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Seeking Kissing Crane information

A

AmatuerFixer

Joined
Dec 26, 2020
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I just got a Kissing Crane pocket knife that I am trying to authenticate and identify but having some trouble finding any information. It is a four blade knife with stampings on two of the tangs and a round kissing crane emblem which is red with silver cranes. Any help and info would be appreciated.





 
"Congress" pattern.
I don't know more than that. It look legitimate to me, but I'm no expert.
The tang stamp has "Solgien" so it was made in Germany of German components.
I understand there are a lot of strict rules and restrictions to put that city on a knife.
I've heard the Boker knives made in Solgien, but use parts and components manufactured or produced outside Germany, can't have "Solgien" tang stamps. (no Solgien stamped Boker with factory Abalone, MOP, Mastodon, Camel Bone, Warthog/Wildebeest/Walrus/Ivory/ Water Buffalo, Ebony, Teak, Brazilian Rosewood, etc. covers, I guess ...)
 
What he said, Robert Klaas Germany, Stag Congress probably late c20th early 21st. Two Sheepfoot, two Pen blades. But it's SOLINGEN the town of manufacture ;)
 
I bought the same knife in the 90's. It is a Solingen made Kissing Crane.
 
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When it comes to Solingen-made knives, generally if it says 'Solingen' on the tang stamp it's a German made knife made of German parts. If it's stamped 'Germany' it's assembled in Germany of parts sourced globally. The stiletto style Kissing Cranes are made in Italy.

If you have the box it's a dead giveaway. If it says Kissing Cranes, it's a German made knife. Kissing Crane is Chinese. A shield with Kissing Crane is a Chinese knife.
 
That Congress pattern knife is made in Germany. It's stamped Robert Klass and Solingen, It has genuine stag scales (handles). It's probably around 30 years old. If it's 3 5/8" long it's a medium size; if 4" it's a large.
 
afishhunter said:
"Congress" pattern.
I don't know more than that. It look legitimate to me, but I'm no expert.
The tang stamp has "Solgien" so it was made in Germany of German components.
I understand there are a lot of strict rules and restrictions to put that city on a knife.
I've heard the Boker knives made in Solgien, but use parts and components manufactured or produced outside Germany, can't have "Solgien" tang stamps. (no Solgien stamped Boker with factory Abalone, MOP, Mastodon, Camel Bone, Warthog/Wildebeest/Walrus/Ivory/ Water Buffalo, Ebony, Teak, Brazilian Rosewood, etc. covers, I guess ...)
Click to expand...
Hello, You are mistaken about the fact that all components must be local to be authorized to put "made in Solingen" on a knife. There are literally millions of Solingen made knives on our planet with components not found in the Ruhr area. Metals like brass, copper, silver, gold, exotic wood, and animal materials like mother of pearl, ivory, cow horn & bone, leather, etc. have been imported and used to make knives since centuries by knifemakers in Solingen.
 
Solingen is just a place in Germany and used as a mark of where the steel was processed

not unlike how you find 'Sheffield' and 'Mora' stamped on knife blades
 
Michel Droz said:
Hello, You are mistaken about the fact that all components must be local to be authorized to put "made in Solingen" on a knife. There are literally millions of Solingen made knives on our planet with components not found in the Ruhr area. Metals like brass, copper, silver, gold, exotic wood, and animal materials like mother of pearl, ivory, cow horn & bone, leather, etc. have been imported and used to make knives since centuries by knifemakers in Solingen.
Click to expand...

You're mixing up raw materials with components. Meteorite Damascus blades aren't made in Ursa Major.
 
I don't remember exactly how I came about these two but they are both very good pocket knives. I used the big whittler for a winter or two but not the copperhead. The whittler takes and holds a great edge. Sound construction. I never sharpened the copperhead. Both have tang stamps on the master blade that read ROBT KLAAS SOLINGEN. The secondary blades on both pieces are stamped GERMANY. I think the whittler is from the late 1970's and the copperhead is most likely from around the same period in time. Maybe early 80's. I apologize for the photos. I shot them on the fly. The backside of the whittlers master blade tang is stamped 3135XX and on the copperhead it's 2029XVII. I believe the numbers are the model number and the roman numerals is how they are dated. I would really like to know how the roman numeral dating system works. Can't find much about that at this time.
Greg

A quick internet search led to this site and should clear up some of the history mystery.
http://www.kissingcraneknifeco.com/kissing-crane-knife-company-history/

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