does anyone here have a Michael Walker?

You can SEE tons of them on my site. Click my banner, find the Gallery, and enter 'Walker' into the search window.

Although they are built sturdy and entirely useful, the collectibility nature of them generally overrides the working need.

Why are you interested? Curious.

Welcome.

Coop
 
Primarily interested simply because he was the innovator of the lock design.
Also after a year of buying/selling/trading, I'm thinking of just going to 2-3 very high quality, highly regarded knives.
I understand the collectability nature, but I simply couldn't just keep something on display, I'd carry it.
I'm just curious if anyone actually has one...but I'm guessing they would be keeping it in a drawer.
 
a regular bolstered tactical will run over $4000 are you sure you want to carry that?
 
^^^ True. However.... Michael's older pieces are top quality and are largely overlooked by the collector market.

People wear $4500 watches with regularity. Pocketing an MW folder at the same level isn't far off.

They ALL have fragile finishes. I'd highly recommend a carry pouch.

Coop
 
that is true about watches I didn't think of that. Are people really overlooking the older ones? Those are exactly the type I'm looking at! :) like a lot of the ones you photograph for knife Legends. I bet they work so smoothly.
 
hsc3_90293 said:
Primarily interested simply because he was the innovator of the lock design....
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That's not quite true...he greatly refined the 'liner-lock' but he was not the innovator as such, old Schrade Electrians knives had a liner lock for the screwdriver blade. :)
 
Here's mine...

1371952342S.jpg
 
From Wikipedia:

An innovator in a general sense, is a person or an organization who is one of the first to introduce into reality something better than before. That opens up a new area for others and achieves an innovation.
Click to expand...
Dudley, by your own admission the Schrade lock was for a screwdriver blade. Anyone have a photo? Michael brought the concept into reality for knife blades, and really jump-started that 'new area' trend in the eighties.

And.... you also said "not quite true..." You gave some lattitude. :D

Coop
 
I looked. This one is probably from the eighties or seventies? (found on eBay 70's and up)

orig.jpg


Dudley, (as usual) you are correct: it's a screwdriver and a knife blade!

I'd love to see the earliest iteration, since we're discussing it.

Coop
 
I saw a M/W zipper blade folder for sale at the Blade Show for around $5000. Very cute, but the blade was too short.
 
jonathan brand said:
a regular bolstered tactical will run over $4000 are you sure you want to carry that?
Click to expand...

yes, no problem at all, anything I buy will be paid cash, not financed so I have no fear. Losing or damaging won't change my life :-)
And it's no different to me than the JLC Master Compressor Geographic I wore for several years. :-)
If it's the (near) perfect knife, I will want it with me and fondle it daily in my pocket, that's exactly what I will have bought it for.
 
Dawkind said:
That's not quite true...he greatly refined the 'liner-lock' but he was not the innovator as such, old Schrade Electrians knives had a liner lock for the screwdriver blade. :)
Click to expand...

I'm not an expert...but I read and own Bob Terzuola's book. One of the primary things the book accomplishes is to document MW liner lock innovation. Bob T also notes how MW really IS the innovator and it was not simply a refinement.

respectfully,
 
Here is my MW which I obtained at the Knifemakers Guild show in Orlando 1988

medium800.jpg


However, I have absolutely no interest in carrying it. Some other knives I do carry however.
 
hsc3_90293 said:
I'm not an expert...but I read and own Bob Terzuola's book. One of the primary things the book accomplishes is to document MW liner lock innovation. Bob T also notes how MW really IS the innovator and it was not simply a refinement.

respectfully,
Click to expand...

I love Bob and as a matter of fact an ATCF was my first custom folder bought for me by my wife as a birthday gift in 1988 but here are the FACTS:

Liner-Lock said:
Liner lock knives have been around since the late 19th century. The Cattaraugus liner locking patent, 825,093 was issued on July 3, 1906. After 1923 when the patent expired, it was used by other manufacturers such as in the common military and lineman's issue two-blade electrician’s knife; the Camillus TL-29 for the locking screwdriver-stripper blade, until 2007 when the Camillus Cutlery Company went out of business.[1]

Walker refined and popularized the design,[2][3] eventually securing a trademark [4] for the name "Linerlock."[5][6] Walker's main contribution to improve the design was to facilitate true one handed opening of the knife.[7] This was accomplished by removing the weak back spring and adding a heat-treated stop pin to align the blade in the open position.[7] Walker added a detent ball to hold the blade in the closed position using the same spring force from the liner.[7][8]
Click to expand...
 
hsc3_90293 said:
yes, no problem at all, anything I buy will be paid cash, not financed so I have no fear. Losing or damaging won't change my life :-)
And it's no different to me than the JLC Master Compressor Geographic I wore for several years. :-)
If it's the (near) perfect knife, I will want it with me and fondle it daily in my pocket, that's exactly what I will have bought it for.
Click to expand...
Love it man! Knives are made to carry and use! :D
 
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