WESTERN, U.S.A., H-40

[Ridgegrass]

Wondering if anyone is familiar with this Western USA H-40. I really like the "39 Series" blade profile. This one has been around the block but it still holds a good edge and I only gave $3 for it in a pawn shop. 7-7/8" overall, blade just shy of 4". Thanks for any response. J.O'.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Great deal on that old Western. I have an L39 from 1965 that it reminds me of. Too bad somebody used a 36 grit grinding wheel to try to sharpen it.

[Colonel26]

$3.00 is a steal! Ya done good.

[Ridgegrass]

I got a lot of the grind marks out of the blade. It's gonna be a worker anyway.
Never understood why people do that?! #%*^#^!%=^&^$%@ !(expletives deleted) J.O'.

[zzyzzogeton]

With that stamp, it is going to be from 1977 onward. If it were a 1968 to 1972, it would have BOULDER, COLO. as the second line, with the model on the guard. If 1973 to 1975, ALL stamps would be on the guard.

The H40 shows up in the 1978 catalog but are NOT described as "NEW", so they MAY have come out in 1977, or they came out in 1978 with no "NEW" tag. They show up as late as the 1991 catalog.

There should be a 3rd line stamp with the date code latter under that little wedge of corrosion just under the USA H40 line. That letter will give us a year.

[orvet]

That's a great bargain for $3! I'm afraid to pawn shops in my area want to make a little more money than that. That's a great knife and it looks like it's got a lifetime of service left in it with minimal TLC! Congratulations!

[Ridgegrass]

ZZ: There's an '8" or "H" in the stamp. (78 ?) Thanks for the info.

Dale: There are two shops near me, same owners. They don'y really seem to care about knives and they always give me a very substantial cut. Others I visit are internet jockeys and their prices show it. I'm glad for what I've got locally. J.O'.

[zzyzzogeton]

"H" is 1984. Western started with "A" in 1977. The date codes continued through the Coleman years. The final year was "O", for 1991. Very, very few knives went out the door with and "O" date code.

[Ridgegrass]

ZZ: J.O'.