Date help (1920's-1940's winchester or schrade)

[umrgolf]

Is this knife Civil war era? found in the middle of a camp ive been hunting.. Ive seen them labeled as such but it just doesn't seem that old

[chrisplay2004]

Looks like a boy scoute knife. I will try to dayte it. Here is one.

[umrgolf]

Looks like a boy scoute knife. I will try to dayte it. Here is one.

I've seen these and I know they're similar but this doesn't have any inscription in the shield.. The shield design seems to have been used over a large period of time.. I've seen some exactly like mine labeled as civil war, being found in camps across the country. It just "feels" late 1800's/early 1900's to me

[Mackaydon]

Your knife reminds me of this one:
http://www.rubylane.com/item/592442-...0s-Schrade-2-3

[chrisplay2004]

Measurements definitely needed.

[umrgolf]

Your knife reminds me of this one:
http://www.rubylane.com/item/592442-...0s-Schrade-2-3

again similar but the brass ends arent riveted
not saying this isnt the correct date range but would like to know why the same design has been labeled civil war

Measurements definitely needed.

ill post them in the morning, dont have it with me tonight

[kuger]

I dont think so Jeff....that handle scale is the giveaway.I have my grandpa's exact knife around here somewhere.You have the bolster to one above it too

[umrgolf]

I dont think so Jeff....that handle scale is the giveaway.I have my grandpa's exact knife around here somewhere.You have the bolster to one above it too

I understand and I'm in agreement about the age... still curious as to why practically identical knives (with same scale) are being labeled as civil war.. I see the bolster piece in the photo, im just confused because I find those brass ends in CW camps all the time.


just keep running into dead ends on the internet.. what is the handle scale made with on my knife? maybe that will nail down the date if we can figure out when they started using this material

[Monty]

The bullet that is easy identifiable with the rings could be Civil War era, but I can't tell about the others, The knife looks like an old Case knife I use to have. Monty

[umrgolf]

The bullet that is easy identifiable with the rings could be Civil War era, but I can't tell about the others, The knife looks like an old Case knife I use to have. Monty

Yes, the only piece I'm questioning is the knife. Where I'm hunting is a small portion of a massive infantry camp and roughly 95% of the targets have been Civil War. Aside from a few shotgun shells and pieces of foil its all from the camp.

In the same spot I've found multiple pieces of carved lead, so I know the CW soldiers had pocket knives, just trying to confirm this isn't one of them with solid proof.. I passed it off as modern when I dug it, then googled just to make sure and see where people have labeled these knives as civil war.

[umrgolf]

Here's a lot of "15 civil war era knives" one of them having the shield w/ wood handle, and a couple that look like the same material as my handle

http://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotImage...5&url=1312.jpg

[GpSnoopy]

That shield has been used by several manufacturers and over a long period of time. Do a Google Image search for "Vintage Winchester Pocket Knife" for example. So putting a date to it may be a bit difficult until we can find an exact match from a manufacturer.

As for sellers advertising similar knives or any other common items as CW relics, I tend to be leary of the accuracy of their information, especially when they use "found at a CW campsite" as their only proof.

As so eloquently put by a highly respected forum member on another recent item;

People have dug these buckle-shields in areas where they also found civil war relics. To many people, that means it's a civil war relic. But if that were true, then I'd be the owner of lots of valuable Confederate beer-cans, civil war coins dated 1926, and Confederate Model-T Ford parts. ;-)

[umrgolf]

That shield has been used by several manufacturers and over a long period of time. Do a Google Image search for "Vintage Winchester Pocket Knife" for example. So putting a date to it may be a bit difficult until we can find an exact match from a manufacturer.

As for sellers advertising similar knives or any other common items as CW relics, I tend to be leary of the accuracy of their information, especially when they use "found at a CW campsite" as their only proof.

As so eloquently put by a highly respected forum member on another recent item;

People have dug these buckle-shields in areas where they also found civil war relics. To many people, that means it's a civil war relic. But if that were true, then I'd be the owner of lots of valuable Confederate beer-cans, civil war coins dated 1926, and Confederate Model-T Ford parts. ;-)

In agreement 100%.. Rather than just label it civil war because others have, I'd like to figure out what I actually have here.

I have seen other forum members post pocket-knives that are similar and labeled them civil war as well as the stuff you find in google searches, but my honest feeling is that this is knife is several years later, just hoping to find some kind of proof if its out there.

For the shield being used over a long period of time, that design obviously won't get us anywhere.. I think it will have to be sorted out by the other small craftsmanship details or even the material used on the handle.

[GpSnoopy]

This knife is really close, except the caps have a knurled pattern instead of straight lines, but the rivets, shield, and bone design is really close. This is a 1980's reproduction of a Winchester 2967 Slim Moose knife using the old original dies from the 1930's Winchester factory.

[umrgolf]

This knife is really close, except the caps have a knurled pattern instead of straight lines, but the rivets, shield, and bone design is really close. This is a 1980's reproduction of a Winchester 2967 Slim Moose knife using the old original dies from the 1930's Winchester factory.

After searching "vintage winchester pocket knife" I've come up with a couple that are almost identical but not exact... I'd say this case is closed unless someone can produce a pre-Winchester knife that has the shield

It appears the shield knives that are being labeled as civil war are random hunter, etc. drops

This would make sense as the few non-CW targets found at the site were early 1900's shotgun shells

[uglymailman]

I think it's a Schrade. I found one just like the yellow one in the 15 Civil War knives ya posted. Was lying open just like the one you posted on a sand bar in the middle of the Colarado River in central Tx. next to a Racoon carcus. Guy skinned the coon & walked off from his knife. If those Civil war knives are worth anything let me know. I've got a whole box full of em that aren't all rusty.
Drop that sucker in a can of thin oil for a month & see if you can bring it back/ Good luck.

[umrgolf]

I think it's a Schrade. I found one just like the yellow one in the 15 Civil War knives ya posted. Was lying open just like the one you posted on a sand bar in the middle of the Colarado River in central Tx. next to a Racoon carcus. Guy skinned the coon & walked off from his knife. If those Civil war knives are worth anything let me know. I've got a whole box full of em that aren't all rusty.
Drop that sucker in a can of thin oil for a month & see if you can bring it back/ Good luck.

Schrade is a definite possibility.. almost an exact match aside from the shield.. I will try that

[tomjiggy]

My grandfather used to collect knives while I was growing up. I remember flipping through that book of his and I'll tell ya that that shield is pretty common. A lot of manufacturers used it down through the ages, from schrade to imperial. Try a little light cleaning at the base of the blade, thats where the makers mark will likely be along with a serial number. Good luck on dating it if you can't get at least a makers mark as it's a pretty common style folding knife.

[Monty]

The curvature of the hilt is what makes me think it might be an old case knife. There are several Case collectors online, but I haven't checked with any lof them and no longer have their addresses. Monty