Imperials

[JAMESC41001]

That’s interesting Jason. I think Boker moved to Maplewood NJ in the 1920’s. The also owned a razor company somewhere in their history. I wonder if the Vulcan company had anything to do with Boker??

[jxr1197]

That’s interesting Jason. I think Boker moved to Maplewood NJ in the 1920’s. The also owned a razor company somewhere in their history. I wonder if the Vulcan company had anything to do with Boker??

I didn’t know that Boker was there too. I looked up Maplewood on the map and it’s a town the size of a postage stamp on the outskirts of Newark. I bet having Boker move in was quite the feather in their cap. Vulcan was a joint pet project of Imperial and Sears. I haven’t heard of any other companies being involved but the more you read about cutlery history, the more inbreeding you see so I wouldn’t be all that surprised if there turned out to be a Boker connection too.

[jxr1197]

Here's an awesome/weird one from the sample room -

[bladecollectorr]

Here's an awesome/weird one from the sample room -
imperialfeelergauge.jpg

Wow! Imperial feeler gauge! Makes me think valve clearances and spark plugs. So much cooler than the cheap set I got at the hardware store.

[royal0014]

Here's an awesome/weird one from the sample room

Wow! That's gotta be pretty rare ..

[jxr1197]

Wow! That's gotta be pretty rare ..

I was guessing it's probably the only one, but maybe they made a few prototypes - who knows? It's a handmade mock up that came from Imperial's factory sample room. Where the gauges are they removed the spring and tacked in a couple of brass tabs to provide a stopping point for the out-of-order feeler blades.

[FRJ]

What an amazing Imperial artifact.
I'm glad it's on AAPK.

[jxr1197]

What an amazing Imperial artifact.
I'm glad it's on AAPK.

Thanks - I think it's pretty cool too.

Here's another refugee from the sample room. I'm not sure if this pattern made it to production or not. I've never seen one before - a non-locking TL29 in a cigar jack frame. Kinda weird..

[OLDE CUTLER]

I was rummaging thru a $1 an item box at the local fleamarket today and found this nice 3" Imperial stainless steel jack. The celluloid is still real nice with great color. Probably the oldest stainless steel knife I own. One tangstamp chart I have says this is from the late 1920s? Can that be right?

[jxr1197]

I wasn't sure where this one fits in but Imperial seems about right. This is the first and only Ulster tool kit I've come across. The Imperials are all shells so it's kind of interesting to see one dressed in slabs of MOTS. The sheepfoot is standard fare for a lot of the Imperials and the tools are directly from the Imperial parts bin.

[cody6268]

Here's an awesome/weird one from the sample room -
imperialfeelergauge.jpg

Very neat idea, but wouldn't it be clunky in the pocket?!!!

Many years later, an individual by the name of Michael Hulsey developed a knife with a folding feeler gauge tool that is far more practical. Camillus (for NAPA) and Columbia River Knife and Tool (for Champion Spark Plugs) produced knives using this gentleman's patent which condensed that thick stack of feeler gauges down into a stepped/sloped gauge. I'm gonna use my CRKT example tomorrow, as I have to change the plugs in the mower. Problem is that despite being an AMERICAN product made by John Deere, it's got a Japanese engine (Kawasaki) and Japanese plugs (NGK) that are metric everything. I'm gonna have to find my deep-well 14mm metric socket as well to get the plug out. My spark plug set is SAE.

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=62076

[jxr1197]

Very neat idea, but wouldn't it be clunky in the pocket?!!!

Many years later, an individual by the name of Michael Hulsey developed a knife with a folding feeler gauge tool that is far more practical. Camillus (for NAPA) and Columbia River Knife and Tool (for Champion Spark Plugs) produced knives using this gentleman's patent which condensed that thick stack of feeler gauges down into a stepped/sloped gauge. I'm gonna use my CRKT example tomorrow, as I have to change the plugs in the mower. Problem is that despite being an AMERICAN product made by John Deere, it's got a Japanese engine (Kawasaki) and Japanese plugs (NGK) that are metric everything. I'm gonna have to find my deep-well 14mm metric socket as well to get the plug out. My spark plug set is SAE.

That's a neat Camillus. I haven't seen one before. The knife I posted never made it to production probably because of exactly what you said - too clunky in the pocket. Plus it's limited on how many sizes it can hold. It's a really neat idea though. The Camillus looks like it would do a fine job on plugs but it couldn't replace the feeler gauge for points or valves. Thanks for sharing the Camillus info - I'll be watching for one now.

[Meridian_Mike]

I just reeled in this Imperial.....
Looks to be in pretty good shape.

[Meridian_Mike]

I snagged another Imperial yesterday.
According to the tang stamp, this one is from the 1930 - 1936 time period.

SO.... how the heck do you use a can opener blade that looks like this.... ?????

