Hukk your the ABALONE guy!..???

Cope · Post by **Cope** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 10:07 am

Hukk what's your take on this.........or anyone else too. Comments.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HUMONGOUS-GENUINE-H ... dZViewItem

knifeswapper · Post by **knifeswapper** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:56 pm

Well, Hukk can respond to the abalone bit. But don't believe a word that DD puts in his auctions; he is a well known liar (lie being anything that is not the truth, as some argue ignorance is not a lie).

The main lie here is that it was part of the Case Classic series; nothing about Case here. Just circumstancial that there were also Case Classics made in this pattern; but MooreMaker has one too, doesn't make it a Case Classic. He throws in a Case display, just so he has an out to his Case lie.

Cope · Post by **Cope** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:24 pm

I know about the notorious DD but I was wondering about the "size" of the abalone on the knife. I knew if anyone had seen bigger pieces it would be Hukk.

It is listed in Guinesss you know.

Brad

Ringmaster · Post by **Ringmaster** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:21 pm

I especially like the part about your investment "Growing by the Hour" !
If it's that valuable.... WHY is he selling it ?

Heh Heh,
JR

griz1200 · Post by **griz1200** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:45 pm

I thought the same thing JR. The only answer I could come up with, is that Old DD just must not be a greedy person. (yeah Right!!!)

Griz

needbucks · Post by **needbucks** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:56 am

That would make my Winchester Abalone Turn of the Century set more than complete.

I forget how many of them were made. At one time I found one at a dealer for $600 but I couldn't swing it. That was 3 or 4 years ago. Sure is a hunk of knife.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:14 am

I can say it is definitely laminated abalone, it took a few shells to make that one, From the pictures I can't tell whether it's green heart or red heart. Red heart abalone is almost inpossible to get NOW because of the closure of all abalone species to commercial fishing in 1997 or 96. I don't forsee that there ever be another commercial abalone season in California - EVER. Any sport caught abalone cannot be sold nor can ANY PART of the abalone. That includes the shell for knives and jewelry and EVEN the GUTS for bait. There are stiff fines for poaching abalone INCLUDING 3 YEARS in San Quentin, Pelican Bay, or any number of PRISONS.

I can take my shell and use them on knives but only 1 to 2% are usable for knives. The figures change depends on the source but IMO I think it is now less than 1% due to new invasive boring worms that eat layers of the shell that I didn't see before the closure of commercial abalone fishing.

I like many of the laminated abalone and have Paua and Green abalones in 9.5 x 5.5 sheets and a little bit of Awabi left. The Green comes out of Mexico. Red abalone shell comes out of Oregon around Brookings and poached from Northern California. There is also sources of Red abalone shell in Asia, poached from Northern California waters and sold on the black market. Paua is from New Zealand and Australia and I forsee a curtailing of commercial abalone harvesting for the Paua because 75% to 85% (depends on the source again) is Illegal (poached or undersized). Most of that ends up in China for one and almost any Asian country where they are revered!

Some species of abalone have a beautiful mother of pearl that is white and FULL OF FIRE and mind blowing color in that white MOP. If you haven't seen abalone MOP, you are really missing out. I like the Japanese abalone, Awabi laminated looks just great. The black abalone has a black outer shell but it is real thin and underneath is a real nice white MOP - sometimes with fire.

That is a beautiful knife, yes, I know who is selling it but it is my opinion that abalone handled knives just may end up with a premium price due to the scarcity of raw shell that I see coming in the future. Farmed abalone just aren't big enough. We have many spicies in Californa 8 I think but we can only sport take ONE - the worlds biggest the red, Haliotis rufescens.

Go to http://www.knifehandles.com and click on Mosaic Abalone and look at the prices. OH - BTW, if you don't see a picture ask someone who knows about the laminated Black Lip Pearl. OK, I know it is just BUTT UGLY because you can see every seam, I gave mine away.

IF there is a picture of it, it's great stuff!