All About Pocket Knives

smiling-knife wrote:Hi upnorth. Yes it tapers along both dimensions. At the end shown in the first photo it is barely 1mm thick whereas at the blade end it is about 5mm thick. Perhaps the end the spring was made thin to facilitate the bend around the handle. The bolsters are attached rather than integral. With a magnifying glass there appears to be a seam visible. Thanks for your interest. Does this lead you to any conclusions? s-k

s-k, sometimes integral bolsters indicate an earlier knife, according to Bernie Levine. I haven't seen enough to know how often that is true, but I am sure the subject of bolsters could involve a long conversation! Apparently that J. Rodger's & Sons that I have is earlier, because of the integral bolsters.
Being a newbie to that subject, I am just gathering information, which I thank you for!

You guys with all this Hawkbill talk. I keep seeing them, didn't used to care for them, NOW, I want to get a couple. It's all your fault, that's what I'l tell my wife. I'm seing some nice looking knives Hawkbills that is.

I've gotta run, so this is gonna be a quick one, I'll be in the chat, but I've got alot of paperwork to finish up, so this is going to be a quick post. Just to show the newest addition to the roll of hawks. This is a Challenge Cut Co. from Bridgeport Conn. I got this a while back from CCBill in a trade, it needed some TLC, but nothing I couldn't handle. No taper on this ones spring. I think the tapered springs were done in the 1800's or early 1900's when most of the knife was made by hand. And when shortcuts and cranking out as many knives as possible in a given day wasn't the answer to fine cutlery. This little challenge takes an edge like no hawkbill I've ever seen.

Vintage steel in a new suit of clothes; nice Challenge Hawk, MM!!

Here's one that falls into the same category! Wonder who dolled it up ??!!

I know this is about old Hawkbills, but this next new knife was pivotal in getting me interested in these curved babies! Good ol' dog Tony Bose captured the essence of an ancient pruner in this Case collaboration. I love this knife!

Yes... that's a beauty upnorth. Good work on the Challenge MM. I didn't satrt out a hawkbill collector but it is one pattern that has certainly grown on me. Keep em coming if you have them. Upnorth, hopefully one day I'll get some clarification on the time frame for integral bolsters. That would be a handy dating clue. Thanks. s-k

Bad Influences, Bad,Bad,Bad.....

You guys are going to be the death of me...Because my wife is going to kill me for spending our retirement...

Love them hawkbills and now I love them even more...Great knives guys..

Upnorth that Case/Bose Pruner sure would have looked good in my hands.. But since its not there I made an order to get my own yesterday...

Sunburst

I never noticed the tapered backsprings on hawkbills before this discussion. So I got out the two Schatt & Morgans that I have to take a look. Posted below are scans of the knives and their back springs. Both have tapers, I was supprised.
The 4 1/8" wood handled knife has iron bolsters and liners. The spring tapers from 5/32" at the butt to 1/8" at the hinge.
The 3 5/8" pick bone knife has grooved NS bolsters, liners, and hammered pins, fancy for a working knife. The spring tappers from 1/8" at the butt to 3/32" at the hinge.

This has been an exceptional area of discussion and a good collection of examples. Thanks to all.

David

Nice hawks David and upnorth. Hmmmm that schrade looks framiliar, but I can't place it?

muskrat man wrote:Nice hawks David and upnorth. Hmmmm that schrade looks framiliar, but I can't place it?

Man, it's all your fault. I gotta find me a hawkbill to play with. Hey, it's OK, I just need an excuse when my wife starts asking ?????

Hukk wrote:

muskrat man wrote:Nice hawks David and upnorth. Hmmmm that schrade looks framiliar, but I can't place it?

Man, it's all your fault. I gotta find me a hawkbill to play with. Hey, it's OK, I just need an excuse when my wife starts asking ?????

Easy, to prune the roses or what ever else you have in your yard.

Dale

Took some new pics of one that was in the original group shot. This one made by J (James) Howarth. Nice colour to the stag on this one. Sorry for the repetition. s-k

No apologies necessary! Just keep posting those gorgeous knives, s-k!

smiling-knife wrote:Took some new pics of one that was in the original group shot. This one made by J (James) Howarth. Nice colour to the stag on this one. Sorry for the repetition. s-k

I agree with upnorth on this one SK, you just keep posting these eye catching beauty's until we speak up and let our complaints be known..Of course that will never happen...

Sunburst

Forgot to mention the "Schatts"; Thanks for posting those rare beauties David (nifbuf)!
Here's a pic I found of two Empires, one of which I posted earlier. The wood handled one is as original as it gets for such an old knife!

beutiful hawks all around.

S-K, man you gotta find some of those stag beauties and send them over to me, that'd make me a happy man

Love the bone on that empire upnorth.

Here is a shapliegh I picked up this morning, needs some TLC (angle back on blade) but snaps like a bear trap with nail breaking half stops.

You are building quite a collection of the famous brands, MM. Nice find!

Thanks upnorth, once i get the famous brands, hopefully I'll be able to gether up some of the not so known brands. Here is a queen city Tutiuote, PA. Full blade with just some light scuffs and some light spots of patina, nice half stop, and an actual working liner lock, all steel of course (though not sure if the bolsters are or not)

Hey smilin knife, I really like that stag handle,has a beautiful color

MM, a magnet will tell you if the bolster is steel!
Nice Queen City! Looks full

thanks upnorth, was afraid the steel liners might attract the magnet through the silver?

I may have already posted this one, if I did, sorry for the repetion. an old walden knife Co. I love the old ebony and spring in this knife.

Thanks very much richied, sunburst and MM.

You have some great old HBs MM. Thanks for sharing them. It seems most U.S. companies favour wood for the handles. Just an observation so far. I like the black ebony wood handled knives. s-k

S-K, just noticed your reply. Thank You. Yes they did favor wood, Case used alot of bone and schatt and morgan obvoisly used some bone as well as empire (as shown in this thread) very few had stag. I don't think I've seen an american hawk with stag actually! I picked up a newer hawk today, with plastic handles, but it is kind of unique. The bad thing is the blade was snapped, maybe a canditate for a custom. It's a dead ringer of a wintage schrade, but has yellow plastic handles with finger grooves and they are attached with hex screws. I'll post some pics of it later.

Granted, not all of these are old, but here is the current hawk collection, minus a couple that weren't available for the photo.