Old School Makers

[dredd8]

I have always been a fan of what I consider the old school makers, the makers that influenced my collection early in the beginning. Centofante, Hueske, Pardue, Dake, Fujisaka and Carter. I mainly collect fixed blades, I only have 3 folders in my collection and with that being said, I like the older fixed blades from makers that predominantly have switched to making folders.

Here are a few of those examples from my collection, past and present.

Wid Bill Caldwell

Frank Centofante

Pat Crawford

Charlie Dake--sold but would love to have again.

R.C. (Joe) Knipstein

Jimmy Lile

R.J. Martin

Mel Pardue--sold but would love to have again.

Leon "Worm" Pittman--sold but would love to have again.

If anyone knows who owns the Dake, Pardue or Pittman, I would love to try and aquire those pieces again.

 

[Lycosa]

Gorgeous knives, sir.
rolf

 

[austexjg]

Martin and Lile are sweet - hell, they are all sweet. Classic design never gets old.....

 

[Padad24al]

I feel the same way my friend. Love those old school fighting knives! Awesome collection!

 

[Tad Lynch]

Nice group of knives there. Wild Bill Caldwell's knives always appealed to me, as well as Jimmy Lile's.
I met Wild Bill a few yrs back...really interesting dude.

Tad

 

[dredd8]

Thanks guys.....

 

[Kohai999]

Pat Crawford
Mike Franklin
Ron Gaston
Bill Harsey
Bob Papp

Lotta great old skool guys out there, you look hard enough.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[dredd8]

STeven--Yea, plenty of old school guys, just listed a few I thought of off the top of my head. I do have a Gaston too.

 

[Kohai999]

STeven--Yea, plenty of old school guys, just listed a few I thought of off the top of my head. I do have a Gaston too.

That is a nice atypical one, Stephen......the sheep horn and raised clip show that to be at the peak of his skills, and towards the last of his works...

..Look how neatly the grinds come together.....the bolsters are dovetailed(always) and the tang is tapered wonderfully(always)...I can't see it from the pic, but bet there are some nice black or red liners in there too, fitted perfectly....there was nothing easy about the way Ron made his knives, and they always represented a significant value, especially compared to many other knives on the market from other makers.

The point is a needle, and there was no such thing as a dull piece leaving his shop. His like will not come this way again anytime soon.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Doug C]

Stephen,

Hope John Fitch is old school enough to make it in here.
Haven't heard he ever made a folder though.
Good thread.

Doug

 

[dredd8]

Doug--Big John is always welcome....great looking pieces. I've only owned one of his knives before, need to get another one soon.

 

[Murray White]

I think I may have a few old school knives so lets try these

Fred Carter Fighter done in 1978

Fred Slee 1988 Knifemakers Guild show in Orlando

the late Ron Gaston

a couple by the late Harvey McBurnette

STeven mentioned Mike Franklin so here is one I like a lot

the late Claude Montjoy

a rare FB by Warren Osborne which I believe is the first Custom knife that Roger P purchased when in Dallas many years ago for a game to see his favorite Cowboys.

Patrick Donovan from the same show as the Fred Slee and I believe Patrick has passed also

a wonderful dagger by Willie Rigney

RJ Martin -- Loveless model

 

[Murray White]

Shall we keep going? Aw, why not?

Steve Mullin (retired) Jade/Damascus folder

Steve Hoel Big Horn Sheep with gold leaf underlay

SR Johnson who is still going strong

How about a couple of vintage Wolfe knives?

dRedd should recognize this Ron Frazier dagger

not made a long time ago but certainly by a long time knifemaker -- Lloyd Hale

not many around longer that Al Pendray

of course another knifemaker no longer with us - Phil Hartsfield

D'Holder thankfully is still showing great knives but this one is a bit more vintage

and of course the past legendary Ted Dowell

I have more including lots of Canadian makers which could be added at a later time if folks desire them to be viewed.

 

[dredd8]

Really loving this thread.

Murray--I have always admired your collection!! Great pieces. That R.J. Martin is a Tri-grind like the one I own, and yes, I do recognize that Frazier. Really love that Osborne!!

Here's my Pendray

Here's one I own by Mr. Bill Cheatham

Let's not forget, Jim Sornberger

And another one by Steve Fecas

 

[Lycosa]

Don't forget Dozier and Dan Maragni.
How about A. J., Bud, Hubbard, too?

 

[dredd8]

Here is a another old school maker I just got in.....none other then Mr. Chubby Hueske

 

[jjtjr]

That's a great knife from Chubby Hueske.

How about retired ABS MS Wayne Valachovic? He was the 5th ABS Mastersmith. He got his MS rating in 1982. He was the one of the first Mastersmiths to be known for his folders. He was known for his tail lock. He stopped making knives in the mid 1990's.

 

[Don Hanson III]

'Old Guy' knives are cool!

 

[dredd8]

Thanks Jim....Great collection.....Love Valachovic knives too.....Especially that carbon fixed blade you have on your site

 

[jjtjr]

Thanks Stephen,

I assume that you meant this fighter, it is a style of fighter that Wayne Valachovic was known for:

I also have this carbon Bowie, which looks more like many ABS knives: