All About Pocket Knives

This one arrived a couple hours ago. Purchased from Crescent Knife Works through the AAPK store and shipped quickly by Bob. I've been jones'n
for one of these since Kootenay Joe did a post on this knife a few month back I believe. Some nice hints of brown showing through the ebony although the pics on this overcast day didn't pick up on 'em. Great fit and finish and perfect pull and snap to the blades.Definetly not disappointed with my decision to jump on this one and I think it will see some serious pocket time.

This one came from Scott, it's a Kutmaster, steel bolsters and liners. He showed it a week or so back and I heard it call my name. There is something about these old knives we've begun to call HOKs. This one still works, the blades are all but used up, the bone so smooth and warm that it deserves to be an EDC for a few days. Probably end up in one of the grandsons pile one day. Some of y'all understand what I'm talkin' about.
Treefarmer

Here's a KA-BAR with a hard lock up North, South, East and West.
Thanks for looking.

Well, I can't get rid of that last picture of the two bladed knife.
Obviously, that's not the KA-BAR.

Can't get rid of the last pic but it looks like a cool knife, what is it?

These are coming...

Berryb wrote:Can't get rid of the last pic but it looks like a cool knife, what is it?

It' s a scruffy old Gardner I found in some electric transaction a while back.
A twisted anomaly to be sure.

Ken, any markings on knife in pic #3, dble end jack, black(ebony ?) handles ?
kj

Here's a couple of Bucks that showed up in the mail this week. Didn't have a chance to take pics till now.

I picked up this Paxton & Gallagher Omaha Harness Jack at the local fleamarket for $6. Nice bone handles, a few scratches, no chips.

That's an interesting knife OLD CUTLER, having that match strike on the inside of the punch. I've not seen that before. Thanks for showing it.

kootenay joe wrote:Ken, any markings on knife in pic #3, dble end jack, black(ebony ?) handles ?
kj

No sir.
I bought that one because I love the challenge in finding out what some of these knives really are. Plus I really like Muskrat patterns. Any insights as to what it might be are very welcome.
I can't wait to get that one in hand...

Here is DoodleFroodle's description from the listing
"TANG STAMPS : NO VISIBLE MARKINGS. SEE PICS.
CLOSED LENGTH : 3 3/4 INCHES.
INCHES OVERALL : 6 1/4 INCHES WITH MAIN BLADE OPEN
PATTERN : UNIQUE CUSTOM HANDMADE FOLK ART STYLE TWO BLADE EQUAL END CIGAR MUSKRAT STYLE FOLDING HUNTER, SKINNING, CAMP SURVIVAL PATTERN FOLDING CLASP JACK KNIFE WITH SPEAR POINT BLADES. NO SHEATH. SEE PICS.
CONDITION : VERY GOOD PLUS. SEE PICS.
DAMAGE : LIGHT WEAR, SCRATCHES, GRIME AND PATINA ON THE BLADES. NORMAL WEAR AND TARNISH ON THE HANDLES. NEEDS CLEANING. SEE PICS.
AGE : 1970'S - 1980'S I THINK. SEE PICS.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : U.S.A.. SEE PICS.
HANDLES : BEAUTIFUL DARK EXOTIC WOOD HANDLE SCALES WITH BRASS BOLSTERS, BRASS PINS AND BRASS LINERS. SEE PICS.
BLADE WEAR : APPEARS NEAR FULL TO FULL AND SHARP. SEE PICS.
BLADE PLAY AND SNAP : TIGHT WITH NO MOVEMENT/PLAY AND GOOD SNAP.
BLADE ETCH AND SHIELD : NO SHIELD. NO ETCH. SEE PICS.
ADDITIONAL INFO : UNIQUE OLD CUSTOM MADE PIECE. PART OF A COLLECTION OF THESE I RECENTLY PURCHASED FROM THE MAKERS ESTATE. NO INFO ON THE MAKER."

OLDE CUTLER wrote:I picked up this Paxton & Gallagher Omaha Harness Jack at the local fleamarket for $6. Nice bone handles, a few scratches, no chips.IMG_1690.JPG

Great score Olde Cutler, wish they had a flea market like that around here. Beautiful bones, keep those kind of babies coming. Welcome to AAPK too, nice to see some new blood around.

Ken, the seller says it is 'custom' in this case most likely an assembly of blades & parts taken from other knives. Not considered a collectible knife by most. It is more like 'folk art' and might be a very strong knife with blades that can take a sharp edge, your new user buddy.
kj

ust picked these two Case Trappers up yesterday. I feel torn now because they are great additions to my collection but I feel like I paid too much based on the condition. That said I guess it just evens out in the end if I look at some of the real bargains I've gotten over years. There was another post where they talked about two different sides and I definitely think the one with red and brown handle is that way. Not sure what to make of the other one but it definitely shows signs of being a real user. I am thinking of putting them up for trade on something older. I realize now that I am really attracted more to the older classics, maybe because I am one! Opinions are welcome.
Thanks,
Richard


J

kootenay joe wrote:Ken, the seller says it is 'custom' in this case most likely an assembly of blades & parts taken from other knives. Not considered a collectible knife by most. It is more like 'folk art' and might be a very strong knife with blades that can take a sharp edge, your new user buddy.

Doodlefroodle uses a "copypasta" of description text for the copious amounts of knives he sells. A lot of the time "Custom" just means "Hell if I can figure it out, let's sell it anyway." I've had hit-and-miss luck with Doodlefroodle's listings. Photos are always plentiful but very low-res. I routinely cap out at 75% or less of what I'd normally pay for a knife when I'm bidding on the light blue background because I've generally found defects that would probably appear in better photos, and generally I limit my bidding on his listings to stuff I absolutely cannot find anywhere else (like the Cutsure Barlow). The upside is that you often run into knives like Ken found that are simply outside the usual cutlery collector's purview, which makes for interesting opportunities. And frankly, the collector value of any knife is no more and no less than someone else is willing to pay for it, so YMMV!

I'm not saying there's any ill intention there -- quite the opposite -- just that the sheer volume of business he does probably means that most listings can't be as detailed and OCD as some of us knife knuts wish they could be. And I'm always thankful for sellers who aren't tommygg.

bladeguy58 wrote:ust picked these two Case Trappers up yesterday. I feel torn now because they are great additions to my collection but I feel like I paid too much based on the condition. That said I guess it just evens out in the end if I look at some of the real bargains I've gotten over years. There was another post where they talked about two different sides and I definitely think the one with red and brown handle is that way. Not sure what to make of the other one but it definitely shows signs of being a real user. I am thinking of putting them up for trade on something older. I realize now that I am really attracted more to the older classics, maybe because I am one! Opinions are welcome.

Those are two nice Case 54s, Richard. I'm one of those freaks who likes the mismatched slabs on some knives -- my only 1st-gen Camillus 72 has 2 fairly different Rogers handles on it and my favorite Appaloosa Case knives have a wide variation in dye. I think the pile side of your red trapper is the star of the show.

From your post in the other thread, however, you had mentioned that the seller knocked $200 off the price (implying that $200 is a small to moderate percentage of his asking price). Frankly, and this is JMNSHO, the $$$ he knocked off his price is more than the value of the two knives combined -- unless I'm missing something very esoteric about 1970s stainless #54s which I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable Case guys will advise me about if so.

Still, if the knives please you and you can afford to part with the money, it's a good buy. If you do regular business in Cases with someone, I'd start showing up to their shop with Steve's book in hand. I think it might give you a lot of leverage in haggling.

Tsar Bomba wrote:

kootenay joe wrote:Ken, the seller says it is 'custom' in this case most likely an assembly of blades & parts taken from other knives. Not considered a collectible knife by most. It is more like 'folk art' and might be a very strong knife with blades that can take a sharp edge, your new user buddy.

Doodlefroodle uses a "copypasta" of description text for the copious amounts of knives he sells. A lot of the time "Custom" just means "Hell if I can figure it out, let's sell it anyway." I've had hit-and-miss luck with Doodlefroodle's listings. Photos are always plentiful but very low-res. I routinely cap out at 75% or less of what I'd normally pay for a knife when I'm bidding on the light blue background because I've generally found defects that would probably appear in better photos, and generally I limit my bidding on his listings to stuff I absolutely cannot find anywhere else (like the Cutsure Barlow). The upside is that you often run into knives like Ken found that are simply outside the usual cutlery collector's purview, which makes for interesting opportunities. And frankly, the collector value of any knife is no more and no less than someone else is willing to pay for it, so YMMV!

I'm not saying there's any ill intention there -- quite the opposite -- just that the sheer volume of business he does probably means that most listings can't be as detailed and OCD as some of us knife knuts wish they could be. And I'm always thankful for sellers who aren't tommygg.

KJ,
I'll have to get the knife to be certain but it does not look like a hodge podge. I am waiting for a data cable for the camera that JustBob sent me so I'll try to post up some better images when I get it. Maybe then it will be easier to say what it is.

I rather prefer Tsar's explanation that the knife is an unknown, and "custom" fits that bill.
I have also had a hit, and miss track record w/ DoodleF but many more hits than misses.
I also have to state that I believe that knife is much older than his estimate. For blades that show almost no sharpening, and still show the tooling marks yet look to be closer to 100 years old... anything is possible. Could be KJ is correct, could be a special old knife, or just a 1980 junker with patina. This one was $9.28. Lunch costs me twice that so nothing is lost in any event.

He (DoodleF) seems to come across these odd ball knives quite often so I assume he gets them very cheap. In turn I get them at more than fair prices.
Most collectors pass up on these unknown knives because there may be zero monetary value but I love them. They have the most important thing a knife can have... history.

Tsar,
I think you got it! I will admit I didn't take a real good look at them or do the research before making the commitment to buy them, my bad! As they say live and learn! Thanks for the advice.
Richard

From your post in the other thread, however, you had mentioned that the seller knocked $200 off the price (implying that $200 is a small to moderate percentage of his asking price). Frankly, and this is JMNSHO, the $$$ he knocked off his price is more than the value of the two knives combined -- unless I'm missing something very esoteric about 1970s stainless #54s which I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable Case guys will advise me about if so.

Still, if the knives please you and you can afford to part with the money, it's a good buy. If you do regular business in Cases with someone, I'd start showing up to their shop with Steve's book in hand. I think it might give you a lot of leverage in haggling. [/quote]

Got a package from Herman today with an Ambassador U.S.A. letter opener re-handled in Abalone acrylic, GEC #65 re-handled in MOP acrylic with file work, Schrade 80th Anniversary Daddy Barlow re-handled with original Schrade bone scales & file worked and a L.K.CO. U.S.A. (Imperial) letter opener re-handled in jigged blue bone.

Is anybody surprised that Herman's work is outstanding as usual -- but that the Schrade USA stands out as a cut above?

That is one outstanding Barlow, sir, congratulations on your fine acquisitions!

The Barlow is something else! They are all gorgeous but I like the Barlow.

I forgot to post these up last night... in the mail.
The Camillus is still in the original sleeve.
Quote from the listing:
"THIS KNIFE WAS FOUND IN THE BASEMENT OF MY GREAT GRANDFATHER'S HARDWARE STORE. CAN'T BE EXACT BUT MUST HAVE BEEN UNTOUCHED FOR MORE THAN 35 YRS. COULD BE MORE. KNIFE HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT OF PACK FOR PHOTOS ONLY."

Then the Imperial Barlow... That should clean up nicely.

Got a used 2013 Case 07 in today's mail. Seller's picture. I'll take my own tomorrow.

The Camillus is a "Rope knife". It's a good pattern to collect
Back to your ebony Dble End Jack: d-f tells us what it is in last line of his description: "UNIQUE OLD CUSTOM MADE PIECE. PART OF A COLLECTION OF THESE I RECENTLY PURCHASED FROM THE MAKERS ESTATE. "
Making a good knife out of parts from other knives has a long history going back to when most men were familiar with tools and money short enough that you didn't through out a broken knife but re-built it instead. And some guys did it as a hobby. It still goes on now but usually with the intention of passing the knife off as something that it isn't.
This ebony knife looks to have old parts and could well have been made/assembled over 50 years ago.
kj

The Camillus "Rope Knife" was probably made in the mid-80s.

Tsar Bomba wrote:Is anybody surprised that Herman's work is outstanding as usual -- but that the Schrade USA stands out as a cut above?
That is one outstanding Barlow, sir, congratulations on your fine acquisitions!

Thanks for the good words Tsar,
I just recently found out that the first 300 80th anniversary knives had bone handles. I mentioned it to Herman and of course he still had 2 sets of the original bone handles. It didn't take me long to figure out I should get an 80th and have them put on...along with the file work on the top of the blade like the first 300 had. I had a second one done at the same time as a Thank You for my good buddy Chris, who took me to the Oregon Knife Show this spring. Friends like that are pretty hard to come by.

kootenay joe wrote:The Camillus is a "Rope knife". It's a good pattern to collect
Back to your ebony Dble End Jack: d-f tells us what it is in last line of his description: "UNIQUE OLD CUSTOM MADE PIECE. PART OF A COLLECTION OF THESE I RECENTLY PURCHASED FROM THE MAKERS ESTATE. "
Making a good knife out of parts from other knives has a long history going back to when most men were familiar with tools and money short enough that you didn't through out a broken knife but re-built it instead. And some guys did it as a hobby. It still goes on now but usually with the intention of passing the knife off as something that it isn't.
This ebony knife looks to have old parts and could well have been made/assembled over 50 years ago.
kj

jerryd6818 wrote:The Camillus "Rope Knife" was probably made in the mid-80s.

Thanks for the input guys...
Kj, I like those rope knives, and I have a few Camillus-s going back to the early forties I believe. It's nice to have a mint example.
I agree on the Ebony knife as well. I would guess from the images the knife has to be 50+ years old. You might be correct about the rest because the blades look much older, and the tooling marks are still in the steel.
I've spoken w/ DoodleF after a sale several times, and he is quite helpful. Perhaps I can find out who, and when from him.

JerryD...
I agree on the Camillus-s age. I had a couple of these through out my life, and I always liked them. This one is a keeper.

This post took a minute because I just landed this one from DoodleF as well...
I have a couple questions about this one.
The tang appears to be stamped, and then etched over it with a slight misalignment. There is also what appears to be a Rockwell dimple on one of the blades.
Any input on the significance of these anomalies?