Old Friends Friday

redsparrow said:
Jack Black Jack Black
There certainly were better ways to resolve the problem you had with the Washington Jack. :(
It seems GEC's craftsman were developed thru a process of years of learning their trade. Unfortunately you were one of those who helped fund their education. Let's hope those days are far behind us.
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Yes, I think so, there wasn't exactly a surfeit of skilled factory cutlers when GEC set up shop. Still, I think they had a cheek sending this knife back to me, after what had been done to it :thumbsdown:

Before

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It came back with the cracked ebony replaced, but the bolsters ruined :(

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Wow,
Sorry you had those experiences Jack. Those kind of things can be frustrating here but I imagine even more frustrating, plus costly from the UK. All it takes is one uncaring employee. Fortunately that's not what GEC is known for. Strange that it's the bolsters that set the Washington Jacks apart and of course that's what took the brunt of the damage.
I hope a bit of elbow grease helped to improved the situation and that there is some consolation knowing that since then, those Jacks have become highly desireable (making them quite valuable).
A long time ago I worked in retail where we had a saying, "All our mistakes happened to one person." Guess you were one of those persons for GEC. I'm glad that you have since given them some additional chances to get it right and hope you have had nothing but exempelary service since.
Also hoping you are having a very pleasant Sunday, -James
 
redsparrow said:
Wow,
Sorry you had those experiences Jack. Those kind of things can be frustrating here but I imagine even more frustrating, plus costly from the UK. All it takes is one uncaring employee. Fortunately that's not what GEC is known for. Strange that it's the bolsters that set the Washington Jacks apart and of course that's what took the brunt of the damage.
I hope a bit of elbow grease helped to improved the situation and that there is some consolation knowing that since then, those Jacks have become highly desireable (making them quite valuable).
A long time ago I worked in retail where we had a saying, "All our mistakes happened to one person." Guess you were one of those persons for GEC. I'm glad that you have since given them some additional chances to get it right and hope you have had nothing but exempelary service since.
Also hoping you are having a very pleasant Sunday, -James
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Thanks James, I was told that Bill Howard did that knife. It was an expensive mistake, and I waited 6 months for the knife to be returned. Yes, it is the bolsters that make that pattern stand out. If they were simply scratched, I could polish out the scratches, but the bolsters have actually been ground/polished down, which perhaps isn't clear from my poor photos. The distinctive ridges on the front bolster have been flattened, and half the lettering on the rear bolster has been thinned out. I suspect this happened because, rather than re-build the knife, they simply replaced the cracked ebony, and then ground it to shape. They messed up the other side too, so at least it matches! They returned it without a note, but you only have to glance at the knife in hand, to see what a mess they made of it. Thank you my friend, you too :) :thumbsup:
 
Like the British Army Knives of the WW2 era, (and various other European military knives which copied the pattern), this tough, robust knife has checkered Bexoid scales. It is not a military-issue knife though. Rather, it was sold as a private purchase item in British Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes - NAAFIs - in the 1950's. Because of this, Ron Flook dubbed it the NAAFI Knife. I've seen 3 slightly different patterns, and I think that's all there were. Mr Flook references a contract, supplying these knives to the Sudanese Government for linesmen, and since they were produced by a number of Sheffield cutlers, I doubt that was the only other destination for these knives. Indeed, the stamping tools still survive in Sheffield, and the only issue the Sheffield cutlers say they have is obtaining the checkered Bexoid covers. Duncan Campbellclanman Campbellclanman very kindly gifted me this example, by William Needham, and I've carried it a lot - even though it's actually a 'lefty' :) I'm enjoying carrying it today for Old Friend's Friday :thumbsup:

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Jack Black Jack Black
Jack, that's a great example of a NAAFI knife! Looks to be a very practical, useful design and it is definitely a historically interesting knife. Thanks for showing it today and thank you Duncan for your generosity. :)

Speaking of practical here's one that says it is, right on the blade.
Acrylics are not only practical but often quite attractive as well. Unfortunate for this tortoise shell, it sits directly next to an identical knife but one that was recovered in stag. When the drawer opens the eyes go to the stag and the tortoise gets overlooked... but not today.

A true Great Eastern Cutlery (in stainless steel) on a custom slip made by a friend.
MRw90Uh.jpg
 
Jack Black said:
Yes, I think so, there wasn't exactly a surfeit of skilled factory cutlers when GEC set up shop. Still, I think they had a cheek sending this knife back to me, after what had been done to it :thumbsdown:

Before

kGgHSib.jpg


vsj7Z0V.jpg


It came back with the cracked ebony replaced, but the bolsters ruined :(

heNzXwD.jpg


ezqUp8q.jpg


7kz4RzW.jpg


9AMo9i5.jpg
Click to expand...

