LETS SEE THOSE MAGNIFICENT HARNESS JACKS

Nice bunch you have there. I have a real soft spot for my HJ2 as it was my first properly made slipjoint. I had owned a few others that were good enough users -- Boker, Camillus, German Eye -- but the HJ2 was made the way slipjoints should be made, with pinned shields and real bone covers. This knife was the seed for my steadily growing accumulation of quality slipjoints.

I think I might be the only one who uses his. All of the others ones I've seen have been put up.



This is probably the only unsalable HJ2 in the world! :D

paulhilborn said:
Now a story or let's say a warning Brett passed along that apparently I did not take seriously---He simply stated something to the effect of "Paul please be careful as the punch tends to bite" or something very similar to that. Well while trying to open the punch on the bone HJ2, in a split second I had cleanly shaved a "cap" of skin right off my knuckle closest to my right index fingernail!!! I don't mean to be to graphic but it looked like if you were to shave off the very top portion of a small superball:o

I have always been a "heal thy self" kinda guy, whether an injury at home or at work. Lets just say I get a lot of use out of the First Aide kits in my work vehicles:eek:

I had to splint the finger for three days as any bending would not allow the finger to heal. All better now---any future warnings from Brett will be heeded:D

FCnHDp.jpg
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The punch has that monstrously strong spring by design. Here's some background on it.

waynorth said:
...that second model, in that bone, was far and away the hottest seller of all my HJs. 75 virtually flew out the door. I think Vintage knives, and maybe Cumberland are the only ones that may have a couple left. The only complaint was the stiffness of the punch. On the first model I designed, that looks like the Robeson above, some guy was using the punch a lot, and closed it on a finger and cut himself pretty good. He was man enough to admit he was abusing it (dulled, so pushing too hard!), but I got paranoid, and asked Bill at Queen to keep it "stiff" for safety on this next model. Hard to open, but it stays open when you are using it. A punch is not like a blade. You change directions with it if you are not super careful, just by the way you twist it. It is not heat-treated as hard as the blade, to retain toughness!
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I can only hope my HJ2 will look as good as yours someday:thumbup: also thanks for the info on the punch as I can't open mine without a pick;)

Perry, Mark, Dave, Charlie and Duncan Thank you guys for your compliments:thumbup:
 
kamagong said:
I think I might be the only one who uses his. All of the others ones I've seen have been put up.
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You've been sayin that for years Kamagong!:D
But I've got a user in each HJ releases except for the 4th. The 1st release that Great Eastern did. I was lucky just to get the 2 I got!!
I just don't post pics of the users when I have a shiny one. Good rule of thumb for me is, don't buy just 1 when you can get 2 for twice the $$$:eek:


Dave
 
paulhilborn said:
I have been fortunate to handle some of Duncan's HJ's in the past and was smitten right off the bat---can't recall the last time I used the word "smitten":o But that's what it was:thumbup:
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I haven't looked at this thread for a while...
Congrats on your HJ finds, Paul! :thumbup::thumbup:
Those are really superb! I remember how happy Dan Parke was after finally scoring an HJ1 after a long search; you must feel pretty good too, especially after literally investing some blood into it! :eek::D You were smitten AND bitten! :D:thumbup::D

- GT
 
5K Qs said:
I haven't looked at this thread for a while...
Congrats on your HJ finds, Paul! :thumbup::thumbup:
Those are really superb! I remember how happy Dan Parke was after finally scoring an HJ1 after a long search; you must feel pretty good too, especially after literally investing some blood into it! :eek::D You were smitten AND bitten! :D:thumbup::D

- GT
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Thank you Gary and "Smitten and Bitten" I like that:D
 
I remember when all of these early ones were released! Including the first HJ1s. Part of what first opened my eyes to the history, like many of you here. Back then you could only get them from Charlie or a few selected dealers, obviously before GEC was started, when Bill Howard was still working for Queen. To my knowledge, Knowtracks is the only guy to have many of the first run HJs. You were very wise Dave!
Perry
 
