My new Atkinson folder

[STR]

Dick Atkinson made some really unique folders in his day. Dick is retired now but when he still made folders he offered some great deals and a lot of bang for the buck on most of his stuff. Note the really nice above and beyond file work on this folder. I have three of his lockback folders now and two of his very cool little frame locks and every one of them has file working up and down the spines. Most of his work is becoming harder and harder to find but the other day while browsing the net I managed to find one I really liked and snagged it on the spot.

This one was unlike any I'd seen and unlike the other lockbacks I bought this one did not have the usual Spyderco pocket clip that Dick often used and it does not have the boot blade that is a dagger type looking blade.

I managed to get it long enough to realize its a great light weight easy opening folder that I'll end up enjoying for many years. I love the blade shape on this folder. Its a perfect shape for everyday uses that incorporates many of the same characteristics of a modified Wharncliffe blade shape like I use in my own Ouparator folder. The blade on this one is 440C stainless steel and it took a heck of a good edge. This folder is now equipped with a nice low rider pocket clip to make it ride perfect in the pocket. I almost felt bad for having to tap and thread a couple holes in this one but its too big for deep carry and didn't have a sheath. I am not prone to using sheaths that much anyway since my multi tool is already occupying that spot. I sharpened it up and put it right to work after creating a convenient way to carry it. Note the signiture mother of pearl inlay on the handle. Dick did this a lot on his lockbacks in Micarta. Some of mine have one inlayed on both sides. This one has just the one. Anyway, I thought I would show off my latest custom purchase in this red linen micarta beauty by Dick Atkinson. Since he retired Dick and I have communicated several times with each other. Personally I miss his presence in the knife world. He was a great guy and a wonderfully talented maker.

Thanks for looking

STR

 

[Bimmer1]

Mt. Atkinson made some great folders for the money. I lived in Chipley, FL for 17 years and he lived just south of me in a small town called Wasau, FL.

 

[jonnymac44]

Very nice lookin' folder Steve. Thanks for the pic:thumbup:

Enjoy it.

 

[STR]

Yep. His folders from before he moved to Wausau Florida are highly prized by some folks. These that are stamped Atkinson Decatur Illinois are the highest priced and the hardest to find in his work.

Dick's knives incorporated a lot of hand and file work and his hand rubbed finish like shown on this folder and the little frame locks I own from him is something you don't see often in knives at this price point. This was the case when he still made them actively and its sure the case now even at the higher prices they are going for now that he has retired.. All of my custom folders by Dick were bought for well under $200 each and most were well under $130 each which is very rare these days for a good production let alone a custom.

STR

 

[brownshoe]

What do you think of his lock?

If yours is like mine, it looks like a normal lock back, but doesn't have the long spring steel, but instead has a little barrel spring at the end. It also appears that the lock notch and foot for the rocker arm are fit closer than other lock backs.

 

[STR]

I saw that design once in a lockback by A.G.Russel. I think it was the Brute if I'm not mistaken.

Dick did a great lock although some have some play in them. I've adjusted all the ones with play so they are tight in my users. Its a neat design and seems to work well. He told me once he made his own coil springs for these. When he retired he gave me his blessing to copy his designs and sell as many as I wanted but I have yet to do any.

I have had the one I own apart when I adjusted it slightly. It does have a pretty well cut lock notch and lockbar fitting on that one. I also noted that Dick's lockbars are heat treated to a bit more hardness than a lot of other lockbars I've worked on which was interesting. I don't think its full hard but its certainly harder than the normal 45 Rockwell I'd say.

Does yours make that distinct 'ping' almost like a sword coming to touch another sword where you get that singing? Just curious. Two of my three have that quite nicely when you open the blade and the lockbar closes home. I've always liked that personally.

STR

 

[brownshoe]

Yes it pings.

Nice to know he makes his own springs since that was a potential concern I had about the knife. How long would the spring last, because to replace it one may have to deconstruct the pinned knife.

The radius of the tang and the way the locker bar sits is such that the blade is kind of "sucked in" when closing, more so than other lockbacks. It also has a llittle more resistance in opening than some lockbacks. Both features I like.

