The News from ElephantToenails.com

I promised you a while back to provide you with details on how to “subscribe” to The News feeds and here it is.

While I don’t want you to stop coming the ET.com or The News to just browse around, this really cool feature allows you to subscribe to know when I have posted a new article/post in The News without necessarily being forced to come to the site to check it.

The orange icon shown above is the symbol a site (The News articles in particular) uses to let you know if it is subscribible. I know we don’t like to read highly technical computer talk, but to you who are interested or a bit tech savvy this is the way to go. I subscribe to a bunch of different feeds and can at a glance tell if a new post is up at my favorite blogs.

What is an RSS feed? Click the orange icon  shown in the URL field and follow the directions by clicking “Subscribe to this feed”. When you want to see if I’ve posted anything new, click the star symbol (in Internet Explorer) and then click “Feeds.” My feed will be there and if I’ve posted anything new, it will be highlighted. If you hover your mouse over it, it will tell you how many are new. Click it and it will display them for you

I use Foxfire browser and it has an “add-on” news reader that does the trick, but readers are everywhere depending upon what you like and want to use.

To learn more check out RSS Feed and continue to learn about this wonderful tool.

Part One: WE are the Demand!

I wrote this article several months ago, however, haven’t felt it was “time” to run it- Well now I do. My prompting was a email I received yesterday from a collector asking me about a toenail he was being priced to buy. This collector indicated he was offered this toenail and thought the price was too high and wanted to know my 2 cents. Well, it fired me up!

This collector was being offered a jumbo for about 25- 30% more than any toenail of that style has sold for (and we track them closely) and this equates to a bunch of money considering what really good Jumbos are selling for. I told my fellow collector in no uncertain terms- “No, the knife wasn’t worth that price if you want to use recent sales as the basis.” I know there are times we use other factors to help us individually determine the worth of a knife, however, if you just look at “comps” then we have a very good indicator as to what other collectors recently paid. Then there is the “What is it worth to me right now?” question.

We know the number of Toenail collectors is continuing to grow each year. Toenails enjoy a very high degree collectibility and popularity. From all indications I can see (from visits to my website, conversations with dealers and collectors, bidders on online auctions, etc) it will continue in popularity.

One of the benefits resulting from this popularity is a large enough group make up toenail collectors that enable us to make some things happen. It wasn’t too long ago, a dealer might have for sale a “once in a lifetime” offering of a Jumbo Swellcenter (or any other toenail, for that matter) and would stick a really big price on it. Then the collector (buyer) not knowing how long it would be, if ever, he would find another one like that bought it. The price was typically secondary in the decision and was pretty much dictated by the dealer.

You are familiar with the old economic principle of Supply and Demand. Well, WE are the demand.

I am convinced the supply is there and now we have the opportunity to drive our own market, instead of being a victim to the prices/values of the dealers and price guides. In the past we were told what values were, what brands have the highest value and which ones are the least popular, etc. In the past we have been told… “well this toenail is priced at X because of Y,” which may not reflect what we as collectors judge is important.

In the end it is the Buyers who determine value and the factors that are important in knives that are purchased…not sellers (I confront this issue of how value is determined almost every day in my “real job” of meeting with real estate owners who think just because they spent X on their “premier property” then it should be worth that, well…the harsh reality is if no one buys the property (after a reasonable period of time) the conclusion is it simply isn’t worth X. Period end of story).

My goal is not to start a rebellion, but here is a real fact: In most cases toenail prices are being set by “Price Guides (mine notwithstanding),” instead of the price buyers are actually paying for these knives. It is not uncommon for the writer to take a few sales to help them in their assessment of what has happened to values, but just due to the sheer number of patterns produced it is impossible to make it much of a science.

Moreover, many insiders attempt to “drive the market.” Just because 88’s (what ever the heck that is) went up X% doesn’t mean toenails experienced the same value change (it could have been more or less). I am well aware of “record prices” periodically paid for toenails and I do my best to keep my ear to the ground in an attempt to see where values are going and what is happening as it relates to toenails. Yes, I know of a few record sales for extremely rare toenails , but those sales are also the exceptions rather than the rule, and furthermore, don’t necessarily “set” the price for the rest of the approx. 100 other brands or 300 different variations of older toenails that are out there.

