Colonial Knife Co Providence R.I.

[B.Mauser]

Hickory n Steel, that was the second colonial I have seen with a Swiss Army Knife can opener, until the brochure above. Never have found out if Colonial had a license from SAK or just copied them? John

I have wondered about that too. I wouldn't expect Colonial to want any more trouble with Victorinox. When Colonial first made their Swiss Master knife they had the same cross on them that Victorinox used. Colonial was contacted by Victorinox and asked to change the cross or they would sue Colonial. Colonial added a second line to the cross to avoid problems.

 

[B.Mauser]

Now, that's cool!

I'm glad you like it. I have 17 different Forest Masters currently. I need to get more detailed pictures but here is a quick one for now.

Every one of these has something different about it.

 

[B.Mauser]

Here are a few models of Colonial shell knives I have that I think are pretty cool. A couple of these are in my traditional EDC rotation.


This picture is from an old magazine advertisement. You could buy a card of 12 of these for 10.20.

This picture is from the back of a Colonial counter top store display. It shows that this knife is model 2633s.

Here are some of my Colonials. I think there is an older and new kind, the newer with a swedge on the blade. My older one has an over sharpened main blade but I haven't found an identical one in better shape yet. I also found one very similar but with 2 blades. The 2 blade model is has handles that are more square while the 3 blade models are more round.

I also have a few somewhat similar but smaller Colonial jack knives. The 2 blade versions are Model# 492. I dont know the model number of the 3 blade. I would guess its 493 but cant verify that.


The 3 of these I have are all older ones marked Pat. Pend. on the tang. The 3 blade is very clean, shiny and unused.

Here they are with the bigger ones from above. The smaller ones are 3 & 1/2 inches and the bigger 3 & 3/4.

 

[B.Mauser]

How you doing my friends?

Anyone else have any Colonials to share?


I just got some new Colonials in the mail today that I am about to open. I have so many that I haven't had time to take pictures of yet. My back pain really makes getting good pictures hard these days.


Hopefully I can get some new pictures taken tomorrow. Don't worry no shell knives haha . They seem to be pretty underwhelming.



So. I got 3 new Old Cutlers. A couple Swiss Masters, an old Scout knife, an Anvil stockman and a couple other interesting Colonials I will talk about later.



It was my birthday last week so yeah, I went a little crazy...


I love this traditional knife forum. The people are great and the threads so very interesting. I want to start buying other brands of traditional knives so I can participate in other threads here but I just enjoy getting new Colonials so much. Each one is a little puzzle piece in the jigsaw that is Colonials history.



So for now I will remain here in my Colonial thread but I am looking forward to branching out soon and meeting more nice people with the traditional knife sickness.



Here is one quick picture of one of my new Colonials. As I discussed earlier with hickory n steel I have been looking for one of the single blade florist type Swiss Master knives. I recently found something somewhat similar. A 2 blade Swiss Master that I have never seen before. Its not in the Colonial catalogs I have seen.


It has scratches on the handle that look like they are from being stored in a box of knives but other wise it is in new and unused condition.

 

[Hickory n steel]

How you doing my friends?

Anyone else have any Colonials to share?


I just got some new Colonials in the mail today that I am about to open. I have so many that I haven't had time to take pictures of yet. My back pain really makes getting good pictures hard these days.


Hopefully I can get some new pictures taken tomorrow. Don't worry no shell knives haha . They seem to be pretty underwhelming.



So. I got 3 new Old Cutlers. A couple Swiss Masters, an old Scout knife, an Anvil stockman and a couple other interesting Colonials I will talk about later.



It was my birthday last week so yeah, I went a little crazy...


I love this traditional knife forum. The people are great and the threads so very interesting. I want to start buying other brands of traditional knives so I can participate in other threads here but I just enjoy getting new Colonials so much. Each one is a little puzzle piece in the jigsaw that is Colonials history.



So for now I will remain here in my Colonial thread but I am looking forward to branching out soon and meeting more nice people with the traditional knife sickness.



