"Old Knives"

[black mamba]

Jason, you sure have some great looking jacks! Another old beauty, thanks for showing.

[bakerg2g]

Jason, you sure have some great looking jacks! Another old beauty, thanks for showing.

Thanks Jeff! I Like those old Jack knives..

Jason

[willgoy]

Here's an old Schrade Cut Co. Tear Drop Jack. Has some really
nice Peachseed jigged bone, Excellent walk and talk. Just a
good old knife...imho.

Jason

A Grand Knife indeed!

Interesting to see it sports a Clip rather than Spear master.

That shield really highlights the bone, wonderful

[supratentorial]

Nice ones, Jason!

I just bought this one and don't have it yet. It looks like another two blade sowbelly.

[Campbellclanman]

Jake and his Sowbelly's = Wow! I think I may see a pattern happening here, here is Jason with his Jacks, Jake with his Sowbelly's, and Charlie with his HJ's.
What can you tell us about that Sowbelly Jake?..it looks like a real nice knife!

[mike Berkovitch]

I was lucky enough to get these two Schrades, first is split spring whittler (my B-Day present to myself ) manufactured ca. 1953-54, and the second is a Stockman well used manufactured prior to 1972 because its scales material. Both have propwood as scales.









Mike

[supratentorial]

Happy birthday, Mike! Those are some good looking Schrades. That whittler looks almost factory fresh.

Thank you, Duncan. I am a fan of the pattern but I haven't seen very many vintage sowbellies. This one is marked Thomaston Knife Co. According to Goins' Encyclopedia that stamp dates 1887-1930. There's a nice history of the company in the book also.

I've done some searches an have only found a few examples of the pattern. I have a small collection of photos. Some are serpentine jacks that are mislabeled as sowbellies. Most of them weren't in very good condition. I think these knives were bought to be used and were seldom found sitting in a desk drawer.

Here's a link to some photos that Dwight found: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...54#post8555954

The only other two blade that I have seen was posted by Dwight. That's why I am so surprised to find another one so soon after finding that Remington.

That's one sweet two blade stockman Ken - hadn't thought of a coping secondary. Is the corner at the tip spine below the handle when closed? That corner is normally rather sharp on coping blades.

How could I forget the two blade-one spring sowbelly stockman - truly awesome and dang rare. Again they typically had clip main and a spey or spear pen as the secondary in the originals - which I'd much prefer to be something with a straight edge instead. (BTW, I found my old two blade premium stockman - I'll post scans of it later. No, that's not it below.)

But let's talk rare and wonderful patterns for a moment. Here is a New York Knife Co 2 blade sowbelly that floated across the bay a number of years ago (sadly, it's not mine). IIRC, even in its amazingly pocket worn condition with missing shield, this one went for over $200 -- it's that rare. It's 3 3/8" closed, and even though somewhat worn, both blades have roughly their original profiles (basically add a bit more belly to the edges and toward the tips and you're pretty close) -- somewhere I think I've got a catalog cut of this (no idea where at the moment, will look). The main blade probably sat just a little higher in the frame originally. I kinda see this as the sowbelly pattern taken to it's ultimate aesthetic conclusion.








-- Dwight

[The Government]

^I have seen those pictures before. I believe I said once, "If I were ever to have a custom knife made, it would be just like that."

The blades sit so low when closed and are packed so nicely into that slim handle... It is just a beautiful piece of work, and I bet it would be a great EDC.

I will never forget those pictures!

[thawk]

That 837 whittler is a real beauty Mike. The propwood really stands the test of time. Really like your teardrop jack Jason. Great peachseed!

[smiling-knife]

This little gem is 2.75 inches long closed. The Sterling silver scales are hallmarked for Birmingham 1897. The blades are not stamped but most likely made in Sheffield. All the attachments have good snap and half stops.

[lambertiana]

My one and only old TL-29, a four line Camillus. I wonder if this is like what my father-in-law had, he was in the Signal Corp stationed on New Guinea (Hollandia) for 18 months, then took part in the landings in Lingayen Gulf in 1945. He stayed in Dagupan after the war and married a local girl, that is where my wife grew up.

[knarfeng]

off topic. never mind.

[CNoyes]

Robeson used very little genuine stag. The 872 swing-guard folding hunter, the 482 large dog-leg trapper, the 167 equal-end pen knives, the 858 sleeveboard pen and an 008 Wharncliffe whittler are about all that I've encountered.

This little 308 coke-bottle jack turned up on Ebay last week.

Length: 3 1/4"

Tang Stamp: ROBESON / ShurEdge (script) / ROCHESTER, N.Y. on both blades.

Condition: Very Good

I think this is a beautiful and rare old knife, if well used.

I have this pattern with pearl handles and it was shown previously in this thread.

RobesonStagJack1.jpg

RobesonStagJack2.jpg

[supratentorial]

Nice knives, guys.

I got the "sowbelly" recently and thought I'd post a few more photos. I also asked BRL for the correct pattern name.

It is...

Double-end Premium Jacks.

Using the same parts as premium stock knives.

BRL...

I think the Remington has the same handle as their 5-blade "Sowbelly" (defined as a stock knife with a big curve in the handle).

Thomaston Knife Co. Conn. c1887-1930
3 7/8" closed, single spring, half stop on clip blade but not the spey

[Campbellclanman]

Wow... I went camping for 3 days, and look what I miss!!...
Jake, and yet those two knives I would never have called a double ended Jack! ( not that I am doubting what Bernard said ) but you would think they would be either Dogleg, Serpentine, or Sowbelly.
Either way Sir...those are two very, very nice looking knives....
Charlie Noyes... that Robeson is simply Superb!! Charlie..were you lucky enough to obtain this lovely knife?
S-K...man that is a little Beauty!!...I really love that knife.

[mike Berkovitch]

Great looking knives guys, I am truly impressed.
Thanks for sharing
Mike

[willgoy]

Jake, that Cell continues to stagger me. It's like some crystal or stone, really beautiful.

Just think you should send those pix to GEC...by way of a hint!

[mike Berkovitch]

Jake, that Cell continues to stagger me. It's like some crystal or stone, really beautiful.

Just think you should send those pix to GEC...by way of a hint!

...or to the 2012 BF knife committee... by way of a hint

Mike

[supratentorial]

Thank you, guys. I'd be up for it, especially if they pattern the knife.

[CNoyes]

Duncan, yes, I did win the knife off the Bay. We're bonding.