Big Eye Brand Trapper

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EyeBJoe
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Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by EyeBJoe »

Well perhaps it was weakness of the flesh or the devil made me do it but I have just received a nice new addition to the Eye Brand collection. I purchased the knife from an eBay auction and probably was bidding against some fellow members here. This one really spoke to me. Upon first seeing the knife, I recognized by the color of the bone handles alone that it was an example of an much older Eye Brand. Of course, the straight line Carl Schlieper stamping was another obvious lure along with the plain large shield. Perhaps the most interesting component of this knife was the master blade stamping "Williams Bros. Cutlery". And, the Eye Brand two eye etched banner was missing which would have been common on knives of this vintage. My as yet limited research on Williams Brothers Cutlery revealed it was a knife retailer from approximately 1900 through present. The conclusion that seems to be evident is this is a contract knife commissioned by Williams Brothers Cutlery. Contract knives are, of course, not a rarity at all but in my many years of collecting the cutlery of Carl Schlieper I had never come across a knife that appeared to be a contract version.

A call to Mark Cruse in Austin (Manchaca), Texas was partially revealing. Forest Cruse, Sr. began importing Eye Brand cutlery in the early 1950's, followed by his son Forest Jr. and then Mark. Mark could say with confidence that there were no contract knives permitted to be imported into the U.S. from the mid 1960's when his father took over the business through present day. He was unsure whether his grandfather had permitted them to be produced but, if so, did not think there were many, if any, other examples. Mark indicated he had an exact duplicate of this MJ trapper in his personal Eye Brand collection and considers the Williams Bros. Cutlery knives to be extremely rare as collector pieces. :)

If there are any Eye Brand collectors and enthusiasts out there that could offer up other information or examples, I think it would be interesting for all of us to see.


Joe D.
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Paladin
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by Paladin »

Very, very interesting and a nice acquisition, Joe. How long is the knife and I notice it is drilled. Thinking back, I don't recall another drilled trapper. ::tu::

Ray

Duh!! I got so excited I failed to notice that the photo included a ruler.

Ray
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kootenay joe
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by kootenay joe »

Is the knife 6" closed ? Looks like 6 1/2" in picture ?
There was (or is ?) a "Williams Cutlery" in Sonoma CA. who imported German & Swedish knives that were often marked with an etch "Williams Cutlery".
"Williams Bros. Cutlery" is probably a different company ?
kj
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by kootenay joe »

Maybe same frame as this 6" Swing Guard ?
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tallguy606
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by tallguy606 »

I have a few German Eye baby canoe and large canoe knives in my collection. I carried a red small canoe with broken off pen blade but good main blade for years as my "office knife." Carbon steel got wicked sharp and kept edge a long time, BUT I think they tempered their blades pretty hard, and any twisting motion on the blade was liable to snap it off. I understand the newer Eye knives have slipped somewhat in quality.
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EyeBJoe
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by EyeBJoe »

Roland, the knife is in fact 6 inches closed. With my cell phone I was having difficulty keeping shadows from forming on the blades while trying to photograph the knife. Evidently the way I was holding the phone resulted in some distortion to the look of the ruler.

As to Williams Cutlery or Williams Bros. Cutlery I am unsure whether it is the same company. However, Levine's 5th Edition lists "Williams (Brothers) Cutlery as headquartered in San Francisco. Sonoma is right up the road so it stands to reason it is possibly the same company.

That is a great swing guard Eye Brand you include. I'm a relative novice as to folding knife construction, even though I have learned a ton here on AAPK.. As such I have always considered the big trapper and the swing guard as being done on different frames. Whether on the same or different frames they each are great old Schlieper knives.


Joe D.
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EyeBJoe
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by EyeBJoe »

Tallguy, I think several of us would agree that the quality of some of the more recent Schlieper knives just doesn't hold up to the older produced knives. My definition of "older" would be from 1950 through perhaps 1992-93. Just my humble opinion. There's lots of guys out there that still like many of the newer offerings.


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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by EyeBJoe »

Ray, I looked at the pictures of the trappers I posted on March 30. Looks like the 6 inch and the 5 inch trappers both had drilled bolsters.

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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by Paladin »

Right you are, sir. Don't know why that memory failed me.

Ray
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by kootenay joe »

A knife identical to O.P. knife was recently auctioned on ebay. So this makes 3 of these 6" trappers marked "William's Bros. Cutlery" are now known.
kj
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by kootenay joe »

A more recent picture of this "Williams Bros." knife.
kj
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Runted
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by Runted »

I bought this trapper at a gun show this past summer. I know it does not have the same markings but it
is the same style knife.
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Re: Big Eye Brand Trapper

Post by Hideaway Knives »

Cool piece looks like a great edc
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