GEC Huckleberry Boy's Knife

[jkulysses]

(I would like jwren's just as much as I like mine, for example)

I agree 100% and I hope that Jwren didn't take my post any other way! I love Bocote just as much as Cocobolo it's just I already have some Bocote but no Cocobolo and I'm wanting something that looks a bit different than what I already have color wise. But jwren has already said that his looks darker/richer than it does in his pictures anyway so I'm sure it is exactly what I'm wanting color wise as well. One of the reasons I love natural materials used on the scales so much is no two knives look the same.

 

[TLARbb]

I think the cocobolo on the two boys knives I got recently is among the best I've ever seen. And there are other ones out there with similar figuring.

Ed J

 

[jwren]

I agree 100% and I hope that Jwren didn't take my post any other way! I love Bocote just as much as Cocobolo it's just I already have some Bocote but no Cocobolo and I'm wanting something that looks a bit different than what I already have color wise. But jwren has already said that his looks darker/richer than it does in his pictures anyway so I'm sure it is exactly what I'm wanting color wise as well. One of the reasons I love natural materials used on the scales so much is no two knives look the same.

No problem at all!
Hopefully I can get some better pics today :thumbup:
And I agree - I love the variations in natural materials, esp. wood and stag

 

[waynorth]

That is nice cocobolo, Ed!
After seeing Barry's jigged handles (a page or two back) I had to see one up close.
Fine looking knife! Looks and feels like 80 years ago!!

 

[Hammer67]

I love my #15 barehead in red jigged, but that antique yellow ^ is really sweet. :thumbup:

 

[Modoc ED]

Funny that you should come along now Charlie. I had a conversation yesterday with Sarah about how GEC rounds/flairs their end caps while leaving their barehead covers nice and crisp and sharp-edged.

I came back this morning to show Sarah how many of us (including you) will sometimes break that crisp and sharp-edged barehead cover to make the knife easier on the hand, etc. while carrying. As I recall you did it too your 2012 Forum Knife.

Sarah - Here's my Boys Knife with rounded barehead cover.

As you can see, I broke the sharp edged of the cover. Nice and smooth in the hand now.

 

[jwren]

Here's another pic of the cocobolo - still not great a great shot, I know, but a little better than before....

 

[waynorth]

You are right Ed, I often smooth the handle of a knife I decide to carry. The cutleries are careful not to soften that barehead end too much, as it can get that "scalped" look, where the jigging and dye are buffed off.
The downside of leaving it square, beside the comfort aspect, is it chips more easily if dropped.
Old Boiley got dropped on a tile floor, and now has a chip in the handle - sniff. . .even though I rounded it slightly. I imagine it will flake some day. The hazards of daily use and human error.

 

[jkulysses]

Here's another pic of the cocobolo - still not great a great shot, I know, but a little better than before....

That looks perfect love it! I love how Cocobolo not only has all the different shades of grain but also has all the little speckles or I think it would be called eyes maybe in the wood.

 

[burnside]

Funny that you should come along now Charlie. I had a conversation yesterday with Sarah about how GEC rounds/flairs their end caps while leaving their barehead covers nice and crisp and sharp-edged.

I came back this morning to show Sarah how many of us (including you) will sometimes break that crisp and sharp-edged barehead cover to make the knife easier on the hand, etc. while carrying. As I recall you did it too your 2012 Forum Knife.

Sarah - Here's my Boys Knife with rounded barehead cover.

As you can see, I broke the sharp edged of the cover. Nice and smooth in the hand now.

That looks great! I might have to try that or get it done to my favorite Charlow. Not even used, and I dropped it from my lap in the car to the driveway and gave it a tiny chip right at the sharp edge of the ebony cover. A smooth sanding job to round out the sharp cover edge will make it like a new knife again!

 

[black mamba]

Ed, you have put a more obvious radius on the barehead of your ebony, while I just barely took the sharpness off of mine in bone,
in addition to softening the spine edge. You can barely see the difference, but you can sure feel it.

 

[Sonnemann]

Jwren, beautiful shot!

Charlie, dagnabbit...I've been trying to avoid the temptation on that one but your picture has sealed the deal.

 

[pertinux]

Thanks for the ongoing pictures of the cocobolo knives, everyone. They are stunning.

