Mervin Masters knife

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Stringplucker
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Location: NE of the Pitts

Mervin Masters knife

Post by Stringplucker »

Back in the mid 1980's, I remember going to a gun and knife show in Cincinnati with my dad. He was standing in an aisle, talking to an old guy, and bought a knife from him...it was a Mervin Masters Barlow style knife. Sometime between then and dad's passing in 2010, the knife was either sold, lost, or traded for M1A1 parts. I always liked that knife.

Apparently Mervin Masters would make these knives out of old files and sell them at knife shows...always wearing bib overalls. His craftsmanship has been described as rough, but I look at differently. It's not only a knife, but a piece of Northern Kentucky folk art.

Not too long ago, I saw a Mervin Masters gunstock show up on the big auction site. There didn't seem to be much interest in it, and my max bid won the auction. I really like this knife...super smooth opening with nice snap to it at full open. It's a big knife, too...opening to nearly 9-1/2 inches long, and around 5-1/2 inches closed. The blade is 1/8 thick, and along with the spring, are made of old files. The spring still has file grind marks in it that can be seen and felt at half open. The handle is some species of wood it seems...unknown to me. Front and rear bolsters are nickel silver.

I'm honored to own one of these knives.
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Jon
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orvet
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Re: Mervin Masters knife

Post by orvet »

Nice piece of history especially since it has connection to your dad.
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Colonel26
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Re: Mervin Masters knife

Post by Colonel26 »

I like it. Thanks for sharing it. Sure looks like it would be a good user.
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wlf
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Re: Mervin Masters knife

Post by wlf »

I like it too.
I buy roosters combs and farmers..........................................................jack knives [/b]

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Stringplucker
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Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2017 12:58 am
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Re: Mervin Masters knife

Post by Stringplucker »

Thanks. I thought about just sharpening it and using it, but decided to put it in the safe for now. I'd like to get my hands on another of his knives eventually. From what I've seen, the frequency of finding one is rare, and each one is unique, and no two are alike. This is the only gunstock version I've found, and I've seen two or three barlow versions, but the bolsters were all different.

Maybe one day I'll come across another one for sale, and have the cash in hand for it.
Jon
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terryl308
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Re: Mervin Masters knife

Post by terryl308 »

Jon, Very nice knife and great story to go along with it. Being a knife maker myself, I can appreciate the time and effort it took to make this piece. And a local maker and your dad involved makes it even more special, thanks for showing it to us. ::handshake:: Terry BTW I believe the handle is made of "diamond wood" which is a laminated wood product that you will never wear out.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Stringplucker
Posts: 61
Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2017 12:58 am
Location: NE of the Pitts

Re: Mervin Masters knife

Post by Stringplucker »

Thanks for IDing the material. The knife is large, probably too large for me to carry comfortably in a pocket. It's truly a working man's tool, made by a working man...which, to me at least, makes it even better.

I'll eventually locate another for purchase, I'm sure. I'm in the process of trying to track down surviving family members to record a history of the man that made the knife. History like that is too often lost, and the upcoming youth rarely consider that type of history until they reach their 40's or so. If someone doesn't record it, it's lost forever. From my research, Mervin passed away in or around 1988, so locating family shouldn't be impossible, just a bit of a hunt. I'm the type of historian that is interested in more than just the period that the knife was made, I want to know some of the experiences in his life that caused him to create a knife such as the ones he made. Was it him being a penny pincher from his life during the Great Depression that caused him to ignore conventional practices and begin making them, or was it just a hobby for him? Did he have traditional training like many knife makers, or did he tap into the training he received during training for another profession? If so, one could easily spot some of that training in the parts of the knife. He apparently had metal working experience, and access to old files. Since there's a company that bears the maker's name that made tobacco farming implements in the Louisville area, I have a strong feeling that may be where it was made.

Each knife, especially knives made in low numbers and by obscure makers, tells a story of the maker and the time in which it was made. I want to know the rest of the story of this maker. The story is usually more valuable than the item. I'll eventually have this knife and maker's story recorded.
Jon
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