All About Pocket Knives

Nice looking Hawthorne KJ, looks like a good one to carry.

Picked up several at the Rendezvous, they had a bunch of stag knives from 2012 and 2013, don't know where they found them. Besides the stag got a 36 Sunfish parts knife, a 74 Mustang ebony, the 38 Rendezvous knife with the higher grade Abalone and a 92 Eureka jack in black acrylic that I think is a one off knife. Also bought a Whaler from someone that was attending and selling some knives.

John, wow, 9 new GEC knives. Quite a haul. I sure like the Whaler with Kingwood (?)
kj

Thank you KJ, the tube is marked ebony wood, I think this is Macassar ebony with the streaks.

JohnR wrote:Nice looking Hawthorne KJ, looks like a good one to carry.

Picked up several at the Rendezvous, they had a bunch of stag knives from 2012 and 2013, don't know where they found them. Besides the stag got a 36 Sunfish parts knife, a 74 Mustang ebony, the 38 Rendezvous knife with the higher grade Abalone and a 92 Eureka jack in black acrylic that I think is a one off knife. Also bought a Whaler from someone that was attending and selling some knives.

Hey John-
What a great score at the Rendezvous! I'd love to have that whittler pattern shown in the first pic, top left. Can you tell me the number/name of that one? Any other info? Thanks!

I am not John but also like the 3 blade equal end knife in top picture. I think it might be a 3 spring Cattle knife ?
kj

Thanks guys, it's a 79 Workhorse Whittler, it really is a great knife, I hope they do another run of these, they are 3 spring. this was the only one of the store knives I bought where you could find any type of defect, there is a slight gap between one of the springs. What really impressed me is how nice and equal the pulls are on the 3 blades.

John, GEC, or anybody can call it a whittler, but by accepted definition it is not a whittler.
A whittler is a 2 spring, 3 blade knife in which the thicker master blade abuts both springs.
Cattle knives often have a large equal end frame like your # 79, but usually have 2 springs and 3 blades.
A 3 spring knife with only 3 blades is i think a rather new 'invention' and as yet has no generally accepted name as far as i know.
If anyone has a vintage 3 blade, 3 spring knife i would like to see it.
kj

Just going by the name GEC gave it, also called the Montana pattern, its also a sleeve board, main blade end larger than the other although my pictures don't show it well.

Sleeveboard ! Whoa, i didn't see that. In degrees of sleeveboardiness, this one would be a Slight Sleeveboard, opposite end from Jumbo Sleeveboard.
kj

QTCut5 wrote:

kootenay joe wrote:The Hawthorne came either with a clip blade as on mine or with a Wharncliffe like blade which is nowhere near as useful.
kj

I beg your pardon!!! "Wharncliffe like blade" ??? "...nowhere near as useful" ???

What manner of blasphemy is this?

Beautiful Hawthorne, Koot. Of course, the one thing that would make it even better is...you guessed it: a Wharncliffe blade!

~Q~

Sounds like you don't have many Wharncliffes? Or don't know how to use them.

A 2011 # 46 Whaler with stag just sold on ebay for $1000.00. The stag was very poor, only a small amount of brown bark in the middle, all the rest, white. Definitely a popular pattern.
kj

"Sounds like you don't have many Wharncliffes"

Probably dumb to respond but it gives me a chance to show more knives:
Jos. Rodgers 'His Majesty' stag Wharncliffe whittler
Joel Chamblin pearl Wharncliffe pen

I have quite a few wharncliffe knives & blades. That leaves your second thought, that i don't know how to use one. That is a possibility; i.e. i don't know what i don't know.
Could you make a short video on "How to get the most from your Wharncliffe blade". If it was good, a lot of people would benefit from seeing it.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:"Sounds like you don't have many Wharncliffes"

Probably dumb to respond to a troll but it gives me a chance to show more knives:

kj

Please, no name calling.

I resisted acquiring one of these 66 calf ropers, but eventually succumbed to the temptation . The dark vintage looking stag is what pushed me over the edge.

Nice stockman 'ralph' ! The 66 frame has gentle curves and is the perfect size (3 1/2"). I have a # 66, two blade pen with elephant ivory handles.
kj

Great week for TC's.

Having missed out on the #15 "lolly scramble", my one successful GEC pickup of recent times turned out to be the salt in the wound I wasn't really expecting from GEC -- even though the red bone #38 Special Jack I recently purchased had rough action and ultimately went back to the dealer for a long-overdue credit (still waiting on it so I can go shopping for another #38 to replace it).

