Picture history of early CRK's

[bhyde]

Nice to see you @Fooj - It's been awhile

 

[nickpp]

Nickpp -- GREAT job compiling all of these photos! I can give a little more information on these knives. I'm the photographer, but not the owner.

The top one is in Chris and Anne's collection, and is called the Mise’ricorde – means in French, putting a person out of misery. Some specs:
13” blade, 17” overall
classic dagger blade with reinforced point. Was designed to pierce chain mail and put a fallen soldier out of his misery on the battlefield.
Elephant ivory and ebony on handle fittings of blued mild steel w/ high lead content fittings and sterling silver.
440B steel
sheath is african blackwood lined with velvet, mild steel & ivory fittings
Chris made this knife in 1986

The next one is one of Chris's customs that has not been named. It's a 3 flute dagger, with a combination flat/hollow grind out of CPM154CM, with Ti and 22 karat gold fittings w/ braided rayon handle wrap. Blade length = 10”, overall length is 17”. Chris originally sold this fine piece to Neil Ostroff.

Feel free to update the original post with this information, and delete this reply.

Best regards, Fooj

Great to see you Dave! Additional info added. This thread is supported by many of your great pictures..... Much appreciated!

 

[Lapedog]

For a while now I've wanted to do a picture thread of the early hand made and custom knives made by Chris.
They're an absolute collecting passion for me but I feel I've only scratched the surface! I'd love to see what else is around so please if you have any pictures please post them up.

Many of these have been saved from BF, Google, SABlade, BBlades and some from FB. Apologies for not attributing all pics to individuals but a major thank you to Steven65, Laizhekezhui, Hope, Pierre Dave.
Most of these are fixed blade as that's what Chris made in the early days. I may add the One Piece Knife range at a later point.
Anyway, pics....

Chris's very first knife. (Pic by Fooj)

free picture hosting


Helix lock (Laizhekezhui)
image hosting free

image hosting free

image hosting free

free picture hosting


image hosting free

image hosting free

image hosting free


Steven65
image hosting free


Lock 45 (left and right plus in the bottom of the picture above)


free photo hosting


Ulu (Nick P)

Dana (Nick P)

Dana variant...... (Nick P)

Dana with MOP scales (hope1967)
upload a gif
upload a gif




Nick

Do you know if the Lock 45 is what inspired the framelock of today? I believe there was another knife like this the OKC arrow came with a liner that locked at the top and bottom of the tang, rather than just the bottom. I believe the set up had lots of issues on the OKC.

Were there issues with the Lock 45? What came first the lock 45 or the Reeve intergral lock?

 

[nickpp]

Do you know if the Lock 45 is what inspired the framelock of today? I believe there was another knife like this the OKC arrow came with a liner that locked at the top and bottom of the tang, rather than just the bottom. I believe the set up had lots of issues on the OKC.

Were there issues with the Lock 45? What came first the lock 45 or the Reeve intergral lock?

The Lock 45 pre dates the Frame lock that morphed into the Sebenza as we know it via several minor changes.

The only issue that I'm aware of was the ability for the lock 45 to be over extended in the open position..... past the 180 degree mark. That was if the lock wasn't engaged at the 180 point.
Ju Pengfei is one of the most knowledgeable guys I know of the early folders I'm sure he could better explain the transition and variations. He has both a lock 45 and a very early framelock, pre named Sebenza.

 

[Lapedog]

The Lock 45 pre dates the Frame lock that morphed into the Sebenza as we know it via several minor changes.

The only issue that I'm aware of was the ability for the lock 45 to be over extended in the open position..... past the 180 degree mark. That was if the lock wasn't engaged at the 180 point.
Ju Pengfei is one of the most knowledgeable guys I know of the early folders I'm sure he could better explain the transition and variations. He has both a lock 45 and a very early framelock, pre named Sebenza.

So in a way the lock 45 did evolve into the framelock?

