Browne and Pharr collection

[pgockley]

Wanted to share my 3 knife Browne & Pharr collection. My first (the middle one) I inherited from my Grandfather, sparked my interest in these knives. I do have box/papers for his. The other 2 I tracked down. Each knife is a slightly different size with minor differences, but clearly all B&P. To be expected with hand made knives. I'm always looking for more! I'd love to get my hands on the November 2000 Knife World article by Leroy Mathews about B&P, back issues from publisher eaten by mice! Anyone have a copy?

 

[supratentorial]

Interesting knives. Thank you for sharing them. You might try contacting the author for a copy of the article. The publisher might be able to give you his contact info.

 

[Dr-Mabuse]

Hey those look like they'd be fantastic whittlers. I've never heard of these. Anyone know if they were production or custom? Edit: I guess these were semi-custom. Very cool. I'll have to keep an eye out for one. :thumbup:

 

[Gevonovich]

thanks for sharing these wonderful knives and interesting sheaths!!!

 

[r redden]

Very cool first time I have saw any of these. Thanks for posting.

 

[John L]

These were made by a gunsmith outfit in Atlanta and sold only by Orvis. They are good knives witH O-1 blades, single spring and rosewood scales. I also inherited one from my father in law and have added a few to them. They regularly are seen on Fleabay. They are very easily refurbished as thy are screwed together.

 

[JB in SC]

I bought two new Browne & Pharr knives from a local Ace Hardware many years ago, these were not the Orvis models. Really interesting knives.

Bob Browne was still living as of 2014. They (Browne and Pharr) had a motorcycle business together from what I gathered from Bob's post on another forum. Cecil had the idea of a screw together slip joint. Bob was the capital and Cecil ran the plant. They designed several other items that never got past the prototype stage. I'll be glad to PM the brief history from Bob's posting to anyone that's interested.

 

[sierracharlie]

I bought one from Orvis in, say, 1980, and carried it until I discovered Al Mar in 1986. It is easy to sharpen. I found another a couple of years ago, so now I have two. Very primitive compared to the slip joints on this forum but it has a cool factor and it is great for whittling and cutting cigars. This one was maintained on a pair on crock sticks and it will shave your arm easily after a couple of strokes.

I would love to see the history, Jerry. Thanks.

Brown&Pharr by sc-sld, on Flickr

Brown&Pharr2 by sc-sld, on Flickr

 

[sierracharlie]

Thanks for the article, JB. These are the models that turned me into a knife person after I had outgrown my Buck Cadet years ago.

Thanks to Paul Gockley for keeping the flame alive! I look forward to seeing your collection as it grows!

 

[pgockley]

Well Skip, my collection has now grown to 6 B&P, just acquired another last night. This is one of the engraved Orvis models. Stay tuned, I'll post pics once all cleaned up. Thanks Blade Forums for a place to document the legacy of Mr. Robert Browne and Cecil Pharr.

 

[pgockley]

Here are the 2 knives I picked up from sierracharlie. Thanks for parting with them and Bladeforums for helping us connect. :thumbup:

 

[sierracharlie]

Looking good! Glad you are devoted to them.

 

[JB in SC]

They were so unique, they never really got a foothold. It's pretty interesting that there are quite a few custom makers today that use screw together construction for slip joints.

 

[pgockley]

Jerry,
You mention other slips with screws, 3 of my Italian Saladini (all w/ horn handles) use screws instead of pins to attach blades. Bolt head is shaped to resemble Clock Tower in the town of Scarperia. I can adjust as I like.:thumbup:

 

[John L]

Browne and Pharr also made a boot knife as well as two larger but rarer two blade slip joint style knives. There is a B & P display at Blade most years.

 

[suqueue22]

The Browne & Pharr knife was a genuinely unique design when it first came out, I believe sometime in the mid- to late-1970s. It is an exceptionally good knife, and the blades seem to take a better edge than most other knives of my experience. At a later time, Bulldog made a copycat of the Brown & Pharr, somewhat smaller, and with stainless steel of some variety rather than the O1 tool used in the B & P. It was a much inferior knife. The second picture is the Bulldog, the third the B&P.

 

[JB in SC]

suqueue22
I was a frequent visitor of Chuck’s Firearms in Buckhead (the old location) from the mid 70’s til the late 90’s. Since Browne and Pharr was located in Norcross I saw quite a few variations there over the years. Seems they disappeared from the shelves in the 80’s.

 

[suqueue22]

The Browne & Pharr knife was a genuinely unique design when it first came out, I believe sometime in the mid- to late-1970s. It is an exceptionally good knife, and the blades seem to take a better edge than most other knives of my experience. At a later time, Bulldog made a copycat of the Brown & Pharr, somewhat smaller, and with stainless steel of some variety rather than the O1 tool used in the B & P. Although i was a nice little knife, I would note that I also feel it was rather much inferior knife to the Browne & Pharr. The second picture is the Bulldog, the third the B&P.

 

[kvaughn]

Appears to be a cleaner, crisper grind on the Bulldog. I thought all Bulldogs were German (Olbertz) carbon steel. All the ones I've owned are.--KV

 

[suqueue22]

Appears to be a cleaner, crisper grind on the Bulldog. I thought all Bulldogs were German (Olbertz) carbon steel. All the ones I've owned are.--KV

Yes, to the German part of it. For whatever the edge looks on the Bulldog, it is not nearly as good a cutting edge as the B & P. The Bulldog take-apart I had was whatever the stainless was and all the information I've found says some form of stainless. Now, don't get me wrong. The Bulldog IS a good knife. Most Bulldog's are good knives. I just said I didn't think it was nearly as good as the B & P. (For whatever my opinion is worth, eh.)