All About Pocket Knives

I am primarily a Buck collector, but I ran across this Queen Steel Slim Trapper at a local thrift store with three Colonial Fish knives, I offered the guy $20 out the door for the lot and sure enough came home with them. Still haven't learned which model number this is, but the tang stamp puts it at 1958-1960 with a single 440C blade, (according to a friend, Delrin handle I assume). It is my first Queen anything other than a single Trestle Pines branded Barlow I have that was made by Queen, (that's where the "sorta" mention in the title comes from). I know they have recently gone belly up so I figure anything Queen will ultimately be collectible, not bad for a fiver. I'll still keep my collecting focus on Buck, but there's nothing wrong with a little side collecting. (Just don't tell BCCI that I am cheating on them ).

Nice score! Looks like a #11 pattern with "burnt orange" imitation Winterbottom. Those imitation Winterbottom bone covers Queen used were really good - sometimes hard to tell them from the bone that preceded them. As far as I'm concerned the older (pre-1970) Queens were already collectable.

Ken

Mumbleypeg wrote:Nice score! You're right about the synthetic covers, but those imitation Winterbottom bone covers Queen used were really good - sometimes hard to tell them from the bone that preceded them. As far as I'm concerned the older (pre-1970) Queens were already collectable.

Ken

That's what I have been learning, I've seen a few with that handle on the bay, mainly Barlows, but this was the first Trapper I've seen with that handle. I was really surprised to find it in the first place, that store never ever has pocket knives, which proves that if you don't look you just don't find so ya GOTTA go in and look! I knew enough to know that $20 for four US-made knives of that era was a no brainer, (for ANY era for that matter), so I didn't hesitate to grab them and run. I sharpened this one up and it is now scary sharp, (and tight and snappy), I like it so much I've added it to my EDC rotation.

You got lucky! The Queen is the real score so I'd call it $14 for the Queen and $2 each for the Imperials. In recent years Queen has made traditional slip joints with blades made out of D2, ATS-34, BG-42, and CPM-154 so using 440C back when it was the best known prestige blade steel is consistent with Queens recent business model. However, this is the first time I've read Queen ever used 440C. Is that stamped on the blade or where did you read its blades are 440C? 1980s ads list their stainless as 440 without a suffix. When a manufacturer does not brag about the letter suffix of their 440 it usually is 440A. "Queen Steel" is meaningless. I have Queen knives marked "Queen Steel" that are also marked with a variety of steel names.

Congratulations on a good buy! I wouldn't have hesitated at $20 for that #11!
Treefarmer

That is a real nice one! And what a deal!

Q has used 440C since hector was a pup.

brucegodlesky wrote:Q has used 440C since hector was a pup.

I haven’t heard that expresssion,”since Hector was pup” in ages. I bet no one under 50 knows the reference anymore.
SSk