Imperial:The,"King"of knives..........

[knife7knut]

So named by me because of the crown symbol used in their logo. As their history has already been well documented I thought I would concentrate on the knives themselves. This post will deal with the three major types of Imperial knives:1)the early and so-called,"solid bolster" types. 2) the later so-called,"shell handled" models which really were their most popular and:3) fixed blade knives.
The early solid bolster models were extremely well made and their quality was as good as any of the major brands of the time.Even when they introduced the shell handled models the quality of the steel in the blades was as good as any made even though the construction may not have been as sturdy.
My favorite Imperial knife is one that inflicted my first wound with a knife at the age of eight and belonged to my grandfather. It is the centerpiece of my accumulation even though it went MIA for about 25 years(a long story I have told here before).
A couple of observations about the knives themselves:Almost all of the Kamp King series I have seen are shell handles;I have only seen one with solid bolsters(in the pictures of solid bolster knives). Also;all of the official Boy Scout knives I have encountered are solid bolster models.If anyone has a shell handled official Scout knife could you please post it?
So without further ado,I hereby present some of my accumulation of Imperial knives and urge one and all to add theirs to the post. This may take awhile so please be patient.
#1 My grandfather's Kamp King.
#2 through #4 Boy's knives showing both a spear point and clip point blade.
#5 &#6 Fish knife with can opener back and advertising.
#7 Fob knife with key blank;in this case a GM style ignition key.
#8 & #9 a couple of figural bowling pin knives.
#10 A tiny pin back knife likely made for a Sears tool salesman.

[knife7knut]

Second page:
#1through #3 A so-called,"color changing "knife using trick knives.
#4 Serpentine pen stamped,"Imperial England"
#5 A figural knife gifted to me by my cousin for being his best man at his wedding.
#6 Fish tail automatic with guards.
#7 Fish tail automatic without guards.
#8 A pair of Hopalong Cassidy knives.
#9 A Kamp King utility in the larger size.
#10 Kamp King utility in the smaller size.

[knife7knut]

Third page:
#1Lobster pen with ball point pen as a secondary blade.
#2 Lobster pen with gold,"M" inset with a gem stone.
#3 Miniature 2 blade jack.
#4 Miniature 6 blade.
#5 Miniature easy open.
#6 Miniature automatic.
#7 Miniature tickler.
#8 Serpentine pen with serrated master blade and figural handle.
#9 Super Kamp King.

Next post will deal with solid bolster knives.

[tongueriver]

Another good read, Ray; thanks! Made me go look at my Imperials.

[Ridgegrass]

I heartily agree. Good old solid EDC's. I really like the IKCo's and the military EO's. Funny how the low-end brand wound up one of the worlds largest makers. Might show a few and join you in saluting them. J.O'.

[knife7knut]

Some solid bolster Imperials
#1 & #2 IKCO knife with two different handle materials;possibly an old salesman's sample.
#3 &#4 A couple of old solid bolster scout/utility knives.
#5 A very early two blade jack with shadow bolsters and swirled celluloid handles.
#6 Two blade solid bolster.
#7 Non official Scout knife.
#8 Early 3 blade that I believe the spear point has been converted to a clip.
#9 Scout/utility marked,"Camp Knife"
#10 An official Boy Scout knife.

[knife7knut]

Fourth page:
#1 Older official Boy Scout knife.
#2 Old coke bottle.
#3 Utility with etching for a druggist.
#4 Two blade electrician's knife with spear point blade.
#5 Two blade electrician's knife with hawkbill blade.
#6 two blade equal end jack with green celluloid handles.AFAIK Imperial was the only company to use this color.
#7 Equal end pen with mottled red and gray celluloid handles.
#8 The only Kamp King I have ever seen with solid bolsters.
#9 Official Boy Scout knife.
#10 Five blade official Boy Scout knife.

[knife7knut]

Last one for now:
#1Fisherman's Favorite.
#2 Serpentine advertising knife.
#3 Old interframe with green & gold metalflake inserts.

[tongueriver]

Lest we forget, Imperial was joined at the hip with Ulster and Schrade.

[knife7knut]

Lest we forget, Imperial was joined at the hip with Ulster and Schrade.

Not forgetting;just featuring Imperials for now.

[knife7knut]

Some modern ones and a few fixed blades.
#1&#2 A knife disguised as a filter tipped cigarette.
#3 Fixed blade with serpentine handle.
#4 Imperial hunter with solid handles.
#5 Imperial hunter with shell handles.
#6 Set of three Ducks Unlimited fixed blades bought for $2 each!
#7 Imperial official Scout knife-fork-spoon set.
#8 Imperial Sport Master with cutting edge coated in tungsten carbide.Supposedly never needed to be sharpened.Would have been difficult anyway as the only thing harder than TC is diamond.

[knife7knut]

These are DEFINITELY the last ones!
#1Imperial Ireland miniature lock back.
#2 Imperial Matterhorn multi-blade.
#3 Imperial Frontier Double Eagle advertising MAC tools.
#4 Imperial Frontier folding hunter.
#5 Official Boy Scout knife
#6 & #7 Two identical knives except for the etching on the blade. One says Pro Hunter and the other says Wildcat Hunter.Huge knives but very light for their size.

[kootenay joe]

Ray, thank you so much for taking time to take these pictures and show us a good variety of Imperial knives from old vintage to more recent.
Imperial knives are not fully appreciated by most collectors even though they played a big roll in USA pocket knife history. Many of us 'old guys' had an Imperial pocket knife when we were young boys.
I recently sold my Imperial knife collection and i felt a little sad to see them go.
kj

[tongueriver]

I hope I am not intruding on the wonderful parade of Imperials, Ray. Just wanted to show one that I like.

[Ridgegrass]

I had one of the cigarette knives when i was a kid. Thought I was hot stuff.
That yellow coke bottle knocked me out! I'm jumping in tomorrow. J.O'

[FRJ]

Me too!

[knife7knut]

I hope I am not intruding on the wonderful parade of Imperials, Ray. Just wanted to show one that I like.
imp1.jpgimp5.jpg

Intrude away amigo! Beautiful oldie and thanks for sharing it.

[Miller Bro's]

Some nice ones I picked up over the years ........

[Ridgegrass]

Pulled out a few "Imps". Some are "IKCo. You can probably pick them out. All the celluloids are solid bolster, and very well made.The scales are very well fitted and hardly shrunken. The EO s' pen blades are stamped "USA" for military use. The big Scoutie is an IKCo. Their cheaper, shell handle knives, while having a niche in the consumer market, have overshadowed these fine knives. I'll buy them anytime I can. J.O'.

[FRJ]

Nice old Imperials, Dimitri and J.O.

Here's a few.
The dogleg has solid bolsters.

[FRJ]

And a few more.

Thanks for looking.

[Colonel26]

Mr. Ray that early three blade that you believe to be converted to a clip is far and away my favorite! That’s a wonderful old knife.

[royal0014]

Some beautiful knives being shown here

[Ridgegrass]

Great! That Dogleg is a peach! J.O'.

[garddogg56]

I love the nostalgia of Imperial shell handle knives.A KampKing was my first scout knife.I really like Imperials solid bolstered knives.