Having a soft locker arm is the only problem I've ever had with a lockback. My 25 year old Puma has a worn locker arm so it now opens readily with very little pressure. I put a "boye indent" into it with a dremel to stop it from unlocking during a tight grip.

Mine has no clip and I carry it in the bottom of the pocket. I have MOP inserts (or possibly abolone, looks too good for MOP) on both sides. They have held up well in the pocket. The handle is different than yours, a little big compared to the blade, but very practical in all grips. Kind of like the Boye pocket knife's handle in that it is a half moon shape. But the rich dark polished micarta with the pretty insets make it very attractive to non-knifers. Left handed people love it since it has dual thumbstuds and no pocket clip, it is truly a two-hander.


Blade is the same shape as yours, I call it a pocket paring knife. The 440C has a good heat treatment holds an edge w/o any chipping. Edge angle fits the spyderco 15 degree rods.

I got it brand new from a knifemaker for about $100 this year. He got it in trade from Dick a few years ago. He pointed out the excellent precision of the filework. When the knife is open you cannot see the blade to lock transistion. I bought it because it was very pretty, cheap, and both totally tactical plus functional.

 

[STR]

Yep, I loved Dick's prices and the file work. All of mine cover where the blade and rocker arm join up also and on the small frame locks they match up to the custom made stop and the line where the two meet disappears.

These little frame locks are wonderfully made in my opinion. I should have bought all the guy had when I got these. He had another blade shape in two folders. Wish I'd grabbed them now.

Here are some quick scans I took showing the spines of all mine, and what you have here is a black linen micarta lockback top, a green canvas micarta lockback under that with my favorite handle. ( This is a knife I love but rarely carry because I don't usually have much call for a 'boot blade' as Dick called it but the knife is so nice that I have carried it a lot. Below is my new red linen folder which is fast catching up with the green one for use time.

Below that are the two little frame locks in sheeps foot and Wharncliffe style blades. Then you can see a shot of the file work all the way down the spines on all these I own.

Lastly is a shot of the Spyderco clips Dick used when he put clips on them. I bought that top black folder here from another Atkinson fan thinking when I got it that the clip had been put on there by someone else. In fact I thought that when I bought the green one but Dick told me he always used Spyderco clips so I know that was his doing. In some cases he modified them a bit like in the frame lock shot.

Anyway, just figured I'd post all mine so you can see them. Not the best pics but should work for seeing what I'm referring to. By the way, everything about these little frame locks is unique from the size of the folders to the screw size he used to the unique stop and file work and even the detent ball. Dick used a polished down button head screw just like the ones used in the body for the detent in the lock on these. He simply threaded a hole in the lock just like in the body and he screwed it down until the head stuck out and the head of that screw on both folders falls in and functions just as the ball bearing does in anyone elses folders of this type. I had never seen that before anywhere. He also made the blade the way he did just to fit it in such a small package. I don't know if anyone has tried to make a frame lock this small. I did one and it was quite hard to pull it off. You have to really know your stuff to get micro specs on something this small when it comes to the pivot action and the stop being positioned such that the blade can both miss hitting that as it pivots but also leave enough contact space for the lock to be secured. When the contact of the lock gets that close to the mid line of the pivot on these types of folders you can end up with blade rock very easily but these are rock solid.

STR

 

[brownshoe]

Thanks for your pictures. I hadn't seen his frame locks before.

Mine blade shape is the same as the first one you showed, but the handle is not like any you show. Sorry I don't have picture capability. Mine doesn't have clips, but I didn't want one. It's very light, and the half moon shape fits the bottom of the pocket quite well. Being all micarta, it's quite light. Not only does Dick give his knives a precise build, but he also smooths out the edges for a nice comfortable package. I believe he is sole authorship from thmb studs to pins and his different design features show he's a thinking man, as well as a craftsman. Plus his knives pass the ATBarr test...they're pretty

 

[Lycosa]

Thanks, Steve! That's a Fav!!
Rolf