"Old Knives"

Thanks, Old Engineer, Paul, Jack, and Augie.
Very attractive wood handled folders, Jack and Augie, and wonderful pinched bolsters on the Christopher Johnson.
Good looking group, huelsdonk, and I'm pretty smitten with that Challenge pic-bone jack. :)
 
huelsdonk said:
Many fantastic knives posted lately, large and (ahem) small :). As ever, it's a real pleasure to be able to enjoy and learn about all the historic cutlery here. I thought I'd share a few of my recent additions from my adopted home state of Connecticut. Some of the photos didn't come out very well with the fleeting light this time of year, but it's been cold outside - they'll have to do for now.

First up, an Eagle Knife Co. metal jack with a patent date of Oct. 1918 and a George Schrade Hawkbill Wire Jack with a patent date from 1926. Both are inexpensively produced metal knives, but I think they're pretty interesting. Eagle, I understand, was only around for 3 years before Winchester scooped them up. I don't know the first thing about automatic knife grinders, but I guess the Hemmings brothers were quite influential there. The wire jack is just kind of neat. I haven't seen a lot of hawkbill versions of it. It actually operates quite slickly.

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I always loved them old G Schrade Wire Jacks, I see you have the insert. You rarely find them intact like that the tin insert's are always gone. Thanks for sharin'.
 
biglmbass said:
Some nice ones there, huelsdonk. That Challenge pruner is especially sweet.
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Thanks, Bass (hope the abbreviation is okay :)). I'm particularly attached to that one. The blade is full or close to it, and it still has an etch from a long-gone seed store in Harrisburg. It's one of those knives that gets my wheels turning about what stories it could tell...
 
Pay attention to the shape of canned openers. It is traditional for our knives.
On the handle there is a Mark of Quality.
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Very nice looking knife Rostovsky. Can you give us some dimensions please? and what is the handle material? Bronze? Looks similar to some Turkish pocket knives I've seen.

Regards, Will
 
Thank you. In the closed position of 10 cm the Handle is made of brass or its alloys. The knife is made in the USSR. Noah I agree with you. In the 70s a lot of similar knives with handle of brass was doing in Pakistan.
 
supratentorial said:
There's some interesting discussion from some very well known names in the hearings before the Tariff Act of 1921. I cut out a small section from Google books...

http://docdro.id/EupxQ3t
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Yes, some big players involved. :)
We always think of the 1890 tariff act which affected imported knives so drastically, but there were many tariffs throughout time which had a big impact on foreign and domestic knives.
 
Thank you, herder !

Foreign competition is definitely not a new problem for US knife makers. The tariff acts are interesting but I enjoyed the dialogue mostly for other reasons. It was interesting to hear the perspectives on quality, the examples of three tiers of foreign brands, the size of the work force. etc... even learned another definition of "PMS" ;) And it was a fun opportunity to read actual dialogue about knife manufacturing 100 years ago from some of the biggest names in the business.

Now if only those old knives could talk. ;)
 
For those who may be wondering :D....

"PMS" (polished mark side) is a way that knife makers reduced costs. Only the mark side of the blade had a high polish. I've known about it from books but I had never seen it abbreviated as "PMS" ;) ...or at least I don't remember seeing it previously

Some related discussion on finishes...

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...out-glazed-crocus-finish-on-custom-slipjoints

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/825541-Sheffied-crocus-polish-how-was-it-done?
 
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Thanks for the kind words on my Butler Rase Knife gents :thumbup: I saw another Rase Knife yesterday, which also had the Scribe blade on the inside of the frame, but as the Sheepsfoot blade was broken, I didn't buy the knife.

Cambertree and myself had a long discussion with Stan Shaw about crocus polishing the other day :) Stan makes up his own lumps of fat/emery polishing compound these days, as there is no longer anywhere in Sheffield he can buy it. It was a fascinating discussion, I'm sure Chin has a better recollection of it than I do.
 
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Jack Black said:
Thanks for the kind words on my Butler Rase Knife gents :thumbup: I saw another Rase Knife yesterday, which also had the Scribe blade on the inside of the frame, but as the Sheepsfoot blade was broken, I didn't buy the knife.

Cambertree and myself had a long discussion with Stan Shaw about crocus polishing the other day :) Stan makes up his own lumps of fat/emery polishing compound these days, as there is no longer anywhere in Sheffield he can buy it. It was a fascinating discussion, I'm sure Chin has a better recollection of it than I do.
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I hope you and Chin are video taping these sessions for the world to see. I so enjoyed the ones you posted. Does Chin live close by?
 
Gevonovich said:
I hope you and Chin are video taping these sessions for the world to see. I so enjoyed the ones you posted. Does Chin live close by?
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Chin lives in Melbourne, Australia! :D I think Chin might have taken some video on his phone, or certainly some pics at least. We had a really good session with Stan, and a great visit in general. I've just posted a pic of Chin in The Fat Cat in the beverages thread :)
 
Jack Black said:
Chin lives in Melbourne, Australia! :D I think Chin might have taken some video on his phone, or certainly some pics at least. We had a really good session with Stan, and a great visit in general. I've just posted a pic of Chin in The Fat Cat in the beverages thread :)
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I'm holding my breath for that treat...lol. I'll have a look. Thank you!
 
Oh yes that would be great, if Chin is anything like Jack and I and sue- we were all so so amazed, fascinated and humbled to speak to Stan, I just cannot get over what a great guy Stan is - just a wonderful Man....... its something that will last with me forever - thats for sure, Im so Rapt that Chin got to meet our Jack and also THE man.... Mr. Stan Shaw MBE.

What an amazing trip I too am looking forward to hearing more about it! Well done guys!
 
Apparently, it's a knife brand from Solingen, but that's all I know; I've never seen the brand before. :confused:

This example is 4 inches closed and has a square tang (half-stop) on the oversized sheepfoot blade. Seem to be a Regular Jack pattern with extended bolster and oversized end cap. I also noted that it has a 'stove pipe kick' and great looking bone jigged covers. A very solid knife in great condition overall, and I'm curious if it is of 50's vintage or later; I believe 'Germany' would have been added after '64, but the stovepipe kick doesn't fit into the 50's picture.

Please, somebody enlighten me! :)

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Nice looking knife, Barry. Goins' has an entry for "Gobernador" c1856-1983. But the entry also says "Krusius Solingen" is stamped on the back of the tang. It gives the same 1856-1983 dates for Krusius Bros.

I'm not familiar with the brand but your estimates seem reasonable to me. There's a very knowledgeable forum member named Germania who sometimes posts in Levine's forum. You might post the knife in that forum for more info.
 
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