Here is an article I had saved a while back that you might find interesting.
Knife World Vol.32 No. 5 May 2006 " Northwoods Knives' Scagel Reproductions."
Northwoods Knives Scagel Reproductions
The Scagel You Can Use and Will Want To
By Michael S. Black
Blackie Collins was talking with me on the telephone about his assisted opening knife designs when he abruptly changed the subject with the question “Do you know who first used a hole in the blade as a means of opening a folding knife?” I answered that my first exposure to opening a knife with one hand via a round hole in the blade was Sal Glesser’s Spyderco Clip It. Blackie informed me that the first person who used a hole in the blade of a folding knife to provide a means of opening it was William Wales Scagel.
When knife authority Blackie Collins (Founder and Editor Emeritus of Blade magazine) makes an assertion it should be attentively noted. I was intrigued and when I got the opportunity to purchase Northwoods Knives 2005 reproductions of rare Scagel single and two blade folders I bought one of each.
I must admit purchasing a reproduction is not the same as having an original. But if the maker of a reproduction is a craftsman and respects the original then the result will often be an informative and satisfying object in its own right. David Shirley of The Custom Shoppe LLC is a businessman and he is also a Scagel enthusiast. He owns the rights to the Scagel name. He proudly admits there is nothing creative about his Scagel reproductions. They are copies of original knives he has owned. They have the same feel and balance and dimensions as the originals. They are more accessible to those of us who would like to experience the use of a Scagel without the prohibitive expense of an original.
One thing was immediately obvious to me as I examined the blade holes in the Northwood’s Knives Scagel folder reproductions. The blade holes were not created to facilitate one handed opening of the knife blades. These knives have thick blade stock and strong back springs. Each blade requires two hands to open. The blade hole does make each blade a little bit more ambidextrous to operate. Whether this contributed to Bill Scagel’s motives in making the blade nail nick into a slotted blade hole is pure speculation on my part. David Shirley told me some Scagel original folders did use nail nicks rather than holes.
Bill Scagel was as much blade artist as artisan. His knives were intended to be able to work hard. Each fixed blade knife was constructed individually with its own individual personality.
Folders are easier to make if they are produced in batches. Each handle liner is made to a common standard. Parts are made to allow a high degree of interchange. There may be hand fitting required but one folder usually resembles another of the same pattern to a very high degree.
This may have been troubling for Bill Scagel. Folder makers need to enjoy repetitive exercise with a high degree of precision while making the same pattern knife again and again without distinguishing differences in fit and function between knives of the same pattern. Bill Scagel might have felt smothered by the discipline required to make lots of folders.
On the other hand he would have sought artistically to distinguish his folders from those of others. Turning a nail nick into a slotted blade hole could have been simply an artistic distinction. It certainly required more work to accomplish.
By current standards, these folders look bulky and blocky. They do have their own charm. It comes primarily from knowing that they are Scagel reproduction knives. Enthusiast/collectors of modern folders wouldn’t find much about the design of these reproductions peculiarly worthy of note for visual form.
The collectors’ game is played by different rules. Because these reproductions are exacting replicas of rare Scagel originals and themselves very limited productions, there is a high likelihood that they will go up in value and desirability among collectors over time. At least I hope that my own interest in these knives is indicative of their potential to draw fresh focus on both William Wales Scagel and his very rare folders by knife enthusiasts new to this respected craftsman of the past.
The craftsmanship exhibited in the construction of these folders is good. There are no gaps between liners and scales. All the metal parts show polish comparable to the original. These slip joint knives walk and talk with authority. Blades are constructed of 1095 carbon steel so even the blade material is authentic. The sambar stag scales are not original material but exhibit the texture and character of this material that its enthusiasts love. The folder liners are steel because the original Scagel liners are steel. Where imitation may be a form of flattery, these knives by Northwoods are as close to exact copies as can be managed without crafting counterfeits.
