Rusty Preston: Stag Stockman (A Maker To Watch)

Very nice looking, well executed knife. I agree with Charlie about the fine fileworked liners...just right:thumbup: Everything about that knife looks good. Kudos to the maker and congrats to the owner.
 
I would agree about Rusty's work and that is one fine knife Elliott. I have one that has just a tad more file work, but I like it that way, I have always enjoyed seeing the extra hand work. Glad I snagged it right here on BF.
Jim
 
meerspeck said:
Mr Blues
Thanks for the very kind review and thanks to everyone else for the positive feedback. Rusty
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BTW: I forgot to say Welcome to BF Rusty.
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meerspeck said:
Mr Blues
Thanks for the very kind review and thanks to everyone else for the positive feedback. Rusty
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Welcome, Rusty. I guess you're not quite as bad at this internet thing as you let on yesterday. ;)

Glad you found your way here and hope you'll have a reason to pop in every now and again. :thumbup:

Oh, and that knife carries just fine in my pocket. :cool:

(And thanks to all you folks for chiming in with your comments on the knife and welcome wishes for Rusty. :thumbup:)
 
Blues, you have so many knice knives that I fear some of them may be getting neglected. Pack those up and send them to me, and I will give them the attention they deserve!

That is a very sweet stockman.
 
Since this is a review of Rusty Preston, A maker to watch, his is another one of his creations.
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Really nice file work and the fit and finish is fine.
You have fans here Rusty.
One of which is me.
Jim
 
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Rob,

Good stuff. :thumbup:

I should have something of Rusty's inbound myself (from the great state of Texas) if all works out in the relatively near future and the moon and planets are properly aligned. ;)
 
I too own one of Rusty's knives. It is a classic barlow with roman knot file work and beautiful dark amber stag scales. A picture of it is on his web site. Rusty is one of the nicest guys you will ever deal with. I can't say enough about the maker or his work!
 
John T Wylie Jr said:
that is a stellar looking knife. Gonna have to put him on my list to watch for as well.
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Thanks, John. With a two year wait list (at present), I'd say Rusty's excellent work isn't quite the secret we may have suspected! :eek: ;)
 
Mr. Preston, welcome to BFC, you do some beautiful work.
Blues, nice score, you've got excellent taste.

I'm just curious, the first four pics in this thread seem to have been photographed on a light box. If they're your photos, how long have you been using this setup?
 
waynorth said:
That's a real interesting take on the stockman pattern. Chunky is the right word. Nicely finished. I like the file work on the liners. I've always felt that's where it belongs. Filework on the springs can eventually weaken them IMO!
Great knife!!
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those were called milled liners and in olden days were the mark of serious quality. and it is a great knife.
 
PhilL said:
Mr. Preston, welcome to BFC, you do some beautiful work.
Blues, nice score, you've got excellent taste.

I'm just curious, the first four pics in this thread seem to have been photographed on a light box. If they're your photos, how long have you been using this setup?
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Phil, you ought to know me well enough after all these years to know that I'm a talentless SOB who's not above using other people's photos of knives I purchase. ;) :D (In this instance the images are from Dan Delavan's "Plaza Cutlery" and Rusty's own website.)

A.G., thanks for the good words. Rusty had told me about how proud he was of not only winning the "Best Value" award at the Arkansas Custom Knife Show, but the very kind remarks and high praise you had for his work. :thumbup:
 
When I first started talking with Rusty about the 3 5/8" stockman we've been discussing above, he mentioned to me that he had a 4" stockman in his shop that he had brought home from the Blade Show after finding out that the pin needed to be re-peened.

Rusty and I joked about me "needing" both knives. I had pretty much shrugged that thought off (for financial and practical reasons) until I received the first stockman and was so impressed.

Shortly afterward I recontacted Rusty and told him that if he hadn't sold or otherwise committed the knife to someone else, I'd really appreciate the opportunity to purchase it since I'd been wanting a full size stock knife.

Well, without knowing it was on its way, the knife arrived today and it doesn't disappoint. (Okay, I admit I have a weakness for the stockman pattern.)

This knife comes in at 4" closed and weighs in at 3.5 ounces. (3/8 ounce more than its smaller sibling.) Steel is CPM-154-CM

This knife is a bit "simpler" in style with a little less pronounced swedging and less embellishment on the bolsters. (Rusty was going for the vintage stockman look with this one and I think he succeeded. In any case, I didn't want two that were mirror images of one another.)

With the addition of this stockman, I now have a nice sampling of sizes ranging from a 3.5" Ruple to a 3 7/8" Reese Bose sowbelly to these two beauties from Rusty. I think I have now scratched that stockman itch. ;)

Here's some images of the knife by itself and with its smaller brother.

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Really nice score Elliott, those are really nice. Congrats both to you and Rusty.
I will just have to drool a while longer, Blade did me in.
Thanks for sharing,
Jim
 
Those are beautiful Elliott. I'd say you scratched that itch in spades!
 
Thanks, Jim and Gary. I just couldn't let the opportunity slip by given Rusty's two year waiting list. (Nothing like a little rationalizing to make a new purchase seem so logical. ;))
 
I was gonna say "you got a great pair there Elliott", but with all the talk of scratchin' and itchin' it just didn't seem right somehow. :D

Those are fine looking stockmen my friend. :thumbup:
 
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