 

[nickpp]

I hope most of the links are restored. If new oldies appear please add them to this thread.

In time I’d like to do a similar thread for the OPKs. They are a PiTA to do and I’d need a lot of help with pics as I don’t have any myself now and only had a very limited collection years ago.....

 

[laizhekezhui]

I personally think the Lock 45 was later than Sebenza. I have both of them.

 

[nickpp]

I personally think the Lock 45 was later than Sebenza. I have both of them.

Ju are both dated? I was under the impression and quite probably wrongly that the Lock 45 and pre Sebenza framelock design were different options made by Chris around the same time whilst he was trying to make a reliable strong locking folder. It’s very interesting if he made the framelock then made and trialled the Lock 45 and went back to the Sebenza style framelock.
Thanks for the knowledge

 

[Lone_Wolfe]

Ju are both dated? I was under the impression and quite probably wrongly that the Lock 45 and pre Sebenza framelock design were different options made by Chris around the same time whilst he was trying to make a reliable strong locking folder. It’s very interesting if he made the framelock then made and trialled the Lock 45 and went back to the Sebenza style framelock.
Thanks for the knowledge

This comes as a surprise to me too, and a very interesting one!

 

[blanco112]

I hope most of the links are restored. If new oldies appear please add them to this thread.

In time I’d like to do a similar thread for the OPKs. They are a PiTA to do and I’d need a lot of help with pics as I don’t have any myself now and only had a very limited collection years ago.....

Thank you for going through and updating the links! Looks great.

 

[laizhekezhui]

Ju are both dated? I was under the impression and quite probably wrongly that the Lock 45 and pre Sebenza framelock design were different options made by Chris around the same time whilst he was trying to make a reliable strong locking folder. It’s very interesting if he made the framelock then made and trialled the Lock 45 and went back to the Sebenza style framelock.
Thanks for the knowledge

The Lock 45 were hand made by Chris Reeve, about 20 pieces were made. I think Chris made two batches, a batch in South Africa and another batch in USA. I think Bill Harsey helped Chris heat treated the parts of the USA batch. I personally think the Lock 45 was later than the Sebenza. I have the original first run Sebenza (Titanium folder in South Africa), if you compare the completion degrees and details of them, you would never believe that Sebenza was made after Lock 45.

 

[bart1]

What a fertile mind Chris has... interesting that the Insigno blade shape is one of his earliest, and has for sure withstood the test of time!Thanks so much for all of these examples for us to see!

 

[Dickie D]

The Lock 45 were hand made by Chris Reeve, about 20 pieces were made.

When Chris's UK dealer was spending time with Chris back in late 2016 the subject of the lock 45 came up and Chris was quite adamant that he only made 14 this was around 1984 and he also stated he had difficultly in selling them. I also believe the vine leaf pattern on each knife is different.

 

[nickpp]

When Chris's UK dealer was spending time with Chris back in late 2016 the subject of the lock 45 came up and Chris was quite adamant that he only made 14 this was around 1984 and he also stated he had difficultly in selling them. I also believe the vine leaf pattern on each knife is different.

Hi Richard. Good to get your insight! Hope your keeping well!

 

[laizhekezhui]

When Chris's UK dealer was spending time with Chris back in late 2016 the subject of the lock 45 came up and Chris was quite adamant that he only made 14 this was around 1984 and he also stated he had difficultly in selling them. I also believe the vine leaf pattern on each knife is different.

Hi Dickie, my Lock 45 has original birthday card, mine was made in 1990. And as I known he made two batches, because I have seen two with different shape but with the same number, and I have seen the #13, it means at least 13 pieces made of that batch, that's why I thought he made about 20 pieces. I have the 1988 original South African Sebenza, from the details of the lock bar and other parts, I can't believe the Lock 45 earlier than Sebenza.

