A Primble Congress Jack (not for the squeamish..)

[eisman]

I'm going to start with an apology. What you're about to see is not pretty. It raises all kinds of emotions in me too, but I'm hoping to move forward with help from you all.

I have a fondness for Primble's and Congress patterns, especially the Congress Jacks, which I find in old catalogs but darn near nowhere else. I have never seen an indication that Primble's offered a Congress Jack. So finding one should have been something to make me happy, and it does, because I now know enough to look for a decent representative. But the more I look at this abortion I want to kick somebody...

The blades have been ground to where it's dangerous to hold, let alone put in a pocket. The scales and rest of the knife show it's had a hard life, but it's mostly what I'd consider honest wear (jigging rubbed smooth, etc) until someone got crazy trying to "clean" it.

Anyways, here are the pictures with a GEC 13 for comparison:

If anybody out there has a better example, or a catalog page showing one, please let me know. Any information as to the original manufacturer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mrknife]

i have respect for old knives but this?!

 

[rockman0]

Love the shield

 

[Old Hunter]

Looks like a lot of old pocketknives that were used hard by owners who had no inclination to become a collector of vintage pocketknives. When the knife is rare enough a worn example sure beats no example! OH

 

[waynorth]

I agree, it's painful to see the abuse that congress has been through! Nice of you to reach out and preserve what's left!! May you find a nicer example!!

 

[Ernie1980]

Back away from the buffer slowly so no more knives get hurt... I see a lot of these types of “restorations” on the bay- makes me cringe!

 

[Hickory n steel]

Back away from the buffer slowly so no more knives get hurt... I see a lot of these types of “restorations” on the bay- makes me cringe!

Me too, but you can't exactly blame them when it seems most of the world these days seem to think something is no good unless it looks new and shiny.
Just go on YouTube and you'll see the kind of praise people get when they shine up a vintage tool or knife...ect.
They get encouraged and keep doing it.