UNION CUT .CC. JACK KNIFE ~ Vintage/Antique

UNION CUT .CC. JACK KNIFE ~ Vintage/Antique

$149.00

Current stock: 1

UNION CUT .CC. JACK KNIFE ~ Vintage/Antique

The term "UNION CUT" .CC. JACK KNIFE refers to a vintage pocket knife produced by the Union Cutlery Company, and the ".CC." is a common abbreviation for "Cutlery Company". The company was eventually renamed KA-BAR. The knives are prized by collectors due to the company's historical significance and are not currently manufactured under the original brand. A jack knife from the Union Cutlery era would have been made sometime between the 1920s and the 1940s, before KA-BAR became the official company name.

History of the Union Cutlery Company

The Union Cutlery Company was a prominent American knife manufacturer with a significant history that evolved over decades.

Early years (1897–1909): The company was founded as the Tidioute Cutlery Company in Tidioute, Pennsylvania. In 1902, it was purchased and renamed the Union Razor Company.
Move to New York (1911): The company officially became the Union Cutlery Company in 1909 and moved its operations to Olean, New York, in 1911.
The KA-BAR trademark (1923): The "KA-BAR" trademark was adopted in 1923, inspired by a letter from a fur trapper who used the knife to kill a wounded bear. The letter was partially illegible, and "ka bar" could be read as fragments of the phrase "kill a bear".
Name change (1952): Due to the widespread recognition of its knives during WWII, the Union Cutlery Company officially changed its name to KA-BAR Cutlery Inc..

Brand: Union Cut. Co., also known as KA-BAR.
Type: A vintage folding pocket knife, specifically a "jack knife," often with a slipjoint lock.
Features: Varies by model, but often has a carbon steel blade and a "jack" or similar handle style.
Origin: Manufactured in Olean, NY, USA.