Hammer Brand Bowie Knife?

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Bigfatts

Bigfatts

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So lately I have kind of been wanting a big bowie and in an antique mall today I ran across a Hammer Brand bowie. It was new with the box and all. Marked made in NY. It had a 8" (maybe, not exact) blade, bix said 440 steel and it had buffalo horn handles. Now, I know nothing about Hammer Brand except they've been around a long time. A rudimentary Google didn't turn up anything on this particular model except a couple pictures- that I could find anyways. I was very tempted but at $100 I passed seeing as how I know nothing about it. Any one have any info?

Pic from Google:
60D7A889-1E53-4845-BF93-0E40A9889B77-1513-000000D2A0E074CF_zps56bbb228.jpg
 
Dunno anything about this knife...I have a Hammer brand folder I got as a gift, nice looking but it had some blade play and came fairly dull, neither of which are good signs. Nor is that "440 steel" description, cause that's usually code for 440a which isn't a good thing.

If you want a big bowie and don't mind something with polymer handles, take a look at Cold Steel's recent Marauder bowie, Ontario's SP10 Marine Raider Bowie, or Condor's Speed Bowie and Dundee Bowie. And if you don't mind paying a bit more of a premium price($175 or so), take a look at the Svord Von Tempsky. That Svord is temping me, and I'm one of those who really really dislikes the idea of spending more than $150 on any single knife.
 
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Thanks for the info guys, I was just curious because I liked the looks of it. I guess the hunt continues! I've been eying the Von Tempsky but I'm still on the fence. There's something about it I just don't like. Down Under makes a couple decent looking designs. Blackjack too.
 
Bigfatts said:
Thanks for the info guys, I was just curious because I liked the looks of it. I guess the hunt continues! I've been eying the Von Tempsky but I'm still on the fence. There's something about it I just don't like. Down Under makes a couple decent looking designs. Blackjack too.
Click to expand...

OOC, are you only looking for "classic" looking Bowies, or are modern material ones okay too? I only ask cause I have the Ontario Marine Raider, and it's a really, really nice knife especially for the price. But it does have a polymer handle rather than wood or bone, so it definitely looks more modern than the Von Tempsky. Quality knife though, strong, well made, and feels good in the hand.

okc-spec-plus-sp10-marine-raider-bowie.jpg
 
A suggestion:

Take a look at the Muela Bowie. I'm quite fond of this brand of knife. Not expensive, they look good, are well made, and quite functional. IMHO, you get a lot of knife for the money. :)

muelabowie.jpg


The leather sheath that comes with it is quite nice as well.
 
I am really looking for more of a classic look. I wouldn't be able to deal with the kraton and coated blade on the Ontario.

I am quite fond of Muela's fixed blades though. I have a Rhino and it's my favorite fixed blade I own. They use a lot of Sandvik- which I like- and are well made for the money. I have been eyeballing a couple of their bowies.
 
The Linder Kentucky Bowie is made in Soligen Germany. It's a beauty but it is not cheap.
 
Bigfatts said:
So lately I have kind of been wanting a big bowie and in an antique mall today I ran across a Hammer Brand bowie. It was new with the box and all. Marked made in NY. It had a 8" (maybe, not exact) blade, bix said 440 steel and it had buffalo horn handles. Now, I know nothing about Hammer Brand except they've been around a long time. A rudimentary Google didn't turn up anything on this particular model except a couple pictures- that I could find anyways. I was very tempted but at $100 I passed seeing as how I know nothing about it. Any one have any info?

Pic from Google:
60D7A889-1E53-4845-BF93-0E40A9889B77-1513-000000D2A0E074CF_zps56bbb228.jpg
Click to expand...

I am reading that a lot of their knives are made in China. This says made in USA on the box and on the blade though. Is this a marketing gimmick they allow as it’s using all the vintage NYKC packaging? Or is this actually made in the US? I cannot find any made in China mark anywhere on the box or blade. I recently purchased this knife exactly as pictured.

while I know it is not original NYK co. it’s a pretty neat piece. I have a lot of original New York Knife co knives, even one of the first Boy Scout knives they produced. We live near Walden Ny and made a trip to the old factory, I was even able to find a quarter of a broken grinding wheel that had been used there. It was in the river near the ruins of the factory. Took a bit to lug it up the bank but we managed to get it home. Pretty amazing spot, the workers used all the sheets of blank steel after being punched to replace rebar in the concrete of the stairs that remain on site. You can see hundreds of knife blanks revealed in the rotting concrete!
 
DanielDonovan said:
I am reading that a lot of their knives are made in China. This says made in USA on the box and on the blade though. Is this a marketing gimmick they allow as it’s using all the vintage NYKC packaging? Or is this actually made in the US? I cannot find any made in China mark anywhere on the box or blade. I recently purchased this knife exactly as pictured.

while I know it is not original NYK co. it’s a pretty neat piece. I have a lot of original New York Knife co knives, even one of the first Boy Scout knives they produced. We live near Walden Ny and made a trip to the old factory, I was even able to find a quarter of a broken grinding wheel that had been used there. It was in the river near the ruins of the factory. Took a bit to lug it up the bank but we managed to get it home. Pretty amazing spot, the workers used all the sheets of blank steel after being punched to replace rebar in the concrete of the stairs that remain on site. You can see hundreds of knife blanks revealed in the rotting concrete!
Click to expand...
You bumped an 8 year old thread and replied to a member who hasn't been seen in 8 months, just FYI.
 
DD, thank you for posting in this thread. You raise a current issue and many thousands of "Hammer Brand" knives are in circulation..

There was once a wonderful thread with many details on the "Hammer Brand" saga, but it died when the site changed software (unless some beneactor kept a copy of the text.) The address of another good thread on tghe topic is now a link to a prostituion site.

"Hammer Brand" was a branding used by New York Knife Co. from 1878 until their closing in 1931. These were very well made knives, some of the best ever manufactured in USA.
In 1936-37 Imperial Knife Co. acquired the Hammer Brand name and used it on many of their knives [made in the USA] up until 1955.

The stainless steel "Hammer Brand" knives were made in China when Taylor Brands owned the mark - well after Imperial stopped using it.

You might find this interesting: https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_forum/viewtopic.php?t=21716
 
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