T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
- QTCut5
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T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
With the recent sudden and unfortunate passing of custom knife maker and factory knife customizer Michael Fisher (RIP) who used T BAR K as his maker's mark, I am showing the knives I got from him here and invite others who are fortunate enough to own any of his knives to do likewise.
The two Case 549L Stag Copperlocks are both automatic conversions. Both blades on the two-blade Copperlock are double action automatic, with the shield on either side acting as the firing button.
The single blade Wharncliffe Copperlock is also a DA automatic and was modified with stag that Mr. Fisher sourced from a 100 year old butcher knife. The arrowhead shield serves as the firing button.
The small Bullet End Wharncliffe Lockback with barbed wire etched amber bone is 100% custom - hand made entirely from scratch and bears the maker's T BAR K stamp.
All three knives have fileworked spines, springs and spacers.
The two Case 549L Stag Copperlocks are both automatic conversions. Both blades on the two-blade Copperlock are double action automatic, with the shield on either side acting as the firing button.
The single blade Wharncliffe Copperlock is also a DA automatic and was modified with stag that Mr. Fisher sourced from a 100 year old butcher knife. The arrowhead shield serves as the firing button.
The small Bullet End Wharncliffe Lockback with barbed wire etched amber bone is 100% custom - hand made entirely from scratch and bears the maker's T BAR K stamp.
All three knives have fileworked spines, springs and spacers.
~Q~
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Rockingkj
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
I have a belt buckle knife marked T/K was this a mark he used? I was never sure who the maker was.
You can always get more money, good old knives are hard to find.
Nature abhors a vacuum, me I hate a dull knife.
Nature abhors a vacuum, me I hate a dull knife.
- herbva
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
Aloha and Mahalo Q. Those are amazing and gorgeous knives! I am not fortunate enough to own any of Mr. Fischer's incredible creations, but am very happy that you have those 3 beauties my friend. Thanks for showing them.
"Better to do something imperfectly, than to do nothing flawlessly." ~ Robert H. Schuller
Herb
Herb
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
I'm sorry to read of his passing. I remember reading about him some time ago.QTCut5 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 06, 2024 8:13 pm With the recent sudden and unfortunate passing of custom knife maker and factory knife customizer Michael Fisher (RIP) who used T BAR K as his maker's mark, I am showing the knives I got from him here and invite others who are fortunate enough to own any of his knives to do likewise.
A very talented guy and the beautiful knives you show, Q, are evidence of that.
May he Rest In Peace.
Joe
- bestgear
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
thank you Q, each of your acquired knives are special but that lockback with the barbed wire jigging hits ALL of my buttons - what a great sub-collection you have assembled. Very special.
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
Godspeed to Michael Fisher. His conversions were awesome. He also developed the best knife oil with the guy from Latama of Italy.
"I like Case, Queen, S & M, Fightn' Rooster and many more."
(quote stolen from one of Jody Brown's posts)
(quote stolen from one of Jody Brown's posts)
- glennbad
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
He was one of the good ones, for sure!
- QTCut5
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
That, I couldn't say. Seems entirely possible though; Michael was a creative cutler and it certainly seems like the type of knife he would make.
Would love to see a photo of it.
~Q~
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Rockingkj
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
Found the knife a bit more easily than I thought I would. Was in my 1st box I looked in of my gunshow inventory. I now see T BAR K on the blade.
You can always get more money, good old knives are hard to find.
Nature abhors a vacuum, me I hate a dull knife.
Nature abhors a vacuum, me I hate a dull knife.
- Owd Wullie
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
Tank, aka, Mike Fisher was a dear friend. Met him in the early 80s. I was making a few knives and he would hang around and ask a lot of questions. He decided he was going to be a knife maker. He rigged up a little shop in a shed beside his house and went to work with a grinder that was also his buffer.
He showed up one day with a bandage on his ear and a medium size blade to show me. I was more interested in the bandage story. Seems his buffer had snagged the blade and threw it. It hit his ear on the way to wall it stuck in behind him.
I fell out of gear and tank just got better and better at his chosen craft. Over the years, he repaired, re-scaled several knives for me. A while back, I sent him about 10lbs of some really fancy coco bolo to do whatever he wanted to with because I was never going to use it. He surprised me with a beatiful set of grips for one of my 1911's.
I was in contact with him when he went in the hospital. On our afternoon "check in", his sweet wife informed me of his passing.
I've kept in contact with her. She mentioned that Tank had a couple of his auto conversions that he'd made and never intended to sell. She asked if I would like one because she figured he'd want me to have one. I now have a Copperlock in stag. It's file worked and has reeded liners. That along with a fixed blade I bought from him a few months before he passed are treasures to me.
He was a good Christian man and talented blade Smith. I'm honored to have known him.
He showed up one day with a bandage on his ear and a medium size blade to show me. I was more interested in the bandage story. Seems his buffer had snagged the blade and threw it. It hit his ear on the way to wall it stuck in behind him.
I fell out of gear and tank just got better and better at his chosen craft. Over the years, he repaired, re-scaled several knives for me. A while back, I sent him about 10lbs of some really fancy coco bolo to do whatever he wanted to with because I was never going to use it. He surprised me with a beatiful set of grips for one of my 1911's.
I was in contact with him when he went in the hospital. On our afternoon "check in", his sweet wife informed me of his passing.
I've kept in contact with her. She mentioned that Tank had a couple of his auto conversions that he'd made and never intended to sell. She asked if I would like one because she figured he'd want me to have one. I now have a Copperlock in stag. It's file worked and has reeded liners. That along with a fixed blade I bought from him a few months before he passed are treasures to me.
He was a good Christian man and talented blade Smith. I'm honored to have known him.
Member of The West Texas Chapter Of Gun Ownin', Pickup Truck Drivin', Jingoistic, Right Wing, History Changin', Huge Carbon Footprint Leavin' Conspirators.
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doglegg
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
Thanks for the story. Personal and insightful.Owd Wullie wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 2:00 pm He was a good Christian man and talented blade Smith. I'm honored to have known him.
- QTCut5
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
Beautiful file work on that stag Copperlock!Owd Wullie wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 2:00 pm ...auto conversions that he'd made and never intended to sell. She asked if I would like one because she figured he'd want me to have one. I now have a Copperlock in stag.
Reason I ask is because I don't see a pin in the shield (which I assume is the release button) like on my Copperlocks.
~Q~
- Owd Wullie
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Re: T BAR K (Michael Fisher) Knives
Thanks, he did a beautiful job with this one. Yes it is an auto conversion. The pin is there, he just made it harder to see. It fires like a rocket.QTCut5 wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 6:00 pmBeautiful file work on that stag Copperlock!Owd Wullie wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 2:00 pm ...auto conversions that he'd made and never intended to sell. She asked if I would like one because she figured he'd want me to have one. I now have a Copperlock in stag.![]()
I am curious if it is an auto conversion?
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Reason I ask is because I don't see a pin in the shield (which I assume is the release button) like on my Copperlocks.
Member of The West Texas Chapter Of Gun Ownin', Pickup Truck Drivin', Jingoistic, Right Wing, History Changin', Huge Carbon Footprint Leavin' Conspirators.