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Queen Reborn: SMKW Unveils New Line of Queen Knives with the Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper

Out of nowhere, Smoky Mountain Knife Works has reintroduced Queen Cutlery. Queen went out of business in 2018, and the future of the brand has been unclear since then. Recently SMKW posted a “Queen Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper” for sale on their site, and this article will showcase that knife and what it means for the Queen brand.

This knife came as a surprise to pretty much everyone. There were no rumors of it on the forums and Smoky Mountain Knife Works did no advertising before its release. Even upon release, there was very little fanfare; at first it wasn’t even featured on the SMKW homepage.

Once the knife was available for purchase on SMKW, there was still little solid information available. The product page said it was a test run Queen knife made in the U.S.A. for Smoky Mountain Knife works with black composite covers and 440 steel.

With so little official information available, the online knife community was abuzz with interest and speculation on the knife’s specifics.

The main question in discussion was; who made the knife? In this area, a consensus seems to have been reached that it must have been made by Bear & Son Cutlery. Here we can apply the old saying “read the knife, not the tang”. This means the best way to know the origin of a knife is to look at its characteristics and how it’s made, rather than what the tang is stamped or etched. In this case, due to the pattern’s similarity to Bear & Son’s Mini Trapper and other manufacturing hallmarks, it looks most likely to have been made in a Bear & Son factory. That said, SMKW has not identified the manufacturer, even when directly asked during a live video.

Another much discussed question was; why is SMKW coming out with a Queen knife? After the Titusville Queen factory closed and its assets were sold off, most believed that Bluegrass Cutlery had bought the machines and trademarks with intention to restart the brands. However, in a video SMKW said that they purchased the Queen and Queen City trademarks and plan to do a full line of knives under each brand. In the same video they explained that this knife was rushed to market because they had to use the trademark to keep it active. They said they have to do the same with a Queen City branded knife. Unfortunately, when asked if the future Queen and Queen City lines will remain made in the U.S.A., the SMKW representative said they didn’t know yet.

Queen collectors might ask what about Schatt & Morgan, Queen’s other well known and respected in house brand? A reputable source told me that Gilbert Cooper purchased the trademark and Queen’s machinery, and has promising plans for the brand. Cooper himself has posted on All About Pocket Knives forum about reintroducing the Schatt & Morgan brand with the goal of restoring its former place at the top quality tier of American pocket knives.

As for this Queen Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper, it’s certainly well enough made for being rushed to market. This knife is not made with the same quality level as a GEC made knife; I would put it in the same realm as Case knives. The blades are pretty well centered. The action is nice with about a 5.5 pull on both blades. The action was a little gritty at first, but after a little oil they’ve broken in to be relatively smooth. Neither blade has any wobble. Neither blade seems to have any rap or proud tips. There are some slight gaps between the springs and liners, and a gap between the pile side liner and cover. So the fit is pretty good. The finish leaves a little more to be desired. The transitions between the covers and bolsters, as well as the edges of the covers, are a little rough. The blades have something between an “as ground” type finish and a satin finish, while the bolsters are between a satin and polished finish. Unfortunately, the etch is not a particularly tasteful font and seems imperfectly placed and is very raised (enough so that it’s easy to catch your fingernail on it). The tang is not stamped, which I would prefer but adds an extra step and cost, but rather etched very plainly. The front tang is etched “Queen” and the back tang is etched “QN1 / U.S.A.”. I am glad they went with no shield instead of an unpinned (glued only) shield, like Case and others use. Overall, it’s a decently made knife for the price that would make a good user knife.

Although this SMKW Queen QN1 would be a great using knife, I anticipate it will become collectible. In the video I have referenced above, SMKW said that only 300 of these were made. Although that’s not a tiny number of knives, it’s a pretty small run compared to recent GEC general runs, let alone compared to Case runs. If SMKW handles the reintroduction of Queen and Queen City well (which I’m rooting for), this will have been what started it all and therefore sought after. If they don’t handle it well, or if they move production overseas, this might be the last American made Queen knife, and therefore sought after. Either way, it has sold out on Smoky Mountain Knife Works’ site so its value will soon begin to be established through the secondary market. That said, SMKW did say they have to bring a knife to market under the Queen City brand to retain the trademark and that it’s coming soon. So keep an eye out for that if you’d like to get one! In conclusion, I’m happy to see the Queen brand living on while being produced by Smoky Mountain Knife Works, and I hope to see great things in the future!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Knife Thoughts and Review Authenticity

Recently I posted on BladeForums mentioning that when I ordered the new SMKW Queen Pilot Test Run Knife, which I plan to do an article on, I requested that they check the knife for any major issues. A few people responded saying that asking that a knife be checked over for issues “invalidates” any review of the knife. They even went so far as to say it invalidates all of my reviews, which was disheartening. I thought I’d write an article on this topic, so as to make my thoughts and processes on that subject transparent to my readers and viewers.

