WESTERN U.S.A

[John Parker Jr.]

Dears,

 

I need your help for identifying an WESTERN fighting knife.

The seller doesn't know any other info (just mid 1940-1950) the price he asks is 170 USD.

I would like to buy it but don't know its real value.., don't know if worth or not.

 

Thanks a lot!

[Jedwin]

This is a circa 77-early 80’s knife. Was not issued to my knowledge as a military knife. I’m not sure of the model number. This would make a great hunting knife if the price is right. The sheath is most likely not a mate to this knife. 

[manayunkman]

How long is the blade?

[John Parker Jr.]

10 minutes ago, manayunkman said:

How long is the blade

~6.7 inches 

[sactroop]

I don't see how this knife could have been made prior to the Acme company buying the rights to the WESTERN brand.

From about 1933 to the early 1990's Westerns fixed blade knives would have a bifurcated tang.  The only exception I can think of would be the W49 Bowie knife,  There might have been some exceptions that were made for them by other companies.  I've never seen any in any catalogs but somethings may have happened during the Coleman years that I'm still not aware of.  

Also that blade style comes closest to matching Western's 46 blade pattern, the only one I can think of with a fullered blade.  I've never seen one with a blade longer than 5 inches and shorter than 8 inches.  This doesn't look right to me.

[John Parker Jr.]

22 hours ago, sactroop said:

I don't see how this knife could have been made prior to the Acme company buying the rights to the WESTERN brand.

From about 1933 to the early 1990's Westerns fixed blade knives would have a bifurcated tang.  The only exception I can think of would be the W49 Bowie knife,  There might have been some exceptions that were made for them by other companies.  I've never seen any in any catalogs but somethings may have happened during the Coleman years that I'm still not aware of.  

Also that blade style comes closest to matching Western's 46 blade pattern, the only one I can think of with a fullered blade.  I've never seen one with a blade longer than 5 inches and shorter than 8 inches.  This doesn't look right to me.

The pommel secure system looks like the one used on Marble knives.. I have tried to find any relevant info regarding this particular knife but no clue yet... 🥺

[manayunkman]

I couldn’t find anything on this knife either.

[Misfit 45]

I belong to a "knife group" that meets once a month.  The group has some top notch custom knife makers.  Sometimes they pick up used knives and make beautiful customs.  If this knife does not fit into the usual Western line up, then maybe this is a custom "rework".  It looks like a great knife to me. The blade lines are beautiful, the brass cross guard is offset and looks thicker than usual.  The round antler or bone handle is very nice.  I just like it. It's a good knife.

Marv

[John Parker Jr.]

16 hours ago, Misfit 45 said:

 It looks like a great knife to me. The blade lines are beautiful

Indeed, the lines are great and the blade looks spectacular but no one seen this kind of blade on any other Western knife.

Somehow it's atypical, it has Western USA stamped on it but me or anyone else couldn't find any relevant info about it...

Anyway, thanks for your kind reply 😜

[opseccc]

To add weight to the custom "rework" side of the scale, the sheath is hand made by someone who was not experienced (in my opinion) with stitching.  The stitch pattern on the front of the sheath is parallel to the edge, but the back side is not.  This is common with inexperienced (in my opinion) leather makers who hand stitch their work.

[sactroop]

While I still can't eliminate the Acme United Corporations Camillus knives as a possible source for at least this blade.  I'm convinced at this point that no other  previous source for the Western knife brand made that blade.   

Too many  questions with this one.

[byf41]

Although It doesnt conform Its a beautiful well made knife IMO . Asking price seems fair .

[John Parker Jr.]

9 hours ago, byf41 said:

Although It doesnt conform Its a beautiful well made knife IMO . Asking price seems fair .

Indeed, it is a quite beautiful blade but as long we don't know its history...

Meantime the seller decided to sell it on eBay and raised the price to 300-400$... 

[doyler]

May try posting it on the Blade Forum.

 

Western had various tang stamps through the years. War tome were typical with the Patent number which was not utilized after 1950. 

 

This chart shows the changes and dates of the markings used on Western knives. 

 

The tang marking on your knife (Western USA) is what the chart lists as circa 1961-1977

 

After 1977  letter codes were added to designate years A - B- C- D etc.

 

[John Parker Jr.]

12 hours ago, doyler said:

The tang marking on your knife (Western USA) is what the chart lists as circa 1961-1977.

Thanks for this valuable info, really appreciate!

Although, quite unusual that no one else seen this model of the blade or at least a blade with that marks.

[sactroop]

 

14 hours ago, doyler said:

After 1977  letter codes were added to designate years A - B- C- D etc.

Just to clarify one thing, 1977 is the first year of date stamping the blades, so (A) appears starting in 1977 and continues thru (O).

There is misleading information represented on that tang stamp sheet, but then I find that to be the general rule with any tang stamp reference than the exception.