Aj Collins ?

F

farbenmeister

Joined
Dec 10, 2006
Messages
2
I recently purchased a beautiful push-dagger from a knife show and would like to find out more about its maker. It was stamped AJ Collins and also has a beautiful custom leather sheath. The seller said he took it in on a trade and did not know much about it. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Never heard of him, but the 2002 Knives annual gives this info:

Collins, A.J.
Arleta, CA
818-762-7728
Doing business as Kuston Krafted Knives --KKK.
Mark: Name
First knife sold in 1972

Was a full-time maker. No longer listed in the 2007 Annual.

Try the number.

Welcome to Bladeforums! :) Your name?

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
Never heard of him, but the 2002 Knives annual gives this info:

Collins, A.J.
Arleta, CA
818-762-7728
Doing business as Kuston Krafted Knives --KKK.
Mark: Name
First knife sold in 1972

Was a full-time maker. No longer listed in the 2007 Annual.

Try the number.

Welcome to Bladeforums! :) Your name?

Coop
Click to expand...

Pretty sure we are talking about Alex Collins.......ah....he was really something.

He was black, and called his knife business KKK:eek: BIZARRE sense of humor. He had some cancer, it was in his face/neck, and it it killed him about 5 years ago. He was dear friends with Paul Basch. His work was in the $200.00-$500.00 category, he tried to keep it low priced. He did a high mirror polish on most, if not all of his pieces, and was not above using turquoise staminawood on a piece.

The man is missed!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate it!!!! The knife does have a mirrior polished blade, just like you said Steven, along with ivory micarta scales. Sorry to hear he passed away. Coop, I'm a big fan of your work, awesome photos!

btw Coop, farbenmeister is just a nickname meaning colormaster. I work in the custom stain matching business for antique furniture refinishers.

Thanks again,
Jay
 
I met him at a show once - nice guy with a great sense of humor. You have to admire a black man who stamped KKK on his knives! I believe he worked in John Nelson Cooper's shop along with Jody Sampson in the early 1970s.
 
One of the funniest Bladeshow stories I ever heard was when a newbie collector mistook Alex for knife designer/maker/entrepreneur Walter "Blackie" Collins (not a Black guy, btw)

Alex took it in stride and got a great kick out of it.
 
Bought a sweet boot knife from the man himself in his shop in Burbank, CA, back in the late '80s. I'm always surprised when his name does not come up on ebay searches.
 
I remember meeting Alex and his lovely wife back in '87, when I worked at Advance Cutlery in Cerritos, CA. He came over to show us his latest creation: The now-famous offset "egg"-handled push dagger. What a loss to the knifemaking community. As an aside, did you guys know that he was an electrician at Disneyland?
 
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I have 1 of his larger CHOPPERS.. What a truly unique maker. His blades are very unique unlike many makers.. Love the u Grove in the spine.. wild knife...
Anyone know why he never signed most of his knives?? When he did it was not the best makers mark.. I really enjoy when a maker signs his blades...
For years I confused A Collins with Blackie collins.. BLackie is a white guy and Alex Collins is black..
Unfort I read passed away from lung cancer.. SUCKS!
 
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