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.
I found this knife listed on fleabay as a "rare 1920s prototype". Needless to say, it is no such thing.
Here's the ricasso stamp
This stamp was used between mid-late 1947 at the earliest up until 1954, probably with 1952 or 1953 being the actual last year of making them with this stamp. After this time, PAT'D would have been dropped from the stamp.
The "PAT'D. MADE IN U.S.A." third line is the key - no Western stamp had a reference to U.S.A., whether this stamp, "MADE IN U.S.A." or just "U.S.A." until 1947. I have one that I consider to be a 1946 knife that has "MADE IN U.S.A." hand engraved with an electric etcher on the pile side ricasso.
I would appreciate some opinions on this “Prototype” knife. I assume it is a 1980’s era Western perhaps. Ricasso is marked simply “L36” , but it has a wood handle that appears factory. No markings anywhere else. The pommel is cast aluminum but flat instead of a bb. It came from a fellow who claimed to hang out at the factory at the end of the day with mr. Platts and employees. They would have a few beers and blow off steam
That knife has been reworked from a 1955 to 1967 era L36 blade. The rework is good, but I doubt it's a "prototype". My reading is that an older knife was reworked, possibly after being dropped and snapping the tip. It could very well have been reworked in the factory during "off-time" and had a "personalized" pommel installed.
A full L36 blade would be 5-1/2 inches long with a clip point. That one appears to have been shortened down to 4 or 4-1/2 inches.
If it was a "prototype" from the 80s, it would have been made from a specially cut blank, by stock removal or stamping, if they wanted more than a couple of them. Prototypes would not have just a model number of an already existing model.
All Wxx knives had large handle pins/fasteners from 1968 onward, starting with the only W knives in 1968, the W49 Bowie and the filet knives. This knife has small handle pins that are somewhat smaller than the medium size pins from the W66, introduced in 1958. Had the knife been reworked in factory during the 80s, the larger "wood handle" pins would have been used.
A new model 1980s knife would have had either the standard "bb" pommel or, more likely, the calf's foot pommel that Western implemented in 1960 on the F14 camp axe/hatchet. The calf's foot pommel was put on the L10 and F10 camp axes in 1968, on the "new" model Westmarks in 1970, the "upgraded" L46-8 around 1970, the W46-8 circa 1975, and the Coleman-Western W10 camp axe in 1986. The only mushroom pommels after 1941 were on the short-lived 221 and 221C "survival knife" of 1986, which had a 6-1/2", clip point, heavily gimped (not serrated) blade, which this blade (the OP's) does not resemble at all.
The only thing that might be 1980s prototypical is the sheath. One of the big negatives, IMO, of Western sheaths until Coleman took over in mid-80s was that the keeper straps were almost always up near the pommel, which allowed the knives to slide up when bending over, exposing the edge. This negative was "fixed" with the 1970 Westmark sheaths but remained a "feature" of Western fixed blades until 1986, with the exception in the S-648 of 1968 and a couple of "Buck-esque" wrap around keeper straps.
As Mr. Levine says - Read the knife, not the story.
Thank you very much for your insight Zzyzz!! You are a fountain of knowledge. I do need to find more literature for myself. “Read the knife, not the story” is so very very true!
zzyzzogeton wrote: ↑Fri Nov 25, 2022 4:10 am
I found this knife listed on fleabay as a "rare 1920s prototype". Needless to say, it is no such thing.
Here's the ricasso stamp
This stamp was used between mid-late 1947 at the earliest up until 1954, probably with 1952 or 1953 being the actual last year of making them with this stamp. After this time, PAT'D would have been dropped from the stamp.
The "PAT'D. MADE IN U.S.A." third line is the key - no Western stamp had a reference to U.S.A., whether this stamp, "MADE IN U.S.A." or just "U.S.A." until 1947. I have one that I consider to be a 1946 knife that has "MADE IN U.S.A." hand engraved with an electric etcher on the pile side ricasso.
Here is an interesting e-bay offering .makes me wonder where the knife’s originated and if I could find the source to have a gassing knife refurbished ? Lol No response from message sent to seller !
Rehandled W36, made between 1973 and 1976. All stamps on guard with no reference to BOULDER COLO make it from this short era.
As you can see, all my old pics have disappeared. For some reason, my picture gallery seems to have gone on permanent vacation with no forwarding address. I can't find it, see it, add to it, etc...
zzyzzogeton wrote: ↑Sun Oct 22, 2023 11:40 pm
Rehandled W36, made between 1973 and 1976. All stamps on guard with no reference to BOULDER COLO make it from this short era.
As you can see, all my old pics have disappeared. For some reason, my picture gallery seems to have gone on permanent vacation with no forwarding address. I can't find it, see it, add to it, etc...
That’s a shame about your pictures .I had some on photo bucket that the same thing happened to a couple years ago.I have a W36 D that I carry a lot when out hunting and hiking . Very sturdy well built knife that is easy to keep a razor edge on .
O'.
