So, I am waiting on my first Fight'n Rooster. I do not know very much about them(other than they're at the Olbertz Factory), and my internet research has been relatively fruitless. Does anybody know where I can go to get a little info/history on the brand? I am attaching a bad photo of the one I bought- its the lower knife (obviously). I will take some better ones to post when I receive it if anyone is interested.
Also- feel free to post some pics of any FnR's you've got, I'd love to see them.
Thanks, Nick
Fight'n Roosters
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nmikash
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Fight'n Roosters
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longbeachbum
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Very nice! For a long time Frank and Sterling Buster were selling these stag fancy sowbelly's on ebay and I could have had one for $50 and now I kick myself that I didn't by one at that price.
Nice buy! I guarantee some folks on this board can give you some background on Fightn Roosters. I look forward to their replies as well.
Nice buy! I guarantee some folks on this board can give you some background on Fightn Roosters. I look forward to their replies as well.
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El Lobo
- Gold Tier
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- Location: Arizona, right here in the U.S. of A.
) that is not a club knife...just a nice high quality knife, like we've come to expect from the Olbertz folks.
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sunburst
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From the book Fight'n Rooster Knives - Yesterday-Today-Tommorrow by Jim Parker pg 3
Frank Buster trained Tennessee Walking horses for Waggoner Oil Company in Carthage, Tennessee and in his spare time would paint the service stations owned by Waggoner. There was one station he wished of owning and before he knew it, he got his chance. He borrowed $1,200 and it cost $1,100 to fill the gas tanks, $50 to have the lights turned on, which left him with $50, no stock and no cash register. The station across the street was doing quite well so Frank asked his buddy Henry Armstrong, a local farmer, what it was that he was doing wrong. Henry told him that the store across the street did not want men sitting around playing Rook, Frank said bring them over. After that you could find many men sitting around playing Rook, drinking Coca-Cola, throwing horseshoes and trading knives.
Frank Buster bought his first knife from "Kingfish" Badgett, which he still has at home. Frank says that he went to school on knife swapping with "Kingfish" Badgett. As the years passed Frank realized that the demand for certain types of knives was there but the knives weren't. This led Frank to travel and find knives to sell and trade in his shop, Cuz's Antiques. This two year traveling took him to California, the southern coast, the Canadian border and the Dakotas. Frank Buster was soon to become a legend in the cutlery world.
Frank contacted American companies about producing knives but none of them would fill his special order. Frank then decided he had no other choice but to design his own knives and Fight'n Rooster knives was born.
All knives are made in Germany and Frank visits there often, he introduced old handle materials such as Christmas tree, Butter & Molasses and Gold Flake. Some of these celluloid knives were last seen in the 1940's. He also introduced several patterns not made since the Depression and even came up with one of his own, the Canittler.
Frank Buster takes pride in what he designs and his knives show this quality. "We have one of the finest knives in the world. It's not cheap, but the best. There are no knives that come from anywhere that can compare". - Frank Buster
Frank Buster trained Tennessee Walking horses for Waggoner Oil Company in Carthage, Tennessee and in his spare time would paint the service stations owned by Waggoner. There was one station he wished of owning and before he knew it, he got his chance. He borrowed $1,200 and it cost $1,100 to fill the gas tanks, $50 to have the lights turned on, which left him with $50, no stock and no cash register. The station across the street was doing quite well so Frank asked his buddy Henry Armstrong, a local farmer, what it was that he was doing wrong. Henry told him that the store across the street did not want men sitting around playing Rook, Frank said bring them over. After that you could find many men sitting around playing Rook, drinking Coca-Cola, throwing horseshoes and trading knives.
Frank Buster bought his first knife from "Kingfish" Badgett, which he still has at home. Frank says that he went to school on knife swapping with "Kingfish" Badgett. As the years passed Frank realized that the demand for certain types of knives was there but the knives weren't. This led Frank to travel and find knives to sell and trade in his shop, Cuz's Antiques. This two year traveling took him to California, the southern coast, the Canadian border and the Dakotas. Frank Buster was soon to become a legend in the cutlery world.
Frank contacted American companies about producing knives but none of them would fill his special order. Frank then decided he had no other choice but to design his own knives and Fight'n Rooster knives was born.
All knives are made in Germany and Frank visits there often, he introduced old handle materials such as Christmas tree, Butter & Molasses and Gold Flake. Some of these celluloid knives were last seen in the 1940's. He also introduced several patterns not made since the Depression and even came up with one of his own, the Canittler.
