Colonial Knife Company Collector's Forum

[Bonfire bob]

Hey Phil, I'm glad you got the bail's and got one on with no trouble..

The three knives you are refering to are actually on grandpa Frederick's desk with his
desk sign that says "F. Paolantonio, President", for those readers that don't have my book.
This set was called the "Camp Pal" and they are three indivual shell knives; these were not mass produced and are very rare!! They were produced in the late 60's and were only available for very long. The top left little brush knife was the first knife my grandfather gave me when I was 12 or 13 years old!!
Bobby P. CFE...
Here's a pic for the gang here..

[Bonfire bob]

Ooops! Sorry Phil, I forgot all about the money clip! Yes it's ours for sure! The cat# MC-47
was in the line for many, many years! We made so many different designed shells that were blanked with these designs. They were brass and stainless steel shells and one of our biggest sellers were the Chivas Regal guys. We sold thousands every year with "Chivas Regal" stamped in solid brass with brass money clip on the back. Nice find.
Bobby..

[knifetime]

I thought it had to be rare because every since I saw it in your book I have been serching the web for a set like that and can't evan come up with another pic of one. I thought I might have miss read the pic.
I have probly 50 of the little money clips made by Zippo/Case mostly but I have to say I like the looks of that one the best. Thanks for the information Bobby.

[Bonfire bob]

Come to think of it, we also made this knife but with a unique S.S. square front, like a small frame around the outside; and we'd apply a piece of Celluloid inside the square and surface imprint on them! My dad's idea of course, if it involved ad spec...
I made some of these and I put in old Ivory piano keys in the middle!!
I gotta dig them out and take some pics!! Thanks for the reminder....
Bobby P.

[knifetime]

I thought this one was neat so I grabbed it up for cheap. 7 blades/tools you dont see many set up like this one. I can't wait to get it in hand.
I also picked up another hobo but it is not a Colonial.

[jerryd6818]

I picked up this Colonial Camp Knife (Hobo?) a few years ago and had just never taken any pictures of it. The spoon and fork are stamped Stainless. I'm guessing from the "patina" the blade and can opener are carbon steel. 1960s?? Great snap on the blades and tools.

Edit: I just noticed this knife is just like Phillip's only the condition is not as good as Phillip's knife.

[Bonfire bob]

You guys have got me busy today!! No problem, I love it.
Mr. Knifetime, (Phill), shows a nice old Swiss Master utlity knife model # 4804...
This baby has seen some action and it's still around!! This fact alone makes me proud! This one was probably made in the early 80's and we did make them up to 1995! It's original wholesale price was $ 5.73 in 1995..

Jerry has a nice old Camper # 2644, and very old!! The long pull and hand forged old fork tells it's age right off the bat! We made these up to 1995 also but with some technical changes..this one's probably made back in the mid to late 60's..Nice score!!
Great job hunting Colonial's guys; keep up the good work.
Bobby P., CKCo....

[knifetime]

I picked up this Colonial Camp Knife (Hobo?) a few years ago and had just never taken any pictures of it. The spoon and fork are stamped Stainless. I'm guessing from the "patina" the blade and can opener are carbon steel. 1960s?? Great snap on the blades and tools.

Edit: I just noticed this knife is just like Phillip's only the condition is not as good as Phillip's knife.

Great little knife jerry. Yours should have 3 backsprings and a long tang fork. The newer ones only had 2 backsprings and a short tang fork. You are right about the carbon. The one's I have are ss fork and spoon and carbon blade and can opener.

[Bonfire bob]

Spot on gents!

[Producer]

Hi guys, thanks for this forum.
Over the weekend at a local [western Mass. area] gun show I found this Colonial Electrician model with advertising. It's in pretty good shape.
This is my first Colonial and it's really neat.
I thought Bonfire Bob might possibly remember these.
Thanks for looking

[Bonfire bob]

Abso-tively Producer...Our old # 2902W Electritian knife in white! Nice surface imprint is still in pretty good shape.
This one could be anywhere from early 70's and up!! I forget when we dropped the whole
# 2900 line; probably late 80's...
Thank you sir!! Nice score....
Bobby P. CKCo...

[Producer]

Great!
Thanks for the info Bob.
I will be on the lookout for more Colonials.

[Bonfire bob]

OK Producer!! I see your a new member here and let me be the first to say welcome aboard!! AND you have joined on October 25th, my birthday!!
This is the one and only knife site you will ever want or need!! Lot's of good people here..
Intelligent, knife people and anything that has to do with old Colonial knives', I'm your man.
Please check out my blog : myfamilybusinessbook@gmail.com. There you will also see my book for sale.
Thanks again ...
Bobby P. Colonial Knife Co., RAP Cutler's and Heritage Cutlers..

[knifetime]

You guys have got me busy today!! No problem, I love it.
Mr. Knifetime, (Phill), shows a nice old Swiss Master utlity knife model # 4804...
This baby has seen some action and it's still around!! This fact alone makes me proud! This one was probably made in the early 80's and we did make them up to 1995! It's original wholesale price was $ 5.73 in 1995..

