browne and pharr knife info please

[just in case]

Im looking for browne and pharr knives, info and related stuff. I added some pics of the ones that I have .as you can see each one is a little different . The first one is the last one that I got. the wood scales are pinned on unlike the others. Scroll down to see pics.

[smiling-knife]

Just a little bit of info from Goins' book. Browne and Pharr was based in Atlanta c 1923-1977. Are there screws in the bolsters rather than pins? Hopefully someone will know more. s-k

[just in case]

Here is a pic. I have a few of these and each one is a little different. I think they made a boot knife too.Orvis (a sporting goods store ? ) sold them back in the day. so a catalog or advertisement would be cool.

[knife7knut]

That is the one I have as well.I remember seeing ads for them in the knife magazines back in the 70's;unfortunately my library isn't that accessible or I would dig some out.

I bought a single blade knife awhile back that was unmarked but had a lot of the characteristics of a B&P knife.The rosewood scales;the dovetailed bolsters,and the machined nail nick were virtually identical.Here are a couple of pictures.

[just in case]

Very cool ! In one book I have It says in the 70s they introduced 2 new pocket knives to the market place. but it doesnt say anything about the second one . But I read some where that they made a boot knife. Knife 7 nut did you get my pm. Thank ya ,thank ya

[just in case]

How big is that single blade knife ?

[knife7knut]

Yes I did;sorry I haven't replied but it's been a bit hectic around here.As to the knife size,I always try to photograph my knives on a background of 1" squares as this one is.

[robinetn]

This is a pamphlet that I forgot to include when I sold the knife a year or so ago . Sorry for the poor pics .

Bob R. (RIDGEWOOD CUTLERY)

[just in case]

Ooooo , what do you want for trade ?

[RobesonsRme.com]

There exists a very impressive and extensive Browne & Pharr factory collection. The man that cares for it and displays it at various knife shows lives in the Atlanta area and belongs to the same knife club I do.
I cannot think of his name at the moment, it's bouncing around inside my head, but hasn't ricocheted out of my mouth yet. David Clark, Nifbuf, knows him well.
If I can hook you up with him, you'll know everything you ever wanted to know about Browne & Pharr.
Charlie Noyes

[robinetn]

There exists a very impressive and extensive Browne & Pharr factory collection. The man that cares for it and displays it at various knife shows lives in the Atlanta area and belongs to the same knife club I do.
I cannot think of his name at the moment, it's bouncing around inside my head, but hasn't ricocheted out of my mouth yet. David Clark, Nifbuf, knows him well.
If I can hook you up with him, you'll know everything you ever wanted to know about Browne & Pharr.
Charlie Noyes

Charlie , Would that be Leroy Matthews ?
Bob R.

[just in case]

Charlie , that would be too cool.

[just in case]

Bob, thats who wrote the artical in knife world ,that I was lookig for.

[RobesonsRme.com]

Leroy Matthews is correct.
We had our club Holiday Dinner over in Stone Mountain the week-end after Thanksgiving.
Talked with Leroy a good bit. He and his LYB were on Leroy's Harley.
Charlie Noyes

[galvanic1882]

Here is my only Browne & Pharr with the original box and paperwork. Not sure if the paperwork came with the knife but they came together when I bought them.

[just in case]

BROWNE AND PHARR MAKERS ATLANTA GEORGIA

[tda003]

Hi. Brand new to the forum. First post.

Some years ago (very many actually, as a young detective on the Atlanta Police Department, I bought a Browne & Pharr pocket knife, the folder with wood scales. Their shop was located just off I-85 just North of I-285 ("spaghetti junction" for those familiar w/ the Atlanta). I believe that's Doraville I visited the shop (mid 70's?) and spoke w/ the owner at length (sorry, don't remember his name) and watched a knife being built. He showed me pictures of a folder driven into a tree w/ a hammer and him standing on it. I was impressed. At the time, Browne and Pharr was introducing the "boot knife" made from a solid steel billet and w/ what appeared to be rosewood handles. Not close to the finished beauty of a Loveless drop point, but w/ a workman simplicity. The company made the folder w/ stainless (?) scales. The shop was closed by the time I made back up there. The knife never really seemed to catch on, probably because it wasn't as "pretty" as the competition.

I still have the folder. I've never used it. It's still in its heather case, wrapped in the instruction sheet sheet and in the original box. I ran across it this morning and, in researching, came across your forum. I hope this information is useful.

[jerryd6818]

Orvis (a sporting goods store ? ) sold them back in the day.

I noticed no one commented on this so here's my twin centavos.

Copied from Wikipedia:
Orvis is a family-owned retail and mail-order business specializing in high-end fly fishing, hunting and sporting goods. Founded in Manchester, Vermont in 1856 by Charles F. Orvis to sell fishing tackle, the company has changed hands only twice and has had only five CEOs in its 150-year history. Characterized by the leading fly-fishing trade journal as an "800-pound gorilla" in the fly-fishing industry, Orvis is recognized for its "unparalleled influence on the sport".

