Bareheaded Ebony Jacks. Let's see 'em!

[r8shell]

The Platonic Ideal of Pocket Knife

My new GEC #14 Boy's Knife came in the mail today, and I pulled out my collection of ebony barehead jacks for a family photo. It got me thinking. Being a "knife-knut", I like all sorts of knives in different patterns and cover materials: serpentine stockman, congress, whittler, in bone, stag, acrylic, etc. All wonderful. But when I think of an ideal, classic pocket knife, I think of a bareheaded jack. And in a dark wood like ebony: Perfection!


I'd love to see more, so feel free to post some pics of these classics.

100 years from left to right:




(I realize that I left out George the ebony Barlow from the group shot. Technically, a Barlow is a Bareheaded Jack, so maybe he should have been included.)

 

[knarfeng]

For our newer folks, a "bare-headed Jack" is a jack knife with only one bolster.

 

[Gevonovich]

Your Terrier and Scout are marvelous examples! Here are a couple for your thread and I hope we see a bunch:thumbup::thumbup:

]

 

[r8shell]

Beautiful knives, and lovely photos, Gev. In the last picture, is it the camera angle, or do I see a bit of a swayback curve? Who's the maker?

For our newer folks, a "bare-headed Jack" is a jack knife with only one bolster.

Thanks, Frank. I'm always assuming folks know what I'm blathering about.

 

[Gevonovich]

Beautiful knives, and lovely photos, Gev. In the last picture, is it the camera angle, or do I see a bit of a swayback curve? Who's the maker?

Good eye and yes it is a swayback. The stamp is Hibbard Spencer Bartlett and I guess the maker may have been NYKCo. Thank you and great idea for a thread!!

 

[waynorth]

Here are a few of mine for your thread Rachel. A couple might be cocobola, but DNA testing is too expensive to tell for sure!
The interesting thing about some of the older ones is they are finished to be very "round" in the hand, so they don't lay flat on the scanner. You can tell some of them by what appear to be off-center shields. I checked them again, they are well centered!

Here are the tang stamps, the left 5, then the right 4 knives.

 

[Gevonovich]

Man o man, Charlie They all are to die for but that Hudson's Bay is out of this realm!

 

[paulhilborn]

Man o man, Charlie They all are to die for but that Hudson's Bay is out of this realm!

I agree Gev!!! Love the blade stamp also on that Hudson. Then there's that big boy American Shears check out that wonderful swage/swedge:thumbup:

Oh to be a fly on your knife room wall Charlie, what WONDERFUL knives, enough so that I'd be willing to come back as a fly!!!

 

[waynorth]

Thanks Gev! You have some beauties there yourself!! Is that an NYK swayback?

Here's one more before I retire for the night; my fave!
I like to think it was the first Camillus ever made!! (Maybe I have already retired to dreamland!!)Ha ha!!

It's old, and nearly 4 1/4" long. Hardly used, it has been quietly gathering patina for maybe 100-110 years!

I took this one off my Camillus display and handed it to Duncan while he was here! He was lost for words!

 

[kamagong]

Are barlows considered jacks? If so, here are a couple.

 

[RobbW]

For our newer folks, a "bare-headed Jack" is a jack knife with only one bolster.

* one bolster and no end cap. :thumbup:

Charlie: that collection is stunning. But that Camillus--words fail me. What a piece of history.

 

[RobbW]

This is it for me: an ebony Ancient Barlow.

 

[waynorth]

Thanks Robb!

Seeing your Barlow reminded me; It is handled with your namesake, Christian!!

The posts are coming fast and furious! That could be my top Barlow, Robb.
It's got history happening in so many ways! Nice one!!
Makes you think again about Ebony also!

Great thread idea, Rachel:thumbup:

 

[btb01]

There are some awesome knives (both old and new) posted in this thread already! I don't have anything old to share, but I do have a few recent production examples.

 

[Jsega51]

(sorry that it's only a single blade)

 

[r8shell]

Here are a few of mine for your thread Rachel. A couple might be cocobola, but DNA testing is too expensive to tell for sure!
The interesting thing about some of the older ones is they are finished to be very "round" in the hand, so they don't lay flat on the scanner. You can tell some of them by what appear to be off-center shields. I checked them again, they are well centered!

Cocobola is close enough, especially after it's aged to a rich dark. :thumbup: Beautiful examples, thanks! I've noticed the roundness of my older jacks too, but I don't own a wide enough sample of the pattern to know if that was typical. They sure are comfortable to hold.

(sorry that it's only a single blade)

Still a Jack, so it's all good

 

[Halfneck]

Something I can play!

GEC Eureka Jack - probably my favorite GEC, and prefer the barehead look on.
GEC 1-Arm Razor - was going to get jigged bone, but the light colored Ebony intrigued me.

 

[MattWRog]

I'm just impressed you guys, can't come up with any better of a verb. They are all nice, but age before beauty steals the show again.

 

[Gevonovich]

Thanks Gev! You have some beauties there yourself!! Is that an NYK swayback?

Here's one more before I retire for the night; my fave!
I like to think it was the first Camillus ever made!! (Maybe I have already retired to dreamland!!)Ha ha!!

It's old, and nearly 4 1/4" long. Hardly used, it has been quietly gathering patina for maybe 100-110 years!

I took this one off my Camillus display and handed it to Duncan while he was here! He was lost for words!

The tang reads HSB but I think your right Charlie:thumbup: I can see why the Camillus is one of your favorites!! It's a superhero ( love the shield) It looks like it could take you back in time...wow!! Reminds me of looking at a Daguerreotype

 

[jrawk]

ignore the Esquire in front.