Teardrop History and Current Trends

[Dornblaser]

I had to attend to something else before I completed my last post. I really like the Elliott's Queen. The shape, the scales, the steel, everything. I particularly like that it is a single-blade. I know that the harness version of the teardrop has traction in the '11 knife thread but we don't live in the horse buggy era. Collecting vintage, that's different.

- David

 

[blades&grace]

Hey Charlie I would love to see some of these in the "Closed" position. I see some things I want to change on my next attempt.

For several years, Queen was the only company making a Teardrop pattern, in modern times. Does anyone know of another company making one in the last few decades??
Here are some older Case teardrops;

 

[Blues]

I had to attend to something else before I completed my last post. I really like the Elliott's Queen. The shape, the scales, the steel, everything. I particularly like that it is a single-blade. I know that the harness version of the teardrop has traction in the '11 knife thread but we don't live in the horse buggy era. Collecting vintage, that's different.

- David

Better be kinda careful talkin' like that...Charlie's liable to take you outside behind the dumpsters.

(I'm just sayin'...)

 

[Dornblaser]

Better be kinda careful talkin' like that...Charlie's liable to take you outside behind the dumpsters.

(I'm just sayin'...)

Yikes!

 

[jujigatame]

As far as history and recent trends, the biggest difference I see is placement of the nail nicks (my pet peeve!). In all the old catalog repros as well as most of the photos that Waynorth and others have posted, the secondary blade is positioned on the mark side so that both nicks can be on the mark side for right-handed use. This only makes sense, in that the usual secondary blade is either a pen or punch, therefore small enough not to cover the nick on the master spear or clip.

Most modern two-blade jacks, not just teardrops, have the secondary blade on the pile side with the nick positioned so that you must open the blade left-handed or upside down! This has prevented me from obtaining quite a few newer jacks which are otherwise quite desireable (please take note, GEC).

Anyone else share this disappointment, wishing a return to the older standard? After all, the teardrop is one of the most elegant and useable of all jack patterns.

+1 on all of that. And I like having the larger blade closer to the palm of my hand when cutting, which the above configuration would also facilitate. Case got it right on the Bose Dogleg Jack, which was one of the reasons I liked that knife so much.


-- Nate

 

[waynorth]

Hey Charlie I would love to see some of these in the "Closed" position. I see some things I want to change on my next attempt.

I'll see what I can do, Brent!

I had to attend to something else before I completed my last post. I really like the Elliott's Queen. The shape, the scales, the steel, everything. I particularly like that it is a single-blade. I know that the harness version of the teardrop has traction in the '11 knife thread but we don't live in the horse buggy era. Collecting vintage, that's different.

- David[end quote]

Punchophobia is a terrible disease, David!
We all hope you recover soon!!

 

[lambertiana]

Bosse - yes, that Queen is part of the Queen City Cutlery Classics line. It is ebony with 1095 blades. I don't think they made very many of them, a quick check seems to show only two vendors who still have it in stock (cumberland knife works and gp knives). It is also one of the few knives I have for which I bought a second one as a backup.

I agree with Black Mamba on the blade layout. I prefer to have the pen on the mark side in front of the master, all of my antique slipjoints are like that.

 

[Will Power]

As far as history and recent trends, the biggest difference I see is placement of the nail nicks (my pet peeve!). In all the old catalog repros as well as most of the photos that Waynorth and others have posted, the secondary blade is positioned on the mark side so that both nicks can be on the mark side for right-handed use. This only makes sense, in that the usual secondary blade is either a pen or punch, therefore small enough not to cover the nick on the master spear or clip.

Most modern two-blade jacks, not just teardrops, have the secondary blade on the pile side with the nick positioned so that you must open the blade left-handed or upside down! This has prevented me from obtaining quite a few newer jacks which are otherwise quite desireable (please take note, GEC).

Anyone else share this disappointment, wishing a return to the older standard? After all, the teardrop is one of the most elegant and useable of all jack patterns.

I strongly concur with this, having the nail nicks on the same side is one of the aesthetics of this pattern, that and a broad spear blade.

