HOK Thread

[TripleF]

That's a beauty Dave!

[FRJ]

Yes, very nice, Dave.

Here's an old J.A. Henckels. 4 5/16".

[CheckSix]

Thanks Scott and Joe!

Joe,
Is that JA Henckels a slim whittler by chance? If not, how would you classify it?

The only thing I've got that is similar to that, is a Ulster slim whittler in French Ivory.

[FRJ]

Dave, my knife is not a whittler. It has just the one secondary. As to the pattern name, I don't know what it would be called.
A slim jack I suppose. I would like to hear some other opinions on this folder.
Thanks, Dave.
By the way, you knife is very nice.

[FRJ]

Well, guys, this thread is like pushing a boat in sand. I thought it would just sail along. Most of you have an arm load of HOKs.
I'll add a couple more just to keep it moving.

A couple of very substantial Case's. Honest Old Knives indeed.
Thanks for looking.

[Old Hunter]

How about a few Imperials? Two WW-II era EO jackknives and a 1970's era Frontier Medium Stockman. OH

[Old Hunter]

More Imperial goodness; a mid to late 1950's Official Boy Scout knife and a 1776-1976 forged Bicentennial Large Stockman. OH

[edge213]

That bicentennial stockman is really cool.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Shapleigh diamond edge

[FRJ]

Great knives, Old Hunter, from back when Imperial made a solid knife.
I have a medium stockman like that in white plastic of some sort.

[Old Hunter]

Paul, I have some blades that look like those on your D-E - different brand of knife though, a Case Half-Whittler. OH

[Old Hunter]

Yeah Joe, seems like Imperial Knife Company is the "forgotten brand" of all the big, old names in pocketknives. I just don't see too many - guess they worked hard and got used up. OH

[FRJ]

It's odd. For as many knives that they made you would think they would show up more often.
I've got some early ones I really like in bone and composition.

[Brumbydownunder]

A nice old IXL that belonged to my dear old Dad

[313 Mike]

Here's an Honest Old Schrade!

[Lansky1]

Most of my collection could probably qualify for this thread. But here are three worn-out specimens that are very near and dear to me, a couple of Cases and a Ward's by Utica.

"near and dear to me" ... those knives have some serious use / mojo - gotta be a story or two there ... care to share ??

[truck]

Most of my collection could probably qualify for this thread. But here are three worn-out specimens that are very near and dear to me, a couple of Cases and a Ward's by Utica.

"near and dear to me" ... those knives have some serious use / mojo - gotta be a story or two there ... care to share ??

Both of the Cases belonged to family members who have passed on. No particular stories that I'm aware of, but I could never part with them.

The Ward's, on the other hand, was being carried by my dad the night he was arrested for, well, let's just say it was a fairly serious deal and leave it at that. Anyway, the arresting officers attempted to confiscate it, but my dad refused, knowing he would never see his knife again. He insisted that he'd only surrender it to my mother when she arrived the next morning. After that, no mere amount of money could pry it from me.

[FRJ]

A couple more.

A Wilbert
A Cattaraugus

[KnifeSlinger#81]

You're blowing it out of the park Joe!

[FRJ]

Thanks, Paul.
Love these big knives.

[Lansky1]

Most of my collection could probably qualify for this thread. But here are three worn-out specimens that are very near and dear to me, a couple of Cases and a Ward's by Utica.

"near and dear to me" ... those knives have some serious use / mojo - gotta be a story or two there ... care to share ??

Both of the Cases belonged to family members who have passed on. No particular stories that I'm aware of, but I could never part with them.

The Ward's, on the other hand, was being carried by my dad the night he was arrested for, well, let's just say it was a fairly serious deal and leave it at that. Anyway, the arresting officers attempted to confiscate it, but my dad refused, knowing he would never see his knife again. He insisted that he'd only surrender it to my mother when she arrived the next morning. After that, no mere amount of money could pry it from me.

Looking at the heavy wear on those knives and your attachment to them, I knew from your response there had to be a story - thanks for sharing ! I have a Boker stockman from the 50's that my dad brought back from Germany - same thing ... I don't use it, but will always keep it knowing it came back on the ship in his duffle bag

[TheMadHungarian]

I'm a sucker for an old traditional, now I'm not one to pick up old beat up traditional knives no matter the condition, I'm more likely to pick up a knife that;s rusty or has a broken blade on a multi blade or a chip missing from the scales. In retrospect though, as the pre 70s knives are becoming more scarce, parts are going to become scarce too, a knife parts pile might be a good idea.

If the knife has 2 outta 3, good blades,( good scales/poor/no walk and talk:: tight knife, good covers/broken blade) you get the idea, I'll buy it if the price is right. I've come across many knives that I had no idea what I had till I cleaned them up many years later. Here's one example of a knife I came across that was covered in eggshell white latex semi-gloss paint. It looked like the original owner dipped it into the paint can again and again like he was making a candle, it was barely discernible as a knife and for some reason I kept it.

One day I was cleaning out my pile of broken and abused blades and for some reason I needed to see if there was a tang stamp under all the rust and paint on this one. It was a little bare head jack with bone scales of some kind. I wish I had taken pics before the cleaning took place and I've promised myself that I'd take before/WIP pics when I do a restoration/cleaning from now on.

So after a day of picking and cleaning of the paint with dental picks I was able to find the nail nick and work the blades open eventually loosening the back springs. After all the paint was gone and I got the blades open I saw how bad the main blade was, it looked like the original owner had used the edge of the primary blade to lever open the lid on the can of paint. There were 3 big chips taken outta the edge, it looked like giant serrations but other than the chips, the paint and the piece of scale missing it was a really nice knife. I put some extra effort into cleaning this one, I cleaned and reprofiled the blades smoothing out the chips. In cleaning covers I found out the scales were beautifully worn and aged smooth bone with a warm patina that definitely reflected it's age. I was able to discern a tang stamp too, it said Graef & Schmidt Solingen Germany turned out to be a 60-80 y/o Barehead Jack in otherwise really knice and most certainly usable condition. After all, that's what I want in the end, a knife I can carry and use, this one just reeks of history and comes with a cool story .

So you've heard the backstory now here's the knife.

Here's another one that was rescued with the Barehead Jack, a 1911-13 Union Knifeworks Moose I turned into a box cutter after regrinding a broken blade. This knife is so well made that at over 100 years old it's like brand new and cuts like a razor. I'd put it up against any equivalent custom today and carry it regularly especially to break down cardboard.

[FRJ]

That Union Knife Works, is a beauty.

Here's mine.

[313 Mike]

Great knives being shown everyone, and thanks for sharing the story madhungarian, great save!
Here is an old well used S&M sleeveboard whittler with one broken blade and two very well used blades...and some bone scales that I am very fond of...

[FRJ]

Nice one, Mike.