Jerry has a nice old Camper # 2644, and very old!! The long pull and hand forged old fork tells it's age right off the bat! We made these up to 1995 also but with some technical changes..this one's probably made back in the mid to late 60's..Nice score!!
Great job hunting Colonial's guys; keep up the good work.
Bobby P., CKCo....

Well Bobby after getting the knife in hand i found out some interesting facts about it. It has solid scales(not a shell) and most of the wear is on the handles not the blades or tools. I can't see that any of the blades have been sharpened. It looks like it spent most of its life in a tackle box. The large hook blade is stamped"high carbon steel" of course all the blades are cs. I have never saw that on any Colonial knives. It is just a heavy strong knife that was well made.

BTW- HAPPY B-DAY

[bdev]

I can't seem to find PDF's of old Colonial catalogs. Did colonial publish catalogs or were their knives featured in the catalogs of their dealers?

Thanks.....Bruno

[knifetime]

Hey Bobby i found a answer to a question I had a little while back. That PALCO/worc/USA hobo I had ask about. I found a Forest Master with that tang stamp today. You know I got to have it,lol and it is in great shape.

[Bonfire bob]

Phill, are you talking about the red swiss knife? Because the entire Swiss Colonial line always had solid plastic handles. If I mentioned a shell knife, I was talking about another one!
Bobby...Colonial...

bdev- Bruno..
We only made catalogues for our sales people and wholesaler's only...
Only NOW do I wish I saved a few of them...
The only one I have is our last one; 1995, with the price list!!
No I'm not parting with it..lol!!
Bobby. Colonial.

[knifetime]

Sorry for the confusion Bobby,i was talking about the PALCO/worc/USA hobo that we thought may have been a Ideal or Colonial. I found a Forest Master with the same stamp.You have never given me any bad info as far as I know.

I had no idea that the other knife had a solid handles,i just thought it was neat and that is why I brought it up.
Thanks for all the good information buddy.

[bdev]

bdev- Bruno..
We only made catalogues for our sales people and wholesaler's only...
Only NOW do I wish I saved a few of them...
The only one I have is our last one; 1995, with the price list!!
No I'm not parting with it..lol!!
Bobby. Colonial.

Thanks Bobby......I betcha your sales catalogs are more rare than Levine's 4th edition!

[Joe Dirt]

This NOS 4 1/4'' EO trapper is the first and only one I have ever seen made by Colonial!
Guess not many were made?? (dam thing is SHARP too!)

...... Joe

[aaron1956]

Here is an old Colonial knife I picked up a few weeks ago at a flea market in Las Cruces, NM

[Bonfire bob]

Holy cow!! I've got my work cut out for me but that's what I'm here for.....
First, no worries Phill, if I was stoned or sleeping one day and something like our shell knifes turned into solid handles, the next day I would have started at the plastic molding injection machine's and snaked my way through the factory to find out who, what, when, how, and more importantly, why!! No s... guys, (sorry), but I spent that much time there..

We did make many solid plastic handled knives but I know exactly which ones!!
Keep searchin' them yard sales and such..never know what you'l find. Your Colonial dictionary is here...
Bobby P., CFE...

[Bonfire bob]

Hey Bruno, you got that right!! Most of those old cat. are long gone!! Too bad..

And wiseguy Joe K., Royal Pines Cutlery shows us the only attempt at a Trapper in our history! Too little, too soon..I was carrying one of these when I was 12!! That's over 35 years ago! And you would think I could remember the cat #???
But your right Joe; never sold many and who know's what happened to the blanking tools for springs, blades and liners..
A classic pal, in great condition..don't part with it.
Gotta go get the lenghthy swiss story!!

[Bonfire bob]

And, our friend aaron1956, displays an old Colonial Swiss Master, and the Carbon steel blades tell a tale alone. This was our # 4804 and was "king of the hill" and our best swiss knife for years UNTILL, we spent a few bucks and re-designed it into the # 2000 series Swiss Ranger Line..First of all, the whole line had stainless blades, aluminum liners, and the hide away style assembly rivets!!

The controversy involving this line is known to very few people..
Colonial's first Hot Die Stamp of the famous "Swiss type" cross that we know so well on the famous Victorian name company..
Sooooo because of legal matter's with THEM, we had to change our logo !!

Now about this four block of mysteries, except for that crummy Chinese or, you know down on the lower left, just take him out of the equation.. The bottom right is our # 4804 already discussed but the other two..mmmm...I going to get back to you on those before I give you my honest, authentic opinion for sure...
If you wouldn't mind sir we'd ALL like to see the tang's on these two, unless it's a test so give me an hour or so...K???

I couldn't help but notice that your missing the bail on your big swiss knife and if you'd like, I think I still have a few kicken' around here, I'll send you one or two.( in case you screw up the first one)..Just be carefull squeezing on th bail and keep it straight..
Your mailing address is all I need; send to bonfirebob11@cox.net...ya owe me a beer when I see you some time..Phill owes me one also!!
Bobby P. CKCo....

[Joe Dirt]

Did the Swiss really yell about the emblem?
Man, there are so many companies that made the Vic style utility knives - they must have had a lot of yelling to do!

O.K.now, and for a few dollars more and a few years later...

.... Joe