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Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2022 2:49 am
by Paladin
Guys,
I realize that I am late to the party on GEC knives as I have had minimum exposure to the brand. This Northfield single blade jack has handles I suspect are mammoth ivory as I find none of the little harversian (haversian?) canals that Jerryd has taught me about. Did I guess correctly?
This is a beautiful knife except that a previous owner buffed it and the etches are faint. I have no tube and no pattern number.
Any info will be greatly appreciated.
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2022 4:30 am
by BIGHEAD
I have rehandled several of those in MI cant say I recognize that one but……….
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2022 1:32 pm
by Paladin
BIGHEAD wrote: ↑Sun Nov 20, 2022 4:30 am
I have rehandled several of those in MI cant say I recognize that one but……….
If not mastadon ivory, any ideas what it might be?
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2022 1:59 pm
by ea42
Ray do you have a photo of the butt end? Could be ivory or over buffed elk.
The end "grain" of ivory has a unique cross-hatch pattern.
Eric
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:43 am
by Paladin
Eric,
Photo of butt end attached. I am not quite sure what to look for but I don't see any cross hatches.
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 3:01 am
by QTCut5
Wow, that looks identical to this one that I got from Big Monk about 5 or 6 years ago then traded to another AAPK member (can't recall who it was). Big Monk said it was pre-ban Elephant Ivory Bark. (IIRC, he also said that muskrat man did the modification.)
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 3:14 am
by Paladin
QTCut5 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 21, 2022 3:01 am
Wow, that looks identical to this one that I got from Big Monk about 5 or 6 years ago then traded to another AAPK member (can't recall who it was). Big Monk said it was pre-ban Elephant Ivory Bark. (IIRC, he also said that muskrat man did the modification.)
Holy cow, Q. This is the same knife.
Are you saying that MM put these handles on the knife? Kaleb,, are you out there? Check in and shed some light on this.
Big Monk,, also would love to get info from you on this one.
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:04 pm
by btrwtr
Sure looks like the same exact knife and does look like bark ivory.
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:45 pm
by Paladin
btrwtr wrote: ↑Mon Nov 21, 2022 6:04 pm
Sure looks like the same exact knife and does look like bark ivory.
I am satisfied that bark ivory is the answer and it is very nice to have some of the history that goes with the knife. Just for the record, I did get the knife in a collection I bought from an AAPK member so that part of the story tracks.
I sure appreciate the input from all you guys.
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 7:54 pm
by ea42
Paladin wrote: ↑Mon Nov 21, 2022 2:43 am
Eric,
Photo of butt end attached. I am not quite sure what to look for but I don't see any cross hatches.
Ray
Ray it doesn't generally show on the outer layers but you can just see it starting right above the liners in your photo. The layers and coloring alone also definitely disqualify it as elk. Nice snag for sure!!! Here's an example of what I'm referring to as far as the cross hatches:
For comparison here's an example of an overly buffed elk handle:
- zz Elk.jpg (39.64 KiB) Viewed 1661 times
Eric
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:42 pm
by muskrat man
Yep thats preban elephant bark. I did that for Big monk many years ago. Maybe 9-10? "Should" be stamped with my mark on the inside liner. Sorry I missed the post I stay so busy these days I don't browse the forums much at all anymore..
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:45 pm
by muskrat man
If in doubt the layers id it as ivory also, elk has no such layers and oftentimes porosity will be visible
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:45 am
by Paladin
muskrat man wrote: ↑Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:45 pm
If in doubt the layers id it as ivory also, elk has no such layers and oftentimes porosity will be visible
muskrat man wrote: ↑Mon Nov 21, 2022 11:42 pm
Yep thats preban elephant bark. I did that for Big monk many years ago. Maybe 9-10? "Should" be stamped with my mark on the inside liner. Sorry I missed the post I stay so busy these days I don't browse the forums much at all anymore..
Thank you, Muskrat Man. I appreciate you confirming this.
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:03 am
by edge213
Mystery solved.
Beautiful knife!!
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:50 am
by QTCut5
Ray, were you ever able to find out the pattern number for that knife? I'm not a big GEC collector so I only know a handful of pattern numbers for the GEC knives I own. For some reason, I want to say it's a #23, but surely one of the GEC collectors on the forum can ID the pattern number just by looking at it (as I recall, that one did not have a pattern # stamped on the pile side of the tang as most GEC knives do).
BTW: In case anyone's interested...this is what I traded to big monk in exchange for the elephant bark OP knife back in 2016 or 2017. He later flipped them on eBay for around $600, IIRC. That probably doesn't help much in determining the current value of the OP knife---in fact, I can't even begin to imagine how much those three GEC #77 sawcut Barlows would fetch in today's market, but I'd bet it's a lot more than $600
. I wonder if the same would prove to be the case with the OP knife (assuming you were going to sell it).
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 11:53 am
by Paladin
QTCut5 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:50 am
Ray, were you ever able to find out the pattern number for that knife? I'm not a big GEC collector so I only know a handful of pattern numbers for the GEC knives I own. For some reason, I want to say it's a #23, but surely one of the GEC collectors on the forum can ID the pattern number just by looking at it (as I recall, that one did not have a pattern # stamped on the pile side of the tang as most GEC knives do).
BTW: In case anyone's interested...this is what I traded to big monk in exchange for the elephant bark OP knife back in 2016 or 2017. He later flipped them on eBay for around $600, IIRC. That probably doesn't help much in determining the current value of the OP knife---in fact, I can't even begin to imagine how much those three GEC #77 sawcut Barlows would fetch in today's market, but I'd bet it's a lot more than $600
. I wonder if the same would prove to be the case with the OP knife (assuming you were going to sell it).
QT,
No info yet on the pattern number but I have sent an email asking for info to GEC with the photos. I cannot put the knife on the Bay with a description of any sort of ivory. I might be able to call it mastodon ivory with the idea that anyone really interested would recognize it for what it is. Not really sure what I'll do yet.
It sure was fun working thru this and I really appreciate the help from everyone.
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:22 pm
by edge213
It looks like a 73 or 23 depending on the size. 23s are larger.
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:01 pm
by Paladin
edge213 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:22 pm
It looks like a 73 or 23 depending on the size. 23s are larger.
It is 4½ inches long.
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:08 pm
by edge213
Paladin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:01 pm
edge213 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:22 pm
It looks like a 73 or 23 depending on the size. 23s are larger.
It is 4½ inches long.
Ray
I not at home right now. When I get there I will measure mine, but I think that's a 23. I will check to be sure.
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:13 pm
by edge213
Paladin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:01 pm
edge213 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:22 pm
It looks like a 73 or 23 depending on the size. 23s are larger.
It is 4½ inches long.
Ray
A 23 is 4 1/2
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:30 pm
by Paladin
edge213 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:13 pm
Paladin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:01 pm
edge213 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:22 pm
It looks like a 73 or 23 depending on the size. 23s are larger.
It is 4½ inches long.
Ray
A 23 is 4 1/2
Thank you sir and a Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Ray
Re: Need Help in Identifying These Handles
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:33 pm
by edge213
Paladin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:30 pm
edge213 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:13 pm
Paladin wrote: ↑Tue Nov 22, 2022 5:01 pm
It is 4½ inches long.
Ray
A 23 is 4 1/2
Thank you sir and a Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Ray
You're welcome