Since long before Knife Thoughts existed, I have sometimes requested that dealers check over knives I purchase. I am a knife enthusiast first, before I am a knife reviewer, and asking the dealer to check the knife is a simple way to help avoid the hassle of getting a lemon. That said, I more often don’t ask the dealer to check the knife for issues than I do.

I have never expected dealers to accommodate this request. Rather, I see it as a favor for which it doesn’t hurt to ask. I know that it is extra time and work for them, and that it should be done by the manufacturer. I don’t expect such requests to be fulfilled any more now that I review some of the knives that go through my hands. On that note, I almost never mention that I intend to review knives when buying them. In the case of the Smoky Mountain Knife Works Queen Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper; I mentioned my intention to review the knife not to unduly influence them. I just mentioned it because I am excited that someone is reintroducing Queen, and eager to evaluate and review the knife. In any case, SMKW said they can’t check the knife, so it’s a non-issue on this specific knife.

Even if such a request is granted, I don’t think it has a major impact on the review. For one thing, it is still a sample size of one. In some cases I am able to base a review on more than one example of a knife. Most instances of that have been when I bought multiples for gifts. However, I can’t keep all the knives I get, let alone buy multiples. I would love to be able to though! These reviews are my experience as a knife enthusiast, intended to provide my opinion for information and entertainment.

I would be surprised if most knife reviewers didn’t often make the same request. I know that many collectors do. I suggest anyone make the same request when buying a knife. Like I mentioned earlier, it can’t hurt. Also, the more well known reviewers who get all or most of their knives for free certainly aren’t getting a random example. Whoever provides the knife is going to pick out a good example for review.

All that said, I will be as transparent as possible in my future reviews. I have always mentioned when I got the knife at a discount, whenever possible. Now I will also mention if I asked the dealer to check the knife for issues. I hope this will help those who are interested, and won’t feel redundant to others. I just want to keep enjoying great knives and sharing that experience with others!

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SMKW Quietly Unveils New Queen Knife

Recently, Smoky Mountain Knife Works posted a new Queen knife for sale on their site. The knife is a Pilot Test Run Mini Trapper with Black Composite covers. The main blade has an etch on the front tang reading “Queen” and on the back tang reading “QN1”. The description is quite sparse, but does state that it is made in the U.S.A.

SMKW seems to have done basically no advertising for this knife, as it came as a surprise to even the most in-the-know collectors from what I’ve heard. This choice perplexes me, as I’d think bringing back a much loved and historically significant brand like Queen would be something worth getting the word out about.

Although there’s a long history of manufacturers making knives for various brands without much transparency, in today’s market keeping a knife’s maker vague or hidden doesn’t create trust or bolster demand. The consensus is that, judging by the pattern specifics and look of the construction, it is made by Bear & Son. One member on BladeForums, in a thread about the knife, said that a SMKW representative confirmed that they own at least a portion of the Queen trademark and that the knife was made by Bear & Son for them. I haven’t owned many Bear & Son knives, but the general reaction that I have seen to this news has not been positive. It had been reported that a representative of Bluegrass Cutlery in Ohio purchased much of the old Queen tooling and machinery, as well as the Schatt & Morgan and Queen trademarks, at the bank auction after Queen’s closing. Apparently, Bluegrass Cutlery intends to produce knives that will bring back the top tier reputation Schatt & Morgan held for so long. So it was a surprise to see a more budget friendly knife, apparently not made by Bluegrass Cutlery, brought to the market by Smoky Mountain Knife Works.

I don’t exactly know how I feel about this knife. I don’t really think it’s the best approach to compete in the same price and quality range as Case; I think it would be better to go for the higher end market in the range of Great Eastern Cutlery. Also, in my opinion, the tang etches are a poor aesthetic choice. That said, I really would love to see high quality american made Queen and Schatt & Morgan knives back in production. I hope they make smart choices and find success. I might pick one of these up; even if it might not be the resurgence of Queen we expected, it will probably be a historically significant piece.

