The Company

• The Western Knife Company made knives from 1898 to 2007. Coleman purchased the company in 1984 then sold it to Camillus Knives in 1991. Shortly thereafter, Western went bankrupt and was incorporated into Camillus as a separate line of products instead of a separate company. Western was a major knife supplier to the United States Army during World War II and the Vietnam War.
  
  

The Knives

• Western knives have a reputation for quality. The steel is hard and sharp, and the rosewood handles feature enough carving for grip but not enough to encourage grime or decay. Many pocketknives featured silver medallions or badges, and some Bowie knives included multicolored leather collars on the full-tang handle.
  
  

The Patent

• In 1934, the Western Knife Company secured a patent for the way it inserted the blades into the handles. It involved a long slit up the center of the tang that allowed collars to be placed firmly by partially filling the gap, thereby helping to secure the handle. This process was one of the reasons Western had such a reputation for quality.