I recall getting Orvis catalogs back in the late '60s or very early '70s and drooling over their high end bamboo fly rods even though I didn't fly fish nor have a clue how to go about it. They sold and still sell, top shelf stuff.

[Big Barn]

Knife World did a good article on Browne & Pharr a while back. I'll take a look for it & re-post the edition number for those you that may have access to past copies. I kept that edition because it also talked about Parker's copy/version of the same knife. I wouldn't say it was shamless stolen - maybe shameless is a bit to harsh.

[Browne]

Post subject: Browne and Pharr, Makers, Atlanta, Ga history

PostPosted: Sat May 10, 2014 10:23 am



Online

Joined: Sat May 10, 2014 7:49 am
Posts: 3

There seems to be quite a lot of misinformation about the company, knives and other products.

I am the Browne, lets start with that fact. Cecil O. Pharr of Tucker is the Pharr. As friends in the motorcycle business and active gun enthusiast, we were discussing knives at the cycle shop on a number times. I had purchased a number of Case, and found them disappointing as the metal was poor at edge holding and they were hard to keep clean in you pocket and did not fit the contour of the hand.

we began to discuss what would make a really good knife, good blade steel, take apart to clean, and easy to fit the hand in any position. Cecil had the idea of screws, we talked about 01 tool steel for the blades, higher heat treat levels and with the blended additives long on edge holding with modest rust when reasonable care taken.

Cecil made the first pattern, a single scale, at home and we discussed further development. Cecil's original had thick bolsters and the rosewood protruding making the knife wide. WHAT FOLLOWS IS A VERY BRIEF AND CONSOLIDATED HISTORY MUCH MOST LIKELY OMITTED AS A LITTLE TIME HAS LAPSED.

BP mfg was formed, a plant sight leased and equipment purchased to start production. I went to work in my home shop refining the design, and still have the prototypes, I got a screw company to make the stainless screws with an axle shaft for the blades and the brass cups and knurled nuts for the wood scales.

The original production knives were thicker and the rosewood protruded from the bolsters. these had crudely ground blades done by band saw and then ground by hand. Cecil had a contact who imported the Rosewood, very old, and high quality, that is what we used. I checked with some contacts of mine at Lockheed and determined the correct stainless for the bolsters and later scales. we used 3/4 hardness brass for the scales.

I showed them to Orvis, Eddie Bauer, and other possible outlets with mixed results. They were to thick, heavy and needed refinement. thinner bolster material, level rosewood with the bolsters, and more uniform blades
I then contracted with a die maker to have the blade blanks, scales, bolsters using a 50 ton machine we had and thus stamped out the blank parts of the knife. The result were immediate improvement of appearance and function. He also made the name die for impressing "Browne and Pharr Makers, Atlanta, Ga" this design being Cecil's very good idea.

we did our own heat treating of the tool steel and springs, -- the spring are another story, as they are an inverse curve the normal pattern of a knife spring would not work, I must have make 20 different springs testing each to no avail. about 11:30pm eating a late dinner, the good Lord put a picture in my mind of the correct shape for the spring. I road my Ducati back to the plant, made the spring and that is what you have today.
Cecil ran the plant, I continued working to provide capital to build, and in his position he came up with the packaging, advertising literature and personally inspected each knife made before it was sold. I came in in the afternoon and weekends and continued development and design work.

I will omit the Flicket, pistol Belt Clip and other projects as this is a knife forum.

I will say to you, we never sold a knife without the company "logo" on the blade
we never sold a knife without screws,
we never sold a knife with a single blade.

we had a problem of a production individual liberating parts and assembling them at home -similar but not ours. He was selling them out around the area.

unfortunately in the Carter inspired high interest rates of 23% we were forced to close as banks were in real trouble, thus we closed down. - another story.

Bob

[RandyFew]

Bob,
You don't have any of these left for sale do you?

Randy

[PGockley]

Years ago I inherited a B&P knife from my late Grandfather and always wondered about the company. I was thrilled to have found this thread. I've attached the following pics of my 3 knife collection, soon to be six. I will post pictures of the complete collection in a bit. Each knife is a bit different. Note length, blade shapes, one has brass pins in the scales. Excellent design and materials. What's great is they can be taken apart and refurbished. Note, if taking apart, reassemble in the exact order as taken apart. Each knife was finished by hand. The best and pristine examples I have are convex grinds, razor sharp. Enjoy.

[cattaraugus57]

Hmmmm..Never heard of them but I sure like like em now!

[gsmith7158]

BROWNE AND PHARR MAKERS ATLANTA GEORGIA

Very interesting history. That's only about amile from the home I grew up in at Doraville, Ga. I never knew the shop was there. Thanks for posting this.

[PGockley]

My 2 most recent additions all spiffied up! Thanks to Skip C. (another knife forum) for parting with these 2. Both razor sharp! One more on it's way this week. Enjoy