Frank Buster takes pride in what he designs and his knives show this quality. "We have one of the finest knives in the world. It's not cheap, but the best. There are no knives that come from anywhere that can compare". - Frank Buster
“The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways”
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sunburst
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longbeachbum
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agteacher2
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Hi Folks,
I thought I would drop my 2 cents in here. I have been reworking a Fightn' Rooster recently and can tell you that it seems to be one of the better made knives I've had my hands on.
But, the celluloid handles that they used on some of these knives may cause problems. Keep a close eye on these knives as well as all of your celluloid handled knives. I suggest storing your celluloid in a seperate area away from your other knives. As we all know when the celluloid "Virus" hits it spreads rust and destruction to all around it.
I don't mean to take anything away from this fine line of knives, but just to warn of a potential problem.
Jeff
I thought I would drop my 2 cents in here. I have been reworking a Fightn' Rooster recently and can tell you that it seems to be one of the better made knives I've had my hands on.
But, the celluloid handles that they used on some of these knives may cause problems. Keep a close eye on these knives as well as all of your celluloid handled knives. I suggest storing your celluloid in a seperate area away from your other knives. As we all know when the celluloid "Virus" hits it spreads rust and destruction to all around it.
I don't mean to take anything away from this fine line of knives, but just to warn of a potential problem.
Jeff
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sunburst
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- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:07 pm
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Thanks Jeff,
For sharing that experience on what you are seeing as you rework the Fight'N Rooster. You saying that it seems to be one of the better made knives speaks volumes as a testimonial....
On the celluloid handles I personally decided a while back not to collect any kind of knife with celluloid because of the possibility to have trouble with that particular material even though it means I may miss out on a lot of quality knives...Some folks I'm sure would not agree with that but that's the direction I have chosen...
Sunburst
For sharing that experience on what you are seeing as you rework the Fight'N Rooster. You saying that it seems to be one of the better made knives speaks volumes as a testimonial....
On the celluloid handles I personally decided a while back not to collect any kind of knife with celluloid because of the possibility to have trouble with that particular material even though it means I may miss out on a lot of quality knives...Some folks I'm sure would not agree with that but that's the direction I have chosen...
Sunburst
“The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways”
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Gr8Scout
A couple of pearls and a fancy bolster. Looks like Yerout also enjoys pearl toothpicks. I have never actually used a Frank Buster knife for cutting anything. They sure are purty however.
A guy in a knife club I belong to has a huge collection of these things. He frequently warns people of the dangers of the 'older' celluloid Roosters. I don't know the cut off date from the bad or good cell.
Frank Buster (known as 'Cuz' to some), used to have a website, but I can't seem to find it now.
Love the little 'sayings' and homilies Frank has etched on the blades.
Phil
A guy in a knife club I belong to has a huge collection of these things. He frequently warns people of the dangers of the 'older' celluloid Roosters. I don't know the cut off date from the bad or good cell.
Frank Buster (known as 'Cuz' to some), used to have a website, but I can't seem to find it now.
Love the little 'sayings' and homilies Frank has etched on the blades.
Phil
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9ball
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Those are some nice lookin' Scuff'n Chickens Folks.
I will try and look in the cigar box and see if I can add to some of the other's I have seen/shown here.
I collected nothing but Fight'n Rooster for a couple of years in the early 80's. I was in the club, T shirt, hat, book, plate, whole nine yards. Before eBay came along I was considering the Dealer plunge, but that is another tale.
It is a Top Shelf knife for sure. Their pearl will always hold their own, the bone and stag are excellent choices also. I do not know Sterling, but I do know Frank. I have never seen a celluloid knife that did not come out of that factory that didnot turn more sooner than later. If you have the book "Fight'n Rooster Knives - Yesterday-Today-Tommorrow by Jim Parker" look at the color pictures on pages 194-95 and notice the bolsters/shields how they are turning there. There are other pages also.
A Knife Friend of mine passed away a couple of years ago and his Widow asked me to come over and look at his knives to get an ideal of the value.
He had 18 rolls of knives, the old fluffy kind that held 60-72 knives. About half were celluloid Fight'n Rooster and they all had the Virus, some of them had even stained the cloth.
I told her the truth and also told her to keep them away from the other knives. I also told her to sell them ASAP.
We have not heard from her since then, except for Christmas cards. I have not seen the knives on the market.
I have never seen celluloid scales turn that fast on a modern pocket knife.
I still carry a Fight'n Rooster and most likely will till the end of time.
9ball
I will try and look in the cigar box and see if I can add to some of the other's I have seen/shown here.
I collected nothing but Fight'n Rooster for a couple of years in the early 80's. I was in the club, T shirt, hat, book, plate, whole nine yards. Before eBay came along I was considering the Dealer plunge, but that is another tale.
