Gunstock History / Vintage Examples

richstag

richstag

Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
9,008
Hello friends,

I am always interested in the history of patterns. Since I received my GEC gunstock I have been googling and searching here for history.

The best I found was in this thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...odhead(s)-gunstock-pattern?highlight=Gunstock

Awesome thread btw, but no conclusive answer.

I was hoping that someone amongst us may have an answer. Any and all info on the history will be greatly appreciated and Enjoyed!

Any photos along with details of vintage gunstocks would be amazing.

I found one other reverse gunstock stockman posted by KnifeHead a while back.

I am just not finding much.

Thanks for any and all help!

Kevin
 
Kevin, Here's an old Empire gunstock jack that I gifted to a friend. I don't think I have any photos of other examples... does the Case 6332 pattern count?

empire-gunstock.jpg
 
Very nice Jake. Do you have any info about the Empire you gifted? Nice gift btw. As for the Case, idk. I'm trying to learn about this myself :)

Basically any history is good info for me. Reverse gunstock or regular or anything I don't know of (I know that's a lot).

The more the better. The closer to 1900 and earlier the better. I can find current and recent production stuff pretty easily though.

Thanks!
 
The guy who sold me the knife sold the largest collection of gunstocks that I've ever seen... all listed individually at the same time... I'll see if I can dig up some more stuff when I get back home (I'm at Starbucks :o)
 
Those are just great! Thank you for both the image and the info, Jim. They just don't do bone the same anymore do they? Wow.
 
Cool knives, Jim!

Kevin, Unfortunately the auctions are no longer showing up on the eBay website. If you search Worthpoint for "vintage gunstock knife", you'll pull up some examples. Here are some catalog scans...

1927 Empire
1927-Empire-gunstocks_zps92155261.jpg


1920 Remington
1920-Remington-gunstock_zpsf141a2bc.jpg


1918 Bingham
1918-Bingham-gunstock_zpsed0917b2.jpg


1918 Ulster
1918-Ulster-gunstocks-1_zps1835a122.jpg


1918 Ulster
1918-Ulster-gunstocks-2_zps46223ca8.jpg


1925 Ulster
1925-Ulster-gunstocks_zpsca2f8b7b.jpg


1927 Ulster
1927-Ulster-gunstocks-2_zps92dca423.jpg


1927 Ulster
1927-Ulster-gunstocks-1_zps585ab68b.jpg


From what I understand, there are also gunstock whittlers, gunstock stock knives, and gunstock lobsters. I would need to double check the definitions in Levine's Guide but I don't have my books with me. I've also seen photos of some unusual hybrids like an easy open gunstock and a farmer's jack/whittler/gunstock with a folding ivory budding blade. Here's a catalog scan with Keen Kutter stock and double-end jacks. The handle appears to be the reverse of a gunstock but I don't know if that is the actual pattern name.

1922-Keen-Kutter-gunstock-stock-jack_zpsb95b2699.jpg


The gun stock jack was clearly recognized in old catalogs.

1927-Ulster-patterns_zpsce74e497.jpg


1918-Bingham-patterns_zps3b230781.jpg
 
Last edited:
Just a question, it seems that the classic Gunstock jack always had a spear blade, did any of the old makers use a clip?
 
Thats okay about the auction info, Jake. What you gave me here is way over the top and extremely helpful! Thank you very much :)

It is very good to see the gunstock recognized in catalogs. I will check out worthpoint today also. Originally I just wanted more info on the history, which I am most definitely getting from you guys. With this info I don't see anything very similar to the GEC. Jim's Queen city with clip and pen reminds me the most of it, but even the Queen city of Jim's seems to keep the butt end wide like the end of a rifle stock. The GEC does not do this.

I wonder, did the pattern start with someone saying, "I want a handle that looks like a gunstock" or "wow, the handle I just made looks like a gunstock" ?

Thanks,

Kevin
 
Where do I get one of those big red pointing finger stamps? :)

The end caps on some of those Ulsters look like they were the inspiration of what Schatt did with their F&W single blade gunstock.
 
Kevin, My impression is that the GEC gunstock is was intended to be the reverse of the type of handles on the stock and jack knives in the Keen Kutter ads... but stylized a little... perhaps to make it their own.

Nate, You can get your own humongous pointing finger on photobucket.com, under "stamps". I wish I could find the arrow that I used to use but I think they got rid of it... or at least I can't find it on the new beta test software.
 
Btw, I'm not sure that the 1927 Empire ad and the Empire knife in my photo are Gunstocks.... It does look similar but the bolsters aren't square and the handle is more rounded. The ad says "stabber, Norfolk front"... perhaps a combination of a norfolk pattern and a stabber jack??? I'm not sure...
 
Idk, Jake, it kind of reminds me more of my 73 with a similar setup. I wanted to thank you again. I also have to say, I believe I like the vintage designs I am seeing better than the GEC. I can't even really look at the bone on mine after seeing Jim's queen city. Pretty depressing actually. With that said, I think its great to see this history. Without some kind of reference I would be blind judging my GEC.

This place is the best.

Kevin
 
Boggs said:
Kevin......


Here's a few....the two Schatt & Morgan's (L) date 1903-1932 and the Queen City (R) 1922-1942



8092440513_100f66cb56_b.jpg
Click to expand...
Whoa! Those are some HUGE gunstocks! I'd love to find one that size.
...unless I'm getting it backward, and the far-left one is super-tiny...
 
I have to say, even though I never handled one, I've always been attracted by gunstock jacks...so I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures on this thread.
Taking a look at Jake's catalog images, it seems that there have been a couple of "serpentine gunstock jacks" in the past (meaning, gunstock jacks with a slightly curved frame). I'd sure like to see one of them :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top