treefarmer wrote:I've got an old "Hand Book Price Guide 1976 edition" by Mrs. Dewey P. (Lavona) Ferguson. It is a yellow paper back book, has a bunch of '76 info on Case knives, Cattaraugus, Remington, Winchester, then it has a long list of knife companies under a section titled "Price guide to knives in general". All that to say, there is listed a company named Depend-On-Me Cutlery Co., N.Y., U.S.A. The ND-ON fits this name. It doesn't list any thing about the knives other than generic values, good $8.00, mint $50.00.
Maybe a place to start that somewhat matches the clues you gave.
Treefarmer
Mystery solved by Treefarmer
and further confirmation from Dan ... nothing like a good game of Wheel of Fortune” for tang stamps 
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