# Hoan Refurb Give Away



## Pabloz (Apr 28, 2012)

To carry on from a WIP thread, I have recently finished a small refurb of a Hoan France parer/petty size knife. I spent several hours trying to come up with info on the company on this particular knife but only got this: http://www.lifetimebrands.com/Company-Timeline/COMPANY_TIMELINE,default,pg.html This really gave me nothing that I was looking for... I tried several other searches, all to no avail.

OK, so here's the deal, I will send this knife to the person that provides the most comprehensive historical reckoning of Hoan Products Ltd. prior to the Lifetime Brands take over. I would like to know where in France they were located, a basic history of the company, and if possible some history on this particular knife. If for some reason this does not work out I'll do some sort of recipe/ random number thing similar to one that was done before.

I had a lot of fun with this so far and would like to share it with y'all. Whoever ends up with this knife will truly enjoy it well, not only because of its performance but also the nostalgia of it as well.






Thanks.

PZ


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## Eamon Burke (Apr 28, 2012)

Looks like Steeley just got a new knife.


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## steeley (Apr 28, 2012)

That's a new one on me but I will see if i hit on anything.


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## sachem allison (Apr 28, 2012)

the original company name was Hoan Products Ltd. other than that I got nothing for you.


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## kalaeb (Apr 28, 2012)

Surprisingly more difficult than I thought to find anything pre 1986.


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## steeley (Apr 28, 2012)

The founder of Lifetime Brands--and the chairman, CEO, and president of the company to the advent of the 21st century--was Milton Cohen, born in 1929, the son of a garment worker. Following high school, Cohen began working as a scissors and shears salesman. He eventually gained a position, at age 26, managing sales on the East Coast for a large cutlery firm.

Wanting to be his own boss, Cohen joined in 1957 with partner Sam Siegel to start a knife factory in Brooklyn under the name Reo Products. In 1960 Reo Products acquired 1945-founded Lifetime Cutlery Corporation, a larger distributor of knives than Reo. Cohen adopted Lifetime's name for his company.

and here's a mark.




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## steeley (Apr 28, 2012)

well it looks like so far they imported and worked on knifes putting handles and stamp with there brand or a license agreement
which they have with Sabatiers now .
but that knife looks like early import to there co.

i can see why you had a rough time finding anything .


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## steeley (Apr 28, 2012)

so it is looking more like they stamped there goods.




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## steeley (Apr 28, 2012)

:2cents:Funny mark on that blade .
not alot of info but might help.
I say put it in the random number thing to give everyone a chance .


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## Candlejack (Apr 28, 2012)

Well, congrats there Steeley! May i ask how you source that information when everybody else has problems with it?
Do you work with it, collect books or are you just a god of googling?


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## steeley (Apr 28, 2012)

I think Son could teach me a lot more about the subject .
and i just narrow it down a little .


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## kalaeb (Apr 28, 2012)

Okay, so here is goes, Hoan was founded in 1921 by Uber Messer Meister Dieter Hoan, from Herford Germany. His education was in metallurgy and was tutored by Herr Larrin Thomas. Together they forged steel from lightning bolts and a mine that went to the center of the Earth. Needless to say they were a national pride. 

They grew their knife business, one at a time until 1938, when they were commissioned to help with the war efforts. They manufactured bayonettes until the end of the war and in 1945 came to the US. 

Once in the US they were given diplomatic immunity and started to live the easy life in Alaska. But, soon the fire in their forge could not be put out and they started making knives again, this time for the wayward bear hunter. 

They once again grew their business until the late 80s when they caught the eye of Lifetime products. Lifetime talked to Herr Thomas and Herr Sloan and soon offered them a large amount of money for the name and processs to their knife line. They sold the proprietary rights of their lightning steel and disappeared in the night without a trace. 

Lifetime was deceived, they could not make the systems of the lightning steel work, but ended up marketing the name regardless. 

Hoan and Thomas are now 90 years old and living on a beach at an undisclosed location with a scholar named Herr Keller.

:moon:


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## kalaeb (Apr 28, 2012)

Really, I just can't find anything.


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## sachem allison (Apr 28, 2012)

Hoan = Housewares of all Nations. It was a distributor of mid to low end housewares and kitchenwares. They would contract with various companies to make
knives for them. One of their major makers was Sabatier from Thiers Issard. this has a very French look, I think if we find a Theirs Issard paring knife that looks like this we have found the maker.


