All About Pocket Knives

I have read with considerable interest a handful of posts in this forum regarding Durango brand knives that were apparantly made for Case by Colonial. A few years ago I stumbled upon a shoebox full of barlows at an antique store and after picking through them ended up with 15 or so real treasures. Among them was the Durango U.S.A. pictured. I didn't recognize the name but it was stamped USA and they were priced right so I grabbed it. I considered it a grand score; among the others I snagged were Kabar, Camillus, Ulster, Schrade, Providence, Colonial, and even an IXL Geo Wostenholm. I threw that Durango on display with the rest of them and never thought another thing about it until I was scrolling through trying to learn a bit more about Colonial and Providence and saw the posts that mentioned the Durango line. When I look at it it seems like classic 1960's vintage, can anyone shed a little more light on the history behind?

That Patent # 3,317,996 was issued to Antonio Paolantonio of Colonial fame. Bobby Paolantonio (Bonfire Bob on AAPK) should be able to answer any questions you might have about Colonial Knives.

http://www.google.com/patents/US3317996

I think that the Durango line dates to either the mid 70's or the early 80's. those are two different time frames that I have heard. They must have been very short lived since I never heard of them at the time they came out, only much later.

Thanks gentlemen. It would be interesting to learn more about production numbers and various styles produced under this line. Are there any Case catalogs that show them I wonder?

waggo71 wrote:Thanks gentlemen. It would be interesting to learn more about production numbers and various styles produced under this line. Are there any Case catalogs that show them I wonder?

No; they were never mentioned or shown in any Case literature (and I have it all, believe me). Maybe they were sold by American Brands but not through Case. On the other hand, the one Durango knife that I owned was in a box with both the CASE and Durango logos. Though the knives themselves had no Case markings, only Durango.

Awhile ago I asked Bobby P. former Colonial employee and our resident Colonial knife guru, and he had never heard of them.