All About Pocket Knives

Time to quit 'monkeying around' and get back on topic. I don't know why I had in my mind this '08 was an S&M.

Could be fun PA! Hey Jerry, I have a few of these myself. Always hard to resist these Harness Jack patterns after Charlie created this monster in me.

Perry, the monster was probably always there and Charlie just woke it up.

Very true Jerry. My grandfather was raised on a farm in the early 1900s and fought in France in WW1, so I remember him carryin a Harness Jack and breakin it one day. Frustrated him at the time that he couldn't replace it. In the mid 60s there weren't a lot of options to replace a HJ. He settled on a Case Stockman to have as his EDC. I wish I had both the broken HJ and the Stockman he used till his death but I don't. He really introduced me to the Case brand as a boy in the mid 60s. We lost him in late 1977. Here's to the man that taught me how to fish, hunt and ride horses. Oh, he could not be beat at checkers either.

Nice that you got to hang with him, Perry!
Did he teach you to sing too?

Thanks Charlie, no, my Mother has always said that my voice was God given.

singin46 wrote:Thanks Charlie, no, my Mother has always said that my voice was God given.

You are indeed blessed!
My brother, also a fine musician, has extracted a promise from me, never to sing in his presence! God gave me many fine things - a melodic voice and/or ear not being two of them!

Oh but you have other talents I wish I possessed. Singin has always come naturally to me until I moved here and had to figure out "Country Parts", they're a little different than standard backgrounds.

Thought I better give equal time to the Candy 1 of 16!

But this newest HJ5 is my all time favorite!

I picked this one up from an aapk store thanks Don. There are some beautiful looking knives in this thread. I just got to track down a few more.

Bill

Nice find there Bill, I figured the redbones were all gone. You can still get a couple from Vintageknives too.

Thanks Perry I picked up the green bone one I have from vintageknives. There is one more red bone at Big Don's aapk store.

Bill

Big Don bought a bunch from me, way back when . . . . . He probably has more HJs than I do!
Nice guy too!

Billswfl wrote:Thanks Perry I picked up the green bone one I have from vintageknives. There is one more red bone at Big Don's aapk store.

Bill

I see another knife at Don's store that I thought was long gone too. Another knife that our friend Charlie had no small part in, the Queen Moose.
This model is a superb example of the cutlers art. IMO This knife is a tank, 1 of the stoutest modern knives that I've had the pleasure to use. the blade steel, 1095, BTW is a full .120 thick with monster snap. This knife is built for rough service!
Another "vintage classic" from Charlie
Big Don's is turning out to be a honey hole! Who knew??

Dave

It took me a while to get to this, but here they are!
As a side project to collecting antique HJs, and commissioning Special Factory Orders, I have been putting together a small collection of Custom Harness Jacks, by some prominent makers.
In the first picture, from top to bottom, you will see work by Gene Shadley, Richard Rogers, Bill Ruple, and a matched set by Terry Davis.
Second picture features, Reese Bose, Ken Erickson, and Tony Bose!
This collection grows very slowly, as you can imagine; now that I am mostly retired, even MORE slowly. There are a couple more on request, but custom makers have to be in just the right mood to make a punch, so I never know exactly when one will present itself.
I am grateful to these guys for what I have so far, and am proud to share them with you!!

Be still my heart...I mean check book...no, I mean heart!

knowtracks wrote: Be still my heart...I mean check book...no, I mean heart!

Spread over 8-9 years, it's not quite so heart - -err checkbook stopping, Dave!

Thanks for the

That is an amazing line up of custom harness jacks. Thank you for showing them.

Beautiful customs Charlie!

Wow!
Thanks for the great pic.
Have you tried out the different punches? Any one design stand out above the rest?
I like the looks of the Erickson punch.
Mark

Thanks for the comments folks!
Mark, Tony Bose's punch is his own simple design, but everything about it is superior, from it's first insertion, to it's controlled cut. The best of a superior group, I'd take any one to a desert island!

These are test forgings, for my next HJ SFO. I'm hoping to "debut" them at the Oregon knife show in April!!
-courtesy of GEC-

Charlie thanks for posting those great custom HJs. I especially like the Gene Shadley it seems like it would be nice to have a smaller knife with the punch. I'm looking forward to your next harness jack project.

Bill

Great to see what's coming Charlie! Who originally designed this punch?

singin46 wrote:Great to see what's coming Charlie! Who originally designed this punch?

Perry, the general design has been seen on several American, English and German knives, especially in the first half of the last century. A fold forged into the steel produces the eccentric shape to cut a circle, and also provides a "lift" or "pull".
I haven't found a patent for it, but this one is modeled closely on a Case Tested knife from the 1920s-1930s. I sent the knife in to be studied by the engineers. When I get it back, I will post it and talk about it. It has a special history!!