German Bulldog knives

[doglegg]

That lock back is a substantial knife. Another great showing. Thanks.

[Targetman]

Hi Doglegg. Yes, the Calf Roper is a big knife. Instead of unlocking the blade by pressing on the rear of the knife, you use the lever to unlock the blade. Pull up the lever and using your thumb, push forward hard and a cam presses down on the backspring and unlocks the blade. Very ingenious I dare say.

[Targetman]

Hi guys, came across a Bulldog 5 bl Sowbelly I forgot I had and didn't include it in my previous post. Its from 1993 with AAA-1 Pearl. The Master blade has a Pit Bull Fighting Dog etch and has Surgical Instrument steel blades.

[doglegg]

Great knife Targetman. I like that sowbelly look and the blade shapes seem to set the Bulldogs apart. Thanks for sharing.

[Targetman]

Good morning everyone, below are some Bulldog knives with Gold Dust handles. They range from 1986 to 1995. I collected this handle material by pattern for a while until I started worrying about older celluloid outgassing. I haven't added any more for a while. As with my other examples of celluloid, I leave them unboxed and out where air can circulate around them. With this and regular wipe downs with gun oil has prevented any problems from developing.

1) 5 inch Toothpick Longhorn etch 1993 carbon steel
2) 5 inch Toothpick Longhorn etch 1993 surgical steel
3) 4 inch Texas Jack 2 bl Lumberjack 1993
4) 3 7/8 inch Dogleg Trapper Old Reliable etch 1993
5) 4 inch Stockman 3 bl round bolster 1995
6) 3 1/2 inch Cattle knife 3 bl 1995
7) 3 5/8 inch Sowbelly 5 bl 1993 no etch. 24 made
3 5/8 inch Sowbelly 5 bl 1993 pitbull etch
9) 3 5/8 inch Sowbelly 3 bl 1993 pitbull etch
10) 3 5/8 inch Canoe 3 bl Tobacco etch 1986

[Targetman]

Hi guys, another post this morning. These four knives were Bulldog Brand that were made In the USA. These were made by Queen in 1995. These had oil hardened blades and USA was stamped on the tang. In Jim Parkers catalog he said, " These are the only USA Bulldogs ever made with the 2 dog stamp. This stamp was discontinued at the end of 1995 and will never be used again in regular production." This statement remained true until he passed away. Only until 2008 did Bulldog Brand resume production in the USA.
These were 3 blade Sowbelly and came in 4 handle materials.
1) Genuine Stag
2) Jigged red bone
3) Smooth Molasses bone
4) Jigged antique green bone

[Quick Steel]

Only until 2008 did Bulldog Brand resume production in the USA.

Targetman, a couple of questions. If I am understanding correctly, some Bulldogs were USA produced until 2008. Correct? Were these all produced by Queen and/or GEC? Would you know the years when BDs were USA manufactured? Finally, do you know the year that BDs went to China? In other words, the end of the high quality BDs. Any info will be most appreciated.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Hi guys, another post this morning. These four knives were Bulldog Brand that were made In the USA. These were made by Queen in 1995. These had oil hardened blades and USA was stamped on the tang. In Jim Parkers catalog he said, " These are the only USA Bulldogs ever made with the 2 dog stamp. This stamp was discontinued at the end of 1995 and will never be used again in regular production." This statement remained true until he passed away. Only until 2008 did Bulldog Brand resume production in the USA.
These were 3 blade Sowbelly and came in 4 handle materials.
1) Genuine Stag
2) Jigged red bone
3) Smooth Molasses bone
4) Jigged antique green bone

Those are some of my favorites. Very partial to Sowbelly knives. Very nice line up of BDs.
SSk

[Targetman]

Hi Quick Steel, 1995 was the only year that Jim Parker had any USA Bulldogs made. These were made by Queen...The 4 sowbelly knives I posted and 2 Swell Center 2 blade 3 3/4 inch with angled bolsters were all of the entire USA production that year.I will take a picture out of his catalog and post.
After Jim passed away, Jim's son and Ed Henley contracted USA Bulldog production with Queen and Great Eastern Cutlery. 2008 was a transition year from German to USA as I have both German and USA stamped dates from that year. I think the last Bulldogs were produced in 2010 as that is the last date I have seen stamped on a knife.
As far as the China made Bulldogs, I remember there were a few years lull after the end of the USA production before I saw any China Bulldogs appear. I was thoroughly disgusted with what I saw and refused to buy any examples. As to an exact year date I can't tell you.....for me when I see cheap being produced I tend to forget I even saw it. I hope this helps you.

[Targetman]

This out of Jim's catalog. Sorry, I can't get pictures upright.

[Quick Steel]

Targetman thanks for the information. I have zero interest in the China made BDs. I was trying to nail down the final year of quality production in either the German or USA production. So, 2010 seems to be about it.

[Targetman]

China made Bulldogs are very easy to spot. They have a Fighting Dog shield on the handle material and nowhere does it say Solingen or USA made.

[Targetman]

Good morning guys, below are a few misc mostly jigged brown bone Bulldogs from 1995 and 1996. The first two have double eagles etched into the master blade to indicate the first year of production of the standing dog tang stamp. This was only used the first year.