I came back this morning to show Sarah how many of us (including you) will sometimes break that crisp and sharp-edged barehead cover to make the knife easier on the hand, etc. while carrying. As I recall you did it too your 2012 Forum Knife.

Sarah - Here's my Boys Knife with rounded barehead cover.

As you can see, I broke the sharp edged of the cover. Nice and smooth in the hand now.

Thanks for showing me this. I've heard it mentioned before, but wasn't clear about exactly what was done, where. Sorta like "width." Heh.

You are right Ed, I often smooth the handle of a knife I decide to carry. The cutleries are careful not to soften that barehead end too much, as it can get that "scalped" look, where the jigging and dye are buffed off.

Ah, when "barehead" makes the often welcome transition to "bald."

The downside of leaving it square, beside the comfort aspect, is it chips more easily if dropped.
Old Boiley got dropped on a tile floor, and now has a chip in the handle - sniff. . .even though I rounded it slightly. I imagine it will flake some day. The hazards of daily use and human error.

1) I've been working harder at not dropping my knives. Points?
2) Old Boiley is one special knife, for better and for worse.

Ed, you have put a more obvious radius on the barehead of your ebony, while I just barely took the sharpness off of mine in bone....

If I may ask, what method or means did (any of) you use to soften the edges, to whatever degree? A progression of sandpaper grits? The sidewalk? (<-- That guess is for Charlie. One just never knows....)

... in addition to softening the spine edge. You can barely see the difference, but you can sure feel it.

This, I have done. Looking at this picture and your others, I'd ask you what you were up to with My Knife, but fortunately mine's right here with me. Whew.

To remain en pointe: this is my favorite picture to date of my Boys Knife in smooth white bone, which proved irresistible-- especially after gunstockjack's picture earlier in this thread. I've posted it elsewhere, but not yet in this thread:

~ P.

 

[Modoc ED]

I use a flat piece of 220-grit sand paper, cup it in my hand to curl it to the approximate radius of the cover, determine the angle I want, and then stroke the cover's edge against the sand paper until I get the result I want. Much easier to do than described.

Wait a minute!! Is sand paper one word or two words??????? Oh what the hey - I'll be 70 in August and frankly don't really care. Just think scratchy stuff.

Charlie - The only thing I don't like about a barehead is that they are susceptible (sp?) to chipping/breaking/splitting.

 

[black mamba]

Sarah, my weapon of choice for the edge dulling of the bone is a 50¢ plastic handled, pot metal emery board I use to smooth my fingernails after clipping. For the blade spine I use my 600 grit diamond sharpening stone. I don't want to round it, just de-sharpen it.

 

[waynorth]

I have used emery boards for shaping the bone slightly, then gone to finer sandpaper to erase the scratches. The nice thing about pocketing the knife after is, in a year or two it will be pocket-polished anyway! Patience is everything!

I have sharpened many a stick on the sidewalk, Sarah! Nothing like a sharp stick!!:thumbup:
No knives though!!

I talked to Bill at GEC today about some knife details, and told him about my "chip" and he advised that I glue it. He said it will stop it from getting worse - like splitting some more as I caught it on stuff etc. Thin superglue, and clamp it in waxed paper to keep it from sticking to the clamp. He said do it before it gets oil or dirt in it. Guess I better get on it!

 

[jkulysses]

How thick is the 2 blade version compared to say the 76 Outlaw jack or the 66 calf roper? Anybody have both that they could post a couple pictures showing them side by side?

 

[Jack Black]

How about a recent pic of Old Boiley Charlie?

 

[CoffeeCat2112]

Ed,

I like the way that turned out. I may have to take a look at mine...

Funny that you should come along now Charlie. I had a conversation yesterday with Sarah about how GEC rounds/flairs their end caps while leaving their barehead covers nice and crisp and sharp-edged.

I came back this morning to show Sarah how many of us (including you) will sometimes break that crisp and sharp-edged barehead cover to make the knife easier on the hand, etc. while carrying. As I recall you did it too your 2012 Forum Knife.

Sarah - Here's my Boys Knife with rounded barehead cover.

As you can see, I broke the sharp edged of the cover. Nice and smooth in the hand now.

 

[Modoc ED]

Not only did I do this to my Boys Knife, I also rounded the sharp edges of my ebony barlow too.