Bale on Model 112

B

Bill-in-Texas

Joined
Oct 30, 2011
Messages
36
Hello, All.
I've got a dilemma...
My Cat. I, Ver. I (-ish) Model 112 is missing the bail. I say CI,VI-ish because I can't seem to find a reference to the early model that featured a bail on the rear bolster. Weird, huh?!

Any thoughts, ideas, comments?

(Are you monitoring, Mr. Joe Houser?)

-Bill
 
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Bill-in-Texas said:
Hello, All.
I've got a dilemma...
My Cat. I, Ver. I (-ish) Model 112 is missing the bale. I say CI,VI-ish because I can't seem to find a reference to the early model that featured a bale on the rear bolster. Weird, huh?!

Any thoughts, ideas, comments?

(Are you monitoring, Mr. Joe Houser?)

-Bill
Click to expand...

It (the bail) was more than likely added by someone later if it ever had one. I can't find any 112 in the catalogs or anywhere else that came with one from the factory.
 
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I'm sure Plumberdv is correct......so you can relax.

Your knife is fine.

If it had a bail on in......you WOULD have to worry, because it would be an alteration that would detract from value.

Pictures of your early 112?

:)
 
Okay, Guys.
I'll confess to playing dumb on this one, to elicit some feedback. I would've guessed a response such as the one you've expressed. I think I'd have said the same thing were it not for the manner in which the brass bolsters and brass spring holder are bored thru.
All appearances suggest this was done at the factory, prior to final assembly. I realize this flies in the face of conventional wisdom (plus, a bail on a 112 seems like a bad addition) but, here it is, plain as day:

IMG_2142.jpg


I realize this is an oddity; I'm just curious (Joe Houser?) if this may have been a prototype Model 112.

-Bill
 
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Plumberdv said:
Here's a link to an old thread where Joe addressed the issue of lanyard holes on the 110. Yours looks like a lanyard hole to me instead of being for a bail. It could be a prototype as it seems they did a few 110's
Click to expand...

PlumberDV,
Interesting as that link is, I'm still curious to see how such a design (exemplified on my 112) would allow for the passage of a lanyard. The spring is fully in place (& unmarred); it blocks anything from passing through. A stainless steel bail, on the other hand, would be fitted into either side, remaining clear of the spring. I don't mean to be argumentative; I just am intrigued. I should also share that there is scratch-mark evidence (at the hole, on one side) from when the (presumed) bail was yanked loose (& lost).

Thank you for entertaining this discussion with me!
-Bill
 
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Perhaps you should just send Joe an e-mail or PM and ask him. Any ideas we may come up with here are just speculation.
 
BG42EDGE,

You asked for pics (in the plural) so, here you go!

Shown with the C1,V1 is a C3, V4 I got the same day (just last week).

-Bill

IMG_8440.jpg


IMG_4827.jpg
 
I've never heard of one coming from the factory with a bail, either.

And if you wanted to make one with a bale attached to the pommel, it would be bulky.
hay_bale.jpg

;)
 
What is the length of that handle ?
It looks a little bit longer than the 112 behind it.
 
sitflyer said:
What is the length of that handle ?
It looks a little bit longer than the 112 behind it.
Click to expand...

Sitflyer,
What appears in the picture is actually a distortion of perspective. In fact, the OAL of the C1/V1 is 1/16" shorter than the C3/V4. Now, that you mention it, I'll shoot a side-by-side, overhead shot of the rear bolsters; you'll see that the loss in OAL on the older model is due solely to it having a smaller rear bolster.
 
It's possible it was dissasembled at some point and the hole (bail or lanyard?) was put in that way avoiding damage to the spring. Maybe an at home job.
 
That hole looks too sloppy for factory work.

Factory would have polished it smooth.
 
BG42EDGE said:
That hole looks too sloppy for factory work.

Factory would have polished it smooth.
Click to expand...

The factory most certainly DID polish it smooth.
This specimen is close to four decades old & shows much obvious wear everywhere (except inside the very-cylindrical hole!). Distortion (in the brass) is on one side, only, and is consistent with that which would have been made by a heavy gauge, stainless steel wire used for a bail. Further, the knife shows no signs of having been disassembled... -only, used hard for many years.
Obviously, I have the luxury of examining the knife, in hand; it would be ideal if we could all sit at the same table together, wouldn't it?
:)
I do appreciate the ideas, though.

I realize it's deer season so, it may be a while until Joe Houser weighs in, or responds to my email.
-Bill
 
Since the spring doesn't block the hole totally, I'm speculating that it was for something like this (borrowed photo below).

I've also speculated as to why if it was to have a "snap in" bail as you describe, that it would need a hole all the way through the spacer. Just the depth of the bolster material should be sufficient and with "tabs or pins" long enough to safely engage and hold in the holes, the material of the bail would have to have a lot of spring if it was one piece.

lanyard112.jpg
 
If there was a bail it would have been real thick from the size of the hole. Would have to go with the rest and say a lanyard hole.
 
Plumberdv said:
Since the spring doesn't block the hole totally, I'm speculating that it was for something like this (borrowed photo below).

I've also speculated as to why if it was to have a "snap in" bail as you describe, that it would need a hole all the way through material should be sufficient and with "tabs or pins" long enough to safely engage and hold in the holes, ...
Click to expand...

Plumberdv,
I'm scratching my head over this one because (again, I have the privilege of examining the knife, in my hand) based on what I see, I simply don't believe this knife has been taken apart, since it left the manufacturer.
I certainly could be wrong; I'm not a knife maker and I know there are some here who have greater expertise than I.
I'm interested, as much as the next guy, in the conclusive answer. I'll keep an open mind while awaiting the input from Joe Houser.

I appreciate all who've taken a moment to chime in!
-Bill
 
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