Forest Master rebuild
- OLDE CUTLER
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Forest Master rebuild
I had picked this one up a couple of months ago at a flea market for a couple of bucks. I have two other Forest Masters, one is a 4 blade, one is a three blade, and both are shell handle construction. When I got to looking at this one, it is not shell handle construction. So it must have been made back in the day before Colonial switched over ( 1935-1937 ? ). The black composition handle material was broken and bad, so it got redone with coca bola.
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
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Re: Forest Master rebuild
Nice! That is an old one!
Heretical Refurb / Mods of cheap old folders, since late 2018
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Wow, that really looks nice! It is a really sweet old knife. Great job!
Jesus is life.
Everything else is just a hobby.
~Reverand
Everything else is just a hobby.
~Reverand
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Nicely done OC! I always enjoy seeing your work.
If the thunder don't get you then the lightening will!
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Love it. Very clean looking. Great job.
- treefarmer
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Re: Forest Master rebuild
OLDE CUTLER, I need to apologize to you. When I saw the title "Forest Master rebuild" I immediately thought of all the shell handled pieces I had seen and handled and wasn't a bit interested. So when I finally read your post I discovered you have made a real fine looking knife out of that one. Congratulations, I love the wood!
Treefarmer
Treefarmer
A GUN IN THE HAND IS BETTER THAN A COP ON THE PHONE.
Re: Forest Master rebuild
OC, hard to believe that it is the same knife. Your work always looks classic.
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Great job OC
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Looks like a totally different knife, great work!
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Terrific job! I really like the coca bola. And, you have totally changed my opinion of the forest masters. (Well, at least this one.)
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller
Herb
Herb
Re: Forest Master rebuild
That’s a keeper! Good work.
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Looks great! I have an Imperial Scout about the same age that is not shell-handle, but isn't likely salvageable. Pen blade's busted, main blade wobbles like crazy. The handles look bad too.
OK, how exactly does one use that can opener? Is it more for square tins?
OK, how exactly does one use that can opener? Is it more for square tins?
- OLDE CUTLER
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- Location: South Dakota
Re: Forest Master rebuild
cody6268 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:55 pm Looks great! I have an Imperial Scout about the same age that is not shell-handle, but isn't likely salvageable. Pen blade's busted, main blade wobbles like crazy. The handles look bad too.
OK, how exactly does one use that can opener? Is it more for square tins?
Info on the various can openers on pocket knives can be found in the article below, I did a few years back. This can opener blade would be like the Utica show in the third picture down in the tests on actual cans. Your old knife is probably worth a rebuild. I think I have an Imperial that is pre shell handles like yours.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56338&hilit=can+ope ... 144ab25187
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
- Meridian_Mike
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Re: Forest Master rebuild
Beautiful job on the restoration!
I had no idea there was a Forest Master that WASN'T a shell handle. I must keep my eyes open for one like yours!
That cocobolo sure fits the theme of a camp knife! GREAT choice!
Great job!
I had no idea there was a Forest Master that WASN'T a shell handle. I must keep my eyes open for one like yours!
That cocobolo sure fits the theme of a camp knife! GREAT choice!
Great job!
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne
- OLDE CUTLER
- Gold Tier
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- Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:11 pm
- Location: South Dakota
Re: Forest Master rebuild
lol, no apology needed. I think this pre shell handle Forest Master is a very solidly made knife, thick brass liners and spacers, nickle silver bolsters. Only the black composite handle material needed replacing.treefarmer wrote: ↑Sun Mar 29, 2020 8:47 pm OLDE CUTLER, I need to apologize to you. When I saw the title "Forest Master rebuild" I immediately thought of all the shell handled pieces I had seen and handled and wasn't a bit interested. So when I finally read your post I discovered you have made a real fine looking knife out of that one. Congratulations, I love the wood!
Treefarmer
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
- OLDE CUTLER
- Gold Tier
- Posts: 4340
- Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:11 pm
- Location: South Dakota
Re: Forest Master rebuild
I think I have read that the shell handle patents were granted and the first shell handled knives appeared in the mid to late 1930s. I have 3 Forest Masters, this one pre shell handle, a 4 blade shell handle, and a 3 blade shell handle, which I did not know existed until I found one. I like to go with wood on old knives like this one. The three old standby premium woods were ebony, rosewood, and coca bola. Like I always say, "man does not live by stag alone".Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 1:09 pm Beautiful job on the restoration!
I had no idea there was a Forest Master that WASN'T a shell handle. I must keep my eyes open for one like yours!
That cocobolo sure fits the theme of a camp knife! GREAT choice!
Great job!
"Sometimes even the blind chicken finds corn"
- Meridian_Mike
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- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:36 pm
- Location: Mississippi
Re: Forest Master rebuild
Nice quote.....OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Mon Mar 30, 2020 1:21 pm
I think I have read that the shell handle patents were granted and the first shell handled knives appeared in the mid to late 1930s. I have 3 Forest Masters, this one pre shell handle, a 4 blade shell handle, and a 3 blade shell handle, which I did not know existed until I found one. I like to go with wood on old knives like this one. The three old standby premium woods were ebony, rosewood, and coca bola. Like I always say,
"man does not live by stag alone".
I need to remember that!
"Life is tough.... but it's tougher if you're stupid."....John Wayne