Looks like just a short knife blade. Nothing to use as a lever point.....
Do you just push it in and then after you pull it out just try another push...????

[Papa Bones]

I snagged another Imperial yesterday.
According to the tang stamp, this one is from the 1930 - 1936 time period.


SO.... how the heck do you use a can opener blade that looks like this.... ?????


Looks like just a short knife blade. Nothing to use as a lever point.....
Do you just push it in and then after you pull it out just try another push...????

Good looking Imperial Mike. As for that style can opener, it is cantankerous to use. I've got a couple of knives that have this style, and have tried to use them. You have to push down and create the slot, holding the pivot point or indention (on the bottom of the opener near the knife handle) against the lip and rocking the cutting edge downward to create a slot in the metal. Then (the only way I could make it work) is to turn the blade over where the large curved recess on top of the opener is against the lip on the edge of the can, with the cutting edge of the opener facing up, and rock the blade upwards, move forward some and repeat. It leaves a large section (between 1/4 to 3/8's of an inch of metal inward from the lip, and not as neat as your used to from the newer style can openers, and a lot more jagged. You really have to make sure the point and the cutting edge of the opener is sharp. The later design, which some call the lobster claw and then later like the ones on modern Saks were a large improvement over the style on your Imperial. Heck, the old military P-38 is way better.

[Meridian_Mike]

Well.... I never thought about turning the blade up side down and prying upward...

COOL.... Yep, I recon if you were in a tight, that would work.... YES... I am a fan of the P-38. I have used those for years! Great old can opener!

[OLDE CUTLER]

I picked up this Imperial camper knife over the weekend at a fleamarket. It is like the Kamp King, but has the DE, Diamond Edge logo.

[bladecollectorr]

I picked up this Imperial camper knife over the weekend at a fleamarket. It is like the Kamp King, but has the DE, Diamond Edge logo.

I like it! Thanks for posting!

[New_Windsor_NY]

I purchased a pocket knife from Jason, a.k.a. jxr1197.
He also included the pocket knife pictured below.
A special THANK YOU goes out to Jason for the extra goodie!!

Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.

***** I'll let Jason describe this pocket knife. *****

"This Imperial Jack comes from the Sample Room collection in Providence. When the factory shut down the contents of the Sample Room were boxed up and brought to Ellenville and stored in the safe room at Schrade. The collection of 600+ knives consisted of some prototypes and many Imperial stock knives as well as knives from their other lines like Richards of Sheffield. They also had a lot of competitor knives, the most prevalent being Colonials. Many of the knives were in various states of disassembly or had been used for Rockwell testing but the majority appear to just be unmolested finished knives. During a visit to the factory in 1988 Albert Baer gave the entire collection to Herman Williams. Herman took them back to NC and put the boxes of knives up on a shelf in his garage where they remained for more than three decades. There’s no documentation attached to these knives, just the story passed on from Herman. Their background and chain of custody make them a unique collectible." Jason.

[Paladin]

I purchased a pocket knife from Jason, a.k.a. jxr1197.
He also included the pocket knife pictured below.
A special THANK YOU goes out to Jason for the extra goodie!!

Caption(s), if any, are on the BOTTOM of the corresponding picture(s).
Click on a picture to ENLARGE.

***** I'll let Jason describe this pocket knife. *****

"This Imperial Jack comes from the Sample Room collection in Providence. When the factory shut down the contents of the Sample Room were boxed up and brought to Ellenville and stored in the safe room at Schrade. The collection of 600+ knives consisted of some prototypes and many Imperial stock knives as well as knives from their other lines like Richards of Sheffield. They also had a lot of competitor knives, the most prevalent being Colonials. Many of the knives were in various states of disassembly or had been used for Rockwell testing but the majority appear to just be unmolested finished knives. During a visit to the factory in 1988 Albert Baer gave the entire collection to Herman Williams. Herman took them back to NC and put the boxes of knives up on a shelf in his garage where they remained for more than three decades. There’s no documentation attached to these knives, just the story passed on from Herman. Their background and chain of custody make them a unique collectible." Jason.

That is a knife to be treasured. Great story.

Ray

[ozzie marie]

In my opinion, no Imperial Collection would be complete without an "Authentic Kit Carson Trail Knife"

Keith

[OLDE CUTLER]

In my opinion, no Imperial Collection would be complete without an "Authentic Kit Carson Trail Knife"

Keith

Kit Carson.jpg

I think you are most likely correct. Now I need one. That is a nice one you showed.

[jxr1197]

Imperial folding cleaver. Not exactly pocket friendly.

[Painter80]

I have this old Imperial knife

[LRV]

The numbers stamped on the blade are patent applied by Imperial. You can see the full patents at:
http://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/ ... atents.htm
Interesting stuff...

lrv