Bottomline: WE are the demand and we decide what a particular toenail is worth.

Part Two in this series on “What determines Price?” will be posted this week entitled “Is there a difference between Price and Value?”

What if I could find a description of how pocket knives were made in 1880 as told by an expert at that time, would that be of interest to you? I thought it would- This fascinating article is from The Manufacturer and Builder published in 1880.How Pocket- Knives are Made

The manufacture of pocket cutlery is one of the industries in which remarkable progress has lately been made in this country, and the products of our home manufactories will compare favorably with the best foreign made. As this growing branch of industry possesses certain special details of interest, we give in what follows an account of the processes of manufacture employed, on the authority of a capable expert, who has witnessed the operation from first to last. (more…)

I was born and raised in a small, two-traffic light town located in southeast Alabama named Brundidge. In the name of progress, however, one of the traffic lights has been removed. We were hell bent on not becoming too big. Fifty years later, we still have just one traffic light - so, I guess the removal of that second traffic light must have worked. Although I’ve traveled all over the world, had some great times and met some great people, Brundidge is still my favorite “small town.”

My passion for collecting knives, guns, cars and Harley motorcycles started in my hometown while attempting to walk in my grandfather’s shoes. My grandfather taught me how to “have my cake and eat it too” by buying stuff that he was passionate about, taking good care of his stuff, and believing that sometime in the future, you should pass the stuff on. He instilled that in me at an early age, and I plan to pass my stuff on to the grandkids, but NOT YET!!

After graduating from high school at 17, I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where I served for 5½ years (some of the best years of my life) - another case of “having my cake and eating it too.” After wearing that blue uniform for my country, I suppose I was hooked on uniforms. I returned from the Land of the Rising Son (Japan) and joined the Metropolitan Police Department in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., where I served for 20½ years (the last 13 years I served as a training officer at the Fourth District) before retiring.

So - after 26 years of service in the Air Force and on the Police Department, I decided that it was about time for me to “man up” and do some real work - I founded V. Henderson Landscaping in 1991. I am still having fun doing this. One of the properties that I take a lot of pride in landscaping and maintaining is the US Chamber of Commerce located across the park (Lafayette Park) from the White House. This property was once the home of the historic Webster family - so, if any of ET.com folks decide to tour this great city and the White House, feel free to walk across the park to the U.S.Chamber, go the front desk and ask for me. If I’m not around that day, they will know how to reach me.

In the past few years while chasing that next “must have” for my collection, I’ve had the chance to talk with some of the most passionate people that I’ve ever encountered (the late James Parker, his son Buzz Parker, Bob Wurzelbacher and, without a doubt, Scott King to name a few). These men have been forthcoming, earnest and helpful - some things that you don’t see much any more. This is just one of the reasons that collecting knives can be so intoxicating for me - what better way to spend your money - collecting knives that you can enjoy for a lifetime while at the same time, teaching your kids (or in my case, the grandkids) some real life lessons about taking care of your stuff, investing, patience and discipline - like “having your cake and eating it too.”

Just like ET.com creator, Scott King, I am also hooked on the elephant toenail pattern - stag is my favorite handle material. C. Platt Son, Case and Napanoch are my favorite brands, but I love all brands of elephant toes. When I’m not searching for old elephant toes, I love driving some of the vehicles that I’ve collected over the years. My favorite is a 1974 Pantera that I purchased brand new and it still has the original wiper blades.

That’s a little about me. I look forward to reading all of your bios.

P.S. Thanks Scott for firing up the old toes again!

I don’t know if you remember but here about a month ago you guys gave me the liberty to include an off the subject topic from time to time- well here you go.

How would you like to be able to search the web without having to type words into a search engine, instead you show it a picture of what you want it to find? Check this out! Talk about cool!! (more…)

When I was writing the article on Welcome to My World I contacted David Anthony to inquire about their Gowanda, NY factory years of operation. I ran on some conflicting info in different knife books.

My purpose here is to provide correct dates for us as we go forward in our research, not to prove any other book or author wrong.

David has authored several articles on the Platts family and their history in cutlery. He is viewed as The Authority on anything Platts related.