1) 4 1/4 inch stockman 3 bl Standing Dog 1996
2) 4 1/4 inch Trapper 2 bl Standing Dog 1996
3) 4 inch Jack 2 bl Tear Drop blade etch 1996
4) 4 inch Congress 2 bl transition prototype. I blade
has standing dog, other has fighting dog tang
stamp. Dark brown bone.
5) 3 1/2 inch 2 blade 1996
6) 3 3/8 inch 4 bl Congress Stag 1995 plain blade
7) 3 5/8 inch Physicians knife 1 bl Stag 1996
3 5/8 inch Physicians knife 2 bl Red bone 1996

[Targetman]

Hey guys, below are four Fishtail pattern knives from 2008. This was the last year of the German made Bulldogs.

1) Caramel bone 1 blade
2) Red bone 1 blade
3) Green bone 1 blade
4) Stag 3 blade.

[zeke8]

Hi Targetman,

What a fantastic collection! I need to take more time to look at all of your pictures. It is evident that you know what you want and it appears that there isn't any holes in your sets. Are they all complete? I sure like the 5 blade Anglo Saxon knives. Great job!

[Targetman]

Hi Zeke8, thanks for your interest in my Bulldog collection. A lot of my sets are complete if they were produced with all natural or exotic handles. The 5 blade Anglo Saxons were all natural handle pieces so they are complete. I am especially proud of this set.
Sets that had celluloid handles I did not collect after a period of time of collecting Bulldogs and these sets are not complete as celluloid are not included.I became concerned with the outgassing problems with celluloid. I do have several celluloid examples in my collection but they were bought before this concern. I take precautions in storing these examples and keeping them away from the natural handles.
Charlie Dorton and Jim Parker were prolific producers of Bulldog knives. This is what makes it so exciting to collect this brand of knives. There are literally a couple thousand examples of patterns, handle materials, prototypes, and one of a kinds available. From 2000 to 2004 I think Jim focused mainly on natural handles and exotics during this time period.
A collector could just focus on natural and exotic handles and almost never run out of something to collect. I have a lot of sets from various generations...some have examples missing because of celluloid but that is by my choice.
Knife Collecting is a great hobby because each collector can make his own rules as he goes!!!

[Targetman]

Hey guys, sorry about the lack of pictures lately, family obligations, vacations, etc have interrupted postings. I promise to resume soon. I have a lot of Genuine Heart Abalone shell knives to post. Prototypes and regular production from late 90's to USA production.

[doglegg]

I look forward to seeing them. Thanks.

[Targetman]

Hey guys, finally got some free time to post a picture. Below is a Bulldog Prototype of a 12 inch open 1 blade rose damascus display knife. It is handled in Genuine Heart Abalone shell. I have the presentation box and all papers with it. This display knife in Heart Abalone was limited to 50 pieces being produced. Two styles of Damascus were offered....rose Damascus and random wildfire pattern.
This knife was issued in the year 2000 and has the standing dog tang stamp

[Quick Steel]

First I have seen of this pattern. Very interesting.

[Targetman]

This was a one time issue only for the year 2000 and came handled in stag, pearl, heart abalone, and bark mastadon ivory. All were produced with Damascus steel blades and came in a satin lined display box. All were 1 blade lockbacks.
You saw the pearl version earlier in this thread only it was a unique fully engraved version.

[doglegg]

QS, I had never seen that particular pattern of Damascus either. 12 in' and abalone, that is a lot of bling!

[Quick Steel]

Yes it is. I only have one BD in abalone and the scales are beautiful. But almost every photo of abalone somehow fails to bring out the richness of the abalone so that, to me, they look kinda flat. In the hand of course they are beautiful.

[Targetman]

Hey guys, below is a set of 8 Bulldog prototypes in Genuine Heart Abalone shell. Way back in December, 2000 at Jim Parkers show in Pigeon Forge Tenn, Jim showed me a set of heart abalone prototypes that he had made up to show prospective customers the handle material. He had his factory make up different generation frames and some blade differences to show off the heart abalone. All knives have the same oval shield except the last three large frame knives have a bowtie shield. All are marked prototype on the back of each master blade. Jim said that due to lack of interest from his largest customers, because of cost of construction, he decided against producing them in limited quantities.
Jim offered this set to me at a very fair price and I took them home with me. On Dec 12th, I received a letter on Bulldog stationary describing each knife and how the set came to be made. I have this letter framed in my office.

1) 1 bl 3 7/8 inch Dogleg trapper Old Reliable etch
2) 2 bl 3 7/8 inch Dogleg trapper Old Reliable etch 1985
3) 3 bl 3 5/8 inch Sowbelly Florida Tobacco King 1984
4) 3 bl 3 7/8 inch Sowbelly Cutting Horse etch 1985
5) 2 bl 3 1/2 inch Canoe (note equal length blades)1998
6) 4 bl 4 1/4 inch Congress Tobacco Congress etch
1985 English Steel
7) 3 bl. Cattle King pattern 1985 English Steel
1 bl Calf Roper lockback Surgical inst. Steel

[doglegg]

Targetman, I am continually amazed at your post. Not just one great knife after another but one amazing set after another. Absolutely beautiful!!! Thank you again for sharing.