Half Congress Day!

[biglmbass]

Those are nice Duncan. That Primble is something special.

Ditto. Love that long pull...

 

[Jug Johnson]

Great pattern. Some awesome examples shown in this thread also! I especially like the OP's custom.

Here is my only one.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Those are nice Duncan. That Primble is something special.

Hi Gary, thank you...to be honest, the John Primbles arent seen here too often, and yet there are some absolutely stunning knives that carry this stamping, the case is a mint 60's....but I would throw them at you if you mentioned a trade with that awesome knife of yours made by Rick lol.

 

[Robert.B]

I love smaller half congress (2.75" - 3 1/4" to give a range), atm I only have one half congress but I have a few lined up I wish to purchase.

Most regulars in this sub forum have seen it, but I just love it, its worn out to bejeebuz but its still a great knife (after 80ish years). Its a Remington R 7843 and I believe the scales are jigged cellulite but still up in the air on that one even after getting feedback in Levine forum.

 

[Thomason]

Thanks to Gary and this thread I was reminded that I had been wanting to add a half congress to the herd. I had also been curious about GEC's acrylic handles. I was able to scratch both itches with one knife. How fortuitous.

 

[johnny twoshoes]

Beautiful knife Thomason, I love those scales.
I have yet to try the acrylics, but I do have this half congress to add to the already great show.

 

[2Dead]

An updated group shot...

 

[black mamba]

My GEC half-congress in elk stag. Even with half-stops, this one has a great action.

 

[wagglebee]

That GEC is beautiful Jeff, from the picture the elk stag almost looks like mammoth ivory.

 

[black mamba]

Thanks, Rob, I thought the same thing when I first saw it, as did several other forumites that saw it at BLADE this year.

They also did a tremendous job matching the two scales, as seen in this photo.

 

[wagglebee]

That is just a gorgeous knife Jeff, if I didn't know better I would think it was a custom.

 

[thawk]

couple of halfs

Schrade Walden and Camillus, Delrin handles. Congress knives with the rat tail bolsters are a nice folksy touch.

 

[Arathol]

And now, for something completely different, here is a very old half congress, just shy of 100 years old. Small too, about 2" closed.

 

[Big Barn]

Need some education - What's the difference between a Half Congress & a Senator?

 

[zerogee]

Need some education - What's the difference between a Half Congress & a Senator?

Half congress/congress has a sway back (typically - sometimes just straight) and a distinctly curved out belly, squarish ends (often with angled bolsters), and a sheepsfoot main blade. Senator has straight or slightly curved out sides (symmetrical back and belly), rounded ends, and a spear main blade (note that a senator may have more than two blades, just like a congress). A senator is a symmetrical pattern top and bottom when viewed from the side -- a congress is not (though both are symmetrical end to end).

Note, there are exceptions for the congress pattern: there are congress patterns that are larger at one end than the other and others with rounded ends and some have a swell in the center of the swayback - but all have sheepsfoot (occasionally wharncliff) main blades and none are symmetrical top to bottom.