Here is what David had to say (I inserted the pictures)-

Scott,I’ll be happy to tell you anything about the Platts family cutlers that I can. Some of Goin’s dates are wrong and because everyone else relied on his information, the other knife guides are usually wrong on their dates also. Here are the correct dates gathered from 20 years of extensive research:

C. Platts & Sons, Gowanda, NY 1896-1897

C. Platts & Sons, Eldred, PA 1897-1900

C. Platts’ Sons, Eldred, PA, 1900-1905

Platts Bros. Eldred, PA 1905-1907:

These knives were not actually manufactured by the Platts Bros. but were contract or “private brand” knives almost certainly made by the Eldred Cutlery Co. but bearing the Platts Bros. Eldred, PA stamp. There is absolutely no evidence that any knives stamped Platts Bros. were made before Charlie and Frank Platts started this jobbing business in 1905, after C. Platts’ Sons was sold to W.R. Case & Sons.

Platts Bros. Andover, NY 1907-1910

Platts Bros. Union, NY 1910-1911

Hope this helps. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. It was a pleasure to hear from you.

Best Regards,

Dave Pierce

Napanoch Cutlery Co. 1900 - 1919 Napanoch, NY

Napanoch is one of the brands that ranks up near the top in my book. The most information I have found so far is a fantastic little book called Napanoch- A White Man’s Knife with A Red Man’s Name by Mr. Rhett Stidham. Written and complied by Mr. Stedham in cooperation with Mrs. John Cushner and her daughters. Mr. Cushner began working for Napanoch in 1903 up to 1920.

Brothers Irving and William Carmen and William Hoornberg leased the former DuVall Rake Manufactory building in June 1900 and by August the company was in operation. Mr. Stidham reports the knife company became known as Napanoch Knife Company in 1905 and then in 1909 it incorporated.

Winchester Repeating Arms Company of New Haven, Connecticut bought the firm in 1919 and moved the operations to New Haven. Mr. Stidham writes the Napanoch brand continued to exist until 1921 or possibly later.

Many of the employees of Napanoch, including Mr. Cushner, founded Honk Falls Knife Co. in the old Napanoch factory in Napanoch, NY. The factory burned in 1929 and that firm never recovered. However in 1931 Mr. Cusnher converted his barn to a knife shop and made knives under the Napanoch Knife Company name until his death in 1938. His daughters continued to fill his orders and terminated the business in Spring of 1939.

Acccording to Marion Dumond former Town of Wawarsing Historian & Ellenville Public Library Director in Forward into the Past in Wawarsing.Net Magazine Sept. 2004, the Carmen brothers worked under Dwight Divine founder of Ulster Knife Co. (formed in 1875).

In his book, Mr. Stidham writes Napanoch made contract knives for many firms. I have listed the ones that have toenails.Wilbert Cutlery Co. of Chicago, Il (sears brand)

Hibbard, Spencer and Bartlett, Chicago, Il

Challenge Cutlery Co. Bridgeport, CT

Henry Sears No. 1865 St. Paul, MN

It is also believed Napanoch made W R Case & Son contract toenails.

In the Oct 18th, 1906 edition of Youth’s Companion, the Jumbo Pocket Knife is shown in an advertisement illustrating the Napanoch Knife Co. toenail. The caption reads, “Designed especially for that large class who require a knife for heavy work, such as leather or rope cutting, or other similar material requiring great strength.” ….how cool is that?!

Napanoch is as one of the brands ranked Very High in the 2008 Vintage Toenail Price Guide. 

A few of years ago one of our members, Mr. Barry Stephenson emailed me a treasure he had come upon while out “in the hunt” for toenails.

We love the hunt. Canvassing show tables, networking with other collectors, getting dealers to keep their eyes out- ever now and then we hook a big one. That is what he emailed me- a big one.

If you aren’t familiar with Union Cutlery Co. it were founded in March 23, 1909, but really had been in the cutlery business for years prior, just then it operated as Union Razor Co. Tidioute, Pa. (1902- 1909). I don’t have the time nor space to recount the fascinating history of the people behind or the history of, this knife co. Instead, I highly recommend David Anthony’s detailed account of the cutlery companies from Tidioute, Pa. in Tidioute: A Town With an Edge. In his book, David recounts the history of the folks behind Union Razor/Cutlery Co. It was operated by the Brown family and then in 1951 its name was officially changed to Ka-Bar and continues to operate today.

