- Joined
- Jan 27, 2007
- Messages
- 6,518
A month ago, I finally broke down and got cable. I pretty much hate TV, but since we needed a better internet connection, I went for a better package deal and got the TV service thrown in. So now, a couple nights a week, I make a good "sit-in-front-of-the-TV" meal, and we watch & eat.
Tonight we watched Modern Marvels, an episode called Farming Tech. It seemed a lot of the show was filmed here in northern California, and we recognized several places that we drive through to visit my wife's parents.
During one part of the show about half way through, a walnut farmer is showing how it's all done with the machinery & how they shake the trees to harvest, when he picks up a walnut, pulls out a little traditional folder, and cuts through the outer green casing of the walnut. The blade had a long pull, looked to be saber-ground, and was well used, but looked well-taken-care-of.
Well, I sat down here tonight to see if I might possibly match up what he had, and I'm not able too, but I figured I'd share some pics of the working knives I've found at the thrift stores here over the last four years. All have carbon steel blades, except for the Schrade-made Craftsman.
Two-blade types: Imperial Barlow, Imperial Peanut(?), Imperial shell-handled knife, Syracuse Knife Company celluloid handled knife, Schrade 33OT.
Tang stamps on the Imperial & Syracuse knives. These old shell-handled Imperials typically have the blades ground on only one side, and they'll take a laser edge if sharpened right. Oftentimes I find them with the owners name or initials scratched or vibro-penciled onto the flat, unground side. The Syracuse is one of the nicest, tightest, strongest old used knives I've ever found.
Imperial (Ireland) Barlow & Peanut: these, at one time, were apparently very popular out here. Considering how many mauled, mutilated, messed up and otherwise destroyed ones I find, I believe it. These came from a clearance sale at a local ACE Hardware, and both were less than $2. each.
Tang stamps on the Imperial (Ireland) imports:
Stockman types: Camco, Remington, Robeson, Craftsman (made by U.S. Schrade) and Camillus
The Robeson & Remington both have broken blades that have been ground into screwdriver tips by someone in the past. (Coincidentally, they both have 'Federal' shields.) I find tools all the times that are modified - sometimes very nicely done - to serve other purposes. These two are probably my favorites of all the ones I've found, simply because some resourceful person managed to keep them useful for a longer period of time. My ancestors in NC, who lived through the Depression, would approve.
The Camillus small Stockman & Camco Harness Stockman; I assume that would be the name, since it has a punch or awl.
So, I hope you guys enjoy my humble little collection. And if you get a chance, watch the show Modern Marvels - pretty well done shows, IMHO.
~Chris
Tonight we watched Modern Marvels, an episode called Farming Tech. It seemed a lot of the show was filmed here in northern California, and we recognized several places that we drive through to visit my wife's parents.
During one part of the show about half way through, a walnut farmer is showing how it's all done with the machinery & how they shake the trees to harvest, when he picks up a walnut, pulls out a little traditional folder, and cuts through the outer green casing of the walnut. The blade had a long pull, looked to be saber-ground, and was well used, but looked well-taken-care-of.
Well, I sat down here tonight to see if I might possibly match up what he had, and I'm not able too, but I figured I'd share some pics of the working knives I've found at the thrift stores here over the last four years. All have carbon steel blades, except for the Schrade-made Craftsman.
Two-blade types: Imperial Barlow, Imperial Peanut(?), Imperial shell-handled knife, Syracuse Knife Company celluloid handled knife, Schrade 33OT.
Tang stamps on the Imperial & Syracuse knives. These old shell-handled Imperials typically have the blades ground on only one side, and they'll take a laser edge if sharpened right. Oftentimes I find them with the owners name or initials scratched or vibro-penciled onto the flat, unground side. The Syracuse is one of the nicest, tightest, strongest old used knives I've ever found.
Imperial (Ireland) Barlow & Peanut: these, at one time, were apparently very popular out here. Considering how many mauled, mutilated, messed up and otherwise destroyed ones I find, I believe it. These came from a clearance sale at a local ACE Hardware, and both were less than $2. each.
Tang stamps on the Imperial (Ireland) imports:
Stockman types: Camco, Remington, Robeson, Craftsman (made by U.S. Schrade) and Camillus
The Robeson & Remington both have broken blades that have been ground into screwdriver tips by someone in the past. (Coincidentally, they both have 'Federal' shields.) I find tools all the times that are modified - sometimes very nicely done - to serve other purposes. These two are probably my favorites of all the ones I've found, simply because some resourceful person managed to keep them useful for a longer period of time. My ancestors in NC, who lived through the Depression, would approve.
The Camillus small Stockman & Camco Harness Stockman; I assume that would be the name, since it has a punch or awl.
So, I hope you guys enjoy my humble little collection. And if you get a chance, watch the show Modern Marvels - pretty well done shows, IMHO.
~Chris
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