Help! Knife Info Needed.

Curtiss Knives

KD Founding Member #1, Knifemaker
I was given this knife this weekend by my wife's uncle. The only thing he thinks he knows about it is the maker's last name was Parker and he was suppose to be from Michigan. I really don't think he knows. Help me identify this knife. It looks to be forged and the make's stamp is there. The initials MDP. It has unique cutouts at the ricasso and jimping on one side only on the spine. Any info is appreciated. huh1
 

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I don't know about the maker but I'd say with the design and the spanish notch it was probably made for a fisherman or sailer
 
Help with knife info

I have one similar to yours. I've seen them on different sites usually with different people making them. Check out Atlanta Cutlery and then Frontier Patch Knife. Track of the Wolf in Minnesota sells them also. They are usually listed under reproduction of a French Trade Knife. I've seen three places selling them,all with different makers. They usually cost between $22.00 to $28.00. Hope this helps
 
It's actually DMP, David M. Palmer. He owned the business and equipment for a while, but then when he retired sold everything to someone else. There are several outfits selling them.

They're cheap, mass produced knives for the rendevous crowd, basically fantasy "trade knives," although many of the designs sold are not historically accurate. They are usually thin high carbon steel of some sort, stamp cut, given a crude chisel or scandi grind, simple file work on the spine, and a "Spanish notch" on the ricasso, and then dipped in acid to give it a "patina" and some damascus-looking pits. They are not forged, and usually they don't even have an edge on them. I have 2 blanks with the DMP stamp I picked up a number of years ago from Troy Koval.

These will sometimes be stamped "RT" for River Traders.
 
reply to trade knife

I was given this knife this weekend by my wife's uncle. The only thing he thinks he knows about it is the maker's last name was Parker and he was suppose to be from Michigan. I really don't think he knows. Help me identify this knife. It looks to be forged and the make's stamp is there. The initials MDP. It has unique cutouts at the ricasso and jimping on one side only on the spine. Any info is appreciated. huh1

This knife was made by my father Marv Palmer from Hemlock Michigan. It was made in 1998 or 1999. My dad's knives wore stamped MP for 18 of 20 years. For 2 years 1998 and 1999, my dad stamped the blades with that mark that is on your blade. Reason being he was making the blades and shipping them down to my shop in Jackson Michigan where I would finish the knives. In July of 1999, my dad retired from knifemaking and I tookover the business. The stamp changed after that to DMP which stands for David Mark Palmer. I still make the trade knives, which are sold to dealers. The model you have my dad called a "Mackinaw" because the Museum in Mackinaw had him create the knife for display at the museum.The blade is not forged. The finish is created in heat treating with coal and anthracite. As far as makers of this style of knife, my dad showed 2 others how this was done. One of the makers is out west, the other was in Florida. And in reply to NJSTRICKER, the knives are not acid dipped. gun blue is applied after heat treating and buffed off with emery cloth. This help bring out the patterns that were created by the heat treat process. The knives are not "stamped out" , but cut out of annealed 1095 with my bandsaw.

Dave
 
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Dave, this is great. Glad to hear from the maker. I have the knife put away right know. I'm very glad to know this info and I will pass the info on to my wife's uncle. Thanks again. 2thumbs
 
Dave (dmp Dave)
Great story! thanks for posting that. Glad to you have you. You are sure welcome to stick around..
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Good to have you on the forums. Do you have a site for your knives? Heck, we might meet up one day when I head to the lake house this summer.
 
no website, don't really need the extra business. Quite a few dealers have them on theirs though. gfredasbell.com is one. Blackpowderbags.com, gary fatheree "the leatherman"
 
Hi Everyone,

Im new here to Knife Dogs and trying to find out some info on this one I purchased for $65 at the Dixie Gun and Knife Show here in Raleigh NC on Jan 15th 2011 from a Custom Knife maker named Larry Dula. It seems to be High Carbon with a Curly Maple Handle. It has the Spanish Notch and comes with a very nice Handmade Sheath. I assumed that he made the entire Knife from start to finish but it appears than he may be using Blanks from Dave @DMPKNIVES. Would love to hear any info on this blade and I think Ive found a new addiction to go right along with my Ruger Habit.

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Larry is one of my dealers. This knife was made by myself up here in Michigan. Larry does'nt buy very many blanks from me, mostly finished knives. This knife was definitely done by me. The sheath was not, I think Larry might have made that.

Dave
 
Thanks for the info. Im really into Period Pieces of any kind and really enjoy this one. The next Knife I plan on purchasing will be from Bill Bisher at Black Turtle Forge http://blackturtleforge.com/ . His are truly hand forged and the entire process is created in house from idea to conception. Are there any galleries of your work or any site where they can be order online besides gfredasbell.com and blackpowderbags.com ?
 
From what I understand they were Spanish Trade Knives and here are some supposed uses of the notch.

1. Decoration
2. Starting point for the edge so you don't scarf up the polish or pattern
3. Legends about sailing ships and working up in the rigging, hanging on with one hand whilst being whipped about yourself, and being able to trap the blade in the whipping around a hawser using the notch so it didn't drop to the deck killing the cap'n or first mate or lost overboard
4. A great way to catch bits of twine and cord and interfere with efficient cutting of things
5. Some scandinavian blades have a notch on the spine, purportedly for helping strip bark off willow etc., woodcarving or caning.
6. a blade catcher for fighting (cough BS cough) but some folks make it sound really good.

I myself am curious to the true origin of the name and lend an open ear to anyone with a viable theory.
 
I have three of these knives. Two with "Palmer, Handcrafted, Hemlock MI" as a blade logo. The third is just stamped MP.
 
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