I love the Union Razor/early Union Cutlery era and have several toenails, billheads (letterhead) and boxes reflecting this period, but back to the BIG FISH story I was telling you. It was on 8.15.2004 when Barry emailed out of the blue to me. And it had a big fish he had found. Here is what he said:

Hi Scott,

I have just purchased a one blade toenail marked Union <Tidioute>. It is old and has not been cleaned. The handles are light green bone with an arrow shield. The blade is wider than most but not as wide as a Platts. The knife is wider at one end as a sleeveboard pattern and in great shape. It is a one blade knife with the easy opener as does the Platts. It has steel bolsters and steel liners, the knife has age spots but no pitting. I would say it has never been used but has light scratches on the blade as if someone may have tried to sharpen it lightly. Very minor marks with no metal from the blade. No dings or damage on the knife and no real damage on the scales. I cannot see any cracks in the bone but have not had it under a glass yet. Needless to say I felt I found a great buy at the Lexington, Kentucky Knife show. Here is a picture of it. I took a quick one to send you. If you would like I will send better ones in proper lighting to give you a look see.

I really enjoy your website, I do collect Toenails.

Barry Stephenson

Picture of length is misleading because of angle of being in on close up photo. 3 15/16″ X 1 3/8″ X 1 1/16″

You know the other day, I shared with you about, to my knowledge, there are three known single blade toenails from the first half of the 20th Century. There is the single blade C. Platts Jumbo, the Miller Bros. metal lock back and Barry’s Union Cutlery Co. We are learning more constantly about our wonderful pattern and others may surface, but for now these are the ones we have identified.

The other unusual aspects of this knife are- it is a tear-drop style and an easy open. It is the only non- Henry Sears tear-drop I know of and only the second easy open I have seen (the first being C. Platts easy open single blade).

Thanks for sharing your wonderful toenail with us Barry. We love to see toenails our members have as favorites.

You guys all know that as a result of my collecting toenails, I have become a “collector” of all things knife.

For the last 10 years I have been “investing” in everything I can get my hands on related to old knife companies. Not because I really want to collect the stuff, but I want information to help me/us learn more about toenails. It includes boxes, billheads, pins, buttons, books, catalogs, pictures, letters, stock certificates, and even broken toenails- I mean junk toenails…I wouldn’t dare take any of mine apart to look at its innards, so I buy already broken ones to look at.

It also includes hardware company “stuff” and really old cutlery magazines, like American Cutler and Paines Cutlery Journal from the mid- 1920’s. One of my favorite is Hardware magazine from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s (it is where the Chatillon toenail ad of 1902 came from). They are all very fragile but are chocked full of very interesting tidbits. I know you wondered where in the heck I dig up the ideas I use here in The News, so know you know.

On the old knife “stuff” I look for dates, pattern numbers, locations, signatures, officers and logos. Really just anything that might serve as pointers. While this may sound a bit on the eccentric side it is really cool to “discover” something I had not seen before.

Well the other day I found another really cool “thing” I had not noticed before while studying a particular knife company’s billhead (letterhead) while working on the Welcome to My World article. Then I looked and found it on one of their boxes too.

So, here is your question. What cutlery company used on their very early letterhead and boxes the slogan “The Dawn of a Better Day Breaketh?” Don’t you just love that! I am sure it has significance just right now have too many things I am “researching” to look into it.

….Oh, so you want a clue, well let’s see….OK, I have one- the slogan was placed directly under an image of clouds off on the horizon. That’s it. No more clues. (more…)

In our recent ET.com survey it was interesting for me to see a the majority of you indicated the topics of The News were just right- not too basic and not too advanced, however a handful of you indicated a desire for some “meaty” topics. Well you know advance level courses in college (graduate and doctoral level courses) don’t always give you answers as much as teaching you to THINK.

So, with that here we go and, while I don’t profess to be a doctor of toenails, I thought I’d let you into my world……hang on tight and DON’T JUST SKIM.

Let’s begin by asking: “Do you ever wonder which knife company invented the toenail?” I do all the time. I have been running this rabbit for years now and have declared this to be my quest. (more…)