Another Pawn Shop Treasure: Parker Cutlery Co. Input Please!

G

Gene

Joined
Oct 2, 1998
Messages
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This is related to my thread below. As my wife and I made our way further into Central Oregon, I came across another small pawnshop. Now let me say, I live right near the Oregon border, (extreme Northern Calif.), and have visted many pawnshops in Oregon. I went into this small pawnshop, (that I had visted before and it was boring!). I looked around and there was a small display case in a corner of the shop. In this display case was an intriguing knife that caught my attention.
The knife is a really quality lockback with a 5" blade and a 6 1/4" handle. It is of impeccable quality and is mint! It has solid brass, double liners, (with full polished steel backspacer), and double bolsters, (looks like nickle silver), with engravings on both sides of the bolsters. It also has a nickel silver oval nameplate very professionally set into the stag scales and marked with three fancy intials, ( the original purchaser I'm sure). The tang is marked on one side with: PARKER CUT. CO. and a feather like looking knife design with a circled R, (for "registered" I'm sure), and "HAND MADE". The other side of the tang says: "SURGICAL STEEL, MADE IN JAPAN". This is one heavy but quality built knife! The scales are top quality Sambar stag. This knife is so heavy, it seems llike it's built from lead! Any help with identifying this knife would be appreciated.
 
I forgot to mention that the knife has an unsharpened false edge, (with a big nail-nick), and just below the spine, it's engraved with: "ROUGH-AND-READY" and above the cutting edge, it's engraved with a fancy, "I NEVER FAIL" and a bunch of weird inscriptions. Here's the lousy scan.
 

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By the way, this one I DID buy! It was marked $89.95 and he let me have it for $50.00.
 
Gene,
You got a great deal on a well made knife.
I am going to move this over to the Traditional Forum. Jim Parker out of Chattanoonga had several series of these types of knives made in the '70's and 80's. I will see if my books have any info on them over the weekend.
Gus
 
Gene,
Took a look at my books and one of them has a pretty extensive listing of Parker knives. (It was written by Jim).
I can not find the model you have, so the best thing might be to give Jim a call. His number in Chattanooga is 423-894-5102. The last email address I have is bbknife@bellsouth.net. He might know about the Blade knife too since I think it is a "custom made" factory knife.
 
Thank you Gus. Was Jim the founder of Parker Cutlery? I was wondering because even though this knife is stamped "HAND MADE", it is made in Japan.
 
Jim Parker is the founder. He has been dealing and working in knives ever since I can remember. So if any one knows about Parker knives he does. Typically the ones such as yours represent the finest knives he produced under the many variations of the Parker brand names.
 
This knife was one of the copies of old folders parker did in the 80's. the quaility is ok, they are somewhat collectable. Howver alot of them were produced, so unless yours is in mint conditon you really didnt get that good of a deal (please dont take offense).

parker has been importing knives for years. it started with frost in the 70's and later they broke their partnership.
 
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