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## steeley (Apr 30, 2012)

but most likely it is a piece that was produced by Pradel, who made them by the million on behalf of retailers around the world, leaving their name off in deference. Pradel is still very much in business today but they don't make them like this anymore, that is for certain; they have struggled for years to stay alive and no longer distribute their fine products in the United States in any kind of quantity. They still make this STYLE of knife, but the blades are now made from less expensive recycled steel instead of virgin steel and the handles are now made of plastic or beech, not rosewood.

Pradel was in business from 1850-1960 then sold .
some were made in THiers. FR notice the brass ferrule ring that was used by some of the pocket knife makers.
funny after all these years the knife look a lot a like .
you be the judge.

first the period knife that i found on e-bay.




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## steeley (Apr 30, 2012)

and the 1920 Thier's France reproduction knife.




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## steeley (Apr 30, 2012)

and here's the guy who made it :whistling:





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## Eamon Burke (Apr 30, 2012)

Come on, it's the guy's face!

Game. Set. Match.



BTW What is that, a knife cave?? They look like a bunch of socialists.


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## Pabloz (Apr 30, 2012)

WOW...OK Steeley you WIN! 

With this knife I dub thee Sir Winchester Steeley, Minister of Blarney and Internationally Renouned KKF Cutlery Historian.

PM me your ADDY ASAP as my boots are filling up fast.

I will put a fresh edge on it and send it out USPS Priority.

THANK YOU,
PZ


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## sachem allison (May 1, 2012)

congratulations Steeley and awesome work Paul.


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## steeley (May 1, 2012)

:bliss:WOW really! thank you to Son and Paul for putting this together.
I love the history of the knife and maker i will post a picture holding the knife proudly.
thank you.


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## Dave Martell (May 2, 2012)

Steeley your GoogleFu is unrivaled - congrats :thumbsup:


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## steeley (May 2, 2012)

:detective:Thank you Dave.


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## Deckhand (May 2, 2012)

steeley said:


> :bliss:WOW really! thank you to Son and Paul for putting this together.
> I love the history of the knife and maker i will post a picture holding the knife proudly.
> thank you.



You deserve it for all of your great posts. It's a better place because of you.


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## Candlejack (May 2, 2012)

Congrats, greatly deserved for the information you were able to dig up!
Hope you enjoy it!


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## Pabloz (May 2, 2012)

Steeley,
You should be getting it today. I put a fresh edge on it so please let me know how it cuts OOTB.

THANKS,
PZ


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## steeley (May 2, 2012)

:knife:Thank you all for the kind words .
now to stalk the mailman.


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## steeley (May 3, 2012)

SWEET little paring knife feels really good in the hand I will take a few shots in a bit.
nice polished edge too Paul, thank you once again bringing the knife back and son for keeping knife history to life.
now to go cut something.:biggrin:


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## Crothcipt (May 3, 2012)




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## steeley (May 4, 2012)

Made a little apple pear ,avocado ginger salad
and BLT'S. FUN:wink:




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## sachem allison (May 4, 2012)

looks like it gets the job done. I just ran a BBLT( house cured Beef Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich) for a lunch special today.


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## steeley (May 4, 2012)

You had me at beef bacon.
is that what your bear is doing in your aviator checking the beef bacon.:nutskick::hatsoff:


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## sachem allison (May 4, 2012)

she is looking for ticks...yeah... that's it ticks. wouldn't want him to get lyme disease, would you?


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## Johnny.B.Good (May 4, 2012)

Pretty little knife Steeley. Handle (in particular) has a lot of character.

Cool project Son and nice work PZ.


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## Lefty (May 8, 2012)

Awesome thread in all ways! I love the history lessons and great old pictures. Thanks Son, Paul and Steeley!


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## tgraypots (Jul 9, 2012)

Similar knife available at EpicEdge.
http://epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=88179


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## Johnny.B.Good (Jul 9, 2012)

tgraypots said:


> Similar knife available at EpicEdge.
> http://epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=88179



I like the old Hoan that PZ refurbished more than this one, but it's definitely similar and rather tempting (even though I have absolutely no need for another paring knife).


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## Mitbud (Jul 29, 2012)

Like this:

View attachment 8846


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## zitangy (Aug 22, 2012)

steeley said:


> :knife:Thank you all for the kind words .
> now to stalk the mailman.



Is that yr source of info? Does he always rings twice??

congratulations ..

rgds
D


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