Jack Black said:
Thanks James, I was told that Bill Howard did that knife. It was an expensive mistake, and I waited 6 months for the knife to be returned. Yes, it is the bolsters that make that pattern stand out. If they were simply scratched, I could polish out the scratches, but the bolsters have actually been ground/polished down, which perhaps isn't clear from my poor photos. The distinctive ridges on the front bolster have been flattened, and half the lettering on the rear bolster has been thinned out. I suspect this happened because, rather than re-build the knife, they simply replaced the cracked ebony, and then ground it to shape. They messed up the other side too, so at least it matches! They returned it without a note, but you only have to glance at the knife in hand, to see what a mess they made of it. Thank you my friend, you too :)
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Ah, the variability inherent in fine hand craftsmanship.:rolleyes:
redsparrow said:
tortoise shell
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I love a faux tortoise.
 
redsparrow said:
Jack Black Jack Black
Jack, that's a great example of a NAAFI knife! Looks to be a very practical, useful design and it is definitely a historically interesting knife. Thanks for showing it today and thank you Duncan for your generosity. :)

Speaking of practical here's one that says it is, right on the blade.
Acrylics are not only practical but often quite attractive as well. Unfortunate for this tortoise shell, it sits directly next to an identical knife but one that was recovered in stag. When the drawer opens the eyes go to the stag and the tortoise gets overlooked... but not today.

A true Great Eastern Cutlery (in stainless steel) on a custom slip made by a friend.
MRw90Uh.jpg
Click to expand...
Thank you very much James :) I really like tortoiseshell acrylic, and that's a great pic of a lovely knife my friend :) Nice slip too :cool: :thumbsup:
screened porch said:
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It's great to see that cool Kutmaster again Jer, really like it :cool: :thumbsup:
 
5K Qs said:
Big Knife of the Week is a Case EZ 49 Copperhead (thanks, Steve):
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I've never seen the like. Very nice.
Jack Black said:
Thank you very much James :) I really like tortoiseshell acrylic, and that's a great pic of a lovely knife my friend :) Nice slip too :cool: :thumbsup:

It's great to see that cool Kutmaster again Jer, really like it :cool: :thumbsup:
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Thanks. I'll be carrying it today, unless I've put it down somewhere I can't find it.
 
I decided I didn't want to carry anything Black today, so I decided to celebrate Od Friends Friday with Y'all...
My GEC #66 Jack is an Old Friend for sure. It gets carried often, put to hard use when I do, and put on display when I don't.
 
JohnDF said:
I decided I didn't want to carry anything Black today, so I decided to celebrate Od Friends Friday with Y'all...
My GEC #66 Jack is an Old Friend for sure. It gets carried often, put to hard use when I do, and put on display when I don't.
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Great to see you here John :) You know how much I like those #66 Jacks :cool: :thumbsup:
 
screened porch said:
I've never seen the like. Very nice.
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Thanks, Jer. :)
I wasn't aware of those easy-open copperheads until a couple of years ago, I think. The first time I saw one here, my heart definitely skipped a beat! :thumbsup: 🤓 :thumbsup: And although the main blade is called a Wharncliffe by Case, it looks VERY lambsfootesque to me. I have neither a big lambsfoot nor a 2-blade lambsfoot in my little flock, and I think both are desirable. I've convinced myself that both categories are represented in this Case EZ 49 CV.

- GT
 
Jack Black said:
Thank you very much James :) I really like tortoiseshell acrylic, and that's a great pic of a lovely knife my friend :) Nice slip too :cool: :thumbsup:
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Thanks Jack! Tortoiseshell acrylic is kinda hard to spell and somehow... slips seem to make for better pics. :)
Have a pleasant weekend mate.
JohnDF said:
I decided I didn't want to carry anything Black today, so I decided to celebrate Od Friends Friday with Y'all...
My GEC #66 Jack is an Old Friend for sure. It gets carried often, put to hard use when I do, and put on display when I don't.
Click to expand...
Good for us this Friday... we like Jack knives and the 66s are as good as they get.
5K Qs said:
Thanks, Jer. :)
I wasn't aware of those easy-open copperheads until a couple of years ago, I think. The first time I saw one here, my heart definitely skipped a beat! :thumbsup: 🤓 :thumbsup: And although the main blade is called a Wharncliffe by Case, it looks VERY lambsfootesque to me. I have neither a big lambsfoot nor a 2-blade lambsfoot in my little flock, and I think both are desirable. I've convinced myself that both categories are represented in this Case EZ 49 CV.

- GT
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Case EZ 49 :thumbsup::thumbsup: Great knife GT! Wish I had gotten one awhile back. Seen what they're goin' for lately? Wow!!
 
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