Club Ugly

[Dr-Mabuse]

Have you ever noticed that some of your knives never garner any compliments when you post them? Are you ashamed to use some of your knives in public? When you tried to give your nephew his first knife did he laugh and say "No, thanks"?
If any of this has ever happened to you, welcome to the C.L.U.B. (Central Location for Ugly Blades)! Whether your knife was born ugly or somebody modded it by lighting it on fire and putting it out with a rake; we welcome everyone because all knives are useful, even if it's only to make the rest of your collection look better. They don't have to be spectacularly hideous either, they can be like this plain faced fellow:

It's a great pattern but CSC gave it boxy g10 scales and a coin shield. Utilitarian, boring and definitely not sexy. He's dependable though! In all seriousness, this is one of my all time favorite knives to carry, that D2 steel never quits and the knife is really light for it's size.

Or they can be like this ugly little guy:

Wow, I've seen better looking wood on the side of a mini-van. I think the bolsters were originally thicker but were ground down at the factory so you could admire the layers of that unique brown, red and black wood laminate. My favorite part is how the harder pivot steel actually protrudes just enough to be felt and seen because it couldn't be ground down. Amazing. That said I really like to carry this little 3" knife, it's really light and thin. The 440A steel takes a nice edge and holds it shockingly well. Very underrated steel in my opinion.

So come one, come all! Let's see your ugliest knives.

 

[pmew]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - I was actually admiring your Remington congress pen knife in the 'totin' thread although hadn't yet bestowed a compliment upon it admittedly.

Here's one of mine; a GEC 252208 inferno bone. The pile side has gorgeous deep jigging that exposes the beautiful dye job



But the mark side had somehow been burned before it came into my posession.



Such a shame

Paul

 

[CDS]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - I was actually admiring your Remington congress pen knife in the 'totin' thread although hadn't yet bestowed a compliment upon it admittedly.

Here's one of mine; a GEC 252208 inferno bone. The pile side has gorgeous deep jigging that exposes the beautiful dye job




But the mark side had somehow been burned before it came into my posession.



Such a shame

Paul

Looks like they took a torch to it.

 

[pmew]

Looks like they took a torch to it.

I honestly have no idea how it happened. I bought it from someone who told me it came to them that way. It's a pity, it's a lovely cover otherwise.

 

[jc57]

Case Pocket Hunter in Vintage Bone. Nobody seemed to like it when I first posted a pic of it a long while back. Hard to tell from the picture but if you are not familiar with the pattern, it is not much bigger than a Case Peanut, just has beefier blades.



This one wasn't born ugly but it led a hard life. 1978 Parker-Frost version of a Schrade 194OT (which I purchased new in 1979).


Depending on your tastes, this Case Mini Copperhead in Magenta bone can be considered ugly. It cuts well, however.



This Winterbottom Sunset Bone Medium Jack was born ugly (or at least, garishly dyed):


but I prettied it up with some RIT dye:


This one is rather, well, odd looking:

 

[Dr-Mabuse]

Paul, you're darn right it's a shame! That has to be some of the coolest bone in I've ever seen outta GEC. It's like the devil's grizzly cut. At least the burnt part kinda matches the bone, certainly matches the name of the color. I'd love to hear the story behind this straight outta Bubba's mouth, if only so I could smack him. :grumpy:

John, what a collection! This is the exactly the sort of material I had in mind.
Those Pocket Hunters are odd ducks aren't they? Case has this bad habit of taking nice covers and then smoothing all the character right out of them till they're bland as white bread. That's the trouble with that knife there, it's kinda plain. Fits right in here.
That Parker-Frost is fine! He's got some respectable battle scars but that old soldier looks good to me! :thumbup: Get him outta here!
A Magenta Mini-copperhead now we're getting somewhere. Looks like melted raspberry sherbet. My wife likes it. I don't and that shield isn't helping. Wicked little wharncliffe blade though, I'll bet it slices well.
A Medium Jack! Don't see many of these, certainly not in those colors anyhow. It's.... vivid. Nice save on the dye job. Looks mellow and nice now, like a glass of iced tea. Really like the Winterbottom on that.
Oh but you saved the best for last, a Russlock. As my buddy Jeff would say, "she looks like a foot". I'm sure they are nice to use but they are the strangest way of getting one handed opening I've ever seen. Then there's the billboard on the "thing" coming outta the tang.

These certainly brought a smile to my face, thanks for sharing guys! I know there's more out there.

 

[5K Qs]

This little Colonial jack has less-than-ideal covers (and my photo is not exactly a flattering glamor shot).

- GT

 

[ConBon]

Here's some ugly, my favorite kind of knife!

Ugly and beat and worn looking, which allows me to use it for everything without fear.

Gave it to my friend for him to use, it's a workhorse not a show horse.

Love the thread idea!

Connor

 

[TsarBomba]

Ugly? We can do ugly.





One of Colonial's contract uglies, a Sharp 270.





Someone did a "working class" patch job on this Clauss's handle.





Nobody said peasant knives have to be attractive.





Here we see the world's worst attempt to match bone on a rehandle.