 

[Steven65]

When Chris's UK dealer was spending time with Chris back in late 2016 the subject of the lock 45 came up and Chris was quite adamant that he only made 14 this was around 1984 and he also stated he had difficultly in selling them. I also believe the vine leaf pattern on each knife is different.

I'm sorry Dickie but he is wrong. Chris made them post '88.

 

[nickpp]

Recent addition......





Reunited with its sister from many years back. I believe these were made shortly after Chris and CRKs moved to the US.

 

[laizhekezhui]

I'm sorry Dickie but he is wrong. Chris made them post '88.

Thank u Steven.

1. I have seen two Lock 45's with the same number 2, and two Lock 45's with the same number 7, so we can know Chris made two batches, one batch in South Africa, and another batch in USA (Bill Harsey confirmed he helped Chris heat treated some parts);
Sal Glesser's Lock 45 is number 2: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/sal-glessers-chris-reeve-lock-45.685950/
The DVD (The Exquisite Blade -- The Legend Of Chris Reeve Knives part2 59:22) shows the Reeve family's Lock 45 also with number 2:

2. I have seen a Lock 45 with number 13, it looks like belongs the USA batch, and the owner said he bought that one in 1991, it means the USA batch at least 13 pieces made, as I said before I have seen two with the same number 7, so we can know Chris made at least 20 pieces;
3. My Lock 45 has original birth card which says made in 1990, and as I said before the #13's owner bought his in 1991, it makes sense to put these two points together, so we can say the USA batch made circa 1990, and Anne told me Chris made all Lock 45's pre 1991;
4. Steven said Lock 45 made post 1988, I have a Titanium folder (Sebenza predecessor) made in 1988, from the details of them, I think the Lock 45 was made after the Titanium folder, so I think Steven is right;
5. To summarize, we can say Chris made two batches of Lock 45 in the years 1988 to 1991, one batch (at least 7 pieces) in South Africa post 1988, and the another batch (at least 13 pieces) in USA;

I'm going to write a complete document about Lock 45, all conclusions will be supported by sufficient evidence.

Dickie D nickpp Steven65

 

[nickpp]

Thank u Steven.

1. I have seen two Lock 45's with the same number 2, and two Lock 45's with the same number 7, so we can know Chris made two batches, one batch in South Africa, and another batch in USA (Bill Harsey confirmed he helped Chris heat treated some parts);
Sal Glesser's Lock 45 is number 2: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/sal-glessers-chris-reeve-lock-45.685950/
The DVD (The Exquisite Blade -- The Legend Of Chris Reeve Knives part2 59:22) shows the Reeve family's Lock 45 also with number 2:

2. I have seen a Lock 45 with number 13, it looks like belongs the USA batch, and the owner said he bought that one in 1991, it means the USA batch at least 13 pieces made, as I said before I have seen two with the same number 7, so we can know Chris made at least 20 pieces;
3. My Lock 45 has original birth card which says made in 1990, and as I said before the #13's owner bought his in 1991, it makes sense to put these two points together, so we can say the USA batch made circa 1990, and Anne told me Chris made all Lock 45's pre 1991;
4. Steven said Lock 45 made post 1988, I have a Titanium folder (Sebenza predecessor) made in 1988, from the details of them, I think the Lock 45 was made after the Titanium folder, so I think Steven is right;
5. To summarize, we can say Chris made two batches of Lock 45 in the years 1988 to 1991, one batch (at least 7 pieces) in South Africa post 1988, and the another batch (at least 13 pieces) in USA;

I'm going to write a complete document about Lock 45, all conclusions will be supported by sufficient evidence.

Dickie D nickpp Steven65

Thanks Ju! It’s been a while since I watched that video, the dates and numbers are revealing!

 

[Dickie D]

Thanks all, just telling as Chris told Frank his UK dealer, it is confusing that he made 2 batch's and numbered them the same!

I'm going to write a complete document about Lock 45, all conclusions will be supported by sufficient evidence.

That will be very interesting and thanks for taking the time in doing it.