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"Old Knives"

" 3 3/4" closed, does not seem to have been used or carried, just some pits, stains, and tarnish from sitting around someplace for 75 or 80 years. The jigging is still sharp to the touch and the blades seemed like they had never been opened before..... it was near frozen up and dry as a bone in there when I got it. Walter B. Stevens & Son on the etch was a dog supply business in that era. This is an early version, maybe from the '30's, subsequent production had an Airedale terrier head as a shield. The catch bit serves as a blade rest for the longer of the two blades as on many older English knives. Note the full length swedges on the toothed sides of the blades to take the sharp edge off the top of those wicked little teeth. I'm sure it could be used as a saw in a pinch and many probably were. Those square tipped teeth are very grabby to put it mildly. "









 
Found this in the basement awhile ago, covered with paint and chunks missing from the main blade where the original/last owner had used it to open 1 gallon paint cans with it and stirred paint with it and the it in a box where it probably say for 50 trees.

A little tlc and a dremel used very carefully I was able to return the blade to a useable profile and actual it cleaned up very well, when I first saw it I was gonna relegate it to the knife parts/scrap box but something called me to just see if under all the rust a tang stamp was still legible, it was and it was stamped GRAEF & SCHMIDT on both the primary and secondary blades.

Glad I went with my gut and cleaned it up, this'll make a great Sunday knife the bone is so smooth from pocket wear and use its like glass and the blades took a razor sharp edge with very little effort after reprofiling the main spear blade.

Sorry there are no before pics, I didn't think to grab the camera till I saw how beautiful this knife came out, enjoy.

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A new knife arrived few days from the bay, surprisingly I got it with reasonable bid. I was amazed by the look of the bone and the quality of the knife.
It took me 3-4 hours of hard work to clean the mud and the rust from the inside, but now it is a jewel. It measures 3 3/4" all steel fittings.

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Mike
 
An absolute gem, Mike. The bone color is quite pleasing and the closed length is just right. Nice work on the restoration.
 
Knice Jack Mike, there's somethin' about the old pocket/hand worn bone that ya just don't see on the more modern interpretations.

Great score. :)
 
Yes, fantastic aged whitebone, really got wonderful handle patina on that one. (Note to self, must carry my Tidioute 73 whitebone more!)
 
" Spratts was started in London by an American from Ohio in about 1860 and brought to the U.S. in about 1870. Their first business was dog biscuits, then eventually dog food and items for the care of dogs as well. They were the largest dog food company for many years and sold thousands of these dog grooming " knives " which were English made. The fit and finish was mediocre at best, but they were solidly built, strong snaps, well ground and cut blades, and entirely serviceable . Most still exist today and many are still in use. They are perfect for combing or cutting out burrs and knots from a dog's coat. The Remington dog groomer I showed you previously is a much nicer knife and slightly larger, but these are still just as effective today as when they were built in the 1920's and 1930's. The Spratts company was sold to General Mills in the 1950's. The knife is 3 1/2" closed, has some pits and stains, but functions like new. Shown along with the Remington Groomer for scale. "








 
Here is the rest of them & with the Remington


 
Wow!, nice looking knives of yesteryear there Vince, and Mike, nice knife score from the bay there my friend - aren't those careful cleaning jobs just great fun!
Ted, that Bone looks just great, like you say, so smooth, I love the old bone when it gets like that as it highlights the natural beauty that bone often has to offer.
 
" Here we have a Christopher Johnson Western Works ivory gents knife with several cracks in the handle, but it was still brand new and unused so I bought it any way. 3 1/2" closed, mid to late 1800's. All the implements and especially the pull outs are polished beyond belief, especially the button hook, manicure tool, and the three square punch.....but it's edges still sharp and square enough to cut yourself with. Fantastic finishing. Some say C. Johnson was almost like a custom knifemaker of the day. The scanner can't show it as nice as it looks in person. The main reason I bought this one is that the main blade has both right and left handed long pulls. You could order most any knife in knifemakers catalogs back then configured for left hand opening, and I think I have a couple built that way, but this is the only knife I own that has a LONG pull on both sides of the main blade. Note the tiny stovepipe kick in the one image as well. "

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What a pleasure to behold, Vince! The attention to detail is incredible. Thanks for letting us see this beauty.
 
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