What do you think of this knife? Would you like to see a Knife Thoughts review of it?

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

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Glitter Gold / Goldstone Knife Handles are Garish (in a Good Way!) but Steeped in History

Too Long ; Didn’t Read? Here’s the companion video!

Glitter Gold handles tend to illicit one of two reactions from people; “I love it” or “That’s awful”. They’re eye catching in a way that some enjoy and others can’t stand, but they have a surprisingly longstanding place in the history of pocketknives.

First off, synthetic materials have been used for knife handle covers for longer than you might imagine. The first synthetic (or plastic like) replacements for wood, bone, ivory, etc. began being introduced in the late 19th century. By the beginning of the 20th century, when American knife manufacturing was coming into its own and outgrowing its predecessors in Solingen and Sheffield, companies like Case were offering knives handled in various colors of celluloid. Celluloid is another name for Parkesine, one of the first of the synthetic handle materials. Celluloid was used extensively by the knife industry, but now has become known for its flamability and tendency to oxidize and ruin carbon steel knives. However, one of the types of celluloid that was first used, as early as the 1920’s and definitely before 1940, was a type layered with gold glitter that became known as Goldstone.

This type of handle cover with a faux gold look is one that has been done in many ways by many companies. Interestingly, a 1935 article in Popular Science even provided directions on how to make your own glitter gold (or goldstone) celluloid covers for your pocket knife, so it must have been a popular type of handle. In the past companies like Winchester, Western, and Queen have also made knives with glitter handles. When Jim Parker took over Case he had some collector sets produced in Goldstone. Unfortunately, many of those covers went on to curl and deform, which may have soured some on the handle material. Recently, Rough Ryder produced a series of knives with covers consisting of gold flake in clear acrylic, which I would include in this type of handle. Case is currently producing knives with a silver glitter handle cover that they call Stardust Kirinite. So this flashy type of cover has been on many pocket knives from various companies over long decades.

Great Eastern Cutlery has also made their own version of knives with glitter gold handles. GEC’s versions are made with acrylic rather than celluloid. Acrylic is a very stable material, with none of the major issues that come with celluloid like flamability and outgassing. That said, in my experience, acrylics can shrink and swell depending on the conditions in which they’re kept. Thankfully, however, I have not experienced any such issues with the Glitter Gold acrylic.

In 2011 GEC created the Good as Gold series. There used to be a page on their site about the series, but it seems to have been taken down. In fact, it looks to me like they are moving away from the idea of having distinct series of knives, outside of their normal brands, although they continue to make the Beaver Tail and Banana knives. Interestingly, at least one knife was made with the Good as Gold tube label but without Glitter Gold Acrylic handles, and you can find an article on that knife at this link. They made a pretty good number of patterns with the Glitter Gold covers that year: #23 Square End Jumbo Trapper, #48 Slim Trapper, #56 Dogleg Jack, #62 Easy Pocket Congress, #65 Ben Hogan, and #66 Moose. Since then, as far as I can tell and check against the (unofficial but extremely helpful) GEC database created by Darren Orrell, the only knives they’ve made with Glitter Gold Acrylic handles were Special Factory Assembly models made for the 2018 Rendezvous. These consisted of two versions of the #78 American Jack, 8 made of each, a single spear bladed version and a spear and pen two bladed version. So, although they made knives with Glitter Gold handles in several patterns in 2011, overall it is a relatively obscure series for GEC.

Great Eastern Cutlery sourced their Glitter Gold Acrylic, I believe, from Masecraft Supply. Masecraft Supply seems to be out of the material. EDIT: Bill Howard let me know that GEC’s glitter gold was sourced not from Masecraft, but from Galaxy Plastic. I was told that the Glitter Gold Acrylic GEC has on hand is the last of their supply, and when it’s gone it’s gone for good. With that in mind, and considering that GEC has only made 16 knives in Glitter Gold Acrylic since 2011, if you find one available for sale I suggest picking it up if it fits your budget. They sometimes go for surprisingly low prices, even staying close to original retail. I always have one eye out for them!

I like a little flashiness in my knives, even to the point of garishness, but I know not all do. However, if you’re a fan of traditional knives then you probably appreciate their history. Glitter gold type synthetic handles have a long and interesting history starting in the early days of the American knife industry. As I talked about in another article, knives have always been appreciated for their aesthetics. Some people just like to go bold and bright, and glitter gold is the perfect solution!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts