All About Pocket Knives

Hello Stockman, Thanks a million its always nice to hear from great readers like yourself. I enjoy your company on the forums and learn a great deal from your knowledge also.
Thanks Again
Gary

Now thats the kind of answer I was looking for. Thanks Bladerunner for the info and the pics of those beautiful trappers. One last thing I would like clarification on if you can. Could you explain the differences in the shields during these era? I can see that they are slightly different, circle tighter around Case maybe on some, from the pics maybe one or two looks like it might even be raised or protrude slightly. I just cant tell. Like I said I can see there are differences but they are subtle and hard to put into words.
BTW...Bladerunner your predot 54 article was fantastic, thanks for the reference to it.
PS What abput Value difference between say a USA trapper 65-69 I think and a 1970?
It has been hard enough to convince my wife to let me spend thousands of dollars on a six or seven hundred year old Japanese sword, I dread the day I tell her Im droppin three large on a 75 to 80 year old pocketknife...lol.
thanks again everyone for all the input
Nihonto Dave

Nihonto wrote:It has been hard enough to convince my wife to let me spend thousands of dollars on a six or seven hundred year old Japanese sword, I dread the day I tell her Im droppin three large on a 75 to 80 year old pocketknife...

Those wives are just plain unreasonable sometimes!

Hey Dave, Do you have any pictures? I'd like to see a genuine old Japanese sword. Your posts have perked my interest.


Bryan

Nihonto Dave, the usual tested shield has a closed "C". The XX era shield has an open "C" and tall "S'. The USA shield has an open "C" and short "S". Sometimes on knives manufactured near the time when the company changed tang stamps these will overlap. For example you will sometimes see authentic tested era trappers with a XX era shield. These knives are correct, but if you see a USA era shield on a tested trapper that is cause for concern or any parts dating say 20,30 or 40 years distant. Also you asked about price comparisons of USA and 1970 Trappers. At Pigeon Forge this past Dec. I saw a very rare 1970 10 dot second cut bone(mint) sell for 3500 dollars. At the same time you can pick up a 1970 10 dot bone handle(mint) for around $250. So as you can see it can vary greatly. I could give similar examples with USA trappers. Anyway I hope I have in some way been of help to you.
Gary

Great info Gary! Thank you for the time you took and for sharing your knowledge. Also thanks for the great examples you posted of the evolution of the trapper.
Ok Bryan you asked for it. Actually I restrained myself and only took pictures of two swords and a few tsuba(sword guards). Hope you enjoy them.
Dave


This sword is a wakizashi made by a smith of the Owari-Seki school around early to middle 1600s. Probably no later than about 1640. It is papered by the NBTHK, which is a group in Japan that authenticate and rate these swords and sword fittings. Notice the grooves in the second pic and narrow spine. It is made in the shape similar to naginata, which was a samurai polearm. Also in the closeups you can see the temper line along the edge, this is called the hamon. You may also notice the grain pattern in the steel, this is called hada. These two things, hamon and hada, are very important in judging the quality of a sword.

This one is a bit older. It dates from early to middle 1400s. It is a Shitahara school blade and is signed on the nakago(tang) by the maker. The shitahara smiths were known for swirling grain patterns in the steel.
This sword is a short wakizashi about 16.5" edge.

And then here are a few of my favorite tsuba. The detailed metalwork on these amazes me. Hope you guys enjoy them.
Dave

That is some great stuff Dave Thanks for showing these pieces and explaining a bit about them. Everything about this topic is new info to me. It's very interesting!

I apologize for drawing the thread off topic. I couldn't help myself.

Gary's most impressive trappers and now David's swords and tsubas make my brain stop working properly. They mesmerize me.

Bryan