- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
- Messages
- 2,122
About two years ago I met a rather quiet Southern speaking man at our local flea market that seemed to know a lot about pocket knives. We talked some, Official Boy Scout knives were and are still at times my thing. He told me that he had a shed full of folder parts and the tools to make and repair them. I kinda though he was bragging and kinda thought he was lying . He told me that if I came and visited that he would teach me how to make a knife.
Life got in the way but I saw him again last week and asked if the offer was still good. I happened to have the morning free and so did he. I showed up and I'll be darned if he didn't have a small shed dedicated to working on folders. I was in awe. There were blades hanging on the wall, folders with broken main blades that had never been finished, "Rogers bone" that had been taken off of old knives, and stuff everywhere. All of the info was too much to absorb but it seems an older man taught him how to make folders and then sold him half of all the old stuff he bought when one of the big knife companies had a roof leak and sold all the soaking wet stuff.
He told me his first knife had been a grand daddy barlow type and that is what he thought I should do too. Now I have to say that I only did about half the work and I don't have a before picture but we took an old well abused folder with a broken main blade and put a new Remington blade in it that had never been on a knife before. We also removed the old scales and fitted some red Rogers bone to them. He said my first knife I made should have special, maybe overly special handles.
It is far from perfect but I am hooked on being an "antique knife mechanic apprentice" as he puts it and can't wait until I go back. I can't believe how you can take something worn out and make it look new again. My grandpa always said anyone can build something from a lumber yard, but when you have to fix something and make it look new, then you are a craftsman. Here are some of my not so great pictures.
Jerry
Life got in the way but I saw him again last week and asked if the offer was still good. I happened to have the morning free and so did he. I showed up and I'll be darned if he didn't have a small shed dedicated to working on folders. I was in awe. There were blades hanging on the wall, folders with broken main blades that had never been finished, "Rogers bone" that had been taken off of old knives, and stuff everywhere. All of the info was too much to absorb but it seems an older man taught him how to make folders and then sold him half of all the old stuff he bought when one of the big knife companies had a roof leak and sold all the soaking wet stuff.
He told me his first knife had been a grand daddy barlow type and that is what he thought I should do too. Now I have to say that I only did about half the work and I don't have a before picture but we took an old well abused folder with a broken main blade and put a new Remington blade in it that had never been on a knife before. We also removed the old scales and fitted some red Rogers bone to them. He said my first knife I made should have special, maybe overly special handles.
It is far from perfect but I am hooked on being an "antique knife mechanic apprentice" as he puts it and can't wait until I go back. I can't believe how you can take something worn out and make it look new again. My grandpa always said anyone can build something from a lumber yard, but when you have to fix something and make it look new, then you are a craftsman. Here are some of my not so great pictures.
Jerry
