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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Returning a purchase or sending back to company?
- Thread starter csisland
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2009
- Messages
- 3,198
Here's the Barlow with Appaloosa bone covers.
Same knife - different lighting.
All I can say is that there are a lot of variables when it comes to bone.
Thanks for posting that again, Ed.
Still, for me, that has to be the prettiest bone I have ever seen. Just gorgeous.
We NEVER saw anything that pretty or unique "back in the day".
Robert
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,517
^^That particular knife appears to be 1980-82 vintage (looks like 8 to 10 dots; my aging eyes can't quite tell), based on the tang stamp. So, if comparing to '70s-vintage knives, it's very nearly 'back in the day'. The collecting guide* I refer to also lists this pattern (A62009 1/2; the 'A' signifies the Appaloosa Bone) as far back as 1979.
Totally agree, it's a beautifully-handled knife. :thumbup:
( * = The 'Official Price Guide to Collector Knives', Fourteenth Edition, by C. Houston Price; 2004 )
David
Totally agree, it's a beautifully-handled knife. :thumbup:
( * = The 'Official Price Guide to Collector Knives', Fourteenth Edition, by C. Houston Price; 2004 )
David
Last edited:
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- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 8,816
I'm not trying to tell you to suck it up and live with it. Many vendors have good return policies so you should certainly follow up with them if you're not satisfied. But I'll share with you a couple of my experiences.
I at one point owned two Chestnut Peanuts. The first was really gorgeous (to me) with a nice even finish that sort of lightened up a little towards the bolsters in the way it's supposed to. I had ordered another one specifically to experiment with patinas. The second one came in and the bone was nice but lighter in overall color and especially near the bolsters. Not really bad, mind you, but a much lighter brown overall almost changing to yellowish tan at the ends. Both sides matched, so it didn't look bad when just looking at it, just not as good as my first one.
I ended up gifting the lighter colored one to a friend, and he loves it. He didn't have anything to compare it to, so it looks fine to him and he uses it all the time.
I've also got a Chestnut Bone CV Stockman. Overall nice handle color but there's a lighter colored streak down one side. I can tell from looking at it that it's due to something in the bone itself, a natural variation in the dye absorbency I guess, so I don't mind it that much. And all three of the blades rub, which is very typical of Case 2-spring Stockman patterns. But none of that matters to me because it's a carry knife and it's sharp as heck. The bolsters are getting a few scratches and the blades are working up a good patina, which the blade rubs sort of blend into. And nobody takes a close look at the bone handles except me because it's usually in my pocket or my hand. I just figure it will all blend into the evolving character of the knife. It only cost around $35 so it's not exactly going to become a collector's piece in my lifetime.
So I guess the moral of the story is - if it's going to end up being a user anyway, then maybe you just live with the imperfections. Up to you, though.
I at one point owned two Chestnut Peanuts. The first was really gorgeous (to me) with a nice even finish that sort of lightened up a little towards the bolsters in the way it's supposed to. I had ordered another one specifically to experiment with patinas. The second one came in and the bone was nice but lighter in overall color and especially near the bolsters. Not really bad, mind you, but a much lighter brown overall almost changing to yellowish tan at the ends. Both sides matched, so it didn't look bad when just looking at it, just not as good as my first one.
I ended up gifting the lighter colored one to a friend, and he loves it. He didn't have anything to compare it to, so it looks fine to him and he uses it all the time.
I've also got a Chestnut Bone CV Stockman. Overall nice handle color but there's a lighter colored streak down one side. I can tell from looking at it that it's due to something in the bone itself, a natural variation in the dye absorbency I guess, so I don't mind it that much. And all three of the blades rub, which is very typical of Case 2-spring Stockman patterns. But none of that matters to me because it's a carry knife and it's sharp as heck. The bolsters are getting a few scratches and the blades are working up a good patina, which the blade rubs sort of blend into. And nobody takes a close look at the bone handles except me because it's usually in my pocket or my hand. I just figure it will all blend into the evolving character of the knife. It only cost around $35 so it's not exactly going to become a collector's piece in my lifetime.
So I guess the moral of the story is - if it's going to end up being a user anyway, then maybe you just live with the imperfections. Up to you, though.