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Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 4:11 pm
by Pile Driver
Great knives posted here, I only have one and hope I find more along the way.
challenge1.jpg
challenge2.jpg

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 5:41 pm
by JAMESC41001
That’s a great hunter. What is the handle material?

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 5:54 pm
by Pile Driver
JAMESC41001 wrote:That’s a great hunter. What is the handle material?
Its a nice ebony

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:01 pm
by LongBlade
Nice old Hunter PD ::tu:: ... Blade looks to be in really good shape... Based on photo with some light on the wood handle it looks like cocobolo to me given the brown hue ... maybe it’s just the light ::shrug:: ...

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 6:09 pm
by Pile Driver
LongBlade wrote:Nice old Hunter PD ::tu:: ... Blade looks to be in really good shape... Based on photo with some light on the wood handle it looks like cocobolo to me given the brown hue ... maybe it’s just the light ::shrug:: ...
Looks red and black to me, why I think it's ebony. I can get better pictures tonight maybe, admittedly those are terrible pictures just what I have from the day I bought it.

Edit: here is another picture of it with some of my other knives
some collection.jpg

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 7:20 pm
by LongBlade
PD - Given the new photo and your description I believe it is cocobolo for sure :D ... Ebony is a dense black wood (sometimes very dark brown but almost black) - in those days the ebony supply was plentiful and most companies used an African variety if I am not mistaken. Colobolo is more reddish brown with black streaks - though rosewood can also be very close the black streaks in the grain are more obvious. I have seen multiple knives from Challenge use cocobolo and it looks very much like yours... of many of the old companies I have even seen rosewood on some of the Challenge handles... Just my opinion... ::handshake::

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 7:22 pm
by JAMESC41001
Looks like cocobola maybe. Thanks for a peek in the draw. Now I have to ask. What’s the pearl??

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 8:20 pm
by Pile Driver
Thanks for the education, I always thought ebony had a few different varieties. I like the traditional dark black for sure but the red is pretty cool in my opinion.

The pearl is a nice Hibbard Spencer Bartlett survivor with the original leather slip with gilded button snap.
pearl ovb.jpg

Re: Challenge cutlery co.

Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 8:57 pm
by JAMESC41001
Well, glad I asked those are sweet. The long pull on the Keen Kutter is very cool, as is the pearl on the HSB. Like Lee mentioned there are different types of ebony actually I think the real dark stuff is in the core and the lighter streaks get more prevalent toward the outside. Ebony is my Favorite for collecting and making knives. Although it is a mess to sand. Not pretty. Finishing ebony is an art unto itself. It has natural oils in it.