couple of Cripple Creek questions.

S

soulmanticore

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Jun 5, 2002
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38
Hi all,

just a couple of quick questions for you all. If you have some time?

1) I bought a 10th annv. 5 blade pearl gunboat of ebay a month ago, and i was wondering if the knife originally came in a box or a red velvet pouch? The reason for asking is the it came to me in a red velvet pouch, but it looks exactly like one that comes with the Effingham barlows.

2) there is a Cripple Creek knife on ebay now that is a 92 5 blade pearl sowbelly #2 of 33, made for Allegheny Mountian Knife Collectors. My question is: it is stated in the discription that the blades have varied dates 84 93 94. Was this a common practice of Bob Cargills? And are all 33 knives made this way? to anyones knowledge.

Thanks for your time and information.

Shane Stone
 
Shane. I don't know if the Anniversary knives came in a box or not. I know for a fact that they didn't come in a red velvet pouch. The velvet pouch was for the Effingham stamped (made by Blackjack) knives.
As far as having a multiblade Cripple Creek with different dates on the tang stamps goes, yeah, Cargill used what he had. If he had blades or liners or some other part left from some other sowbelly or trapper he would use those parts. Why make new ones if you already had parts that fit. It isn't like wearing 2 diffferent colored shoes. This was usually only done with knives like the anniversary knives where the date of the knife was obvious. A ten year anniversary would be a '91 with Cripple Creeks start being in '81 for an example.
Hope this helps ya.
Greg
 
thanks for the info. MckGreg. i was pretty sure about the red velvet pouch. But then again i wasn't 100% either. As for the various dates. That is a new one for me. Thanks again for your time.

Until Next Time

Shane Stone
 
Red velvet pouches for knives are pretty common. Some custom makers and dealers use them. Your knife could have picked up the pouch in a variety of ways.
 
Most die hard collectors want everything that came with the knife when it was new. It affects the collectability of the knife to the person who is willing to pay a few more dollars for a mint piece with all the original packaging.

I've purchased quite a few Cripple Creeks off E Bay in the past few months and I will tell you that I have been burned twice concerning the condition of a couple of knives. One seller will not even return my emails after I sent him a e mail complaining about rust spots on a knife that was described as mint.
As always, you should be prepared and do your home work just like soulmanticore has done. Plus it never hurts to ask an expert like Greg, who happens to be one of the most knowledgeable guys out there when it comes to pocket knives ;)
 
Hey mckgreg,
How about some pictures of a couple of your Cripple Creeks? You haven't shown us any in awhile, and it's always enjoyable when you do post them. You have some of the nicest Cargill knives I've ever seen, that's for sure.

Bill
 
Whoops. Better put it in here. Ivory scaled jack. You guys might recognize the frame on this one.
Greg
 
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's property....Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's property....Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's property....

Great knife, Greg!

Matthew
 
Soulman, that Pearl Gunboat Canoe is a very nice knife. I will try and post a photo of one when I get done moving.
Greg
 
mckgreg &/or anyone who may know,
I too have a question: Is their any reliable source one can seek out that gives current book value on Cripple Creek knives? Or am I relegated to continuing my investigation on this subject via eBay relative to supply and demand? Any assistance is much obliged.
 
I will also look forward to what Greg has to say on this subject. I have purchased a lot of Cripple Creeks in the past three months. The prices seem to run anywhere from $100.00-$150.00 for most models. Some a little more if you buy from E Bay. Some dealers try to get big bucks and some do not. The Cargill customs also seem to run a little higher depending on the piece. I think that E Bay will sometimes give people false values when two or more people are determined to buy the same knife. A fine example of that theory was auctioned off last night on E Bay. I know that I've paid a little more than I should have because I needed a certain piece to fill in a gap in my collection. I think that it is still pretty unclear on how many knives Bob actually made under the Cripple Creek label. I have done a lot of reseach in the past few months and I am also still confused. One good piece of advice that Greg gave me has rang true. He told me not to get the fever when you see a certain piece on E Bay because if you don't win it at your price, don't worry, because they always come back up for auction. I have seen knives that I'd thought I'd never see again come back up in two weeks. The same thing for RARE knives. One good example was last week when a guy put a RARE large Canoe up for auction. He said that he had never ever saw another like it. He put a high starting bid of $200.00. Then someone else out another one up just like it and it went for $134.00. Now the guy has the same knife back up for auction with no starting bid.
 
Bobby Branton said:
I will also look forward to what Greg has to say on this subject...

I think that E Bay will sometimes give people false values when two or more people are determined to buy the same knife. A fine example of that theory was auctioned off last night on E Bay...
Click to expand...

Yup, that was me! Got the fever just like you said and paid 45. more than I had budgeted for, but justified it just the same like we all do from time to time with this wonderful addiction... :rolleyes: But back to my original question. The only reference source I have found is Levines Guide to Knives & Their Values and it is a nice honorable mention, but just is not piece specific. Looking forward to additional discussion.
 
If you get the price guides that Sargent, Price and Levine published,( maybe more) you will get a better idea of what is going on with the Cripple Creeks. Each author adds a bit of history that the other didn't. There is no written record of the knives. This is what everyone would like to see. 'Cept there ain't one. I have my own way of placing a value on certain Cripple Creek knives. The older ones being the most valuable along with the ones that are few in number. Certain patterns are more plentiful than others along with different handle materials. If you start using or collecting Cripple Creeks you will pick up on what is rare and what isn't. Like I said, I have my own way of placing a value on these knives. What I want for my collection may be different than what you might want. The same ol' rule of thumb applies, how much are willing to pay for a certain knife? If you are just planning on gettin' one, you might just pay a little more than if you are in it for the long haul and plan on buliding a collection that will represent the makers career. Just one thing to remember, there are only so many out there, no more being made.
Greg
 
Thank You's to Bobby Branton & mckgreg. I appriciate all your valuable input... Yesterday I spent alot of time researching media and doing repeated searches on the internet and found a multitude of information. Several sources, including a pretty good find of a current national knife makers list that gave Bob Cargill's information and assigned some extremely expensive pricing to his work. Some of it may be justified considering some of the very fancy ornate multi-blade folders that he made in his hay day. I read he once had a website called Ocoee River Knife Works, apparenty his last company name, through another web page that listed multiple knife makers web sites. But that address was no longer supported by him.

Then I struck gold from an unlikely source. Another fellow eBayer put me onto Bob Cargill's own newly built website! Great read too. It has got some fabulous photographs with his story written in his own words. The history is rich with information that I did know prior to this find. A must see for any Cargill / Cripple Creek collector.

According to his own account he has crippled himself over the years doing most everything himself relevant to his knife building. So, sadly there most likely will never be anymore Cripple Creek or Cargill knives. Link is below for folks who may be interested.

Bobs site: www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/mercedes/1075/knifemanorg/index.htm
 
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