Cattaraugus Knife Co.
| Cattaraugus Knife Co. of Little Valley, NY introduced official BSA pocket knives in 1933. There were two models. A 4 blade and another that had two cutting blades and an awl. Cattaraugus knives do not have the usual can opener found on most BSA knives. Cattaraugus knives are high quality, but were introduced in the height of the economic depression of the 1930’s, its one of the more scarce knives. The brand name was Whitt-L-Craft. Cattaraugus quit making Scout knives about 1939. | ||||
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| I'll comment elsewhere about condition and desirability, but when you see a 90 year old knife with blade etchings, its a thrill. | ||||
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| Collecting Cattaraugus "Whitt I Kraft" Knives 1932 - 1941 | ||||
| Four Blade official Boy Scout folding pocket knives by Cattaraugus | ||||
| 1. 4 blade, bone handle, etched 1st Class in six sided shield, 3 7/16" long 1. With shackle 2. without shackle. | ||||
| Three Blade official Boy Scout folding pocket knives by Cattaraugus | ||||
| 1. 3 blade, (2 cutting with an awl), bone handle, etched 1st Class in six sided shield, 3 7/16" long 3A -With Shackle B - No shackle | ||||
 1A and 1B - Note the color variations in the handle. 1A has light and dark features while 1B is darker. I wonder if there was actually a color specification. Perhaps the BSA specification was simply a "bone" handle. |
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It’s interesting to note that during the late 1920’s-1930’s the BSA had
Cattaraugus, Ulster, LFC and Remington competing for Scouts knife purchases.
Remington was probably the most famous because of its firearms business, but the
quality of these brands is exceptional. After about 1939 knife producers were
receiving military contracts and during WWII Scout knives were in short supply.
In 1947, only one knife, a 4 blade Camillus was in the 1947 catalog. Later, knives would be made by Camillus, Imperial and Ulster USA, a new company, with an old name. |
