Zulu pattern with pen blade

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

Slipjoint Addict
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
Messages
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In my quest to acquire more Zulu patterns, I have been thinking about the original George Schrade pattern Tony based his design off of. Looking at a few dealers websites that carry Tony's knives, mostly on consignment, I have seen Zulus with pen blades, just like the original. Are there any makers out there that will produce a Zulu with pen blade? It is my goal to have one of Tony's knives, but that is a pipe dream right now. I've been thinking about Case producing one of his Zulus with a pen blade for a yearly collaboration. I don't know how likely that is. Incorporating a pen blade into the design might not be for me, but I still want to check one out.
 
Some custom makers will produce whatever you want.

Also, there are lots of production knives with spear and pen blades that could be very easily modified into Zulu and pen blades. If you aren't comfortable grinding the blade yourself, there are service providers on Bladeforums who could do it. That would give you lots of options.
 
Dan,
I personally like the zulu as an all around blade, thus more apt for a single bladed slipjoint...but taste is taste of course :rolleyes:
If I were you, I would probably consider a custom made knife.
As for Jake's suggestion, it could be a viable option for sure. As a personal note, though, I guess you would get better results modifying a sheepsfoot into a zulu, rather than a spear. I'm sure I've seen such mod posted here somewhere :)
P.S.: thank you for your email. Hope you got my reply :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
Fausto, I'm afraid the Zulu would lose it's charm with that pen blade, but I'm such a devotee of the knife design, I want to get the two blade just to see what's what.

I did get your response, I have something I need to get out to you, had it since early July. I think you'll like it.
 
Never seen a slipjoint with a zulu and pen combo (neither jack nor pen configuration), so I can't be sure...but I do think I'd rather have a single bladed zulu, or another blade shape (sheepsfoot for example) paired with a pen secondary.
Yet...I'd be curious to see one. For example, a GEC #15 boys knife with sheepsfoot modded into zulu, and pen... :rolleyes:
Thank you for your kindness by the way.

Fausto
:cool:
 
Sheepfoot would also work nicely and there would be much more material to work with. If you want to modify a knife to match the old Schrade pattern (see quote below), you'll probably need to modify a spear blade though. It was a balloon pattern and a spear master is much more common. There are a few from Queen/Schatt/Winchester. There are also a few cheapo balloon patterns... there's one from "Hammer Brand" (made in China) that had a spear and pen.

TLARbb said:
The top knife is a series XVIII swell center jack. This knife is fabulously nice.

knives110304-003.jpg
Click to expand...

4120%2B0fGPTL.jpg



waynorth said:
I have posted this knife before, but can't remember where!!?? My apologies if it is redundant!
In around 1936, Schrade introduced this modified wharncliffe blade. Instead of having a straight edge, the point rises slightly as the edge nears the end of the blade. The arch of the back of the blade has that distinctive Wharcliffe look. It looks cool in a swell center frame!!
When I posted it, someone found a magazine article advertising the Zulu Spear, but I have lost my file on it. Anyway, here is the knife, and the 1936 catalog cut!
Zulu3.jpg

Zulu1.jpg

Zulu2.jpg

ZuluCut.jpg

You can see one rivet was probably overspun, and broke off. Otherwise it's unsharpened/ uncarried.
Click to expand...
 
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The GEC #33 "conductor" or another balloon whittler would be a closer match. But I can't think of any w/ a main blade that would be easy to modify into a Zulu. Maybe GEC will make one in the future. It would make a nice SFO with the peach seed bone and Schrade shield.
 
Jake,
thanks for your post, I did not remember the Schrade model at all.
Although apparently quite similar, I agree that few spear blades are easy to modify into zulu spear blades.
But then again, a custom maker... :rolleyes:

Fausto
:cool:
 
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