Oldest knife manufacturer in America

golok

golok

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Oct 20, 2000
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I just did a search on the Internet and emerged slightly confused.

I was given several names like Case, Camillus, Russell Harrington, Lamson.

I have heard of the first two names but the last two names are totally "foreign" to me.

Anyway, which knife company in US has the rightful claim to the title of being the oldest knife manufacturer?
 
I believe it would be russell, same makers of the russell barlow, green river knives (although the company has changed hands a few times).
can anyone else shed some light on this?
 
Good question...

I would think that the answer would depend on whether we're talking about continuous company production until present, 1st cutlery company in business, or whether we're only talking names of either.

I'd be guessing either way but I'd like to know myself.

--The Raptor--
 
I think that Lamson & Goodnow beats Russell by a few years (L&G, 1837).

If we were to talk about pocketknives, the oldest pocketknife mfg would be tough to say....maybe Camillus....Case and Schrade are about the same age...Schrade 1904, Case 1902. Yes, I know Case makes a big deal about 1889 as when they started, but that was Case Brothers, a separate and distinct company (and early competitor) of WR Case & Sons.
 
actually the russell company made pocket knives well before camillus, schrade, or case.
 
Are we including silver fruit knives as pocket knives in this discussion?

If so, we're going to go to early to mid 19th century with Gorham.

Just a thought...

--The Raptor--
 
Russell started producing the Barlow knife in 1876 and had some pocket knives that were well received at exhibitions prior to then.

In fact, the current Dexter-Russell company is currently assisting me with some historical research on my own old knife.
 
I think this will clear everything up.

June 18, 1818 Henry Harrington established first cutlery company in the United States in Southbridge Mass. (making surgical equipment, firearms, shoe knives, ect.). In 1884 they started to use the "Dexter" trademark.

March 1, 1834 John Russell founded the Green River works on the banks of the Green River near Greenfield Mass. (making chisels, axes, knives, pocket knives, ect.)

May 1, 1933 the two companies merged becoming Russell Harrington Cutlery Company.

In 2001 the Company name changed to Dexter-Russell Inc.

http://www.dexter-knives.com/history.htm
 
knifeaholic said:
I think that Lamson & Goodnow beats Russell by a few years (L&G, 1837).

If we were to talk about pocketknives, the oldest pocketknife mfg would be tough to say....maybe Camillus....Case and Schrade are about the same age...Schrade 1904, Case 1902. Yes, I know Case makes a big deal about 1889 as when they started, but that was Case Brothers, a separate and distinct company (and early competitor) of WR Case & Sons.
Click to expand...

Steve,
Why were Case brothers and WR Case & Sons competitors? Did they have distinct differences in patterns and quality?
 
navihawk said:
Steve,
Why were Case brothers and WR Case & Sons competitors? Did they have distinct differences in patterns and quality?
Click to expand...

Case Brothers started up first - the Case brothers all worked for Cattaraugus, as did their nephew J Russell (Russ) Case.

The Case brothers left Cattaraugus Cutlery to found Case Brothers Cutlery Co circa 1890. They were all good at the manufacturing side. Then their nephew Russ joined them, working in manufacturing in the winter but gaining his real fame as a salesman travelling across the country selling the knives produced by Case Bros in Little Valley.

The story goes that Russ made more $$ in commissions than his uncles the Case brothers were taking in by actually making the knives. So after a dispute Russ left Case Bros Cutlery and founded WR Case & Sons in 1902, beginning his own manufacturing in Bradford in 1905.

So the two separate companies though each run by members of the same family became bitter competitors...with Russ Case eventually buying the TESTED XX trademark when Case Bros went under circa 1914-1915.
 
rev_jch said:
I think this will clear everything up.

June 18, 1818 Henry Harrington established first cutlery company in the United States in Southbridge Mass. (making surgical equipment, firearms, shoe knives, ect.). In 1884 they started to use the "Dexter" trademark.

March 1, 1834 John Russell founded the Green River works on the banks of the Green River near Greenfield Mass. (making chisels, axes, knives, pocket knives, ect.)

May 1, 1933 the two companies merged becoming Russell Harrington Cutlery Company.

In 2001 the Company name changed to Dexter-Russell Inc.

http://www.dexter-knives.com/history.htm
Click to expand...

By 1818, there were already several famous cutlers in the U.S., namely Rose and Nathan Starr, both of whom were awarded federal contracts for cavalry sabers between 1812-1818. I don't think either made knives, per se, but they made excellent swords. I have a 1818 Starr at home. These swords saw continuous use from the Seminole Wars, to the Mexican War, to the Civil War. They were quite well made. Outside of those early cutlers, there was also the Ames family out of Chicopee, Mass. They were awarded their first federal contract in 1832 for a short artillery sword. From there they went on to be the main sword supplier for the US armed forces for the next fifty years. I am unsure if Ames was making blades prior to 1832, but it was possible. Additionally, there were some independent cutlers, namely in New York an Philadelphia, from 1790 to 1815 who were responsible for some of the most beautiful American swords ever made (if you've ever seen an eaglehead with blue gilt/gold wash, you know what I mean).

Again, these were all cutlers, not knifemakers. But many of them likely predate Russell.
 
Strickly speaking swords in American cutlers. Nathan Starr had the first US contract in 1798, Buell & Greenleaf also made the m1798 for US. Then in 1806 William Rose made m1798 for US also. Nathan Starr worked as a black smith during Revolutionary War and made weapons then. Nathan Ames started making swords about 1832 with some of the early eagle heads and the French type infantry sword made for US artillery that was also used as a cutlass. Winner, Rose, Goodman, Nippes and Henkels were all at Virginia Manufactory of Arms by 1804 and Winner designed type 1 and type 2 for them. All went on to make swords and bayonets on their own and most had state and US contracts. Nathan Ames made swords, knives and knife bayonets. Jerimiah Snow, Potter and Louis Prahl were cutlers in Revolutionary War. I will look and see what I can dig up on early knife cutlers. Eric
 
knifeaholic said:
I think that Lamson & Goodnow beats Russell by a few years (L&G, 1837).

If we were to talk about pocketknives, the oldest pocketknife mfg would be tough to say....maybe Camillus....Case and Schrade are about the same age...Schrade 1904, Case 1902. Yes, I know Case makes a big deal about 1889 as when they started, but that was Case Brothers, a separate and distinct company (and early competitor) of WR Case & Sons.
Click to expand...
Excepting today, Camillus and Schrade only share the names with Camillus and Schrade of yesteryear. Both of those companies closed.

Regarding the Case family:

-WR Case & Son formed in 1902 (Russ Case and his father when Russ split from Case Brothers).

-Standard Knife Company formed in 1901 (Dean J. and Elliot Case).

-Case Brothers established in 1896 and incorporated in 1900 (Jean, John, and Andrew Case).

http://kinfolksinc.com/story/casemen.htm
 
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I believe that Queen Cutlery is the oldest knife manufacturer in the US that is still operating out of the same original building. New York Knife company ---> Schatt & Morgan ---> Queen Cutlery
 
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