It is a Top Shelf knife for sure. Their pearl will always hold their own, the bone and stag are excellent choices also. I do not know Sterling, but I do know Frank. I have never seen a celluloid knife that did not come out of that factory that didnot turn more sooner than later. If you have the book "Fight'n Rooster Knives - Yesterday-Today-Tommorrow by Jim Parker" look at the color pictures on pages 194-95 and notice the bolsters/shields how they are turning there. There are other pages also.
A Knife Friend of mine passed away a couple of years ago and his Widow asked me to come over and look at his knives to get an ideal of the value.
He had 18 rolls of knives, the old fluffy kind that held 60-72 knives. About half were celluloid Fight'n Rooster and they all had the Virus, some of them had even stained the cloth.
I told her the truth and also told her to keep them away from the other knives. I also told her to sell them ASAP.
We have not heard from her since then, except for Christmas cards. I have not seen the knives on the market.
I have never seen celluloid scales turn that fast on a modern pocket knife.
I still carry a Fight'n Rooster and most likely will till the end of time.
9ball
My Oath as an American Army Soldier did not come with an expiration date.
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TinyDee
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:16 pm
Frank Buster lives in Lebanon, Tennessee and has for some time. His first Fignt'n Rooster knives were produced in 1976. He originally stamped them as "Frank Buster Cutlery" with Germany underneath. In 1982 the rear tang stamping was changed to "Frank Buster Celebrated Cutlery/Germany" The front always had the logo and "Fight'n Rooster" on it. In 1994, the stamp was changed to "Frank Buster & Son Celebrated Cutlery Germany."
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wt3l
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:27 am
- Location: West Virginia
genreal knife discussion
Hi All,
Been real busy for a while....just getting caught up on things and I see we're doing fighting roosters. Well, I hope these pics come across ok, the top one I found this past weekend a t a local flea market for $40.00.. The bottom one is bone handle I found it at SMKW on a recent visit.
Very nice Rooster pic ya'll have there folks.
later, WT3L
Been real busy for a while....just getting caught up on things and I see we're doing fighting roosters. Well, I hope these pics come across ok, the top one I found this past weekend a t a local flea market for $40.00.. The bottom one is bone handle I found it at SMKW on a recent visit.
Very nice Rooster pic ya'll have there folks.
later, WT3L
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wt3l
- Posts: 181
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- Location: West Virginia
general knife discussion
Hi Boys,
Me again...I'd like to take this time to thank the "GOOBER" that attached all the cookies to a thread on this site
I have just deleted 1,857 cookies, so may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your arm-pits !!! 
All I can say is the Doctor must have used a dull knife when he cut your umbilibal cord. 
Alrighty now...that's off my chest.
later, WT3L
Me again...I'd like to take this time to thank the "GOOBER" that attached all the cookies to a thread on this site
I have just deleted 1,857 cookies, so may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your arm-pits !!! All I can say is the Doctor must have used a dull knife when he cut your umbilibal cord. Alrighty now...that's off my chest.
later, WT3L
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nmikash
- Posts: 253
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2006 6:14 am
- Location: Lake Co. Ohio
Well I'm finally getting around to posting some pics of my FnR. I've been busy the last week. It is a sweet knife. Unusual blade shapes, nice fat handles, and a snap that bear traps envy. I look forward to picking up another one.
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"A good cook changes his knife once a year-because he cuts. A mediocre cook changes his knife once a month-because he hacks."
[An excerpt from the Chuang Tzu]
[An excerpt from the Chuang Tzu]
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Hukk
- Posts: 4546
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That Fightn' Rooster is a fine looking knife. 
Your Fightn' Rooster is just about a spitting image of the Bulldog 1995 3 3/8 Sowbelly Card Series also known as the Scimitar Sowbelly. They are made in the same plant. But the Bulldogs were made only in celluloid or pearl, no stag which is much nicer than celluloid.
Your Fightn' Rooster is just about a spitting image of the Bulldog 1995 3 3/8 Sowbelly Card Series also known as the Scimitar Sowbelly. They are made in the same plant. But the Bulldogs were made only in celluloid or pearl, no stag which is much nicer than celluloid.-
9ball
- Posts: 988
- Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:24 pm
- Location: The Whole Nine Yards
Green Bone SowBelly
Here is a rare bird, One Blade Green Bone SowBelly on a Whittler Frame.
I am not sure or the production number, so I will guess and say a "handful".
9ball
I am not sure or the production number, so I will guess and say a "handful".
9ball
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My Oath as an American Army Soldier did not come with an expiration date.