Photos Pure Aesthetics!

[The Fort]

Here’s the one that almost made my top 3!

 

[veitsi_poika]

My goodness what a task Jeff... I actually had to formulate a game plan to attack this one so I decided to think about it laying in bed last night and throughout the day today. I felt it was unfair to start looking through the collection and I should just go from memory only... which knives were in my head that were REALLY great when I got my hands on them.

The main reason I started collecting knives is the interest I found the old Boy Scout knives and they were the first true knives that I started researching... I spent hours looking at what my favorite patterns were and I basically had a wish list. This Imperial Rosewood is the first "grail" knife that I got at the peak of my Scout knife interest and it still stands out in my mind as just a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.

#3 Imperial Rosewood Boy Scout Knife




This one I got a few months ago and was one of the first pocket knives that I actually brought to work to show people... the fact that it is about 100 years old and is fantastic shape (less a slight crack on the mark side) but nonetheless, this knife has WOW factor

#2 Empire Knife MOP (Pat Apl'd) Beaded Bolsters




And my favorite knife to date, this awesome Ulster Dwight Divine stockman with the Green Waterfall cell and "Extra Quality" etch on blade.

#1 Ulster Dwight Divine Stockman




Runner ups to follow... It's funny I have a Rosewood, MOP and celluloid as my top 3 and no bone? My first runner-up is a stag Schlieper canoe.

*Edited poor grammar... Dammit Jim I'm an engineer not a grammaticist!

 

[veitsi_poika]

OK Jeff here goes. Since I was never the best at obeying rules here are four. Of course as always these are subject to change.
First up is a GEC that I feel is their best looking and all around best knife and they made it for us. The 2014 BladeForums knife.
Next up is my first John Lloyd custom. He calls it his 'Jess Horn' and it's probably my favorite.
I recently picked this up. It's an Amherst Cutlery Crown Jack. It's just plain pretty.
And the one that breaks the rules is a stainless stag Bowie by Puma.
If you noticed a stag trend, well that's no surprise.
View attachment 944265 View attachment 944266 View attachment 944267 View attachment 944268
I had a request to add the clamshell teardtop.
View attachment 944461

Very nice Alan... I love that crown bolster on the Amherst, very classy looking knife!

 

[joeradza]

My goodness what a task Jeff... I actually had to formulate a game plan to attack this one so I decided to think about laying in bed last night and throughout the day today. I felt it was unfair to start looking through the collection and I good just go from memory only... which knives were in my head that were REALLY great when I got my hands on them.

I main reason I started collecting knives is the interest I found the old Boy Scout knives and they were the first true knives that I started researching... I spent hours looking at what my favorite patterns were and I basically had a wish list. This Imperial Rosewood is the first "grail" knife that I got at the peak of my Scout knife interest and it still stands out in my mind as just a beautiful piece of craftsmanship.

#3 Imperial Rosewood Boy Scout Knife
View attachment 945102

View attachment 945103

This one I got a few months and was one of the first pocket knives that I actually brought to work to show people... the fact that it is about 100 years old and is fantastic shape (less a slight crack on the mark side) but nonetheless, this knife has WOW factor

#2 Empire Knife MOP (Pat Apl'd) Beaded Bolsters
View attachment 945106

View attachment 945107

And my favorite knife to date, this awesome Ulster Dwight Divine stockman with the Green Waterfall cell and "Extra Quality" etch on blade.

#1 Ulster Dwight Divine Stockman
View attachment 945108

View attachment 945109

Runner ups to follow... It's funny I have a Rosewood, MOP and celluloid as my top 3 and no bone? My first runner-up is a stag Schlieper canoe.

Call it a tie and post the canoe.

 

[veitsi_poika]

Here are the runner-ups that earn a participation trophy LoL

 

[joeradza]

Here are the runner-ups that earn a participation trophy LoL

View attachment 945122 View attachment 945123

That canoe deserves at least a Bronze Medal. Good pattern, stag, and cool etch. Thanks for the photo.

 

[black mamba]

Great stuff, Kevin, that green waterfall cell is tip top material. And that Schlieper canoe . . . the buttered toast stag and domed pins are about as good as it gets!

 

[veitsi_poika]

Oh and this one people seem to like LoL


And this abalone Ulster... (this could go on all night but I gotta get a Black Friday knife out there too and get ready for Blue Bloods)

 

[Wowbagger]

My number one always has been and always will be this red stag Northfield #72 Mini-Hunter.

Mine certainly aren't in that league but I have these :
I wanted to post earlier but it didn't work out and I have a heck of a time photographing detail let alone the fine texture on the green Boker . . .

In order of acquisition; first this Case Trapper in Genuine Stag. You've all seen it too often here so I will just post the photo of it in my black leather (Swiss Army) pouch . . . I particularly like how it looks in the pouch.


Next my Boker Dark Green Bone Trapper. And . . . it is plain carbon steel with some nice patina with some blues and pearly pinkish cast to it. Turned out great.

The scales have a particularly fine textured jigging; it is like the texture of a feather. Hard to capture in a photo but I think it is very cool. And the Boker pouch is super nice for an inexpensive price. The dark green and dark brown go well.

another photo of the Boker Trapper in Green; mostly it is black with underlying dark green. I enjoy looking at it so much.


