My First Stock-removal Knife

You guys have gotten my curiosity up. What sub-hilt are you referring too?
Click to expand...

Kevin, I don't know what they're getting at, but I can detect only two sub hilts on Paul's website and both are in a completely different price range ($20K+) to say the least;):):confused:

Marcel
 
Marcel54 said:
Kevin, I don't know what they're getting at, but I can detect only two sub hilts on Paul's website and both are in a completely different price range ($20K+) to say the least;):):confused:

Marcel
Click to expand...

I guess my answer as to why I didn't go for a or one of the sub-hilts is that I have put a lot of thought into my first purchase and the New Orleans Boot has everything on my list (not necessarily in order of importance):

1) Excellent "as new" condition
2) Loveless fighter style blade
3) Top quality amber stag
4) Double nude logos
5) As rare as possible within a logical (to me) price point (I feel this piece is rarer than either sub-hilt listed)
6) Original Loveless sheath (though not signed, some say this is good for this piece)
7) Potential/room for investment appreciation (I'm told I'm already into this knife at a profit)
8) And to your point Marcel, PRICE; PRICE; PRICE; PRICE :D

I have a question?:
Does anyone have an understanding of the numbering system used on some Loveless knives?
Seems like the newer ones are not numbered.
 
Last edited:
KJ very knice piece. I am curious given the youg age of this knife, is this one made by Bob or by the shop?
 
Kevin, my understanding is the the numbers are just shop numbers and don't mean much else. Of course, there have been some with special meaning, like Bob's "personal" knives.

I don't know about knives without shop numbers but I'd be interested in knowing if they've stopped using them.

Win
 
severedthumbs said:
KJ very nice piece. I am curious given the young age of this knife, is this one made by Bob or by the shop?
Click to expand...

That sounds like a Les Robertson question. ;) But a good one.

Unfortunately, I'm not a good one to ask since I'm a learning Loveless novice at best and definitely not a member of the inner circle of Loveless collectors who are fortunate enough to buy knives directly from the shop and may know about these things. However, I will speculate that my knife was most likely made by Jim Merritt under the watchful eye of Bob Loveless. It's no secret and accepted by many that Mr. Merritt is making Loveless knives to some degree and has been for some time. Steve Johnson worked in the Loveless Shop for some years as well.

I wonder if anyone other the Bob and Jim actually knows who does what in the Loveless Shop from day to day. Do they work together to complete knives? Is it all Jim? Does Bob Loveless make some or certain knives? Does he even spend much time in the shop? It would be interesting to hear the answers, but not sure we ever will.

From a knife collector's perspective, I'm fascinated by the mystique surrounding Loveless knives. However as far as my Boot Knife goes, I just wanted a Loveless in my collection and really don't care whether Jim Merritt or Bob Loveless made it. I was more concerned with finding a knife that met as much of my criteria (listed in my previous post) as possible.
 
Last edited:
Marcel54 said:
Kevin, I don't know what they're getting at, but I can detect only two sub hilts on Paul's website and both are in a completely different price range ($20K+) to say the least;):):confused:

Marcel
Click to expand...

Yes Kevin, I was just kidding about this 25K Big Bear (and I think Nick was doing so) ! Loveless' subhilts are a kind of holy grail and since you decided to come to stock removal knives, you might have caught this one. I agree with you on pricing anyway. You are a businessman and you never forget about business. That is for sure the right way... I wish it would be my own way !
 
Thanks for the link. THAT was fun. the interview is almost 30 years old.

BRL is astute as well. RWL has been laughing at us all the way to the bank for years. The consumate showman, with his understudy. :D

Coop
 
SharpByCoop said:
Thanks for the link. THAT was fun. the interview is almost 30 years old.

BRL is astute as well. RWL has been laughing at us all the way to the bank for years. The consumate showman, with his understudy. :D

Coop
Click to expand...

"....But Loveless honors the prices in effect when customers placed their orders. Thus, a simple four-inch knife that has a current market value of $600 may have been selling for $200 in 1975 when Loveless took the order, and that's the price at which it will be delivered. Loveless shakes his head. "I'm probably a damn fool, but the customers ordered in good faith and sent in deposits. I can't ask them to pay the current tab."