As a working mechanic I have always used locking blade knives for the additional protection against accidental closure they provided. These slip joints are so precisely fitted to their strong back springs that if they weren’t collectibles I could see myself safely using them as every day working knives. I intend that to be a compliment of the highest order.
I thought about it and thought about it and finally I gave in. I sharpened my single blade folder and performed my cutting endurance test with it. In this test I used the first 1- 1½ inches of blade from the tip back to cut ½” rope counting the total number of slices accomplished until I am sawing ineffectively at the rope.
Out of the box the knife would shave the hair on my arm but the blade bevel was greater than 40°. I rebeveled the blade to 25° because my testing has shown a 20 to 25° bevel will cut more rope than a steeper angle will. I used a Lansky sharpening fixture along with their coarse, medium and fine diamond hones to accomplish the job.
Because the blade edge is rather stout at .033” to .035” thick the rebeveling took extra time to remove the amount of metal necessary for the new lower edge bevel angle.
Once I had the blade sharpened to a 25° bevel I made more than 150 single slice push cuts before I started needing a second push to sever the rope. I kept cutting until I had accomplished 490 cuts. Had I beveled to 20° instead of 25 I would have easily broken 500 cuts.
This is remarkable cutting performance in ½” manila rope. It beats six of the seven S30V bladed knives I have tested. It beats all eight handmade knives that I purchased and tested from an ABS Mastersmith who is internationally distributed. These comparisons are intended to elevate judgment of the performance of this Scagel knife and not diminish the performance of the knives used for comparison. The knives used for comparison have already been highly praised by other writers in other publications.
Resharpening was a breeze. I made exactly six free hand strops on a DMT extra fine diamond hone and the edge was screaming sharp again where I had used it.
Did I say I could see myself using one of these knives for every day carry? You can bet on it. I’m going to use my first one and get a second to keep in my knife case. If you want to do the same you had better move fast because only 250 of these were made. On technical merit I believe the late William Wales Scagel himself would have been tempted to use one of these knives and proud to have his name on it. The only thing which might have held him back would have been his compulsive nature to do everything for himself by himself.
Scagel purists may object to my praise of this folder by accurately pointing out that real Scagels were hand forged and these reproductions aren’t. I concede the point. But these knives can demonstrate better than average cutting power and they are priced to be more accessible than any hand forged equivalent. They provide the opportunity to experience using a knife that duplicates the form and feel of a Scagel in the daily tasks Scagel intended his knives for.
For those of you who would like a Scagel inspired knife (not a reproduction) that utilizes forged 52100 carbon steel blades, I can recommend the work of knife maker P. J. Tomes. PJ’s craftsmanship is superb and his blades are flat ground from spine to edge with minimal edge thickness resulting in extraordinary performance as cutting tools. Be prepared to pay more than double what the price of a Northwoods Knives Scagel will cost. Both the Northwoods Knives Scagels and PJ Tomes’ Scagel inspired knives represent excellent value in knives. They are just intended for different market niches.
I once read a quote attributed to ABS Mastersmith Jerry Fisk which stated he purchased commercial knives to use on a daily basis because he couldn’t afford to use one of his own hand forged creations. The Northwoods Knives Scagels are intended to alleviate that kind of situation for working people who would like to own or use a Scagel knife.
Once the folders had gotten my attention focused on William Wales Scagel and his knives I did a little research on the man and sought the opportunity to examine the Northwoods Knives fixed blade reproductions also.
Harry McEvoy says in his book Scagel: The Man and His Knives (published by Knife World Publications) that William Wales Scagel was born February 12, 1873. While a young man he worked variously as a merchant seaman, blacksmith, gunsmith, machinist, boat builder, sheet metal worker and bridge builder. Starting around 1910 until the end of his life in 1963, he established himself as a prolific and masterful maker of hand forged cutlery. Although reclusive by nature, the brilliance of his work has called such attention to the maker that Scagel has become famous in spite of a personal aversion to fame.