RRaconteur said:
I'll take it! 😄 😎 😏


Michael
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Lol...

knowtracks said:
You've been sayin that for years Kamagong!:D
But I've got a user in each HJ releases except for the 4th. The 1st release that Great Eastern did. I was lucky just to get the 2 I got!!
I just don't post pics of the users when I have a shiny one. Good rule of thumb for me is, don't buy just 1 when you can get 2 for twice the $$$:eek:


Dave
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Glad to know I'm not alone Dave. I understand why these knives are socked away. It's truly a dilemma -- keep the knife pristine in order to better admire its craftsmanship or sharpen and put it to use so as to fully enjoy its awesomeness. It looks like you've found a way around the problem, get one of each and do both.

:thumbup:
 
singin50 said:
I remember when all of these early ones were released! Including the first HJ1s. Part of what first opened my eyes to the history, like many of you here. Back then you could only get them from Charlie or a few selected dealers, obviously before GEC was started, when Bill Howard was still working for Queen. To my knowledge, Knowtracks is the only guy to have many of the first run HJs. You were very wise Dave!
Perry
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I know you remember Perry!;) Back in the day Charlie and Clarence teamed up on this venture and they didn't sell that well at 1st. But the Harness Jack was right up my alley here in cow country. I'd bet I bought at least 5 sets in that 1st year, the local ranchers really liked them. I remember Clarence still had some right up till HJ #2 was released. Now they are getting the attention they deserve. Which reminds me I have to dig a little deeper and see if I can't find a set for Duncan!:rolleyes: Don't worry Dunk the pics are on the way!! :D


Dave
 
It's funny that it's taken 5 or 6 years for them to be really appreciated by the masses. Always the way it goes in the knife world though. When GEC first started, they were almost treated like they had the plague, at knife shows I would attend. Know one would have anything to do with them. It took them about three years to get the recognition they deserved. Its been fun to watch it though and see Charlie and Bill get the credit they deserve!
Perry
 
You guys have a good handle on the history. I wanted Bill to make me some HJs (HJ4) when he first started GEC. He was making the big equal-end pattern (#53/#54), and I was worried they would be too big to be an HJ.
I only had a day or two to decide (talk about pressure!) and made 12 or 13 Ebonies, and 12-13 Stag, tagging them onto a run he was already going to produce. They were marked "1 of 25" on the backs of the main blades, so theoretically I could produce a dozen of each and be true to the original intent, but that would be a couple of years down the road, if Bill would agree. That's a tiny run for a growing company!
 
Here's one that even you may have forgotten about, Charlie! It belongs to you, I was looking around the web and found it on another forum. Anybody recognize the series?
Ain't it fine!!
image.jpg
 
singin50 said:
Here's one that even you may have forgotten about, Charlie! It belongs to you, I was looking around the web and found it on another forum. Anybody recognize the series?
Ain't it fine!!
View attachment 521986
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Perry buddy - I love your new sig. line!

and who could forget about THAT knife!!! :eek:, what I would do get that knife!!! isnt it great when there are SO many beautiful knives that just keep you going for that ever elusive knife that are ( in our minds ) impossible to get hold of, but the dream keeps the tank fueled!!

Charlie-thank you for succumbing to that pressure and letting the HJ4's become reality at that moment!!
 
singin50 said:
It's funny that it's taken 5 or 6 years for them to be really appreciated by the masses. Always the way it goes in the knife world though. When GEC first started, they were almost treated like they had the plague, at knife shows I would attend. Know one would have anything to do with them. It took them about three years to get the recognition they deserved. Its been fun to watch it though and see Charlie and Bill get the credit they deserve!
Perry
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hear hear Perry - very well said Sir! I am in total agreement. its called Pioneering and GUTS!! :thumbup:

David - lovely shots of a GRAND knife Sir.
 
That's great to hear, Charlie! I was hoping you kept it for future knuts to enjoy.👍 Hehe, thank you Duncan! I'm trying to be more interesting in my old age.:D
Perry
 
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