Maker's Mark ??

[Hmathews]

Do any of you guys recognize this maker's mark. The knife came from a friend that lived in South Carolina. I haven't been able to find the mark or identify the maker. Any help is appreciated.

 

[ELDE]

I believe it is a RAP knife made by RAP knives - Roger Parsons of Brunswick, Ga .

ELDE

 

[Hmathews]

Thanks ELDE! My friend's daughter said she thought it might have come from around Brunswick but she couldn't remember for sure.

 

[braillediver]

That's the first broken custom knife I've seen. Do you know the story behind it?


Mitch

 

[Hmathews]

Mitch I know some of it. It belonged to an elderly gentleman and friend that had a house next to mine on Fripp Island. He loved salt water fishing and was good at it. He got the knife in the 70's, I believe he said, and used it as a fishing knife. He kept it in his tackle box. I have seen this old gent go out flounder gigging with his granddaughter at night and come home with way more than they should have. I have seen a picture of his car trunk filled with huge red fish, all 30lbs plus, in the early 70's. And there is a story he used to tell about getting in a 15' boat in South Carolina with the biggest engine they made (90hp) and heading to the Keys. He made it all the way at wide open. He got lyme disease when he was about 75 and it nearly killed him before the doctors could figure it out. He was one of those guys that you wish you had paid more attention to the talks you shared and you realize that you met him way too late. Not much slowed him down.....except a stroke when he was in his eighties.

He loved to talk about fishing and boating and we would for hours. He asked me if I could fix the knife and I told him that I couldn't, but that I would make him another. He wouldn't let me do it. He didn't know much about custom knives but he knew that one held an edge and was a pain to sharpen. I don't really know why he kept it after it broke. I wish now I had asked. Probably had something to do with how he got it. I checked the Rockwell hardness and it measured 60 on the C scale. He said that he had dropped it.

When he passed away his daughter gave the handle to me to see if I could use it. I told her that I could and was glad to get it. I added it to my collection of knives. Never thought I would say it, but I wouldn't swap that handle with a broken blade for a Moran in perfect condition.