar had his picture-knife version of the "Dixie Switch" made by them. Fred Biffar is a (Sears) towering giant in my opinion for trade-marking one of the cooler street names for this knife. According to goins he sold them from 1917-1922.

It took me several months to find a genuine "Dixie Switch" on E-Bay. Sad to say, finding it was one of the peak moments of my late middle age.

The truth is, I was polish-happy in those early days (about a year or so back) and while attempting to bring out the etch by way of obsessive cleaning managed to diminish it-- very nicely! it's a relatively inexpenxive A.W. Wadsworth from Czechoslovakia.

A short while later I found the other. It has no etching but there's a crisp "Fred Biffar /Chicago" stamp on the tang. I want to believe it's a Union Cut Co. as they did some contract work for Biffar along with a number of other companies. But it doesn't have that tell-tale Ka-Bar slight backward curve at the top of the spine. So I'm still investigating the origins of that one.

Cornell Publications Sells a re-print of one of Biffar's sporting goods catalogs. I purposely obscured most of the "Dixie Switch" ad so the lady who runs things at Cornell won't scold me on her web page if she happens to see this post. (Yes, she does publicly shame customers who reveal the innards of one of Cornell's many awesome re-prints-- but she does so in a fairly hilarious way.) The picture-knife version is also listed there as well as his Trade Mark "Dixie Guard" which I'm fairly positive is a Union Cut Co 4inch bowtie.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by mountainad82 »

Very cool discovery Robo! Thanks for sharing.

Adam
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Interesting that there was a knife branded, "Dixie Switch".

"Dixie switch" was a term used to identify a toothpick or Texas Tickle style knife that had been rigged to open with a flick of the wrist by inserting a portion of a wooden match stick inside the knife's frame to leave the blade partially open and to over-ride that first little resistance applied by the backspring. The tip of the blade was still below the top edge of the frame.

I have a Gerber Applegate Combat Folder that I have rigged that way. I can open it faster than most could open a true automatic knife.

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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by koldgold »

A John Primble knife - made by Schrade and sold by Belknap Hardware.
The two Old Timers were also made by Schrade, for Belknap Hardware...Ken.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by Waukonda »

Henkle & Joyce, Lincoln, Nebraska (1900-1939)
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by New_Windsor_NY »

My John Primble pocket knife. The "information" tang stamp is barely legible (Belknap Hardware). The pattern # tang stamp is less legible. You can barely see the star, in the center of the tang stamp, in the center of the picture. It looks like a number "3" above and slightly to the right of the top point of the star. That's the only number that I'm almost sure of. Maybe a "0" just to the left of the "3." ::shrug:: It is 3 3/8" closed. If anyone knows the pattern #, please let me know. Thank you. Click on a picture to ENLARGE.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by knife7knut »

Here are a few.
Belknap Hdwre knife & stamp
Bingham knife & stamp
Diamond Edge knife & stamp
Fletcher Hdwre knife & stamp
George Worthington knife & stamp
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by knife7knut »

A few more:
Hibbard,Spencer,& Bartlett tickler,harness jack,and fixed blade stamp.
Rev-O-Noc carver & stamp.
Keen Kutter ad knife & stamp;dogleg jack,granddaddy barlow,scout utility.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by knife7knut »

Still more.
Norvell-Shapleigh fish jack(made in Germany)and stamp.
Simmons Hardware tuxedo and orange blossom.
Simmons Lady's knife and stamps.
Lockback made for S.S.Kresge Co.(became K-Mart)
Wards tang stamp.
Western Auto Supply fixed blade made by Western(not affiliated).
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by Waukonda »

Great assortment Knife7Knut, you meed to quit keeping those under wrap,glad u posted. Really like the Fletcher, been looking for one, also the Norvell Shapleigh
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by peanut740 »

Nice knives guys,keep them coming! ::tu::
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by 1967redrider »

I did some research a while back on an Oregon hardware store to solve a Cattaraugus pocket knife etch mystery-

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=19071&p=437391&hil ... ns#p437391

Posted some links to Oakland, OR history too. I just might have to visit and take that knife with me some day.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by JohnR »

A John Primble India Steel Works, most likely made around WW1, looks like Schrade Cut Co made to me.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by 1967redrider »

That's a beaut, love that jigging! ::tu:: ::tu::
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by jerryd6818 »

A couple of McGrew's
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McGrew National Wood Carvers Assoc 40th Anniv 1993.JPG
A couple of Olsen's
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A couple of Rigid's
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Rigid RG0828 - Mark .JPG
And a Stanley SL-6
Stanley SL-6.JPG
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by Jacknifeben »

Jack Knife Ben sold a lot of Schrade knives when he had a shop in Union Stock Yards, Chicago.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by Dickbranigan »

While not exactly a "pocket knife" it is a hardware store knife. Marshall Wells co. fixed blade. They were a Duluth MN based hardware store and this is the only fixed blade I've seen of theirs. It's also marked as having German makings which is new to me as well.
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by djknife13 »

From our "local" hardware store, three Marshall Wells knives.____Dave
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Re: Hardware Store and Distributor Knives

Post by treefarmer »

Dave,
Those are great! HOK’s for sure. ::tu::
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