John N. Cooper Iron Mistress

david boone

david boone

Joined
Jul 9, 2001
Messages
396
FELLOW KNIFE NUTS, I JUST RECEIVED THIS GORGEOUS IRON MISTRESS. THIS IS THE MODEL OF THE KNIFE USED IN THE 1952 MOVIE "THE IRON MISTRESS" STARING ALAN LADD. THE OVERALL LENGTH IS 16 3/4" AND THE BLADE IS 10 3/4".
 
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THANKS BIGJOHN FOR YOUR FEEDBACK. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE PHOTO'S OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE KNIFE MAKERS GUILD, THEY MADE GREAT KNIVES WITH OUT ALL THE HIGH TEC EQUIPMENT.
 
These are the best pics I've ever seen of this knife, thank you very much for posting them. Congratz on your score.
 
N2S, THOSES ARE NOT SCALES, THE HANDLE IS ONE BLOCK OF MICARTA WITH FALSE PINS. MR. COOPER HAD A U.S. PATENT # 3,481,038 ON HANDLE CONSTRUCTION. AS FAR AS I KNOW HE ONLY MADE A SET OF 20 FULL TANG KNIVES WITH SCALES, IF YOU GET THE CUTTING EDGE MAGIZNE SETEMBER ISSUE HAD A 4 PAGE LAY OUT OF THESE KNIVES. IF THE DRAWING IN THE BOOK COOPER KNIVES CO-AUTHORED BY PAUL BSCH THAT SHOWS THE MOVE MODEL IT DID NOT HAVE SCALES. I WILL LET YOU KNOW AFTER I WATCT THE MOVIE, A FRIEND MADE ME A COPY AND IT'S IN THE MAIL.
 
This knife is much nicer than the original Iron Mistress. John Nelson Cooper did not make the original knife for the movie. He, along with Bo Randall and Jimmy Lile made versions of this knife on request from the studio after the film was made. The original knife was actually made by Arthur Rhoades who was a prop maker. The original version was 15 5/8" long with a 10 1/2" blade and it had a solid piece wooden handle, not scales. It also had a brass strip brazed along the back of the blade.

I hope you guys don't mind that bit of history. As I posted above, this knife is of far higher quality than the original. I like the look of the clip on this blade much more than the movie knife and of course, the grind is far superior.
 
KEITH, THANKS FOR THE HISTORY LESSON, I TEND TO AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT WHO MADE THE MOVE KNIFE, THE KNIFE IN THE MOVE DID HAVE A WOODEN NANDLE. IN MY ORIGINAL POST I SAID IT WAS A COPY OF THE KNIFE USED IN THE MOVIE, WHAT I SHOULD HAVE SAID WAS IT WAS MR. COOPER'S VERSION OF THE KNIFE IN THE MOVE. THANKS FOR CORRECTING ME. WHEN THE MOVIE WAS MADE IN 1952 MR. COOPER WAS STILL IN VA.BEACH, VA. SO WE ARE NOT FOR SURE OF WHAT PART HE HAD WITH THE ORIGIONAL. AS YOU KNOW A FRIEND AND I ARE TRYING TO START THE COOPER KNIFE SOCIETY SO WE ARE HAPPY TO GET AS MUCH INFO. ON HIS WORK AS WE CAN. IF YOU HAVE ANY MOORE INFO. FEEL FREE TO SEND IT TO US.
 
Dave, a knife collector friend of mine has a one of a kind extra large bowie...I think its over 36" long. Not sure, "sometimers sets in".... he had Shaw-Leibowitz gold etch the whole blade.
Its an awesome knife. I will try to get up with him for a better pic. I have pictures of his collection that include a distant group shot of this knife with some swords. I dont beleive its of any pictoral value here.
He use to display in Vegas..when the guild show was there.
I'm dating myself now!!!!!
 
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