The News from ElephantToenails.com

Asking if you have a favorite toenail is probably like asking which of your children is your favorite, and I realize that.

Over a Cutlery News Journal we are running the My Favorite Knife YouTube Video Contest. Collectors have an opportunity to win cash and prizes by shooting a short video about their favorite knife.

I was telling my wife about the contest and she asked me if I had a favorite from my collection. I was put on the spot for a second and realized, no, I don’t actually have a favorite- not a most favorite. It is like being asked which of my offspring is my favorite.

The truth is the knife doesn’t actually have to be your most favorite- cause if you are like me, you ain’t got just one, so don’t get hung up. Pick one and just pretend, for the contest, anyway, that it is it.

I’m expecting members of the Elephant Toenail Collectors Club to enter this contest. I can hear some of you now saying, I don’t know anything about putting a video up on YouTube so that it can be entered in the contest. I anticipated that, so here’s the deal- if you will shoot the video- I’ll walk you through the process. Follow the link above to entry form and details.

The contest ends the last day of April. The judging will end the first week of May and the winners announced.

Have fun and don’t worry about trying be Steven Spielberg. The winners will be selected on originality and creativity, not cinematography, per se.

The contest is sponsored by the National Knife Collectors Association, YouTube’s cutlerylover and CNJ.

Griffon sign originally from the 1920s.

Ever heard of a Griffon?

I hadn’t prior to today.  In case you are familiar, Goins has it Griffon as Griffon XX Bridgeport, Conn and Griffon Cutlery Works (and a few other variations).

Basically, the firm began back in 1983ish. Goins says the main offices of Griffon Cutlery Works have always been in NYC. They had a factory in Worcester, Mass around 1919 and 1921. He goes on to say many of their knives were made on contract.

Then he shows an image of their brand it is “Griffon” in cursive. Here it is on a painted on the side of their building. Photo taken in 1986. Additional info on Griffon.

Griffon XX Cutlery Bridgeport, Conn

In case you are wondering what the heck I am going on about Griffon for, well today I met another toenail collector. He was kind enough to provide me photos of several of his collection. One of these toenails was a Griffon.

Griffon was eventually purchased by Cole National in 1969.

Got a chuckle today. Have you seen the Case Bros toenail on eBay right now?

This seller has a $2000 Buy It Now. Then he goes on to say he doesn’t expect to get $2000                            

You tell me what it is worth?

Just found out we have a toenail going up for auction this weekend. It is a creation by Mike DuBois of W R Case. The auction is March 21 at the Prime Retail Outlet Mall in Birch Run, Michigan at 1:00. If you are in the area grab this beauty. Mike’s work is excellent and is known by Case fans.

I have one for you. Here it is-

You know the W R Case Jumbo? Everyone agrees it was made either by Platts or on their equipment after the merger with W R Case.  But how is it we say there are W R Case & Sons Cutlery Co. Jumbos made on contract by Platts?

We have been told there are W R Case & Sons Jumbos that were made by Platts for W R Case & Sons before their merger.

Well, here’s the rub- before the merger Case wasn’t W R Case & Sons Cutlery Co, instead it was W R Case & Son Cutlery Co, plus it was Little Valley, not Bradford. I need to go back through my W R Case Jumbos to see if any are LVNY, but this I know for sure- there ain’t none of them SON knives. I’m only talking Jumbos here, cause there are SON standard toenails.

So, I guess I need another expert to come forward to clear this up for me. If there was no SONS til after the merger, then how is it popular opinion that the W R Case & Sons was a contract knife made by Platts? Do you follow me?

The truth is I am perfectly fine if all W R Case Jumbos were made after the merger- that would actually clear things up for me. Then we would know the earliest date the W R Case Jumbos were made- about 1905. Then the only question still on the table would be- when did they stop making them? But, we’ll hold that one for another day.

And, no this isn’t a Trivia Question; this one is my question that needs answered and you guys are the Elephant Toenail Collector Club, so what say you? If it is an obvious answer, please be kind and don’t embarrass me, OK? : )

Talking to a knife collector in AZ earlier this week I learned there is a Platts stamped jumbo pen blade somewhere out there floating around. The collector said it reeked old. The guy who had it wanted $600 for it.

If you know the whereabouts of this blade let us know. And, don’t go taking one off your swellcenter….

In the quest of dating Cattaraugus toenails and the number of pins used during the company’s 77 year existence (1886- 1963), here’s a tidbit-

Pre- 1913 Etched Cattaraugus Elephant Toenail

This Catt is etched “The Western Hdwe & Imp. Co.”

I am able to only find a snippet of information at this point on the hardware company. 

 

 

 

 

The Western Hardware & Implement Company’s name was changed in 1913 when the business was sold.

So, one fact we can nail down is this- the 3 pin dates back to pre- 1913.

I’m still waiting on the Catt expert to step forward and clear up the handle pin mystery.

In the meantime, Cindy & Jim Taylor are offering a nice 3 pin (counting center pin) Catt on eBay.

I’m of the opinion the 3 pin is the older model with the 5 pin coming before Catt closed up. Again, that is my guess based on looking at the age signs of the different knives. It is possible the 5 pins were assembled by the parts sold off after the factory closed.

Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Identification and Values by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart and The IBCA Price Guide to Antique Knives 2nd Ed. by Bruce Voyles both show a 3 pinned toenail in their books.

As our collections grow most of us begin to get more selective. Many of us narrow our targets down to particular brands. Knife Shows provide an excellent hunting ground to find other toenails of a brand. One of the challenges with shows is learning to recognize the brands when we see them in the dealer’s case.

Typically, my MO is to walk through fairly quickly. Picking out the knives I want to get more information about. And yet, I don’t like showing my hand prematurely to the seller.

One of the challenges with this approach, for me anyway, is knowing if the toenail is even one I am interested in. I decide to buy based on brand and then condition. You may be totally different. Maybe you will buy any toenail if its condition meets your approval, regardless of the brand. Your decision may be based on condition and price. 

My ability to recognize what brand toenail it is is important. If I know it is one I am interested in, then I approach the situation different.

Identify This Toenail Series

So, let’s have a little fun here. Over the next several weeks, I’m going to post a picture of a toenail and you are to identify what brand it is. If there are any particulars associated with a particular knife, I’ll get into that when I post it, like a knife that was made on contract and looks like a knife of another brand. We are going to try to keep is simple.

No cheating. No looking at The List, catalogs or books, unless you don’t know the answer. Good luck. 

Let’s do a practice round just to show you how it is going to work- Ready? Here we go:

Do you recognize this toenail? What brand is it? Oh yeah, I will be marking out the tang stamp

Click below to see if you got it right-

Read the rest of this entry »

If you are an eBay watcher then you have undoubtly noticed the decent quality toenails going off there lately. Late today, another knife friend passed on one to me that has just been added.

While Camillus doesn’t seem to rank up there with Platts, Case Brothers, Napanoch and W R Case & SON and the other grade A Brands, Camillus is still a fine brand and one that should move up a notch or two with them shutting down in 2006.

While I do I a number of them, I am not a Camillus expert, but from what I have read it seems the 4 line is the older model.

This one is worth checking out-