Disagreeable knives.

[btrwtr]

When looking at any knife and trying to evaluate if all is correct with it the overall picture the knife creates should be in harmony with itself. In other words the knife should agree with itself. The manufacturer, materials used, fit and finish, wear on the entire knife, blade stamps, blade wear, blade configuration and other aspects should all be in harmony and agree. Here are a 3 knives from the same eBay seller that often lists knives that do not agree with themselves. They are disagreeable knives.

#1. Vintage Miller Bros.Cut Co. Meriden -1872-1926- 2 Blade Folding Knife Bone Snap

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Miller- ... 27ed2e7727

There are a good number of things that I do not like about this knife but most outstanding is the fit of the blades. Look at the way the end of the back spring for the master blade sits exposed from the frame with the blade both opened and closed. Do you think Miller Brothers would have made a knife of such poor fit quality? Do you like the tang stamps or do they look modern? Is it common for a 2 blade Miller Bros. jack knife to have the pen blade sit behind the master blade? Does this knife and the name Miller Brothers stamped on it agree with itself?

#2. Vintage CASE XX RED BONE 3 BLADE FOLDING KNIFE 6392 1940-64 NEAT MINT-SNAP 4"L

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-CASE-XX ... 27ed7f47c2

Here is a Case XX knife that has handles that are very pocket worn. All the jigging is worn smooth front and back. The bolsters are well rounded and worn to the extent that I would expect to see blades that would be far less than mint. Also note that the back springs all sit out from the frame a bit with the blades closed. Does it make sense that a knife with a frame that is so worn, with smoothed out handles and bolsters would have new looking blades? Does the knife agree with itself?

#3. Vintage Case Tested 1920-40s Two Blade Folding Knife Green Bone 3 1/2" Snap

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Case-Te ... 20edf12f65

Here is a perfect example of a knife that has been roughed up by a "repairman" for lack of a better term. Look at the way the back springs sit on either blade with the blades fully opened or closed. Do you think these blades could have started out in this frame? Does this knife agree with itself?

Springs should fit near flush with frame in both fully opened and closed positions. Blades with half stops should also have springs sit close to flush when in half stop position. Blade backs should form a straight plane with back springs when blades are fully opened with little or no offset between blade back and spring. Although use and less than perfect initial factory fitting can result in some variation there is no way a knife of any decent quality should ever fit like this knife does.

[conslade]

Wayne, sometime you amaze me with you eye for detail.

[knifeaholic]

Agree with all the above....

On the Miller Bros, he actually has pictures of two different knives in the listing.


On the Case green bone jack, I believe that the main spear blade is a fake blade that was installed to replace the original blade. The grind and tang stamp just don't look right.

[philco]

Those globs of grey epoxy (or whatever that crud is) near the bolster and around the shield on that Miller Bros. would be enough to send me elsewhere.

Steve you are right, the first and second photos on that listing are of two different knives.

Wayne thank you for this post. Your observations are a valuable education to many of us here at AAPK.

[peanut740]

This guy came by my table at the Central Ky. show in the spring and showed me a knife and asked me about it.I didn`t need to open it up to see it was fake,and told him so.I didn`t know who he was at the time,but a week or so later the knife was on Ebay with a buy it now from this same guy.Later a member here posted a picture of the knife after he bought it.I sent him a PM and told him to take a closer look.Later he emailed back thanking me for the heads up.I believe he sent it back and got a refund.Little that this guy has for sale is legit.

[stockman]

Wayne the first thing I noticed was the Miller Bros pics showed the pen blade on both sides of the master.
Seems everyone did also. The tested

Harold

[Jacknifeben]

Another thing I look for is a crisp cut in the nail pull. These rounded out nail pull look like a colonial or some other less expensive knife.

[danno50]

thanks Wayne, good post, very educational.
Dan

[Mumbleypeg]

Wayne, thanks for a great post. You not only said the knives are suspect, you took time to explain what is suspect and why. This is exactly the kind of tutorial needed to educate folks on how to read a knife for authenticity.

Thanks for sharing with us all your experience and knowledge.

Ken