Someone got a little reckless drilling pin holes in the bone on this big Case.





The Dixon XTRA Barlow! Some Barlows are pretty, but this one is all function zero form.





Personally, I like the handles of this Camillus (for a Delrin knife). I'm probably in the minority, though.

 

[Pomsbz]

I rather liked the look of that blue russlock. Wish someone would do them in decent steel. Would be perfect for me.

 

[Will Power]

Paul You sure your 25 hasn't been in space?? Looks like it got burnt on re-entry!

Tsar I suspect that CASE was the victim of a hangover behind the drill, the bone's none too nice in the first place but those missed pin-holes, grotesque:barf:

I have this CASE Mini Copperlock in Stag. It's foul. CASE Stag is usually lacklustre but this was a sort of anaemic bleached colour like exhumed bone. I tea dyed it, not too well but it kind of tanned it a bit. Main thing is that the knife looks like it's suffering from gas-bloat stomach or a snake that's swallowed a supersize meal Forget, bark, popcorn, character it just has this huge swollen lump in the middle But, it does enhance grip Not going to film it, it could cause trauma to viewers.....

Thanks, Will

 

[quattromori]

I have to say, I'm aware I recently entered Club Ugly through the main door

This knife looked way prettier before I worked on it. Yet, in terms of function, I like it much more now, and after all, we weren't born all to be supermodels

Fausto

 

[Hickory n steel]

Case Pocket Hunter in Vintage Bone. Nobody seemed to like it when I first posted a pic of it a long while back. Hard to tell from the picture but if you are not familiar with the pattern, it is not much bigger than a Case Peanut, just has beefier blades.



This one wasn't born ugly but it led a hard life. 1978 Parker-Frost version of a Schrade 194OT (which I purchased new in 1979).


Depending on your tastes, this Case Mini Copperhead in Magenta bone can be considered ugly. It cuts well, however.



This Winterbottom Sunset Bone Medium Jack was born ugly (or at least, garishly dyed):


but I prettied it up with some RIT dye:


This one is rather, well, odd looking:

Now that pocket hunter is just awesome.

 

[Hickory n steel]

This little atco#12 is certainly a member ( my grandpa's classic is poorly sharpened but not ugly, i just didn't have a solo pic of the atco ) I should get a profile pic of the incredibly squared off scales.

when I got this vic Gardner it had a broken tip and the end of the handle was messed up so I refrained the tip and turned the back of the thing into a screwdriver.

 

[wazu013]

 

[joeradza]

Before a house fire I had lots like that. Love them.

Alan

 

[Dadpool]

That's pretty spectacular, wazu013.

I especially like that the Colorado Boxed Beef Co. is based in Florida.

 

[supratentorial]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Many of these knives I wouldn't call ugly. This topic doesn't seem to be consistent with the spirit of the forum. I could make a quick quip about merging this topic with the rough rider topic but not all of those are ugly (maybe just most of them j/k ) and there are lot of folks that like those knives. My own interests seem to have a minor representation. Some of the old knives that I prize would be ugly junk to many others. Some would prefer to buff out the old knives to make them shiny. Then they'd be ugly to me. One look at Ebay clearly shows that most people don't agree with me. And new knives seem to have more and more embellishment and fanciful handles. For me, the more traditional appearance is preferred. Knives are tools but I think that practical utility and tradition can be much more appealing than fancy embellishment.

Anyhoo... I'll play along. This knife is a very nice tool and would take care of a lifetime of cutting needs but it's by no means a looker. The lock release looks like 1970s style electronic switch... and it's proudly displayed on the mark side of the knife.

 

[Dr-Mabuse]

Thanks, Connor! I love some workhorses and those look like they can both get job done without hesitation.


Tsar, you're a heavy hitter in any thread and you definitely brought your A-game once again. That Case had me roaring! I'm with Will, someone was definitely sweating it out from the night before when they drilled that. I happen to really like the bone on that Dixon Xtra. Looks like that stuff I suggested Charlie call Re-Bone.


Will, do I have to beg? Cause I'll beg. Look we both know that just talking about such a specimen and not providing pics is cruel. This thread needs, and mean needs to see this beauty. Please Will, please. Do it for the Club.

Fausto, I'm happy to report that your knife helped inspire this Club! That makes you a founding Member and an Officer!

Hickory, I've got one below that can top that! Though the crooked shield on yours adds a certain je ne sais quois that mine lacks. Again, with the genius multi-function spatula things! I need this.

Wazu, keep it up! That is some officer grade content right there. I have so many questions about this knife. What is boxed beef and how is it different than the beef restaurants get in boxes? How could that thing possibly be comfortable? Most pressingly, why is Colorado Boxed Beef in FL?

GT, looks like a sweet little user to me. Welcome to the Club.

And now for your consideration:

Here's a kitsch little number from Germany.

Here's a Colonial to go with Tsar's Sharp.

And finally my little 0.25 cent special to go along with the atco:

 

[arrowhd]

I've posted this one before but I think it fits well here. Syracuse Knife Company in a funky green jigged wood.



Just picked up this one last weekend. Beautiful old Remington minus the B. Ruby engraved in four different places. :barf: