Show me your Green River blades

[davek14]

Could one of our resident steel specialists give me some feedback on Green River blade steel?



Pics of members Green River knives would be sweet too.

http://industrialhistory.org/histories/john-russell-mfg-co-and-the-russell-cutlery/

Changed the title 'cause of the great knives I've seen.

 

[SAK Guy]

One of my favorite styles/brands...had an orig Dadley in the 70's sold it regretted it..bought another then lost it in a fire...finally got these together in the last 5 years or so.

The carbon is excellent (1095) and the "Stain Free" (stainless) is 440A but has a marvelous heat treat. I have been really surprised by the "Stain Free" models! Caused me to rethink stainless back several years ago...


I'll throw some pics up before I have to go do breakfast.

Bicentennial Models '76 (Dadley, Russell Hunter and Buffalo Skinner)

Stainless Dadley and CVA/J Russell Hunter

Stainless Buffalo Skinners

I like Dadleys....

Reg stock early '70s and Bicentennial Dadleys

Hope this helps....

 

[davek14]

Those are *really* nice. I have the same sheath as in the second pic. I got it in trade from a re-enactor with a Green River "reproduction". Must be a classic mountain man pattern.



I've only actually purchased the blades although I have purchased a few. I've only seen one in stainless.

 

[t1mpani]

They are heat treated well, but the primary attribute they have is that they have extraordinary blade geometry. They're neither ground nor balanced to chop, baton, pry, or anything else but slice and push-cut through things, and I highly recommend them to those who haven't tried them. Other knives (especially when comparing stainless steels) will hold their edge longer, but with their ultra-thin edge shoulders these knives can be restored SO quickly that it's kind of a "who cares?" situation. Give me one of these knives and a ceramic coffee cup with a nice little semi-coarse ring on the bottom of it, and I'll butcher two hundred deer for you. Oh yeah, I'll also require two hundred deer.

 

[VCM3]

Both ss versions & the carbon ,are fantastic

Here is a recent butcher I completed ,I used 1/8" brass pins ,and rosewood ,to try for a vintage look ,but clean & new,only for the new owner to patina up & enjoy. The carbon RGR blades I've used ,are really fantastic & you'd be surprised of how good they slice & cut,and,take & hold,a toothy fine edge

a fillet with cocobolo ,this is the ss version

'Steak' , ss, African blackwood

Carbon boning,stag & hammered nickel pins

Carbon patch knives African black wood & more Sambar

 

[SAK Guy]

Thank you Dave!

The "Stain Free' ones came out in the 80's and were intended for the rising re-enactor market but I didn't know they were sold as blades. All the earlier ones from the 70's and all the blades/ kits I've seen for sale were 1095. I have a couple of the newer Dadley kits around here somewhere. They are 5" inch carbon blades with the notched jimping on the back...the earlier 70's Dadleys had 6" blades and no jimping.

Detail from an 80's ad.

T1mpani, I agree on the blade geometry! :thumbup:

About 5 years ago, I had made 4-5 walking sticks by trimming, skinning and knocking (chopping) off the hard knots with my stainless Dadley and it would almost shave when I was done. I was extremely impressed at the time and I bragged how great the carbon steel was!!! Couldn't believe it when I found out it was 440A!

Both my old ones were carbon and the faded blade stamp was hard to read so I just assumed...

 

[SAK Guy]

Both ss versions & the carbon ,are fantastic

Here is a recent butcher I completed ,I used 1/8" brass pins ,and rosewood ,to try for a vintage look ,but clean & new,only for the new owner to patina up & enjoy. The carbon RGR blades I've used ,are really fantastic & you'd be surprised of how good they slice & cut,and,take & hold,a toothy fine edge

a fillet with cocobolo ,this is the ss version

'Steak' , ss, African blackwood

Carbon boning,stag & hammered nickel pins

Carbon patch knives African black wood & more Sambar

These are fantastic!!!! That stag boning knife is to die for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love it!!!!!!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[VCM3]

Thanks SAK guy. I have done complete sets of these knives for guys. I've made many. Tested some & some were so nice I wanted to keep them. But since I have a few traditional kitchen knives,vintage & sentimental , and , a complete set from Rick Menefee , I usually always never keep any,only the pics of them.

 

[davek14]

I love those patch knives as paring knives. That stag is awesome.

Give me one of these knives and a ceramic coffee cup with a nice little semi-coarse ring on the bottom of it, and I'll butcher two hundred deer for you. Oh yeah, I'll also require two hundred deer.

I work over the river in Kentucky. I've put some metal slabs on quite a few of these for deer hunters at work. I made a couple and more were requested.

With the straight lines of the handle making reverse engineering easier.

 

[Halfneck]

I keep meaning to buy a Dadley and try my hand at making some handle scales for it.

And I agree, that Carbon Boning knife in Stag is beautiful.

 

[Jack Black]

I'm not sure how I could have possibly missed this thread, since I absolutely love these knives, but I am now, thanks to Dave's generosity, the very proud owner of the knife above





Not just that, but I also have several other examples of Dave's work, including this stunner (more pics will follow in a separate thread)





I thought this thread was worthy of a resurrection :thumbup:

Thanks a lot Dave :thumbup:

 

[SAK Guy]

Those are very nice Jack!!!! :thumbup:

 

[VCM3]

Here's some more I recently done did up,shameless post

Butcher set ,maple

This is the 'belt knife" redwood burl/brass pins

"Ripper" cocobolo

This was a combo set I did for a fella out west,ss fillet & carbon boning Rosewood

This patch came out sweet Maple burl
The little chunk I had,had "eyes", "quilted" spot,burl & stripes all in one little handle !

 

[Turk88]

Butcher set ,maple

Wow! After seeing those i'm going to have to keep my eye out for some old ones to refresh. My dad and I butcher all of our family's deer (5-10 hunters) and those would be perfect. You do great work.

 

[Halfneck]

Ok that pic of the Patch knife got me looking at them. Outstanding work.

 

[kennedjt]

We'll I've stalked this forum for a while now trying to learn but this is my first post. These two Green Rivers were our first attempt (my son and I) at knife making. They skinned several deer and pigs last season and we just force patina'd them last week. Hopefully I did the picture correctly.

 

[iwouldhurtafly]

Will have to take an updated pic but I rescued a green river not too long ago. Here is the before and after with an Ontario I saved at the same time. This was the initial quick clean up, it has been finished up more since then, and has acquired a nice natural patina. Absolutely love that little Green River, such a good cutter. Very underrated blade...

 

[davek14]

Ok that pic of the Patch knife got me looking at them. Outstanding work.

I have one of those in my kitchen right now for all my "quicky" duties. It's a very useful little shape.

 

[Jack Black]

Great to see this thread has legs! :thumbup: Vince, I'm practically drooling here! :thumbup:

Here's a Joseph Rodgers Dadley from the first decade of the 20th century.

 

[scruffuk]

Some real tasty knives here folks :thumbup:

I've handled a few of these in the past, and have a few blade still to shod.

This is a set I did for some good friends about four years ago....