Opinions on John White small JS hunter?

Jon Brand

Jon Brand

Joined
May 28, 2007
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Back from a fun show in Jersey City, my least favorite place to travel to. At least this time there were no mishaps on the ride over. I want honest opinions on the knife shown here.

What do you guys think of this? Do you like it because of the maker, or something about how it looks? Do you think the blade/handle/guard are weird shapes and sizes? is the whole thing just off? Ugly? Beautiful?


I hadn't really seen something like this from John White and to me its striking. What I mean is such a small hunter. The handle is decently sized but its a small knife overall. I can say yes to all the questions above. I like it because John made it, I think it looks funny in certain ways and overall I just like it. I didn't notice right away but im almost sure the blade has two bars.

JW-Hunter-JS-web.gif
 
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Very nice blade, great handle and domed pin, but the guard looks out of place. Bulky/blocky and disruptive to flow regardless of how nicely done. Nonetheless, I'd be glad to own it and think you did well. Be happy.
 
I wouldn't kick it outta bed for eating crackers!
The guard doesn't look quite right to my eye, but I'd overlook that, in large part because of who made it. If it was the right price, I'd go for it. I love John White's work, even though some aspects of his design language don't jive completely with mine. Variety is the spice of life! Design is a floating set of personal parameters, and my view on what 'looks right' shifts and morphs as I learn and experience more and new things.
Anyone who collects stuff over the long term must have to overlook aspects of the things they collect that they aren't particularly down with. Although I'm sure there are those out there who'd take someone else's art and modify it to suit their tastes, which seems a little shabby to me.
How does this piece feel in hand? My guess is, pretty good.
 
The blade is very nice. I like it. In fact the only thing that not satisfies me fully is the way the handle ends. I would prefer to be more rounded.
 
Did you you buy it?:)

The handle looks great, the blade is nice as well. Would the guard look better contoured? Probably. Is it a sweet piece anyway. I would say yes. The fact that John made it is icing on the cake!
 
Just the fact that it's a Jon White makes it special. If I could change anything, it would be the guard. Other than that I think it's fabulous.
 
I probably wouldn't have ordered it with that guard, but it wouldn't stop me from buying the knife now. Not by a long shot.
 
RogerP said:
I probably wouldn't have ordered it with that guard, but it wouldn't stop me from buying the knife now. Not by a long shot.
Click to expand...

I'd go with what Roger said....and I would Garssonize it as well...that is grind the guard down to the "right" size and file groove it to finish properly....yes, a bold and "wrong" move....but simply put, the idea from the beginning, was if the maker did it "right", why would any modification be necessary?

Perhaps the maker had a brain fart...bro, I loved John just like many others, If you knew him, it was hard to not love him, but does that make all he did right? Unhuh! We have emails going back and forth where he said that he was "figuring it out" and he was happy towards his last days to be "doing it right". Take that for what it is worth.
Lorien said:
Anyone who collects stuff over the long term must have to overlook aspects of the things they collect that they aren't particularly down with. Although I'm sure there are those out there who'd take someone else's art and modify it to suit their tastes, which seems a little shabby to me.
Click to expand...

That perspective is.....because you don't have the skills to do it right? Or....because you are a twisted little lawn jockey/Garden Gnome?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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This came close to touching a nerve!

I think that the one dimensional camera angle of that photo makes the guard look worse than it really is. Also key words in the title include "JS" which means that is definitely not John's later work. The piece is worth a premium, if only, because it may not reflect John's true and amazing talent and therefore RARE.

If you did buy it and are dissatisfied with it for any reason I'll certainly relieve you of your pain.

Paul
 
I probably would like to have seen it with a sculpted guard. But it's not that big a deal to me. If anything, I'd like to see the handle maybe a half to three quarter inches longer. However, personally, I would not modify the piece.
 
Thanks for your opinions and keep em coming. I agree with everyone's comments on the guard. It's awkward looking and that's for sure. I AM picking this knife up for myself but I have two nicer ones so its fate is undecided. I'm considering either carrying and using it or possibly flipping it. I really don't know until I spend more time with it. I will show more photos eventually.
 
John White really didn't make knives that long, at least compared to many or perhaps even most "MS" smiths out there. In case anyone doesn't know he was one heck of a custom boat builder for years before he even started making knives.

I've seen several of his early hunters where (including this one) I didn't care for his handle shaping. John struggled with his handles early on, just like most knifemakers do. But when he mastered handles he did it in a big way. I would go as far to say that towards the end he was probably one of the very best at frame handle construction which are one of the most difficult handles to pull off.

As far as guard; it looks ok to me, a little dated is all. I call that the ABS fluted guard, because for a period of time, that's about all you saw on ABS knives.

Anyway, thanks Jon for posting this as it brought back some fine memories to me. I miss him as I know many of you do.
 
I should add that when I first saw this knife I thought it was funny looking. After holding it a while the quality really started to become evident to me even though the design isn't great. Its more of an aesthetics thing that is the problem to me, but holding it in hand gives a different appreciation for it. I wouldn't be afraid to use it. I just don't know what I'd use it for.

Paul!!! Normally thats true about the camera angle, but in this case its head on and the guard looks just as funny in person! =)

Another thing.... Its not just the name. Its a nice knife! That said, if he were around I would not have picked it up and would have eventually filled my order with him.
 
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Jon,

Owning a John White knife would be enough for me, I really like it and it looks like two bars from your image
but John could have manipulated the pattern ?!
The large guard doesn't bother me much at all(rare was mentioned), stunning ivory and is it single domed pin, can't tell because of your thumb ?

Never spoke to John, messaged him twice and he replied back.
We weren't talking about an order.

My dream someday knife was an ivory and damascus framer Dogbone Bowie from John.

Like everyone, I will always miss him.
NICE score, Congrats !

Doug
 
I'm in the camp not to alter someone's original work, unless it is a "user" with a finite lifespan in mind, if he is not here to give explanations. The handle does look a bit unusual to the rest of the knife to my eye, short- perhaps the pieces of ivory he used were dictating the final shape to some degree..? We will probably never know. Handles can be one of those experimental aspects that are not so clearly defined or limited in imagination- nothing wrong with that. If it is an oddity, let it be that way.. The story / mystery is worth it!
David
 
Kohai999 said:
I'd go with what Roger said....and I would Garssonize it as well...that is grind the guard down to the "right" size and file groove it to finish properly....yes, a bold and "wrong" move....but simply put, the idea from the beginning, was if the maker did it "right", why would any modification be necessary?

Perhaps the maker had a brain fart...bro, I loved John just like many others, If you knew him, it was hard to not love him, but does that make all he did right? Unhuh! We have emails going back and forth where he said that he was "figuring it out" and he was happy towards his last days to be "doing it right". Take that for what it is worth.


That perspective is.....because you don't have the skills to do it right? Or....because you are a twisted little lawn jockey/Garden Gnome?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

I really think we could have done without that.


Regarding the knife, I have no problem with that guard style, I just think it is unbalanced and too big on the cutting edge side.

My biggest problem with it is the handle, which looks too small and uncomfortable to me. And yes, I will say it . . . the choil looks a little long.

In response to the original questions . . . (1) the only thing I could really like about it is that John made it, and to me, that is not enough here; (2) again, I think that the choil, handle, and guard are not sized well; (3) yes - the whole thing is just off; (4) Ugly.

But if it makes you happy, that is all that matters! So I hope that you enjoy it.
 
Haha. I didn't pick the problems apart on this one. Its not THAT kind of knife in my collection. I know its weird in alot of places but i like it anyway. And if I don't want it anymore, I will sell it new or used.
 
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