Fight'n Rooster. MIA in Vintage Traditionals?

[The Burgh]

I'm dabbling a bit in older, vintage knives. Might turn out to be an accumulation, collection or just a few beautiful mature knives.

Noticed in my time here that older Case, Schrade (USA), Camillus, etc. folding blades get quite a bit of attention. Also noticed a hushed silence for "Fight'n Rooster" so did some snooping. Here on BF, a search produced no titles containing the brand, and approximately 98% of the posts were "for sale" listings. The "Bay" site has a few sale listings, but miniscule when compared to other vintage brands.

What gives? Is it the celluloid scales? Were they poorly made? Inferior steels? Better values in the other brands for collecting purposes? Should I ignore the brand even though some of their pictures on listings present them to be gorgeous pieces? I'm stumped!

Thanks for your attention and any responses to illuminate the mystery.

 

[Old Hunter]

Not an expert by any means, I own one Fight'n Rooster. This olive green jigged bone, 4" Stockman - it is every bit as nicely made as my GEC's or 1970's Case knives. I buy most of my knives at gunshops and pawnshops and I just don't run across many of them for sale or I would have more. OH

 

[black mamba]

The Frank Buster Fight'n Roosters made in Solingen Germany in the '70s and '80s are excellent knives. I agree with Old Hunter about the quality, every bit as good as anything made today. I do stay away from celluloid handles, as I've had some gas out and just don't consider it worth the risk, even though many of them are fascinatingly beautiful. Here are some of mine in bone and stag.

Jigged bone prototype stockman, 1978

Burnt stag Florida Knife Collectors stockman, 1979

Burnt stag dogleg jack, 1983

Smooth white bone cattle knife, 1985

Jigged bone Eureka jack, 1985

 

[Ernie1980]

The cell rot keeps me from a lot of their models, but the knives are solid and well made. I have this congress in stag, it is very nice:

 

[Gevonovich]

Fantastic knives!! Tough to follow Jeff's wonderful pieces

 

[The Burgh]

Folks, those are very beautiful knives. Good to hear from some that the quality is up there with other great knives.

Another thought occurred as I looked at these and other FRs: Perhaps the fact that so many examples bear advertising or "commercialized" slogans or witty themes/markings that many collectors feel them to be "hokey." Could it be that the surfaces are just too busy with markings for some?

Myself, I enjoy the intricate stampings/engravings/etchings. Artistic and historic for me.

 

[kootenay joe]

I have quite a large Fight'n Rooster collection. So far the celluloid handled ones have all been stable unlike other German knives of the same time which have gassed off (e.g. Buck Creek, Bulldog). There are some great Stag and jigged bone F'nR's.
One of my favorites is an early one (pre 1982), a Barlow "Country Gentleman"



kj

 

[The Burgh]

Glad to have you on this corner of the porch, "kootenay joe."

 

[knifeswapper]

There are only a few cell variations that I have witnessed gassing; and they are consistent across the Bulldog and other Olbertz brands. But some also curl a bit; and then there are those that are as perfect as the day they were made.

 

[kootenay joe]

Thanks Burgh.
If i were to start over collecting F'nR i would go for the Stag & Jigged bone ones primarily and only buy the occasional cell handled one if it really 'spoke' to me. Then i would keep the F'nR cell ones stored together and away from other knives and then check them about 3-4 times per year.
So far none of my cell ones have gassed off but it still could happen before i 'gas off'.
kj

 

[67nick]

I'm always after Congress Jack's (or Irish Jacks), a normally rare pattern, and FnR seemed to have made quite a few in the past. They are great knives but I have one with cell covers that is starting to gas out, so be weary of their cell. Here's some pics of the Roosters I own, also have one in jigged brown bone but couldn't find a pic;

 

[TsarBomba]

Fantastic knives!! Tough to follow Jeff's wonderful pieces

That 2-blade toothpick does an admirable job, though. :thumbup: Toothpicks/fishermen are among my favorite patterns, and I especially appreciate a 2-blade of the obvious quality yours displays. And those gorgeous bone handles! Consider me jealous.

One of my favorites is an early one (pre 1982), a Barlow "Country Gentleman"

I've noticed the German cutlers seem to favor that sway belly Barlow look. Given all the "old-fashioned" (right, Charlie? ) Barlows I have, I have been eyeing up some of these knives. Yours looks fantastic, smooth bone? :thumbup:

I'm always after Congress Jack's (or Irish Jacks), a normally rare pattern, and FnR seemed to have made quite a few in the past.

A great collection of knives in a pattern I only recently learned about. Thanks for sharing, 67nick!

I think there's an ongoing "German knives" thread that might benefit from some of these amazing knives, BTW.

 

[supratentorial]

 

[GasMan1]

See if we can wake up this thread. Picked up my first Fight'n Rooster today.

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[mike Berkovitch]

I deleted the post, wrong brand. too tired.
Sorry

 

[gstrader74]

Stay away from celluloid in the fighting roosters they are bad to crack and gas up. But the stag bone and pearl and great knives. They are made by the Olbertz Factory in Solingen Germany.They also made some of the Bulldog brand knives and newer German Eye brand Knives.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I buy all kinds of vintage slipjoints or fixed blades if they catch my eye, jigged bone or anything Remington will give me whiplash.

I have seen a few Fightin' Roosters, but didn't know if they were vintage or Chinese made (certain knife warehouse with the big red roof). Some members here, of who's council I hold in high regard, are quite fond of the brand. A buddy at work, who was a good friend of Bill Moran's, showed me Bill's personal knife, it was a Fightin Rooster whittler, I believe, I posted the pics on my FB group Slipjoint Addict. He got it in an auction I believe.

So, if Moran carried them...

 

[eisman]

I like Fight'n Rooster knives for a couple reasons; first, they are very well built, second, because (like Nick67) I really like the Irish Congress pattern and they seem to be the only manufacturer who's made them (excepting the very short run of 2013 Forum knives) in the past 40 years.

Here's one of mine:

And here's a nice Gunstock in yellow.

FR used German cellulose, and it's beautiful stuff. But I've seen a number of them de-gassing, and currently have a large lockback in tortoise shell cell that's doing that. It's beautiful when stable but i hate deciding what to do with a knife once it starts to go.

 

[GasMan1]

Nice. I really like mine so far. :thumbup:

 

[Modoc ED]

I no longer have any Fight'n Rooster knives; however, the ones I used to have were first rate knives.

Here is some info about them taken from the net.

Fight'n Rooster knives was started in 1977 by Frank Buster, Lebanon Tennessee , who after attempting to have American companies fill his special order knives was left no option but to design his own knives. He arranged to have them made in Solingen, Germany. He brought back many celluloid patterns from the 1940's. Frank visited the Olbertz Factory in 1975. After screening the old tooling for old patterns and the way the master cutlers made their knives, Frank Buster contracted with them to manufacture Fight'n Rooster Knives. The association continues today. Due to the abundance of old tooling, the wide assortment and variety of handle material and Frank Buster's designing process, no other knife company comes close to the variety of Fight'n Rooster. This factory also manufactures Bulldog Brand knives.

Dating A Fight'n Rooster Knife - Tang Stamping
The original first stamp on Fight'n Rooster knives (rear tang) was Frank Buster Cutlery Company Germany. The front of the blade was stamped with the two Rooster Trademark and the word Solingen underneath the roosters.

In 1982 the rear tang stamp was changed to Frank Buster Celebrated Cutlery Germany. The front stamp had the words Fight'n Rooster added above the two roosters.
The 1994 the rear stamp was changed to Frank Buster & Son Celebrated Cutlery Germany.
Mr. Frank passed away in July of 2007.