All About Pocket Knives

I decided to make a new post for these rather than put them all in the picture thread.

These are my Black Forest Masters. I am trying to find one of every model. So far I have 9 different ones. And a handful of extras to play with.

I know of one black Forest Master that I dont have but it was in poor shape so I am holding out for a better one.


On to the pictures. I wish it was easier to put my words by the pictures to explain each type. I have to put everything above the pictures.

Black Forest Masters.

2nd picture is the 9 different ones I have, in order with oldest at the top.

3rd picture you can see some differences in the models.

Next are a bunch of my oldest Forest Master. It has the Curved stamp used between 1926 and 1938. 1934 was the first year of the Forest Master according to Robert Paolantonios book so this one was made 1934-1938.

The next pictures are what I think is the second model of Forest Master. It is still not a shell knife. There is a large and small version of it.

The large has a 2nd smaller blade. So far Forest Masters all used the old style can opener and did not have leather awls.

The rest of the models were shell knives.

The deep stag style grooved model from 1971 is next. I have 3 different ones of these. 2, 4 blade and 1, 3 blade model. 1 has a leather awl, 1 is a smaller version with no leather awl and the 3rd kind has what Colonial called a belt punch instead of the awl.


The next model are the shallower jigged style. Made in 1973. There is a 4 and 4 blade, large and small model, the smaller is the same but does not have the leather awl.


The last Forest Master is the same as the 4 blade above but the sides are square instead of round. The leather awl on this on is very thin and feel like it could easily bend by hand. This is the last model I have found so far. I feel its from mid ot late 70's.

I added numbers to this picture to show the order these were made in. I will try to add more information about each number to this post.

You've put together an interesting collection.

Very impressive Brian!

Thank you Phil and Scott! I had a more informative, organized post in mind but this is what I came up with.





So...Anyone else collect Forest Masters?



So far I have identified 14 different models of Forest Master.

These are the models I know of I still need. 5 of them.


Black,Model 2 Forest Master with long pull blade.

Imitation Stag Forest Master

Imitation Wood Forest Master

White Forest Master

Red Forest Master

Nice Collection.

A very impressive collection. Thank you for showing these interesting knives.

Thanks guys. I am happy you are enjoying them. I have some new, different Forest Master's that I need to take pictures of so I can update this thread.

Very nice collection.

NICE

Somehow I missed this thread.
This is really neat stuff. Nice old well made knives.
Looking forward to your other pictures.
Great collection.

I was able to get a few more Forest Master pictures today.


Here is one Ive been looking to find for a few years. A red Forest Master. This is the last style Forest Master Colonial made. Made in the 80's and 90s when Colonial changed the leather awl to what they called a belt punch. The red one came with a half serrated blade which Colonial called a scalloped blade.



Here are a couple Stainless Steel Forest Masters.

Next is a weird one. Its looks to me to be one of Colonials Swiss Master knives that they hot stamped with Forest Master. Colonial would make pretty much anything that a customer requested so that is a possibility. But why the heck?

Next is a neat old Forest Master with a compass in the handle and a long pull blade. The Tang stamp is the curved Colonial over Providence and R.I.under that. Unfortunate the can opener is broken off so its not in the best of condition but still a reasonable example of this model for now.



The last one is a Forest Master advertising knife for an automotive radiator stop leak product called Solder Seal.

The Tang is Marked Colonial Prov, USA but the emblem says Solder Seal instead of Forest Master.
And I took a group picture of my Forest Masters. Every one in this picture has something different.