A Little TLC For An Old Pradel 248

[herbva]

As you can see in the first 3 pics, this old guy was quite a mess when I got it. But I love these sturdy, old French knives, and the seller (a very nice guy) let me have it for 12 bucks. The first 3 pics are screen shots from the auction. I thought Gabon ebony would look good on this old guy (and I happen to have a lot of it on hand). Except for the scales, everything is solid, thick steel, and once I got all the rust off and straightened out the liners, the only lasting damage is a bit of residual pitting. I used all steel pins to try keep it original. It has a massive, thick spring, and when I got it back together, I was amazed at the cracking snap. The only tricky part was getting the scales to match up tight with the bolsters. You can't see it in the pictures, but the back edge of the bolsters are not only curved, they are also angled at a slant. I did a bit digging, and I borrowed the bit below from Mr. Google, but I haven't been able to come up with an explanation of what the 248 stands for. Maybe an address? Any ideas?

First produced in 1867, these knives were originally used by sailors and farm workers in maritime regions, mainly Normandy and Brittany, before becoming popular in other regions as well.

[Beavertail]

You did a great job getting this old veteran back in service!

[Nev52]

Great Save!!
I think it looks great.

Nev

[beresman]

That looks great!

I don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a question of my own: I've seen numerous knives marked "Pradel" with a variety of graphic logos stamped into the blade next to the name. I did a bit of an online search to see what the different logos might mean, and didn't come up with anything (but I did read that the name was copied and used (counterfeited?) by a number of makers, because of the commercial success the original maker had. It is a single data point, and I read it on the internet, so that may or may not be entirely accurate.

Anyway, any idea what the different logos might mean? I'm a sucker or interesting tang stamps, and those have caught my eye more than once, but I haven't bought any because...well, I've bought enough knives without researching, and I'm trying to get smart. And I don't mean Don Adams (though I wouldn't say no to an Agent 99).

[rea1eye]

What you did to that knife was on par to a miracle.

Bob

[herbva]

That looks great!

I don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a question of my own: I've seen numerous knives marked "Pradel" with a variety of graphic logos stamped into the blade next to the name. I did a bit of an online search to see what the different logos might mean, and didn't come up with anything (but I did read that the name was copied and used (counterfeited?) by a number of makers, because of the commercial success the original maker had. It is a single data point, and I read it on the internet, so that may or may not be entirely accurate.

Anyway, any idea what the different logos might mean? I'm a sucker or interesting tang stamps, and those have caught my eye more than once, but I haven't bought any because...well, I've bought enough knives without researching, and I'm trying to get smart. And I don't mean Don Adams (though I wouldn't say no to an Agent 99).

Brent, here is a link. If you scroll down to the post by Trail, I think you will have your answer. viewtopic.php?t=21642&start=240

I have a few Laguiole knives and its the same story. Laguiole is also near Thiers and a number of competing knifemakers copied each other's work and even used some of the same symbols.

[herbva]

What you did to that knife was on par to a miracle.

Bob

Thanks Bob. That is very kind of you. Sometimes when you get the knife apart and remove all the crud and rust, it's in much better shape than it appeared, and unfortunately, other times, it can be the exact opposite.

[Madmarco]

Herb, I WANT THAT KNIFE!!! I am a HUGE fan of those French Pradel's and what you did to that old piece of junk is nothing short of spectacular! Ebony happens to be my favorite cover material too! There is a pretty nice model I have on my Watchlist currently on ebay for about $30.-B.I.N. and after seeing yours I'm gonna pull the trigger! You have restored a tired old knife into a virtually new knife that you will enjoy for many years to come! Congratulations on such a cool project!

[Reverand]

That knife is spectacular, Herb!
The Gabon ebony was the perfect choice. It really makes those pins "pop", and it looks altogether classy!
Magnificent!

[Jeffinn]

What an amazing save! I probably would not have bought a knife in that condition. You've got a good eye!
Jeff

[Meridian_Mike]

Great save Herb!

Nice work!

[glennbad]

Wow, that was a labor of love, and a heck of a save!