"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

NICE chainsaw, Andi! I would love to own that one. GREAT work on that axe too! I may have to pick your brain if my GB axe ever loses its handle!

I need to look up tips rehafting myself, I have an OLD double bit axe, and my haft is splitering after 1 winter of use!!! I am kinda irate over that...the axe head is amazing, the ash haft I bought is rubbish.
 
In the British press yesterday, there was a story about one of the very first collection of criminal ‘mugshots’ from 150 years ago, I couldn't post it yesterday because of the server problems at Bladeforums HQ, but thought some of you folks might find the story interesting.

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More here (for example, or just do an internet search): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...man-impersonated-vicar.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Jack
 
Man, that George Bennett was a ridiculously photogenic poacher.
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And we have also found the world's first hipster:
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Man, that George Bennett was a ridiculously photogenic poacher.
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LOL! And to think that some people scoffed at Errol Flynn’s portrayal of Robin Hood! :D
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And we have also found the world's first hipster:
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Bit of a pout going on there (but then I guess imprisonment/transportation will do that to a man)! :D
 
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A few weeks ago I met up with ScruffUK for the first time. He showed me a great afternoon in his home town, and as we were parting I sneakily slipped him a knife (just a RR Rifleman Canoe). As I was just leaving he didn’t have time to give me a coin, so the next time we met up he presented me with an old English pre-decimal silver threepenny-bit, dated 1912, the year Firth invented stainless steel. He did say he’d been trying to find a groat for me! :D

I know at least a couple of regular posters here are interested in old coins, so here’s a couple of pics with my grandaughter’s Wostenholm pen-knife in Firth Stainless.

Thanks again ScruffUK



 
Yep. According to my research, that one is worth 17/163 of a florin, of which there are 68.542 to a pound. Or something like that.
 
Yep. According to my research, that one is worth 17/163 of a florin, of which there are 68.542 to a pound. Or something like that.

:D Take no notice P, that's a Half-Florin you have there, a shilling! :D

Maths wasn't a lot of fun when I was a kid! :D
 
I need to look up tips rehafting myself, I have an OLD double bit axe, and my haft is splitering after 1 winter of use!!! I am kinda irate over that...the axe head is amazing, the ash haft I bought is rubbish.

Not sure if I have seen this axe but I would love to :)
 
I am an impressionable individual.

Like many here, I look forward to Carl's stories. Each one is an adventure, and I enjoy imagining the portraits he paints. As you know, the knife always has a central role in his stories. Sometimes it's a barlow, often it's a peanut, and there are a smattering with scouts, sodbusters, and swaybacks. Among my favorites is the sailor's knife. The Mad Hermit of LaCompte Marsh had one with stag covers, while Captain Martin's knife had handles of a dark, heavy wood.

I'm asking because I am thinking of recreating one of their knives, though I don't know which version I should go with. I recently found one of those interesting Belgian clasp knives, and with the right rehandle job I think it could be a passable imitation of an old sailor's knife.

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What materials were traditionally used for British sailor's knives? Did they use stag much? Or did they usually go with a wood like ebony, rosewood, or walnut?

- Christian
 
To all Marylanders, Pennsylvanians, Delawarians and Virginians.

Just wanted to let everyone know that the Mason Dixon knife show is coming up in the end of April. It's a small show, put on by the Mason Dixon knife club. This show used to be held in Frederick at the fairgrounds, now, it's held in Hagerstown, at the Best Western Grand Venice hotel. There are several dealers there, including Ryan Daniels, one of the new owners of Queen (he usually sets up with his own collection for sale, and new knives from Queen, I'm going to try to get one of the new ATS34 Mountain Man lockbacks). Most of the table holders are members of the knife club. Lots of slipjoints for sale, and lots of horse trading going on. Lots of antiques too. I believe a member of the Buck collectors club sets up there also. I make a whole day of it, it takes me about 2 hours to get there, but I enjoy heading out to the mountains. The area is absolutely beautiful, especially during the spring. For anyone that likes to haunt used bookstores, there is a really nice used bookstore about a block down called Wonderbooks, they also have locations in Germantown and Frederick. I've found a few knife books at that one. Antietam and South Mountain are nearby, Charlestown casinos aren't that far away and the view from Washington Monument State Park is a sight to behold. There is a knife shop in nearby Frederick also, you can email me for details. Crystal Grottoes, near Antietam, is a fun cave tour. Every time I stop there, they are in the middle of closing for the day, but I would like to stop by Catoctin Zoo this year, for a tour.