Scagel was the inspiration for Bo Randall when he decided to make his first knife. He has inspired countless other makers as well. Scagel’s craftsmanship and artistry is deserving of homage by all cutlery enthusiasts. Some consider him to be the Father of the Modern American handmade knife.
The folders Blackie Collins had first directed my attention to were a minor part of Bill Scagel’s knife production. He was primarily a maker of fixed blade knifes of which no two seem to be alike. Modern knife craftsmen thrive on being able to reproduce the same knife repeatedly with only minor details which distinguish one from another. Scagel’s uniqueness came from being able to make each knife as a special individual creation exemplifying the excellence of his skill without exception in spite of differences in shape and size. Because of the infinite variety of Scagel’s production it is a risk exercise to try to reproduce any one. But it is a challenge which David Shirley has embraced.
David carefully pointed out to me these knives are not by definition hand made or custom. The blade blanks are laser cut by a sublet specialist. The blades are then ground and heat treated by another vendor. Handle scales are installed and the knives are then hand finished in house at the Custom Shoppe LLC. David estimates 80% of the total hand labor time involved in making the knife is done in house where quality control of the finished knives can be carefully monitored. This insures the knives are high quality limited production items which should appreciate in value as interest increases competition for ownership of the knives over time.
I believe the quality of construction and performance of these knives will create a favorable collector interest for these knives which are produced in 250 total count maximum production runs. Owning one of 250 ever made is an addictive incentive. Look at how the value of the 1982 production Remington 1123 pattern knives has gone up. The Remington reintroduction run made by Camillus was numerically greater and the original knife was not as rare as an original Scagel. These Scagel knives are starting out as sleepers but have the potential to become real trophies as knowledge of their existence increases.
The choice of which knives to reproduce centers on trying to create a range of knives which demonstrate the breadth and depth of Scagel’s creativity. In 2004 a 3 3/8” closed length two blade folder was produced as Scagel #1. I was never even aware of its existence. A 4 ¼” bladed Bird and Trout knife was also introduced as Scagel #2 The 2004 Scagel reproduction Bird and Trout knife is interesting in part because Bird and Trout knives have traditionally been considered as not requiring blades with thick edges. The Northwoods Knives Scagel reproduction (which duplicates the dimensions of an original) has the thickest edge and edge bevel of any Bird and Trout knife this size I have seen. The only justification I can imagine for this is the person who commissioned the knife must have insisted the knife be made with an edge that would be impervious to cutting through bones.
In 2005 the single and double bladed folder models (that I purchased as a response to Blackie Collins attempt to broaden my knife knowledge) were the only models produced. In 2006 there may be a fixed blade knife that has a folding blade built into the handle. Since David Shirley has access to over a hundred different Scagel originals the potential exists for the creation of an extensive set of reproductions. For 2006 there is a smaller, 3 5/8” variation of the Bird and Trout Knife available on the market already. Because of the use of real antler material in the handles of the fixed blade knives, each knife is individually unique. These variations are typical of the changes Scagel made from knife to knife in his own knife production and the kind of variations that collectors pursue. Dave Shirley said that he plans to introduce a new model every other month for 2006. The exact knife models are still in production planning. As this is being written Dave is adding onto his shop to be able to accommodate increased production. This may slow production targets but Dave is optimistic.
Check it out knife lovers. Help establish the future for these knives and the respect for William Wales Scagel they embody. Scagel created each of his knives with the expectation they would work with someone for a living. These Scagel knives can either do the same for you or simply enhance your knowledge and appreciation of the history of handmade knives by sitting on display. You can’t lose with this one unless you hesitate for too long and they sell out. Interest in them is growing quickly.
Thank you Blackie Collins for getting me interested in Scagel Knives. Thank you David Shirley for producing the knives that make pursuit of this interest possible.
but gave great deals on the firs ones). I don't believe the first issue has yet to rise above list price.