I won't have the option with this one, though: The #25 watchpocket Barlow in polished stag. From a distance, it looks plenty nice and I've been wanting a GEC single-blade spearpoint for a while now. Unfortunately the F&F was not very GEC-like (traditionally; I plan on posting a thread a little later about GEC's quality control over the last few years and how I perceive it to have slipped almost to the degree of Parker-era Case or pre-Daniels Queen) and I am fighting an internal battle over whether to return it or just suck it up and keep it. There's virtually no chance I'll find a replacement if I do return this one, so my $120ish credit will basically sit unused for who knows how long.
Suffice it to say I was beyond disappointed when I had the knife in hand and found what is basically a very bad "hot spot" on the pile side where the bolster looms over the stag by at least 1/16th of an inch. I really don't know what to do. It's a pretty knife but the pile side fit is going to annoy me to no end, I just know it.

Tony, sorry to hear about your recent experience with GEC. It is especially disappointing when it happens with a knife you really want to be nice. The lack of "flushness" where handle meets bolster is pretty noticeable in the picture and if you can see it you can certainly feel it if you fidget with knives when they are in the pocket. Like you said, it is a pretty knife otherwise.

Edit: the Churchill looks like it will be available soon. Maybe one of those would be worth a look if you can't replace the watchpocket barlow.

RalphAlsip wrote:Tony, sorry to hear about your recent experience with GEC. It is especially disappointing when it happens with a knife you really want to be nice. The lack of "flushness" where handle meets bolster is pretty noticeable in the picture and if you can see it you can certainly feel it if you fidget with knives when they are in the pocket. Like you said, it is a pretty knife otherwise.

Edit: the Churchill looks like it will be available soon. Maybe one of those would be worth a look if you can't replace the watchpocket barlow.

I'm a "sure thing" on the AAPK 2017 knife, for whatever/whenever the details end up being.

I just seem to have the absolute worst luck with GEC (my favorite active cutlery co.) and Barlows (my favorite pattern/style). It's almost turning into a bit of a cosmic joke. Just one more reason not to pay 2-2.5x markups on the secondary market -- and hoping my dealer gets their spit together on reservations next time Charlie commissions a TC.

Congrats JohnR, great ones there. Love a TC.
Very sorry to hear that Bomba, that's exactly the kind of stuff I quit buying Queens over. Can't believe GEC let that out of the factory with that terrible transition. And they're gone, so you can't swap for another of the same. Bummer, hope you get it ironed out.
I can relate too. This is my second try for one of these Goldenrod Barlows. Had to send the first one back for zero snap closed and barely any open, weakest GEC spring I've ever had. This one, however, is great both ways, and prettier and no play, great transitions, everything like it should be and then some. Great knife, but sometimes it's hit or miss, could go either way. Some you win, some you lose, and then you return.

Sorry to hear you've had another disappointment Tony. Hope you can resolve the issue some how. I sent my SMKW 66 back to GEC to fix a ding in the shield and side to side play in the sheepfoot blade.

RalphAlsip wrote:I resisted acquiring one of these 66 calf ropers, but eventually succumbed to the temptation . The dark vintage looking stag is what pushed me over the edge.

That stag calf roper is a fine, fine looking piece of cutlery.

Jerry, I just noticed your new avatar. Love it. That's some mighty pretty country down there. It just shows to go you, you can take the boy out of Southern Illinois but you can't take Southern Illinois out of the boy. Damn shame Chicago is in Illinois. It would be one of the best states in the Union without 'em.

Hey Alfred E., lovely red bone Un X LD barlow !
What makes it a "Tom's Choice" ? or are all of the Northfield barlows marked "T.C." ?
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Hey Alfred E., lovely red bone Un X LD barlow !
What makes it a "Tom's Choice" ? or are all of the Northfield barlows marked "T.C." ?
kj

The Northfield Barlows are the #77 pattern and exclusive to Mike Latham with Collector Knives. Bolster marked "NF".
The TC Barlows may really stand for "Tidioute Cutlery"from what I remember reading some old posts. They are always made under the Tidioute trim. Of course the "Tom's Choice" Barlow has sprung up over time. The TC Barlows are on the #15 pattern and exclusive to Mr. Campagna. That's what I know, but please correct me if I'm wrong.