Help With Knife Custom Knife Identity

[r.cordell]

Hello all,
I just picked up a fairly well made knife that I can't locate anywhere. The knife is 9 1/2 inches overall with a 5 inch blade, rosewood handle, and a fairly well made sheath. The blade is marked with ser#03XX and Handmade By E.C. Spencer, Bristol, Tn.

Any help you could give me regarding this maker would be greatly appreciated.

[/IMG] I am trying to post a picture but having a bit of trouble so here goes again. Thanks in advance and God bless r.cordell

 

[SharpByCoop]

No record of him in 1985, 1990, 1999 Knives Annuals. There is a John Spencer from TX, only.

Looks like a fine user. Not valuable in any regard other than sentimental, I would venture.

Congrats!

Coop

 

[r.cordell]

Hello Coop,
Thanks for the response concerning the Spencer knife, I thought I would bring you up to date on Mr Spencer.

I was finally able to contact Mr Spencer at his home in Bristol Tenn, and found out that he was a throat cancer victim, and had gone through the subsequent surgery. Mr Spencer now speaks with the aid of an electronic device and is still sharp as a tack in his early 70's (hmmmm I'm not far from that myself ). He informed me that he had made approximately 450 knives and had loved the work. This is kind of exceptional due to the fact that Mr Spencer is right handed and lost his right hand in an accident prior to making knives!!!! Mr Spencer (with some assistance from the Mrs.) went on to tell me that my knife was one of the few that he had made with anything other than stag handles, and that all his blades were made from bar stock with a hand rubbed finish!!!!! Well Coop I played around during the 70's at knife assembling (bought blades, guards, etc) and can only imagine what it would take to completely make and assemble a knife from scratch ----WITH ONE HAND!!!!

Mr. Spencer then went on to tell me that he had made some knives for the NASCAR crowd but had stopped making knives during the mid 90's due to the surgery and the fact his doctor wouldn't let him get near the dust. He also said that if there was any way he could start up again that he would because he loved the work that much.

The Mrs. informed me that one knife he had made for an individual ended up with a net profit of .25 cents an hour when the dust had cleared and the costs were deducted!!!!!!!!!

I am now looking for these knives, I can only picture Scagel, Morseth, Hoyt Buck, or Dall De Weese trying to again make their treasures, but this time with ONE HAND!!!

Well Coop the Big Boss wants to use the telephone so I had better close this for now. Take care and God bless. r.cordell

 

[SharpByCoop]

Hi Mr. Cordell,

Well, what a pleasure reading your notes and seeing you discovered a most worthy maker.

Yes, you just stumbled upon a good knife, but the person behind it is what made it a great knife. These stories of our individual conversations and meetings really add depth to our knife collecting and using. :thumbup:

Thanks!

Coop