Old Jack Knife Construction

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:52 pm

Good morning everyone. I have these two old jack knives. The dark redbone you may have seen before and I just acquired the stag handled knife last week. What is particularly interesting about these two is the way the tangs and springs all line-up flush with the end of the bolsters. See photo 3. This provides an excellent fit when the blade is open and very smooth walk & talk with 1/2 stops. I have not seen this on modern knives. Any e.g., of older US made knives with this design? I think upnorth might have a few.

s-k

j5109 · Post by **j5109** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:14 pm

sk the GEC knifes are made this way.check them out.

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:16 pm

Nice presentation SK, very classy knives. I personally have never seen the springs and tang line up flush but it sure gives it a great look doesn't.

I am going to ask you this until I can't ask anymore but where are picking up these wonderful knives?? Are better yet let me say your taste is impeccable and are you in the market for contract purchasing..

Very nice as usual,

Sunburst

sunburst · Post by **sunburst** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:18 pm

j5109 wrote: sk the GEC knifes are made this way.check them out.

Great observation j5109, thanks for making me wakeup and look at my own GEC knives..

Sunburst

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 2:47 pm

Thanks for the info J5109.

I was not aware that the GEC are made like that. I must not be paying enough attention to those new knives.

Thanks very much for the compliment sunburst.

s-k

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:17 pm

Thanks for showing us that detail, s-k. Being only slightly obsessed with pocket knife detail (ahem) I go back and forth on that detail of a flush tang "presentation" when the knife is closed.
It is clean looking, and pocket and hand friendly, and resists pocket lint and grit. But there is a drawback too; it puts the pivot very near the knife end, and for heavy or continuous use, it provides much less side support, or resistance to wobble.
On a Barlow for instance, not only do the bolsters reach back to strengthen the knife, but they usually reach forward alongside the open tang, "bolstering the blade against side forces.
So there are positive and negative reasons for both the flush, and the recessed tang-end arrangement!
I warned you I was obsessed!

upnorth · Post by **upnorth** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:21 pm

P.S. nice knives s-k! I in no way am being derogatory (I hope)!
If ever the perfect knife is invented, and of course, recognized, it will end knife collecting as we know it!!

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 9:30 pm

upnorth wrote:P.S. nice knives s-k! I in no way am being derogatory (I hope)!

Upnorth, your information and analysis is always greatly appreciated. Thank-you. The tangs appear to have little support from the spring side but just as much in the middle and from the other side. Overall, I agree that there must be less total support. It does make for a nice fit though.

s-k

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:04 pm

S-K,

As always, those are two beauties...

I think that the fit on those knives is quite nice. There are other schools of thought, of course, about the pivot area.
Here is one where the tang will not line up, as yours do. However, it allows the entire joint, including the run up, to be sunk below the frame, for a no catch-on-the-pocket carry.....

Please compare the pivot area to this Queen, and her pronounced run ups...

I realize that if you carry in a pouch or sheath...or just collect, that this doen't mean...er, ah, JACK.

...just different ways to skin...er, make a knife.

As fun, I hope, for information and discussion only.

Thanks again for a good discussion.

Bill

smiling-knife · Post by **smiling-knife** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:14 pm

Thanks very much for the informative post El Lobo

. I see what you mean by the run-up. When closed, the tangs on my knives protrude above the handles making for a possible snag point. Not the best for edc I admit.

s-k

muskrat man · Post by **muskrat man** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:33 pm

Very nice knives S-K, I particularly like that stag. I recently worked on a vintage challenge cutlery jack, the tangs were very similar to those that you posted, only slightly rounded corners from years of opening and closing. Was a very quality made knife.

El Lobo · Post by **El Lobo** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 4:26 am

I certainly wouldn't say your knives wouldn't be great EDCs S-K...I was just pointing out some differences in the way good knives might be constructed.
Certainly not picking one over another...sorry if you read it that way, as I may have been unclear.

Bill

EDITED

ea42 · Post by **ea42** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 11:56 pm

Here's a shot of the GEC tang end. The spring is set back VERY slightly (maybe 1/16 or 1/32" so that the tang is barely nestled between the liners when the blade is fully opened:

Blade Runner · Post by **Blade Runner** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:29 am

Very nice knives S-K.
Gary