Here is one quick picture of one of my new Colonials. As I discussed earlier with hickory n steel I have been looking for one of the single blade florist type Swiss Master knives. I recently found something somewhat similar. A 2 blade Swiss Master that I have never seen before. Its not in the Colonial catalogs I have seen.


It has scratches on the handle that look like they are from being stored in a box of knives but other wise it is in new and unused condition.

That's awesome, it's like a Victorinox pocket pal on steroids 👍

 

[screened porch]

Looks like nice new condition too.

 

[B.Mauser]

That's awesome, it's like a Victorinox pocket pal on steroids 👍

I'm glad you like it. I was hoping you would see this. I was wondering which Victorinox this was like. I just looked that up and yep, that's the one. Thanks!

Looks like nice new condition too.

Yeah not a scratch on the blades. And I bought it from a guy in Providence R.I.! Love that.

I got one of the old Swiss Masters too, still in the box from Colonial. I'm about to post a picture of it and some Old Cutlers.

 

[B.Mauser]

Here is another Colonial Swiss Master. This is one of the old ones with the first cross and shield used by Colonial.

This is the cross that made Victorinox contact Colonial and ask them to change it because they felt it was too similar to theirs. So they changed their hot stamp logo to the cross with 2 lines to avoid legal trouble with them.

This one is unused in the original box from Colonial.

This picture compares the old and new cross. The old ones were a little brighter red also.

 

[Hickory n steel]

That's cool as well, and I like how it's got the 2d awl like you find on some of the Victorinox alox models like the farmer.

 

[5K Qs]

How you doing my friends?
... My back pain really makes getting good pictures hard these days.
... Don't worry no shell knives haha .
...It was my birthday last week so yeah, I went a little crazy...


I love this traditional knife forum. The people are great and the threads so very interesting. I want to start buying other brands of traditional knives so I can participate in other threads here but I just enjoy getting new Colonials so much. Each one is a little puzzle piece in the jigsaw that is Colonials history.
...
Here is one quick picture of one of my new Colonials. As I discussed earlier with hickory n steel I have been looking for one of the single blade florist type Swiss Master knives. I recently found something somewhat similar. A 2 blade Swiss Master that I have never seen before. Its not in the Colonial catalogs I have seen.
...
It has scratches on the handle that look like they are from being stored in a box of knives but other wise it is in new and unused condition.
...

I'm doing OK, B. Mauser, thanks! I hope you get some relief from your back pain ASAP; back pain is the pits!

I'll look at pictures of each and every shell knife you want to post, sir! :thumbup: I have simple tastes (maybe a simple mind, too ) and love those old shell knives; that's what I grew up with!

Hope you had an enjoyable birthday! Sounds like you picked up some excellent gifts!

You're certainly correct about the wonderful people that hang out here! :thumbup: But don't rush into getting a bunch of other brands just so you can participate in more threads! I really admire your dedication to Colonials and wish I had more focus to the knives I acquire. I DO find myself using/carrying my Forest-Master (my first knife) more and more as time goes by!

I agree with H&S, that is a Colonial version of the Vic Pocket Pal for sure! Nice! :thumbup:

 

[B.Mauser]

I finally got the last knives I needed for my Old Cutler collectors edition box. I think I like the white ones best.

WOW! I like this Barlow. Its real thick, feels pretty heavy duty. I am going to look for a few more of these for users and keep this one new.

The model numbers of these are, from left to right, 2 blade brown jigged small stockman Model # 423. White 2 blade Model #421. Yellow 2 blade trapper Model #320. Yellow 2 blade large stockman Model # 522. White 3 blade large stockman Model #531. White 2 blade Barlow Model # 720.

Colonial started the Old Cutler line in 1977 and made them until the mid 90's. The Model #320 Trapper was purchased fully assembled from Camillus by Colonial so they could make this collector box. Colonial never made a Trapper and the owners decided it would be cheaper to buy them from Camillus than completely tool up all the machines they would need to make this their selves. Its a great knife.

 

[B.Mauser]

I'm doing OK, B. Mauser, thanks! I hope you get some relief from your back pain ASAP; back pain is the pits!

