Old Old Hickory?

[WY_Not]

Found the knife below while out in Wyoming. The blade has the distinctive Old Hickory line pattern stamped into the blade but it has NO markings that I can find anywhere. Don't they normally have the name etched in the blade and burned/stamped into the handle? Or is this one just so well used that both markings have been wiped out by time and use? On the right side of the blade you can still see them pretty well but on the left side they are very very faint near the handle then as you go out further, they become non-existent. Looks like one of the rivets came out and someone at some point put a nail in there, cut it off and peened it over as a makeshift rivet. Edge is in good shape, just needs some TLC to make it truly sharp. I'm thinking it is the Old Hickory 6 Inch Household Boning Knife but the spine is completely flat, there is not curve to it. Looks like it has seen a lot of use.

Can try to get some better pictures in some better light tomorrow.

Regardless of what it is, I'll be using it to practice putting scales on a knife and shaping the scales. No idea what it is going to end up with as far as scales go. Wife hasn't even seen it yet and is already trying to claim it as her new kitchen knife... after I put new scales on it of course. :15: :34:

 

[PolishAvenger]

My best guess is a ForgeCraft...they seem to be the ones with the lightest, smallest stamps, and I believe they had no handle markings.
-Mark

 

[WY_Not]

Thanks. Someone on a different forum suggested them also. And I was thinking they made a little more sense due to the lighter marks you mentioned and being a western company. Don't the Forgecraft also have their name engraved in the blade? Seeing no marks at all except the lines.

 

[PolishAvenger]

Forgecraft marked with a stamp on the left side of the blade, about a third of the way from the handle scales, nearing the spine. Depth seems to vary. If it just isn't there, it may have been made by one of the big boys for a no-name kitchen supplier.
-Mark

 

[WY_Not]

Thanks for the additional info. Will take a closer look once I get the blade cleaned up.

Would be nice to figure out the origin of the knife but it is more academic than needed. I'm going to be cleaning up the knife and putting new scales on it regardless. Should be a fun project and hopefully it will be a good addition to the kitchen.