New forum!!!!

In 1911, H. N. Platts, was able to draw on his extensive friendships and family connections in the cutlery world to start Western States Cutlery and Manufacturing of Boulder Colorado. At first only a jobbing business, by 1920 construction and machinery purchases were underway to begin manufacture of knives. Through name changes--to Western States Cutlery Co. in 1953, then Western Cutlery Co. in 1956--and moves first across town and later to Longmont Colorado, the company stayed under the leadership of the Platt family until 1984. In that year, the company was sold to Coleman, becoming Coleman-Western. Eventually purchased by Camillus in 1991, Western continued until Camillus expired in 2007.
trail
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by trail »

Here's a 442A. This is a great small pen knife, easily pocketable. The delrin handles are some of the nicest I have seen.
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trail
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by trail »

I think West-Cut was Western's economy brand, like Camco for Camillus. This one has seen a hard life. It looks like somebody tried to cut a live electrical wire with it, as there is a big hole burned out of the edge of the main blade. But it's still hanging together, still a tough, usable knife.
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Jimbo
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by Jimbo »

here's a Western W49 Bowie with original sheath
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tongueriver
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by tongueriver »

Those bowie patterns are impressive looking beasts! Nice! I see that WEST-CUT is featured as a brand in the 1958 catalog, and may be an economy line, although I don't know exactly how that works, as they look like nice knives. However, I have a fixed blade knife which I am sure is earlier, perhaps from the 1930's with the WEST-CUT tang stamp. It is absolutely top of the line, with fancy spacers and genuine stag. So maybe there were 2 time frames for that brand, with different priorities??
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orvet
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by orvet »

trail wrote:I think West-Cut was Western's economy brand, like Camco for Camillus.
That is right. As Cal put it, it was their economy line. I don’t know if West-Cut was created as an economy line in the beginning, though I expect that may have been the case.
The Camco line was created after WWII specifically to provide an alternative to the more expensive Camillus knives.
In the 1950s an electrician’s knife from Camillus sold for $2.85, a Camco electrician’s knife sold for $1.00, quite a savings for the average person.

In 1950 the Federal Minimum Wage was raised to $0.75 per hour. Meaning that the minimum wage worker made $30/week for a 40-hour work week.
In 1956 the Federal Minimum Wage was raised again to $1.00 per hour, an enormous 25% increase!
Now the minimum wage worker was making $40/week! :shock:

The $1.85 difference in the price of a knife would be significant to guys making $40 per week.
You can see why a company would desire to have an economy brand of knives. ::nod::

In the case of Camco, they were made with the same quality steel, though the handle materials would be less expensive (not necessarily of lesser quality but lower cost) and there was less finish work preformed on the Camco knives, also lowering the cost without compromising the cutting qualities of the knife.

It is easy to understand why companies like Western and Camillus made economy knives to accompany their high quality knives.


Here is a West-Cut knife I bought for a dollar or two at a show 2 or 3 years ago. As you can see from the pic the knife had been used and ill cared for.
West-Cut #336 as found.jpg
After cleaning it up and carrying it for a year or so this is how it looks today.
West-Cut #336.jpg
This knife holds an edge as well as any other carbon steel knife I own.
It may have been an economy knife, but the job it does if First Rate! ::tu::

While I really don't collect Western knives per se, I do have several I keep as users. They are some of the best examples of their kind from the eras they each represent.
I guess you could say I am a fan. :mrgreen:
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tongueriver
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by tongueriver »

I think this genuine stag WEST-CUT is pre-World War Two and not part of the 1950's WEST-CUT economy lineup.

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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by thawk »

tongueriver wrote:I think this genuine stag WEST-CUT is pre-World War Two and not part of the 1950's WEST-CUT economy lineup.

Amen to that Cal. Thats a keeper! Looks like an old Marbles outing knife. I leafed through the Knifemakers book and could not find a stag handled example with the spacers in the middle of the handle, or West-Cut knives before the war. Looked like Westaco was an economy folder line. Are those patent numbers on the bottom line of the stamp?
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by coffeecup »

Don't know if those are patent numbers, but the pommel has twin pins as were used after the patent was adopted.
Jim
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by tongueriver »

Yes, the patent #1,967,479 is on the tang, granted 24 July 1934 for the twin tang construction. They filed for it on 15 December 1931 and were probably using it by then. As far as I know everything from that time on probably used that construction, except such items as their little solid full tang/bolster/blade integral basic knife which I think Marbles copied from Western and began calling an "Outers" knife, but I could be a little fuzzy on that. Case and Remington also made those cute li'l fellers. Maybe everyone did.
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orvet
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by orvet »

That one is a keeper Cal!!! ::drool:: ::drool:: ::drool::
They don’t get much nicer no matter what the name on the tang is. ::tu:: ::tu::
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by 268bull »

Here's a little Mdl. 445 I rescued from a tackle box over the weekend. The tang stamp is Western, over Boulder, over Colo.U.S.A..The knife cleaned up well considering how corroded it was. It is 1 of 4 which I dug out of tackle boxes at an estate sale. ::tu:: Dale H.
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by orvet »

Nice save Dale. ::tu::
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tongueriver
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by tongueriver »

Here is a closeup of a sheath from late 1920s or early 1930s. The condition is remarkable.

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orvet
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by orvet »

Cal that detail is amazing!
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johnny twoshoes
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by johnny twoshoes »

I love Western knives, and I agree with phil, the quality is definitely there. 8)
Heres my Great Grandfather's old EDC, a Western Trapper. ::ds::
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tongueriver
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by tongueriver »

Nice, Johnny! And a H&R? ?
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by johnny twoshoes »

TR, it sure is. 8)
It's a nice little trap gun, fun and cheap to shoot. ::nod::
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johnny twoshoes
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by johnny twoshoes »

Heres a Western that a very dear friend gifted me, it has a special place of honor among my collection. ::nod::
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trail
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by trail »

Great picture of a good looking knife, Johnny. Here's a Western 657. Behind it is a Camillus 165, their version of a medium stockman. The Camillus is a little huskier build than the Western, but they are very similar knives.
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by knife-nut »

Here are my few Western States knives. The first one is a gunstock whittler in a green swirl celluloid. The other one is a stockman with a faded candy cane stripe celluloid handle. The little miniature's are all Western States. They are shown is The Knifemakers that went west book.
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tongueriver
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by tongueriver »

All very nice knives, but I am crazy about those miniatures! Thanks for sharing!
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orvet
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by orvet »

Cool minis! 8)
I have not seen those before.
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by trutemper »

I have to agree about the quality of the steel in those old Western knives...been cleaning squirrels, rabbits, quail, etc, etc since my grandad first put a gun in my hands back when I was 5 years old back in 1956 and if i could shoot supper I also had to clean supper :) . The only knife blade that I think holds and edge as long as the old Westerns is the old Bucks. dont know much about the modern Bucks. Thanks for showin, guys!

Bob
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by garddogg56 »

This thread is dieing here's three Western hunting knives I'm going to use one of these hunting tomorrow.What Western's are you guys using this year?
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Re: New forum!!!!

Post by Old Hunter »

Used this one yesterday to skin a whitetail, Western F66, mfg mid 1960's.

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Deep in the guts of most men is buried the involuntary response to the hunter's horn, a prickle of the nape hairs, an acceleration of the pulse, an atavistic memory of his fathers, who killed first with stone, and then with club...Robert Ruark
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