All About Pocket Knives

"Canton Cutlery Co." dated to 1870, was known primarily for their celluloid picture handled knives similar to their competitors like "Novelty Cutlery Co.", and "Aerial Cutlery Co.", but Canton also offer handles in stag (bone), and silver by the early 1920s in addition to celluloid. In 1927 the "Car-Van Steel Products Company" company which was owned by Dr. William Carnes (who also had controlling interest in the "Canton Cutlery Co.") absorbed the "Canton Cutlery Co." and changed the name of the knife company to "Car-Van S.P. Co., Canton O." During WWII all steel from the "Car Van Steel Products Company" went to the war effort, which also marked the end for this knife brand.

Enclosed is a finely made bone handled whittler with the "Car-Van" tang stamps on each blade. A light "Car-Van" etch is still visible on the main blade.

Also enclosed is an ad from 1923 for "Canton Cutlery Co." showing the use of "Car-Van" steel blades and the options of stag, celluloid, or liberty silver for handle materials.

Help me out here. Was CAR-VAN not the company that advertised their blades as being strong enough to penetrate steel plate?

If so, I recall an item listed on Ebay years ago, very early in its existence, of a square steel plate with a Car-Van knife stuck through it.

Have often regretted not bidding on that one.

Beautiful knife, BTW.

Charlie Noyes

very cool...thanks for showin' it!!!!

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Help me out here. Was CAR-VAN not the company that advertised their blades as being strong enough to penetrate steel plate?

If so, I recall an item listed on Ebay years ago, very early in its existence, of a square steel plate with a Car-Van knife stuck through it.

A postcard showing this.

Yes. I've seen that card before and one of them was included in the Ebay auction I noted above, however, an actual knife blade through a steel plate was in the auction as well.

Now, I really wish I had bid.

Charlie Noyes

Those are some mighty tall claims. Has anyone ever tried to hammer a BUCK knife though a nail?

tjmurphy wrote:Those are some mighty tall claims. Has anyone ever tried to hammer a BUCK knife though a nail?

I'd be afraid I'd mess up my hammer.

Sure wouldn't want to do that now, would you.