I'd say the Teardrop is my favourite and I regret that so few contemporary manufactures offer them, it's a great shame as they fill the hand so well and they slice superbly because of this. As you can see, old knife catalogues abound with these knives. There seem to be two distinct interpretations of the pattern: a bulbous swell end like the Queen knife and I've seen them with quite a pointed end from bespoke makers such as Bose and Ohta.

The Teardrops I have are Queen Cutlery liner locks as already shown both in the Amber Carved Stagbone and BEM, I also had one in Zebrawood but gave it away on this forum. The bone version is a much liked knife of very high build, the BEM suffers from faults and I don't much like the material. I have the QCCC version in Greenbone, very nice opening,size and heft but the bone is not really well done but as a user it's OK. Kerry Hampton made me a fine Teardrop earlier this year and I have an odd Bulldog Teardrop in a nice acrylic or is it cell? Odd because it SHOULD be a great knife. nail nicks on same side, Long matchstrike pulls, swedged,union shield, Barehead but poor finish and poor steel that takes no edge at all.

Finally, the GEC 25 EZ-Open with Longpull Spear has the atmosphere of Teardop about it, especially when closed but it's not really it. Colt issues a Teardrop, don't know about it but at least this Chinese maker is bothering to revive the pattern. CASE please take note, as they have some fine Teardrop DNA!

 

[Dornblaser]

How big/long were the older Teardrops? Somehow they pics strike me as being in the 3 3/4" range? Just a guess.

 

[waynorth]

How big/long where the older Teardrops? Somehow they pics strike me as being in the 3 3/4" range? Just a guess.

Most are 3 5/8" to 3 3/4". I was talking to a knowledgeable person at GEC today, and he saw a Robeson, probably made by Utica that was 5" long! He claims it was an authentic knife of great beauty!
I was at the same show and missed it!

 

[kai76]

Thanks guys for all the info and knowledge on this very interesting thread. The teardrop pattern was the one that gave me the slipjoint bug and have always been one of my favorites. It's such a simple and classic pattern with very nice curves.

 

[black mamba]

I have four of the Queen/S&M teardrop jacks. All four of them are 3-7/8" closed.

The two on the left are the Queen City SFOs in brown winterbottom and green antique bone, 1095 carbon blades.
The top right is an older S&M in antique wormgroove bone and ATS-34 blades, with the seemingly ubiquitous #06L on bottom right.

Because the pen secondaries are on the pile side, I haven't carried any of the two-bladers, but the linerlock has seen a considerable amount of pocket time.
knifenut1013 (Jason) reground and polished the D2 blade to .25 microns. When I got it back from him it would whittle hair, at least for a while.

 

[waynorth]

That reddish brown WB is a beauty, Jeff!!

 

[black mamba]

Thanks, Charlie.

 

[Dornblaser]

Punchophobia is a terrible disease, David!
We all hope you recover soon!!

Thanks, apparently our moderator with his awesome knife collection won't be protecting me so I will take my beating like a man.

As a traditional newbie, I appreciate your posts and pics.

- David

 

[waynorth]

Thanks, apparently our moderator with his awesome knife collection won't be protecting me so I will take my beating like a man.

As a traditional newbie, I appreciate your posts and pics.

- David

When you get this kind of treatment, you know you've been accepted, David.
Now you are REALLY a member!!:thumbup:

 

[waynorth]

Posted for Brent:
I found these pics of the slick black, Brent. Tell me what else you'd like.

Nice lines, no?
Everything flows and harmonizes!

 

[wagglebee]

Brent, that teardrop is incredible.

 

[blades&grace]

Posted for Brent:
I found these pics of the slick black, Brent. Tell me what else you'd like.

Nice lines, no?
Everything flows and harmonizes!

Thanks for the post Charlie, this helps. If you find more closed pics of different teardrops from other makers that would be great!

Brent, that teardrop is incredible.

Thanks Rob, I was very happy with the way that one turned out!

 

[nifbuf]

The TD is one of my favorite patterns also. I have enjoyed this thread very much and want to add some examples of two old Schatt & Morgan TDs, one from Gowanda and the other from Titusville. I will also post a page from the 1907 Schatt & Morgan catalog.

David