Teardrop Jacks

KnifeHead

KnifeHead

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Messages
5,561
The teardrop jack is an old pattern that goes back at least into the golden years of Sheffield. I'm told this particular knife is a Walden contract knife and it is stamped "Chapman Hand Forged". The Chapman Cut. Co. of Muncie, Indiana was in business from 1915-1931, probably another small cutlery casualty of the depression.

The blades on this knife look like they have not been used much. The springs are very firm. This is not an easy to open knife and I have noticed that many old knives were made with very strong springs. No accidental closings with this one!:thumbup::cool:

One thing to notice on this knife is the interesting peen pattern of the center spring pin. They must have used some kind of special peening hammer to leave a signature pattern on that pin. N/S bolsters and tip caps, brass liners, and luscious honey jigged bone make this carbon bladed oldie a sweet addition to TB's collection.

chapmanteardropjack1.jpg


chapmanteardropjack2.jpg


chapmanteardropjack3.jpg


chapmanteardropjack4.jpg


Now this would be a good place for you to post your teardrop jacks don'tcha think ;)
 
Queen Made Marbles, red bone and 1095
Marbles-Jack-Open.jpg


Queen Made Marbles, stag and 1095
Marbles-Stag-1.jpg


Two 1970's Case ones.
Teardrop-Jacks-1.jpg
 
Now,that last one that Larry posted....would that be considered a "candlestick" bolster,compared to the first few ??
-Vince
 
This is the oldest pocketknife I have
Is this considered a teardrop jack? I thought it was a swell end jack
knifeaholic posted that this Pine Knott is about 1930's era
I'll tell you what though,this has some snap & dam near no blade play,for an older knife,thin too,for a 2 blader
DSCN1857-2.jpg
[/IMG]
 
A teardrop has subtle curves on the side, giving it that "sexy" teardrop look that fits your hand so well ;)(I hope the censors aren't looking!)!
TLC's Case jacks are nice, but I think they are swell end Jacks. Note their straight sides.
Here's a teardrop HJ that is a kissing cousin of Tony's Chapman. I wonder how that happened??;);)
tbose-teardropharnessjack1.jpg

tbose-teardropharnessjack2.jpg
 
Great Chapman by the way, Tony! And nice photography by Kerry, including the pics of my HJ above!!
Here we have two teardrop HJs, both by Robeson. The top one is a contract knife for Globe Cutlery.
whomade1.jpg
 
I love teardrops! Here is an old Schrade Cut. Co. Note the curved tang stamp. Next to it is a KeenKutter The Keen's blade is down a bit, but I love the punch!
SchrKeenPair.jpg
 
VCM3 said:
This is the oldest pocketknife I have
Is this considered a teardrop jack? I thought it was a swell end jack
knifeaholic posted that this Pine Knott is about 1930's era
I'll tell you what though,this has some snap & dam near no blade play,for an older knife,thin too,for a 2 blader
DSCN1857-2.jpg
[/IMG]
Click to expand...
I'd like to see it closer Vince; Nice knife!
Sometimes the line is blurred between a teardrop and a swell end. If the sides curve a bit, in or out, or both (serpentine) it's fair to call it a teardrop, IMO.
 
Here's a rare bird, made by Napanoch for "Buhl Sons Co".
buhlsonsco.jpg

buhlsonscotang.jpg
 
waynorth said:
A teardrop has subtle curves on the side, giving it that "sexy" teardrop look that fits your hand so well ;)(I hope the censors aren't looking!)!
TLC's Case jacks are nice, but I think they are swell end Jacks. Note their straight sides.
Here's a teardrop HJ that is a kissing cousin of Tony's Chapman. I wonder how that happened??;);)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the details about what makes a TdJ a TdJ. The differences are subtle and the education is much appreciated. Oh yea, it's STILL a nice TB Harness Jack ;)
 
waynorth said:
A teardrop has subtle curves on the side, giving it that "sexy" teardrop look that fits your hand so well ;)(I hope the censors aren't looking!)!
TLC's Case jacks are nice, but I think they are swell end Jacks. Note their straight sides.
Click to expand...

Never noticed but there is a subtle difference in the sides.

Thanks for pointing that out. :thumbup:
 
Please keep on posting these wonderfull teardrops!
I think the teardrop is one of my favorite patterns,
it's a classic, it's as rugged as a barlow, but has the flowing lines of a gentlemans
slippie.
Especeally the teardrops with the wide spearpoint blade with dark wood keeps me drooling.

wonderfull
surfer
 
I have owned a Marbles version of this as well as some of the older Remingtons in my youth among others. Being a nail biter most of my life I always loved the easy opener pattern best of all others made in the way of slip joints of the time when I was a younster. There were many other patterns I liked the looks of better and perhaps even the blades but since I always struggled to open those I carried one of the Tear Drop easy openers most all the time.

As a teen I used a knife like this for everything from slicing my ham and cheese sandwiches and buttering bread to field dressing small game like rabbit, squirrel, coon and even fish we'd bow hunt as a youth. When Marbles came out with this one in Buffalo Horn handle in 2001 made for them by Queen I had to have it. I paid what I thought was the most I had ever paid for one of these but its a fine knife and I do like the nice thin 1095 blades on it even if it did run me over $140 to get it.

STR
 
Here are a couple better shots of a user with the smaller blade which you hardly see out a lot with these when it is photographed, and one of the big spear. As my grandfather used to say, these are jim dandy knives here!

STR
 
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