Ranger brand? Anyone know anything about this??

They were made by Colonial at least into the early 80s. They were the kind of thing you'd see in a box at the checkout lane of hardware and farm supply stores. Like any other Colonial knife they weren't half bad considering the price. If memory serves they sold for something like $3.99.
 
It's a Colonial Knife Company brand (as dsutton24 dsutton24 said). Some of the popular trade marks for Colonial Knife Company include ...
Forest Master, SHUR-SNAP, Ranger, Old Cutler, Topper, Anvil, Snappy, Swiss Master, Master Series, Sport Topper fish knife, Cub Hunter, Sporty, Kitchen Aid to name a few.

Hard to make out the Pat. number in the tang stamp from the photo, but appears to be 3,317,996. That patent was filed by Colonial in 1965 and Patent issued in 1967.
Just a guess but since the stamp doesn't say "patent pending", it may be a 1967 or later issue.

Link: Patent 3,317,996

Patent drawing ...

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Thanks guys. Figured SOMEONE around here would recognize it
Cool little find I suppose

Might even make a good first knife for a nephew or a kid
 
Rsmith_77 said:
Thanks guys. Figured SOMEONE around here would recognize it
Cool little find I suppose

Might even make a good first knife for a nephew or a kid
Click to expand...
It would.
They're great working knives.
I've had 2 of the large Colonial ranger Stockman, the blades take a great edge and cut like a lazer.
I really great full flat grind.

I believe they went until Colonial closed, because you can find them in clamshell packaging with a barcode on the back, and more importantly it's not hard to find NOS examples in packaging that hasn't turned yellow which to me suggests they aren't terribly old.
 
They're decent knives. They used 1075 steel and take a good edge. Their bolsters can get loose over time, but the blades are riveted in quite solidly. I remember reading the owner of Colonial saying this construction is stronger than conventional pinning methods, concerning lateral stress. I have a handful of their large stockmans, including one still in the clamshell.

Colonial also made the Old Cutler line of knives, which seem a step up in quality. I think they used 1095. I have a nice large Old Cutler stockman with nicely polished blades and file work on the blades/springs from the factory. I'd snap a picture but I'm at work.

All of them have good, strong springs.
 
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