This show is quite small, but a lot of fun. The only other show I've been to was the Chesapeake knife show in December in Timonium, so I can't compare my experiences with any big shows. I think that this show is worth the drive if you like slipjoints and old timey knives. Users as well as collectibles, and there are some modern knives there.

I'd like to get everybody together for a beer and a burger type meetup, I owe brews to a couple members. I left Jackknife high and dry (literally, he said the drink he got was horrible at the bar at the Chesapeake show) while I was caught up in a trading frenzy and I still feel bad about it. Someone had mentioned that there was a BBQ joint near Hagerstown when we tried to get a MD get together going a couple years ago, I've been searching for one nearby.

I'm done rattling on about this, here's some information.

MASON & DIXON KNIFE CLUB SHOW
April 26 & 27, 2013
Best Western/Grand Venice Hotel
431 Dual Highway, Rt. 40
Hagerstown, MD 21740

Contact Info - William C. Crilley - 717 762 4530

Friday Apr. 26 - 12 Noon til 6PM / Saturday Apr. 27 - 8AM til 4PM
 
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I came across a Buck 110 copy today made in Italy, couldn't inspect it that well because I was in one of those wierd Otley shops where they don't like you to touch things, but it seemed reasonably well made, though very blunt. Not seen an Italian copy before. I guess that knife was copied everywhere though.
 
ive seen copies of the buck 110 (online, not in person) that were made in spain and central america also. imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
 
Hello, I'm new to the traditional folder side of things around here. Man you people have some beautiful soul stirring blades. I had a question and thought this might be the place for it. I sure would appreciate your input. I bought a couple Case sodbusters awhile back, one in SS and one CV. I abuse the SS at work. I was wondering if you all had a preference on forceing a patina or just let it happen on the CV knife. Ps, I just bought a Case peanut and a couple RR canoes. Looking forward to that first vintage find. I'm hooked!
 
Welcome, Guineaman! You've made some solid choices so far. What peanut did you get?

Regarding the patina, I guess it usually just comes down to a person's temperament or, for lack of a better term, level of sentimentality, maybe. Some people like to only let their knife "earn" its patina from actual everyday use, while others figure that it's going to get a patina on it anyway, so why not just do it. The most common forcing methods - apples, potatoes, vinegar - are all food anyway, so it's not like you'd be doing something "artificial", as it were. Besides, it's not like forcing a patina will stop the knife from further change. The forced patina is really only a good base coat for everything that will come after and not a substitute for years of actual use. So, six of one, half a dozen of the other, I guess.
 
Welcome, Guineaman! You've made some solid choices so far. What peanut did you get?

Regarding the patina, I guess it usually just comes down to a person's temperament or, for lack of a better term, level of sentimentality, maybe. Some people like to only let their knife "earn" its patina from actual everyday use, while others figure that it's going to get a patina on it anyway, so why not just do it. The most common forcing methods - apples, potatoes, vinegar - are all food anyway, so it's not like you'd be doing something "artificial", as it were. Besides, it's not like forcing a patina will stop the knife from further change. The forced patina is really only a good base coat for everything that will come after and not a substitute for years of actual use. So, six of one, half a dozen of the other, I guess.

The peanut is a chestnut in CV. To tell you the truth the sodbuster is so shiny I'm almost afraid or embarrassed to use it. I think I'll force a patina to get it started and then carry it on days off.
 
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