Gaff Western

[PaFolders87]

I had never seen a western fishing knife with a Gaff before. Saw it and had to have it. Low price of $10. Pretty cool knife.

[XX Case XX]

Please educate me Ron. What's a "Gaff" and how does it work?

___________
Mike

[americanedgetech]

I imagine there are not many of those left on dry land.
I can see most of them getting dropped overboard when a fish starts flailing about...

[XX Case XX]

I imagine there are not many of those left on dry land.
I can see most of them getting dropped overboard when a fish starts flailing about...

Thanks for the photos Ken, I get it now.

__________
Mike

[FRJ]

Here's an Ulster fishermans gaff knife.

Before and after I had new covers put on it.

[americanedgetech]

Ohhhh I'd be so worried about dropping that in the drink. I think I have lost every fishing knife that I have owned.

[zzyzzogeton]

That is a model S319 Fisherman's Knife.

Combining the "Pat. Appl. For" stamp (PAF) under the "DOX FISH GAFF" stamp with the 1931 model introduction date, I estimate that this knife was made in either 1931 or 1932.

Had the patent been approved, Western would have plastered the Patent Number all over every 319 made in a fashion similar to the way they marketed their double tang patent on fixed blades. Since the DT patent application was submitted in 1931, was pending in 1933 and issued in 1934, I would assume a similar time line would have been applicable to the Gaff knife. I further submit that there was probably only 1 or 2 production runs of the 319 with the PAF stamp.

This leads me to suppose that the patent application was dismissed in the same amount of time or less that it took for the US Patent Office to pass the DT app on to "Pending" status.

The S319 has aluminum handles, first introduced in 1931, made up to the beginning of WW2. Did not survive WW2 when civilian knife production resumed.

There were 2 other models of the 319 over the 10 yer period
A319 - Amber cream handles - 1931 and 1936 catalog reprints
P319 - Composition pearl (celluloid) handles - 1931/1936/1941 catalogs.

I have never been able to find a reference to the patent referenced by the "Pat. Appl. For" stamp on the handle piece for these knives.

My suspicion has always been on the 3 blade arrangement, but I have no proof to support this opinion.

I also have never run across a satisfactory answer to the question "What is a DOX?"

[mrwatch]

try this,

https://books.google.com/books?id=E6NZd ... OX&f=false

[FRJ]

Here is another DOX FISH GAFF. Western States, Boulder Colo. 5 inches closed.

Great information previous, zzyzzogeton.

Thanks for looking.