- Joined
- Jul 10, 2013
- Messages
- 1,123
So yesterday I turned 49, and I decided to visit a knife shop I've been wanting to visit for about 30 years. The problem has always been it being 3 hours away up in the NW corner of the state. I decided a couple of months ago I was going to do this when I got to meet the owner at a knife show. Mr. A.G. Russell himself.
I first found out about him back in the 80's after he introduced a unique OH folder to the world that incorporated a single piece handle, spring, and lock. It was innovative, beautiful, and simple, and I wanted one but $40+ dollars for a knife back then was a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a knife I'd be too proud to use. I'd just dream of of having that kind of money someday and stick with my Uncle Henry stockman. My how times have changed. I decided then I'd own an A.G. Russell knife someday. Maybe not that one, but one with his name on it. Meeting him a couple of months ago (thanks to Chris Montgomery), I decided it was time to take a day soon and head to Rodgers, AR. Mr. Russell is in his 80's now and is going strong, still designing, but he is slowing down, and I remember missing my chance to visit Jimmy Lile's shop before he passed. I have a fondness for Arkansas knifemakers, but I digress.
Mr. Russell's OH knife has changed considerably over the last almost 30 years. It no longer has that one piece handle, spring, lock thing going for it as it's too expensive to make that way now and be affordable to the customer. Also, it's no longer made in Arkansas, but China instead. It's a fine knife nonetheless, but my heart lies with the traditionals now, and his shop was a treat to visit for this reason. I saw Buck, Case, Queen, Ka-Bar, Boker, CSC, a brand called War Eagle, and many more. And there were the modern knives too.
The staff were very knowledgeable and helpful about the items they had in the shop, but sadly were clueless about GEC. They all carried modern folders and admitted to never seeing or hearing about the TC Barlow I had in my pocket. Oh well, that's more for the rest of us I suppose. Many of the patrons I saw in the shop yesterday were obviously regulars, and it almost had a Cheers atmosphere about it with more than one gentleman demanding "No one tell my wife I'm here! She hates this place!" as they came through the door. I got to hear a few stories too that had the staff in stitches. One regular gentleman walked in with a Queen locking hunter just to show the girl who was helping me what he had just scored at a nearby pawn shop. He then proceed to tell me I needed to visit it and alleviate them of the pile of knives they didn't know they had. The young lady helping me then starting joining in with him to give me directions to said pawn shop.
After about and hour and a half of grinning from ear to ear, I made my selection of what I wanted and chose two knives. The first was an A.G. Russell Lockback Barlow, and the first one she showed me was perfect. The next one was a Ka-Bar Coppersmith Barlow, but she didn't like what she had behind the counter so she called up the warehouse. Soon a lady showed up with a pile of boxes of Coppersmith Barlows. We opened them all on the counter and inspected each one, looking for gaps, scratches, comparing colors, shapes of the covers, how the jigging effected some of the bolsters, etc. Soon I had my knife and we set about packaging up all the knives we had scattered about the counter. She was grinning ear to ear too and commented on how much fun it was to do what she does. I paid for my purchase and shook their hands and thanked them for the best knife shopping experience I've ever had. I got what I think is an iconic Barlow and finally a knife with A.G. Russell's name on it.
Yesterday was a good day.
Not my car.
Finally
I first found out about him back in the 80's after he introduced a unique OH folder to the world that incorporated a single piece handle, spring, and lock. It was innovative, beautiful, and simple, and I wanted one but $40+ dollars for a knife back then was a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a knife I'd be too proud to use. I'd just dream of of having that kind of money someday and stick with my Uncle Henry stockman. My how times have changed. I decided then I'd own an A.G. Russell knife someday. Maybe not that one, but one with his name on it. Meeting him a couple of months ago (thanks to Chris Montgomery), I decided it was time to take a day soon and head to Rodgers, AR. Mr. Russell is in his 80's now and is going strong, still designing, but he is slowing down, and I remember missing my chance to visit Jimmy Lile's shop before he passed. I have a fondness for Arkansas knifemakers, but I digress.
Mr. Russell's OH knife has changed considerably over the last almost 30 years. It no longer has that one piece handle, spring, lock thing going for it as it's too expensive to make that way now and be affordable to the customer. Also, it's no longer made in Arkansas, but China instead. It's a fine knife nonetheless, but my heart lies with the traditionals now, and his shop was a treat to visit for this reason. I saw Buck, Case, Queen, Ka-Bar, Boker, CSC, a brand called War Eagle, and many more. And there were the modern knives too.
The staff were very knowledgeable and helpful about the items they had in the shop, but sadly were clueless about GEC. They all carried modern folders and admitted to never seeing or hearing about the TC Barlow I had in my pocket. Oh well, that's more for the rest of us I suppose. Many of the patrons I saw in the shop yesterday were obviously regulars, and it almost had a Cheers atmosphere about it with more than one gentleman demanding "No one tell my wife I'm here! She hates this place!" as they came through the door. I got to hear a few stories too that had the staff in stitches. One regular gentleman walked in with a Queen locking hunter just to show the girl who was helping me what he had just scored at a nearby pawn shop. He then proceed to tell me I needed to visit it and alleviate them of the pile of knives they didn't know they had. The young lady helping me then starting joining in with him to give me directions to said pawn shop.
After about and hour and a half of grinning from ear to ear, I made my selection of what I wanted and chose two knives. The first was an A.G. Russell Lockback Barlow, and the first one she showed me was perfect. The next one was a Ka-Bar Coppersmith Barlow, but she didn't like what she had behind the counter so she called up the warehouse. Soon a lady showed up with a pile of boxes of Coppersmith Barlows. We opened them all on the counter and inspected each one, looking for gaps, scratches, comparing colors, shapes of the covers, how the jigging effected some of the bolsters, etc. Soon I had my knife and we set about packaging up all the knives we had scattered about the counter. She was grinning ear to ear too and commented on how much fun it was to do what she does. I paid for my purchase and shook their hands and thanked them for the best knife shopping experience I've ever had. I got what I think is an iconic Barlow and finally a knife with A.G. Russell's name on it.
Yesterday was a good day.
Not my car.
Finally
Last edited:
). Unfortunately, my town has NO knife shops, as far as I know.