Laughing how exactly, Jim? Loveless started raising his prices when he would deliver knives at shows and see premiums paid for the work he delivered right in front of his face. The fact that Jim Merritt has done the majority of the work that goes into a Loveless knife bothers not those that purchase them one bit. If Bob did NO work on the piece that Kevin just purchased would not seem to bother Kevin, it remains a quality knife, worth more than he paid for it.

There is much misunderstanding about Loveless....he is human just like the rest of us, flawed and great, a resolute bastard, and a man who would give you the shirt off his back....he is old....and his body is really starting to give up to those years. There will be no replacement for him in the legends of the knifemakers for some great, great time to come. I imagine that the substanial monies he gets for his knives now are to provide for his wife and ensure that there is something for Jim Merritt as well....not laughable.....those that know him well; Maj. Louis Chow, A.G. Russell, Dave Ellis, Phil Lobred....they will tell you of a man with very little charlatan or entertainer in him, but will share many stories of a man who was able to live life on his terms and become a living legend....that's pretty cool to me, and makes it a pleasure to have been able to know him a little.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Last edited:
...not enough smilies in my post.

Excellent synopsis, STeven. Like you I highly respect him. My joking comment was right on the heels of reading how much he disliked collectors hoarding his knives, instead of using them. That was 30 years ago.

My god, he is still SO fully aware of his standing and the credibility of his package, that he ramped up his output with a helper. No, he doesn't make 1/3 of the earnings his knives command, but he still sells every $2000 hunter that leaves his shop--grousing about how it won't get used. I honor that, but he's fully aware.

I didn't mean 'showman' as if he's a carny. He IS the real deal, and his love of knives has multiplied and enriched us far beyond his direct involvement.

Thanks for the dialog.

Coop
 
Shop numbers are whatever Bob come's up with that day, no shop numbers are a rarity.
Great piece Kevin,enjoy it. New Orleans Special is a 3/4 sized Bootknife and they are super rare. I was able to get a couple, one in Amber Stag and the other, Ivory ,will try to get Steven a pic to post
Dave
 
that article was a very interesting insight into an important person in our current understanding of knife making.

I really was fascinated by his morality, and the quoted sentence really resonated for me, not so much because I agree 100% with every aspect of it, but because it came from where it did and that I haven't heard anyone in this industry describe things in this stark way.

In case you didn't read the article, the context was him describing why he only will take orders for his 'weapon knives' from those who can prove their employment in the kind of job where the weapon might save their life;

"There's a deep streak of fascism in many Americans. They're frustrated and violent. A whole generation has grown up on the boob tube and Vietnam. I won't contribute to it."

Very, very interesting stuff. Thanks a lot for the link!:thumbup:
 
Patrick M. said:
Yes Kevin, I was just kidding about this 25K Big Bear (and I think Nick was doing so) ! Loveless' subhilts are a kind of holy grail and since you decided to come to stock removal knives, you might have caught this one. I agree with you on pricing anyway. You are a businessman and you never forget about business. That is for sure the right way... I wish it would be my own way !
Click to expand...

Hi Patrick. My wife and daughters tell me the same thing. ;) :D :D :)

Ellis said:
Shop numbers are whatever Bob come's up with that day, no shop numbers are a rarity.
Great piece Kevin,enjoy it. New Orleans Special is a 3/4 sized Bootknife and they are super rare. I was able to get a couple, one in Amber Stag and the other, Ivory ,will try to get Steven a pic to post
Dave
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave. I have tried to find photos of New Orleans Specials on the INTERNET but haven't been successful.
 
Kevin Jones said:
Thanks Dave. I have tried to find photos of New Orleans Specials on the INTERNET but haven't been successful.
Click to expand...

Dave Ellis provided these pictures, pretty cool to have 3 of like 6 or so in the same place, huh?



Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kevin Jones said:
.....From a knife collector's perspective, I'm fascinated by the mystique surrounding Loveless knives. However as far as my Boot Knife goes, I just wanted a Loveless in my collection and really don't care whether Jim Merritt or Bob Loveless made it. I was more concerned with finding a knife that met as much of my criteria (listed in my previous post) as possible.
Click to expand...

I liked that, Kevin.

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
Kohai999 said:
Dave Ellis provided these pictures, pretty cool to have 3 of like 6 or so in the same place, huh?
Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

Thanks Steven and Dave. Thought I would put them all three together in one post:

LovelessNewOrleansSpecialsformDaveE.jpg

LovelessNPBootSM.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top