Thoughts on old-school Woods knives?

[desmobob]

I have a bunch of "old-school" design Blackjack knives (Woodsmen and Trailguides) that I often carry.

I also have this very old Case that I did a lot of work to. I spent a lot of time at the sink with wet/dry paper and a sanding block, working all those gouges out of the blade (the knife was found in the street, damaged. It had also apparently been "sharpened" on a bench grinder at some point).

Before:

After:

Stay sharp,
desmobob

 

[bindlestitch]

Great thread, Walter!
I love the classics. Scagel and W.L. Marble being my two biggest influences. Followed closely by Mr. Randall. I just can't get enough of the era that was their heyday. It was when knives were common and used commonly, not thrown away when the got dull. People actually knew the value of a good knife.
Later,
Iz

 

[Ramm9]

I've got a soft spot for them too. As a kid in Chicago I couldn't pass Abercrombie & Fitch without stopping in and eyeballing the Puma's. In retrospect I probably should have payed more attention to the Scagels' and Loveless knives that shared the showcase.

Best way to have a Kephart style, do it yourself.

Or, take a new one and de-tactical it by refinishing and adding bone scales....

 

[pitdog]

When I think of old school woods knives I think of those carried by the old time mountain men and fur traders etc. A maker that always springs to mind is Matt of ML knives.....

If you'd like to see what a Gossman version of an old school woodsman's knife looks like then you could always vote for my modified Roach Belly, now he is running the final vote !:thumbup:

 

[Gossman Knives]

The two top old school knives for me is the Marbles Woodcraft and the Puma Whitehunter.
Scott

 

[smitty0331]

I'm a huge fan of "old school knives". Probably because I like natural handle materials.

 

[udtjim]

This did not probably start out as a woods knife but it has spent the last 100 years as such. It has about a six inch handle and I have really big hands so this one gets a lot of use and there are not many jobs that it does not do really well from the kitchen to the campfire. This is one of three knives that belonged to my wife's grand dad.

 

[pitdog]

This did not probably start out as a woods knife but it has spent the last 100 years as such. It has about a six inch handle and I have really big hands so this one gets a lot of use and there are not many jobs that it does not do really well from the kitchen to the campfire. This is one of three knives that belonged to my wife's grand dad.

I like that one buddy, looks a real useful all round design !:thumbup:

 

[pitdog]

Not really a woods knife but still pretty old and pretty handy around the camp.....

 

[udtjim]

Thanks, It is a really useful knife. It would probably work as a one knife battery. Of course I would deny that if questioned by some people in my house.

 

[dawsonbob]

Not really a woods knife but still pretty old and pretty handy around the camp.....

I really like that. That knife has some character to it. Looks like a woods knife to me.

 

[koyote]

I use older knives for inspiration a lot. How old, and what inspiration, depends. Honestly, I think some of the later period stuff made use of machine tooling to do odd things to extra-thick stock just for the sake of being able to play with machine tooling. In general over parts of the periods I find handles to be anywhere from moderately uncomfoortable to tortuous. - Westerns- too short. Marbles- wrong contour and pokey bits in your thumb web or pinky (pick one), classic bowies- Inquisition hand torture devices.

But the blade profiles and (in the older stuff and stuff like the sharpfinger) the geometry! That's the stuff I'm trying to recreate, with working handles (and full tangs much of the time). Love, lust, awe, respect- there's some GREAT stuff out there.

If you can hang onto it without breaking a finger.

 

[coyotebc]

Some of my favorites

paid $20 at a swap meet a few months ago

My daughters

mine

paid $2 for this 30 years ago

after Mike Stewart worked his magic, with a Sharpshooter sheath

 

[Stainz]

Below is a Dall DeWeese remake from Marbles and a stag handled older styled bird/fish knife from them as well. These are my older knife designs - along with a few other Marbles. They came with probably period correct leather sheaths that were nothing to write home about considering the excellent Sharpshooter sheaths of today.

My oldest knife is my late Dad's old USN KaBar from the S. Pacific in WWII. I used it in the 'woods' from the early sixties to the eighties - when I dropped it from it's sheath to the concrete basement floor, breaking the pommel off. I eventually patched it - replacing a few leather washers and that pommel (Monel replacement fitted.). The new KaBar is now several years old - the similar style bocote-handled Bark River 'Boone' being even more recent. They are on a plank of zebrawood.

I have collected Pumas, too - from my 80's White Hunter to my 2003 Original Bowie. Odd how these 'older' designs hang on. The oldest 'style' Bowie I have is likely the one by Bear MGC, although mine is in Damascus - lots of Damascus - made here in Alabama, too.My first purchased 'woods' knife was a hunter my Mom bought me with Green Stamps in the early sixties. It was much smaller, sharper, and easier to tote than the KaBar. Lost years ago in a move, I finally found a replacement - in an 'orphan bin' at a yuppee sporting goods emporium - a Western #66 - $10 OTD - with a sheath that sort of fits. Nostalgia - and the walking sticks it made.

Stainz

PS I nearly forgot - the Northwoods Knives Gladstone Hunter - a current knife of D2 in the 'classic' style. Mine was a 'classic' bargain - and is a keeper.

 

[Tristan570]

Here's one, it was my great grandfather's, my great grandmother gave it to me after he passed away. Not sure what it is, never used it, but it looks fairly old. Beside my mora for size comparison. Anyone have any idea what it might be?

 

[Ed Fowler]

I do not know about the maker, but can see that your great grandfather knew how to sharpen a knife and used it hard. Note there is no secondary bevel, he sharpened her clean to the spine. He did not carry the knife on his belt, probably in a pocket or pack. There is a lot of history and knowledge behind the use and care of that knife.

 

[untamed]

Old school rules!:thumbup:

 

[harm]

to me ols school is Al Mar knivea,before Al passed away,and Gerber,before Fiskars.loved them

 

[kgd]

Where has Walter been hiding this past month anyways? I miss his wonderful knives being posted on the makers for sale list. Especially those moonshine series he has been posting!

 

[Quirt]

I have two I enjoy using in the wild...

This one is an authentic Green River Buff'r Butcher that has been in many camps of old and new. It lives with me when I'm camping or hunting in my old fashion canvas tent. It goes back at least 100 years as far as the oral history goes. It has several notches in the scales and the family still debates what or whom they represent! The blade is carbon steel and has an authentic patena shimmer to it that my camera doesn't capture well. In fact it almost looks like a cheap stainless here...but I can assure you it is not.

This one is an IKW Hudson Bay I asked Mike to custom built to my specs and mission. Although it is a new repro of an "ol timey" knife I wanted it to be stout for hard core usage.