# Foster Bros



## Dave Martell (Feb 22, 2014)

*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.
> 
> ...




*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..*.





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*1xxxCarbon steels2xxxNickel steels3xxxNickel-chromium steels4xxxMolybdenum steels5xxxChromium steels6xxxChromium-vanadium steels7xxxTungsten steels8xxxNickel-chromium-vanadium steels9xxxSilicon-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...*


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## HHH Knives (Feb 22, 2014)

Great stuff Dave. Thanks for posting. I gota get me one of them Double bevel polishers!!


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## sachem allison (Feb 22, 2014)

reminds me of Steeley!


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## Dave Martell (Feb 22, 2014)

sachem allison said:


> reminds me of Steeley!




I did this thinking of him. Where did he go?


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## sachem allison (Feb 22, 2014)

i can't find him. someone knows. I hope he's alright.


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## brainsausage (Feb 22, 2014)

I had Steeley remembrances as well. Hope he's doing well.


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## cranky72 (Mar 2, 2014)

great post martell, amazing variety of alloys used by this co. i really love this old history. cranky72


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## DeepCSweede (Mar 3, 2014)

Nice job Dave - Hope Steeley is ok too.


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## crunchy (Mar 3, 2014)

thanks dave! strictly use foster bros. for meat fab and whole butchery.


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## ramenlegend (Mar 3, 2014)

I really want one of them gold star general knives....


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## tomsch (Mar 5, 2014)

Great information for sure! I have a number of Foster Bros vintage cleavers that either see use or are slated for some level of refurb.


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## teke (Jul 15, 2014)

see http://www.cookingknife.ru/iView.aspx?id=38


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## menzaremba (Jul 22, 2014)

Wow. Great photos. Hard to imagine working on those 4ft wheels without eye and ear protection.


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