Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

The Cattaraugus Cutlery Company was started by John Champlin and his son Tint in 1882. It was first incorporated under the name J.B.F. Champlin and Son as a wholesale distribution company based in Little Valley, New York. The business proved to be a successful endeavor, and it soon branched into a knife production company named Cattaraugus.
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Ittsukan
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Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Ittsukan »

Recently picked up this fixed blade. Looking for any info on the model number and years of production. I seem to recall a military connection but may be thinking of a Kinfolks Pilot Survival knife that had a similar handle.
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Gunsil
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Gunsil »

I doubt you'll find that info here. I have never seen a Catt catalog made after the war so it will be very hard to find the model number. Plenty of pre WW2 Catt catalogs but most don't have hunting knives. The knife you show is a cheap post war hunting knife made 1950s-when they went out of business in 1963. It is possible that Catt started making these in the late forties but not pre war. Not many folks collect the Catts from this era, they are not nice looking knives. I also don't believe there were any Kinfolks "pilot" knives made with plastic handles although there were a few Hunting knife models made pre war with black plastic handles. Kinfolks was also a prolific supplier of contract knives for other companies with over 20 different names on them, and Kinfolks made all the hunting knives for Catt 1926-1941.
Ittsukan
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Ittsukan »

You're probably right.
Here's a photo of what the owner says is a Kinfolks Pilot Bailout knife.
I don't know either way. Just going by what he says.
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Gunsil
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Gunsil »

I wouldn't listen to most sellers, often they know little about what they sell. Knife shown is no way a pilot survival knife. If you like American military knives you should get some books on the subject and learn about them.
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1967redrider
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by 1967redrider »

Cool knives. 😎👍


I guess if you had to bail out, you'd be thankful for whatever was available.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
Ittsukan
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Ittsukan »

Gunsil wrote: Mon Apr 21, 2025 5:11 pm I wouldn't listen to most sellers, often they know little about what they sell. Knife shown is no way a pilot survival knife. If you like American military knives you should get some books on the subject and learn about them.
You're probably right. At least you sound like you think you are. Was at probably the biggest Gun and Militaria show in the area on the weekend. Lots of books. Not one on knives or even bayonets. Just not very common around here so I have to rely on forums such as these for information. Most times people are pretty helpful other times they're not.
But, the questions seem to get answered either way, I guess.
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Miller Bro's
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Miller Bro's »

No military connection on either of those that I am aware of.

I am familiar with the OP knife as I have a couple of them.

They were a pattern made that was marked "OvalHole Packing Knife", the smooth round area on the handle was stamped the same as the leather sheath.

Yours was never stamped but is the same pattern. They are a nice knife and do the job they were intended to do.
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Gunsil
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Gunsil »

About the knives shown I am definitely right. I have been collecting and studying fixed blade knives for over 60 years and have a good library of books on them. You might try Knife Magazine's list of knife books for sale, they have many although there are a lot of good books that are out of print they don't have. Knife Magazine has an online edition too and usually good articles on military knives. Frank Trzaska's Military Knife site is free to visit and he is the leading expert on American military knives. There are also military knife forums which have good info on military knives. Many of the out of print books on American military knives still can be found. They show up on ebay and Amazon and some are pricey but knowledge is valuable. I don't know where you are located but I have been to gun shows where the book sellers have lots of knife books. To me it's preposterous that the seller would say that little Kinfolks knife was a pilot survival knife. Pilot bail out kits for the European theater were not made by the government but were contracted out to various companies who purchased the knives from whoever they could get them from. The makers included Case, Camillus, Kinfolks, and Marbles. Catt did not supply knives for bail out kits and the government never supplied the knives for the kits except for the bolos and folding bolos and the V44 for planes flying in the pacific theater. All the knives in the European theater bail out kits had five inch blades and stacked leather handles. The first specific "Pilot survival knives" were not introduced and provided buy the US military until 1956 as the "Jet Pilot survival" knives. Get smart, get books. Your local library can get you any knife book you wish (for loan only not for sale).
Ittsukan
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Ittsukan »

Gunsil wrote: Tue Apr 22, 2025 3:35 am About the knives shown I am definitely right. I have been collecting and studying fixed blade knives for over 60 years and have a good library of books on them. You might try Knife Magazine's list of knife books for sale, they have many although there are a lot of good books that are out of print they don't have. Knife Magazine has an online edition too and usually good articles on military knives. Frank Trzaska's Military Knife site is free to visit and he is the leading expert on American military knives. There are also military knife forums which have good info on military knives. Many of the out of print books on American military knives still can be found. They show up on ebay and Amazon and some are pricey but knowledge is valuable. I don't know where you are located but I have been to gun shows where the book sellers have lots of knife books. To me it's preposterous that the seller would say that little Kinfolks knife was a pilot survival knife. Pilot bail out kits for the European theater were not made by the government but were contracted out to various companies who purchased the knives from whoever they could get them from. The makers included Case, Camillus, Kinfolks, and Marbles. Catt did not supply knives for bail out kits and the government never supplied the knives for the kits except for the bolos and folding bolos and the V44 for planes flying in the pacific theater. All the knives in the European theater bail out kits had five inch blades and stacked leather handles. The first specific "Pilot survival knives" were not introduced and provided buy the US military until 1956 as the "Jet Pilot survival" knives. Get smart, get books. Your local library can get you any knife book you wish (for loan only not for sale).
Thanks for the info.
Trzaska's site is great as is Knife Magazine's.
I don't buy from eBay or Amazon or anything online.
Gun shows are far and few between in my neck of the woods as are any books on knives at any of the shows or even used book stores.
Never said the seller said it was a military knife. Never even mentioned a seller.
As for the example with the sheath, the person who owns it thinks it's military. I don't know either way. Just what they said. Now I don't care nearly as much. Thanks.
I have a number of those bail out knives you mention. Case, Camillus, etc.
I have lots of books, maybe I'm already smart.
I'm aware of how libraries work, thanks.👍
Ittsukan
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Ittsukan »

Miller Bro's wrote: Tue Apr 22, 2025 3:12 am No military connection on either of those that I am aware of.

I am familiar with the OP knife as I have a couple of them.

They were a pattern made that was marked "OvalHole Packing Knife", the smooth round area on the handle was stamped the same as the leather sheath.

Yours was never stamped but is the same pattern. They are a nice knife and do the job they were intended to do.
Thank you. I've seen that one before. Seems to be many different makers that used that same handle.
I'm going to look at one this weekend made by Clauss. As Gunsil says. Clauss never made knives. Perhaps they were an importer, I guess. Maybe this one was made by Kinfolks for Clauss and they put their stamp on it.
Gunsil
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Re: Cattaraugus Fixed Blade

Post by Gunsil »

Clauss never made a knife, their fixed blades were mostly made by Kinfolks. if you find a fixed blade knife from 1926-1950s and it has an aluminum guard it is likely made bu Kinfolks. KA-BAR, Case, and Remington all used nickel guards. Queen also used aluminum guards but they have a distinctive style which is easily distinguishable from Kinfolks. I did not mean the seller of the original knife, I meant the owner of the little Kinfolks.
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