Oregon Knife Collectors Association Knife Show April 13th - 14th Eugene, Or

So, I'm sitting there, minding my own business, and a hand comes across my table, with a knife in it!! Before I can take my eyes off the knife i hear something like "thanks for responding to my posts", and the person takes off!! But I found out it was John A.L. - thanks John!! Can anyone tell me about it?? No markings except the handle!! French Ivory!!Chandos 1.jpgChandos 2.jpg
Then a bit later, Dave comes up with one of my favorite brands, and gifts it to me to make up for some minor crime he committed, which I can't hardly remember (CRS)!!!
Blackened Stag Empire - pushes all my buttons!! Black Stag Gent 1.jpgBlack Stag Gent 2.jpg
Glad I remembered that I like Empire Blackened Stag!! 😂
 
mrknife said:
thanks for providing that!!! glad to see the ease of access is not terribly difficult. I had been concerned of the flying in and looking for transportation. Campbellclanman Campbellclanman and @paulhilborn gentleman how goes the planning??? 2025???



Glad to see you are adding some back!!
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waynorth said:
Mac's Knives!! The first Remington (top) is near-mint, with the original etch!!View attachment 2551623View attachment 2551624View attachment 2551625View attachment 2551626View attachment 2551627View attachment 2551628
The Story!!
I didn't buy many knives at Oregon this year, but I could not pass up this collection!!!
It turns out Mac collected Harness Jacks before I did!! A bunch appeared on a site called "Vintage Knives" in about 2004, and I was buying them like crazy from Billy, the site's owner! I found out on Saturday that they were coming from a Guy named "Mac", who has been following my HJ story since the beginning!! He showed up in Oregon, and offered me the last of his diminished collection - five knives - in a handmade leather roll!! So here I am buying knives, HJs, again, from the same guy, 20 years later!! What a happening for me!! And for "Mac"!!!
We chatted for over an hour, sitting behind my table, and that was the best part!!
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Hi Charlie! Finally got around to listening to the podcast and heard you talkin about me! I really enjoyed the afternoon sitting in on all the good conversation. It was a treat to finally get together over the last of my HJs. - Mac
 
oregonmac said:
Hi Charlie! Finally got around to listening to the podcast and heard you talkin about me! I really enjoyed the afternoon sitting in on all the good conversation. It was a treat to finally get together over the last of my HJs. - Mac
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I enjoyed sitting with you, Mac!! What a treat!!! 😁
In a sense, we go back a long way!!!
I hope you don't mind my blabber mouth!!!😳
 
waynorth said:
I enjoyed sitting with you, Mac!! What a treat!!! 😁
In a sense, we go back a long way!!!
I hope you don't mind my blabber mouth!!!😳
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Not at all! Love the podcast. Yeah I guess we do go back a ways. The good ol days of pulling harness jacks out of the woodwork. When I started with them, I picked the pattern based on my interest in horses, and the fact that they were working knives, had pretty much faded as horses stopped being transportation and became a luxury, and the ones I found were pretty clear of cleanup tactics and fakery. The patent numbers on the punches helped a lot. It was a rich field!

I was pretty delighted when you almost single-handedly brought the pattern into the collectors’ eyes again. (Since I had had my day with HJs early on, I was free to chortle with glee over their newfound popularity!)
 
oregonmac said:
Not at all! Love the podcast. Yeah I guess we do go back a ways. The good ol days of pulling harness jacks out of the woodwork. When I started with them, I picked the pattern based on my interest in horses, and the fact that they were working knives, had pretty much faded as horses stopped being transportation and became a luxury, and the ones I found were pretty clear of cleanup tactics and fakery. The patent numbers on the punches helped a lot. It was a rich field!

I was pretty delighted when you almost single-handedly brought the pattern into the collectors’ eyes again. (Since I had had my day with HJs early on, I was free to chortle with glee over their newfound popularity!)
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You have itemized many of the reasons why I got into them also!! I am delighted to meet one of my (few) predecessors !! We were a rare group, though there are quite a few more people who now appreciate the humble HJ!!!
 
And very much my favorite! I carry this one from time to time. Pulled it off Ebay in 1998 or so. I think I paid $35. The natural patina on the scales and the blade, and the copper plating on the punch, were irresistable. It started me on HJs. I had an APB out with my collector friends…and sorted thru a lot of knife rolls in person! So many good memories!
 
This little jack is from Hibbard Spencer Bartlett Hardware of Chicago. The punch patent was the 1902 New York Knife Co one that has a deep curve and a little block on the tang. It has NYK jigging and shield. OVB stands for “Our Very Best” which was a trademark for Hibbard, which later became True Value Hardware.
 
Its hard to beat those NYK Harness Jacks! What a beauty- good to know that you still have your original with you.

I think that meeting at Oregon with Charlie and yourself was classic, and it was great to see it in the photo's as well as hear about it on the Catch Bit Podcast

I think Mack the Knife is going to stick! :) 🍻
 
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