IKCO The Imperial Knife Company

[FRJ]

Nice knives, Ray. I like that stockman 4 picts down.

[Miller Bro's]

Joe those abalone chip handles are neat

[bighomer]

AIT 1965 Fort Sill Ok. I took a liking to that ole Lone Star beer, now I've took a liking to that knife with the logo on it. Neat.

[FRJ]

Thank you, Dimitri.
The scales sure stand out. I have two other Imperials with these scales.

Great thread by the way.

[knife7knut]

AIT 1965 Fort Sill Ok. I took a liking to that ole Lone Star beer, now I've took a liking to that knife with the logo on it. Neat.

Actually those handles are not original to the knife.It had been kicking around my shop for several years with one side missing and was used for everything. One day I decided to fix it up a bit for no other reason than to make it easier to hold while working.
The scales I made from some scrap optical grade Lexan I had laying around from another project. After they were fitted to the knife I made cuts to simulate bolsters and then jigged the rest of it using a Foredom die grinder with a small ball cutter. The Lone Star logo is an old pin I got somewhere.Cut off the pin and super glued it to the scale after grinding a small flat for it to sit on.
Here are a few closeups before the addition of the shield.

[bighomer]

That's a very neat great job. I don't seem to see many knives with beer advertising on them. HMMM maybe drinking beer and whittling ain't as safe as chawing tobaccy and whittling.

[wlf]

That's funny Homer,but I expect true.

[FRJ]

Here is a "slim trapper" that I picked up today at a indoor flea market. I cleaned it up a bit. I don't think it has been sharpened and it is in pretty good condition. This is the first of this parallelogram tang stamp that I have. I guess it has Delrin covers. 4 1/16".

[whitebuffalo58]

Nice old Imperial, FRJ!

I'm pretty sure it pre-dates Delrin. It could be another composite material, but it wasn't uncommon for the earlier Imperials to have bone scales. They made some pretty fair knives back in those days.


WB

[FRJ]

Thanks, WB.
It is some kind of composite. It has started to shrink and crack just a bit at the pile side spring pin.
By the way, all the pins on this thing are peened. That's pretty cool. That could suggest pre 1920, No?

[whitebuffalo58]

Well, it's got me a little confused. It is one of their earlier tang stamps, but unless the composition is celluloid, the rough black comp would suggest a bit later then the 20's.(IMHO)

Not many records, even on the early Imperials, but what few I've come across list only bone and celluloid as handle materials. It would be the first jigged black celluloid I've ever seen, or the earliest non-celluloid rough black that I've ever seen. One guess would be an earlier blade used in a later knife. Imperial did that some.


WB

[FRJ]

Thank you, WB.
I didn't see the crack and the shrinkage before my guess at Delrin or I wouldn't have made that guess.
It doesn't seem like celluloid but I would be the first to admit that I haven't seen all celluloid.
Whatever the make up it's a pretty fair knife. I have sharpened it now and I will be packing it.
Thanks again.

[whitebuffalo58]

Not sure I was much help, but happy to try.

I have sharpened it now and I will be packing it

Some of the nicest jigging I've seen on a composite and with Imperial's blade steel it should be great EDC.


WB

[Miller Bro's]

I thought this was pretty neat. Never removed from the original card, and it's the Junior model which are a lot harder to find!

[whitebuffalo58]

That's pretty neat, Dimitri! I have one, but never knew they came on a card. Without looking, I think the one I have is imprinted with "compliments" of an auto parts store or something along those lines. Nice little find and I especially like how the card says Made in USA, Printed in USA and Patented in USA.


WB

[Miller Bro's]

Thanks Rob, made back when made in America meant something!

[Miller Bro's]

Going to wake up this old thread with this one.

[woodwalker]

Great thread to look thru. Here is my newest EDC that I'm liking alot. An imperial Congress.

[3030remchesterCOLO]

A little 3 3/8" IKCo.

[Ridgegrass]

Nice one . I like the IKCo mark. I was reading an old post above about IKCo's and Delrin. I took this one and put the red-hot needle test to it for celluloid. The point barely put a mark in the handle and did not smoke at all like celluloid. I can't say what it is but it isn't celluloid. It also shows no cracks and nearly no shrinkage. Maybe the idea that they could be old, leftover blades is possible. The fact that this knife has brass liners suggests it's pre- or post-WW2. . J.O'.

[doglegg]

Nice one . I like the IKCo mark. I was reading an old post above about IKCo's and Delrin. I took this one and put the red-hot needle test to it for celluloid. The point barely put a mark in the handle and did not smoke at all like celluloid. I can't say what it is but it isn't celluloid. It also shows no cracks and nearly no shrinkage. Maybe the idea that they could be old, leftover blades is possible. The fact that this knife has brass liners suggests it's pre- or post-WW2. . J.O'.

A knice looking old knife J O.

[Ridgegrass]

Thanks Dog. O'.

[woodwalker]

A little 3 3/8" IKCo.

Very nice!!

[woodwalker]

Nice one . I like the IKCo mark. I was reading an old post above about IKCo's and Delrin. I took this one and put the red-hot needle test to it for celluloid. The point barely put a mark in the handle and did not smoke at all like celluloid. I can't say what it is but it isn't celluloid. It also shows no cracks and nearly no shrinkage. Maybe the idea that they could be old, leftover blades is possible. The fact that this knife has brass liners suggests it's pre- or post-WW2. . J.O'.

Super knife!!

[Miller Bro's]

Great thread to look thru. Here is my newest EDC that I'm liking alot. An imperial Congress.

Nice EDC