I'll look at pictures of each and every shell knife you want to post, sir! :thumbup: I have simple tastes (maybe a simple mind, too ) and love those old shell knives; that's what I grew up with!

Hope you had an enjoyable birthday! Sounds like you picked up some excellent gifts!

You're certainly correct about the wonderful people that hang out here! :thumbup: But don't rush into getting a bunch of other brands just so you can participate in more threads! I really admire your dedication to Colonials and wish I had more focus to the knives I acquire. I DO find myself using/carrying my Forest-Master (my first knife) more and more as time goes by!

I agree with H&S, that is a Colonial version of the Vic Pocket Pal for sure! Nice! :thumbup:

Hi 5K! Thanks for your post and all your nice comments. I appreciate it. I definitely wont give up on the Colonials but I'm going to have to get at least one of those fancy new GECs.

 

[Hickory n steel]

That old Cutler Barlow is just plain awesome 👍
So many people on the porch are all about gec ( nothing wrong with that ) but it's refreshing to see a thread dedicated to a different brand, especially one like colonial that most people see as the cheap knife they had as a kid because they could afford it.

 

[Old Hunter]

Congratulations Mauser on completing your Old Cutler set - all of them are in terrific condition! I've added one more Colonial since I last posted in this thread, a well used Anvil Stockman that is in good shape - perfect for a carrying knife. OH

 

[T. Erdelyi]

B.Mauser, do you have a complete FM with the compass/magnifying glass with original chain?

 

[major_works]

That old Cutler Barlow is just plain awesome 👍
So many people on the porch are all about gec ( nothing wrong with that ) but it's refreshing to see a thread dedicated to a different brand, especially one like colonial that most people see as the cheap knife they had as a kid because they could afford it.

And to that end, here's my first knife, in all its shell-handled glory:

 

[B.Mauser]

That old Cutler Barlow is just plain awesome 👍
So many people on the porch are all about gec ( nothing wrong with that ) but it's refreshing to see a thread dedicated to a different brand, especially one like colonial that most people see as the cheap knife they had as a kid because they could afford it.

Cool. I am happy to hear others are still enjoying this thread too. :thumbup:

Congratulations Mauser on completing your Old Cutler set - all of them are in terrific condition! I've added one more Colonial since I last posted in this thread, a well used Anvil Stockman that is in good shape - perfect for a carrying knife. OH

Hi Old Hunter. Nice to see you. And thank you!


This box was empty when I first found it. It took several years to find the right Old Cutlers that were nice enough. The large white 3 blade stockman had a big rusty fingerprint on the main blade on it when I got it but is in great shape other than some black blade pitting. Its the best large white one Ive found so far. I am hoping to eventually find the exact same white one in a little nicer condition and then I can use this one a bunch.

That's a nice Anvil stockman. And I do agree, a perfect carrying knife! That exact one is my personal favorite of the Anvil line.

B.Mauser, do you have a complete FM with the compass/magnifying glass with original chain?

Hi T.

No I dont have one. I check eBay for them sometimes since seeing the pictures you have shared of yours. I guess I probably forgot but I dont remember seeing pictures of yours in the original box. Wow that is so cool!

And to that end, here's my first knife, in all its shell-handled glory:

Hi major works. That is so neat! I love to hear about someone that has had the same Colonial since they were a kid. And your first knife too, very cool.

Your imitation saw cut delrin handled Barlow is a Colonial Model #21.

I have 1 Colonial Anvil peanut and 1 Imperial hidden lock knife that my grandfather gave me when I was 11 or 12. They are the only knives that somehow survived my childhood.

Thanks for sharing that with us!

 

[Hickory n steel]

Am I mistaken or have I also seen a few old Cutler knives with OLD TIMER style delrin on them ?

 

[B.Mauser]

I have a feeling you are talking about the Buckskin Old Cutlers. Those seem the most Old Timer like that I can think of. Is this them?

 

[Hickory n steel]

I have a feeling you are talking about the Buckskin Old Cutlers. Those seem the most Old Timer like that I can think of. Is this them?

Yep, it was that Barlow I was thinking of.