The Foster Bros...
Quoting from "Levine's Guide To Knives And Their Values - 4th Edition" by Bernard Levine...
Foster Bros.
In 1883 John Chatillon & Sons Co. of New York City, a half-century old maker of scales, acquired the Foster Brothers Cutlery Co. of Fulton, New York, founded in 1878 by Frank and Allie Foster. Chatillon expanded the Foster Bros. line to over 500 items. During World War II Foster made 250,000 cleavers for the military, plus thousands of bolos and other knives. Chatillon closed Foster Bros. in the 1950's, and sold the name to the Columbia Cutlery Co.
Quoting "Goins' Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings" by John & Charlotte Goins...
Foster Bros. & Chatillon Co.
c. 1835 - present
John Chatillon Company made scales when it was founded in 1835. Eventually, they began making butcher knives, cleavers, and steels. In 1885, they became sole agents agents for the Foster Brothers line butchers' tools.
In 1896, the firm purchased the Phoenix Knife Company of Phoenix, New York. They then merged it with the Foster Brothers & Chatillon Company. This added hundreds of patterns of of jack and pen knives to their line.
They continued dealing in pocket cutlery as late as 1937. The firm is still in business, dealing in butchers supplies.
KNIVES ARE MARKED:
1870''S TO 1890 FOSTER BROS.
1891 TO 1904 FOSTER BROS. COMPANY
1904 TO 1953 FOSTER BROS. & CHATILLON CO.
1953 TO 1956 FOSTER BROS.
1957 THU ?? COLUMBIA CUTLERY CORP (FOSTER BRO. LOGO)
(2) FRANK AND ALLIE STARTED THE BUSINESS THEN THEIR BROTHERS C. F & J. A. FOSTER CAME IN LATER
(3) THEY EMPLOYED 50 SKILL CRAFTSMEN AND 9 SALESMEN
(4) THEY MADE 500 DIFFERENT SIZE, SHAPES & STYLES
(5) LARGEST WAS THE SPLITTER 24" BLADE & 24" HANDLE TOTAL OF 4' LONG
(6) SMALLEST WAS TINY BLADE USE FOR POULTRY
(7) HANDLES WERE MADE OF COCA BOLA FROM PANAMA & NICARAGUA
: ROSE WOOD & EBONY FROM SOUTH AMERICAN & AFRICA
:BLACK WALNUT, BEECH, MAPLE, CHERRY FROM DOMESTIC SOURCES
(8) THE MADE OVER 200 THOUSAND KNIVES FOR THE ARMY, NAVY, AND MARINES
(9) AROUND 1904 TO 1953 JOHN CHATILLON & SONS CAME IN TO THE COMPANY MAKING IT (FOSTER BRO. & CHATILLON CO.)
(10) COLUMBIA CUTLERY CORP PURCHASE THE FOSTER BROTHERS NAMES AROUND 1957 AND START TO PUT THE LOGO ON -----------THEIR STAINLESS STEEL KNIVES.
The "General" line of knives...
The "General" line of knives...
CARBONS & ALLOYS
FOSTER KNIVES CHART
Carbon steels and alloy steels are designated by a four digit number, where the first digit indicates the main alloying element's), the second digit indicates the secondary alloying element's), and the last two digits indicate the amount of carbon, in hundredths of a percent by weight. For example, a1170 steel is a plain-carbon steel containing 0.70 wt% CARBON
Major classifications of steel | |
SAE designation | Type |
1xxx | Carbon steels |
2xxx | Nickel steels |
3xxx | Nickel-chromium steels |
4xxx | Molybdenum steels |
5xxx | Chromium steels |
6xxx | Chromium-vanadium steels |
7xxx | Tungsten steels |
8xxx | Nickel-chromium-vanadium steels |
9xxx | Silicon-manganese steels |
(1)EXAMPLE (1107)
1 MAIN CARBON STEEL 100% CARBON
1 SECONDARY CARBON STEEL
07 0.07 ONE HUNDREDTHS BY WEIGHT OF CARBON
(2) EXAMPLE (1207)
1 MAIN CARBON STEEL
2 SECONDARY NICKEL STEEL
07 0.07 ONE HUNDREDTHS BY WEIGHT OF CARBON
Foster Bros. Knife Works 1904 Fulton Ny
Grinding cleavers...