Knife Company History- Cattaraugus Cutlery Co., Little Valley, NY
While I am a die-hard C. Platts, Case Brothers & W R Case fan, I have always had a strong liking for Cattaraugus. This firm has it all- very rich history, TOENAILS, ample information available and my favorite town in America location- Little Valley. (Photo shown is the old factory in Little Valley after it was closed down. I “discovered” it while driving around Little Valley in 2006. You can imagine my surprise when I found it.)
This history of J.B.F. Champlin (the founder) as a businessman is very interesting. I view him as the patriarch of a whole line of American cutlery firms, including Case Bros, Kinfolks, Little Valley Knife Association, Crandall, W R Case, and many others that had their roots in some association with Mr. Champlin’s vision.
Also, the Catt firm hired H.N. Platts, as well as the infamous Case Brothers in its early years. Upon J.B.F.’s death Tint took over operations. He ran it for 25 years and then turned it over to his sons. Then in 1963 the firm ceased operations. The Champlin family was a prominent family in the Little Valley area.
While Cattaraugus may lack a dating system for its knives, most other firms lack this too; however, since Case does have a the ability to date their knives, the establishment has crowned them the official benchmark all other cutlery firms shall be judged by. It is for this reason Catts don’t rank along sides of Case. Obviously, I don’t embrace this sentiment.
Yes, it is frustrating to be unable to know the time frame, I still find Catt to have a lot of information and resources for us to know about them. 
If you want to know more about this intriguing firm check out Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Identification and Values by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart. I am not saying this book is the authority on Catt but is chocked full of info. In it John Brown Frances (J.B.F.) Champlin is said to have jobbed for Friedmann and Lauterjung for over 16 years before opening his own firm in 1880 with his son Tint.
Also, Cattaraugus used various Indian themes, photos, logos and trademarks. Three Indian reservations are located within or adjacent to Catt County. The Seneca Nation is one of six tribes of the Iroquois who occupied the lands in New York State. Cattaraugus County was formed in 1808. The county seat was moved to Little Valley in 1868. Cattaraugus was derived from a Seneca word meaning “bad smell” and could possibly have been oil. In fact, the first crude oil in the US was found on the Seneca reservation there.
Catt is known for having produced about every pattern pocket. Its catalog reproduced in Ritchie and Stewart’s book is loaded with different patterns. Catt toenails are readily available as the firm produced the pattern for most if not all its years. I don’t know this first hand but feel reasonable confident. There are early samples and newer ones available. One cloud that hovers over Catt knives is it is believed Catt parts were assembled after the factory closed. Ritchie and Stewart contend these knives, while having original stamps, weren’t up to the quality Catt knives were famous for.
If you spend any time studying Catt toenails you will discover one characteristic that jumps out- the number of handle pins vary. I am on a quest to learn what this means to us and don’t want to speculate at this time. You will find older samples with three pins and newer ones with up to 5.
The Catt toenail pattern number (22929) is stamped on the pen blade. I have been told, but yet to verify, Catt used an additional pattern number for toenails. I have not seen this to be true and will let you know if this opinion is ever confirmed.
This brief post fails to pay a proper tribute to the Cattaraugus Cutlery Co., the Champlin family and their significant contribution to American cutlery.
The photos below are: Various Catt knife boxes, a few Catt toenails and my Nov. 14th, 1890 billhead.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Cattaraugus was a constant. They didn`t move, they were a family owned business that didn`t change hands. When the knife industry started getting tough to compete in, they didn`t sell out; they didn`t go making cheap knives. They just closed up shop and quit. In there hayday they made some beautiful knives.
November 15th, 2008 at 11:20 am
I have a Cattaraugus knife pearl handel pocket knife
with one blade, a corkscrew and what is shaped like
an old can opener, but not sharp. can you tell me how old it is, and it’s value.
November 15th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A # 3233H CHAMPAGNE KNIFE. VALUE ACCORDING TO CONDITION.
April 27th, 2009 at 11:37 am
I found in my late fathers possesions a Cattaraugus folding knife. It is 3-1/4″ long, has two blades and what appears to be a hook that is 2-1/2″ long. The knife appears to be white celluloid, with a toe nail on one end only, it has 3 rivits plus one on the toe nail, and it has what appears to be a shield similar to a policeman’s shield about 1/2″ long on one side. There are no numbers that I can find. All three blades are stamped Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Any information would be appreciated, especially age.
December 8th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Nice web site! Your viewers may also be interested in a new 2-part video I made about my hometown and family - I wrote the book “Tested XX - The Case Cutlery Dynasty” and am Case kin.
These videos are in response to readers asking about what remains in Little Valley and of the Case clan. I hope you enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/orbustdotcom
http://www.Or-Bust.com
Best,
Brad Lockwood