All About Pocket Knives

I haven't posted for a while, so here's one that I just finished. This Morley gunstock jack came along in an auction lot, and as you can see in the first 2 pics it was missing one front bolster and the worn down bone scales were starting to flake apart. According to Goins, this knife was made between 1913 and 1927. I couldn't decide what material to use for the new scales, and as usual when that happens, I tend to default to stag. I don't care for the poorly soldered, hollow bolsters that were used on a lot of German knives, and true to form the remaining 3 bolsters fell off when I took the knife apart. I might have dyed the stag a touch too dark, but I like the gnarly look. Mr. Morley must have really liked stamping everything - the Morley & Sons stamp on the front side of both tangs, the 4-leaf clover on the back side of both tangs, and the "clover brand" stamp across the primary blade. Whew!

very nice!

Stag was the perfect choice for that one! I know, I know, I say that about every knife. However, it just looks "right" on that gunstock, I can see why you wanted to save it from the scrap heap.

Well done sir!!

Beautiful job Herb. I love the gunstock pattern, now if it only didn't have the pen blade it would be perfect. I'm a dedicated 1-blade guy!

Awesome job, Herb! I don't remember seeing this one before.

Beautiful job Herb!

Killer stag makes for a killer knife!

AWESOME!

1967redrider wrote: ↑Tue Oct 25, 2022 10:37 pm Awesome job, Herb! I don't remember seeing this one before.

Thanks John! It was in parts on my bench until I finished it up yesterday. Next time I see you, you can give it a good "coon fingering"!

herbva wrote: ↑Wed Oct 26, 2022 11:56 am

1967redrider wrote: ↑Tue Oct 25, 2022 10:37 pm Awesome job, Herb! I don't remember seeing this one before.

Thanks John! It was in parts on my bench until I finished it up yesterday. Next time I see you, you can give it a good "coon fingering"!

Looking forward to it!

Great work Herb....

Very nice work!

Great job. Love the stag.

Nice restoration Herb! That stag looks great.
Jeff

A sweet old knife even sweeter after your fine work.

Good job Herb. I don't suppose you saved the original handles?
You said the former handles were bone? I have been trying to establish what material that we call pressed stag consists of. Morley was a prolific user of it.

wlf wrote: ↑Sun Oct 30, 2022 4:29 pm Good job Herb. I don't suppose you saved the original handles?
You said the former handles were bone? I have been trying to establish what material that we call pressed stag consists of. Morley was a prolific user of it.

WIF, I just noticed your post. Fortunately, they were still in the trash bucket on my workbench. I hope these pics help!

How could one tell for sure whether these were made out of bone or stag?

Thanks Herb, I sent you a PM. What John said. I don't understand what process created the pattern in lieu of jigging, but the surfaces are thin.You don't see it on American made knives.

Great job Herb!! I really like the handles perfect for that knife.

Nev