And my latest knife (but one I have been trying to get ahold of for years before I got a decent example that looked like the photo in the catalog . . . my Boker Large Stockman in what they call Smooth Red Bone . . . but I call it pomegranate. That's a glass of pomegranate juice it is sitting on.
So enjoyable to look at. Of all of my traditional folders this is THE ONE that has fascinated me since I first saw it. The color and the slight translucence of the scales really does it for me ! ! !


Thanks for looking

 

[Wowbagger]

Someone once said - “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”

Yes but others said :

• Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts.

• You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that you're a fool.

• The invention of the scientific method and science is, I'm sure we'll all agree, the most powerful intellectual idea, the most powerful framework for thinking and investigating and understanding and challenging the world around us that there is, and it rests on the premise that any idea is there to be attacked. If it withstands the attack then it lives to fight another day and if it doesn't withstand the attack then down it goes.

(there is more to that last quote but to keep the peace I will stop there)

 

[Wowbagger]

Jeff the jigging on that Boker is incredible. What a masterpiece!

I agree !

 

[Campbellclanman]

Jeff my friend,
I can see why you go gaga over that 72, that is a stunner in every way, I have gone a bit mental over the Stag ( & other ) 70's series GEC - of which I will post in the Stags and gec group shots soon.

beautiful Knives everyone! I do mean beautiful!
I love to look at Bone, I love looking into the work of the Hammered pins, Rats Tail Bolsters, The Jigging, trying to imagine if by machine, if by hand?.... the patterns the depth- Colouring- it just can go on with nice Bone Jigging and Stag!

Old Knives is what really gets me, the deep etching, the beautiful workmanship, the Bone - and the age on the Knife as well- a whole combination of things- like this group of Ettricks I have...

Stag! I will add more when I take some more shots- hopefully tomorrow..
Lovely stag .....

Stag ....Gorgeous Stag in the form of Mint 10 dot and a another dot series, Case Folding Hunters....

Ever so slightly older than the 70's, but actually do more aesthetically for the Traditionalist Knife Lover..

It can be burnt Stag as above, it can be all sorts, Bark that isnt so Gnarly - or stag that is extremely Gnarly OR Stag that has caves that are so smooth and unique, that remind you of a Cliif face continually pounded by the Sea for Thousands and Thousands of years.....

Bone New

Or Bone old...

Ebony too is a sight to behold...

Wonderful Thread idea Jeff, Thank you Sir!

 

[pistonsandgears]

Really hard to narrow it down to a few favorites.
I guess i'll go with these for now but I might change my mind.
Here are a few I think are aesthetically pleasing.

 

[Augie]

For pure aesthetics vintage jigged bone really does it for me and if the knife has hammered pins that just puts it over the top. Vintage stag is a close second.

 

[joeradza]

pistonsandgears I'm glad the Fannin made the cut. Besides being a beautiful zulu, the covers are uniquely outstanding. Stunning.

 

[Falling_rain]

How about this one? Was a gift from my wife, when she was still my girlfriend. Like everything about it, especially the shape of the blade, long sexy leg of a beauty...

 

[Modoc ED]

While I didn't include this Case CV 10-Dot (1970 manufacture) 62009 1/2 with red saw-cut bone with bone marrow canals in my top three, it certainly deserves to be there.

 

[Lostball]

I had to stop and think about which ones I would want to start with as my top 3 in aesthetics. I didn't have to think too long because my collection isn't that big.
This first one is from my Cocobolo addiction. I believe it is my finest GEC from an overall fit and finish stand point. Like a lot of GEC's it is gap free and the blade is centered but the distinguishing feature on this 74 is the smooth 4-5 pull to half stop which then goes to a smooth 7+ pull that locks open with authority. And then the aesthetics gets kicked up by the almost bookend matched highly figured Cocobolo scales. Its a keeper!!!

Seconds go to my love for stag along with the ergonomics of a larger knife like the GEC 43. The marriage of the recently released 43 with the outstanding stag GEC acquired really sent me over the desire cliff. Not that stag is lost on smaller knives but I really like it (like most everyone) when there is plenty of real estate to display it. This along with the ability to easily manipulate the lighter pull of the 43 (aging hands) make it a constant companion.

I echo the feelings by Augie earlier about the aesthetic draw that vintage jigged bone has. My focus currently is on more examples of what appears to be a lost art. There are many beautiful rare examples in this thread that easily eclipse anything in my collection that I wish I could own. In my small collection this Crucible possesses most of the qualities I desire when looking for new additions to my collection.

 

[The Fort]

While I didn't include this Case CV 10-Dot (1970 manufacture) 62009 1/2 with red saw-cut bone with bone marrow canals in my top three, it certainly deserves to be there.

First of all, your knife is fantastic! Second, you taught me something today! I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I’ve often wondered what those grooves in the bone were. Sometimes I overlook the obvious. Mystery solved! Thanks! -Lance

 

[Fodderwing]

Like everything about it, especially the shape of the blade, long sexy leg of a beauty...

Couldn't agree more. European elegance ...