"Old Knives"

Guy McVer said:
There's no need to try to invalidate someone's work just because you don't agree with what they did.
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Those who destroy history are doomed to trip over it in their future!!
Tyson A Wright said:
Don't miss out on that. You're the one being close-minded here, but you can change that.
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Hear Hear!!! There is usefulness in sharpening an old knife for use!! But erasing its history is not why we study and collect old knives!!
 
Tyson A Wright said:
It's only "closer to what it was originally" to someone who doesn't really understand antiques or restoration. No knowledgeable collector would see that as valid restoration. Neither would a museum curator. That video shows someone damaging an old knife, not restoring it.
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waynorth said:
Those who destroy history are doomed to trip over it in their future!!
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Here is a direct quote from a professional restoration service:

"Preservation and restoration are two different processes. Preservation focuses on maintaining the current state of the item, preventing further degradation. On the other hand, restoration involves bringing the item back to (or as close to) its original condition, repairing any damages or signs of neglect."

Source: https://oldetownecutlery.com/knife-repair-restoration-services/

So according to these professionals, I am actually correct. Go figure. It's crazy, right? How awful of me. I'm just a horrible person who doesn't crap on people for not having the same values as the cool in-group.

Guys, dial it back. Seriously. Just because someone contradicts you or disagrees with you doesn't make them wrong or a bad person.
 
Not all "restoration" is equal.

LCoSgCn.jpg
 
Guy McVer said:
Here is a direct quote from a professional restoration service:

"Preservation and restoration are two different processes. Preservation focuses on maintaining the current state of the item, preventing further degradation. On the other hand, restoration involves bringing the item back to (or as close to) its original condition, repairing any damages or signs of neglect."

Source: https://oldetownecutlery.com/knife-repair-restoration-services/

So according to these professionals, I am actually correct. Go figure. It's crazy, right? How awful of me. I'm just a horrible person who doesn't crap on people for not having the same values as the cool in-group.

Guys, dial it back. Seriously. Just because someone contradicts you or disagrees with you doesn't make them wrong or a bad person.
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I think I get it now - you think that because new-out-of-the-box the knife was shiny, and this guy made it shiny again, it was a restoration. But most of the rest of us think he damaged it, and the damage outweighs the shinyness.

You're the one who keeps telling the rest of us that we are narrow-minded. Who needs to dial it back here?

r8shell said:
Not all "restoration" is equal.

LCoSgCn.jpg
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I was thinking about this - so much of Youtube "restoration" is like this (although the damage is to objects not as rare or valuable as that).

I've restored a couple of old hammers - knocked the patina off, removed the mushrooming around the head, polished the face, hung a new handle on them. It made them useful to me again. But I wouldn't post a video of that to a forum of antique hammer collectors and then get mad when they don't appreciate my work.
 
waynorth said:
Mint - Schmint!!!
That's such a perfect specimen of a traditional Barlow!! Shows its age, but shows the spirit of an Ancient Barlow - the inexpensive working-person's tool!! I'm impressed - enormously!!!
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Thank you Charlie, it is probably my favorite barlow in my collection. I will always wonder what the story is behind this knife, was it bought as a gift for someone that went off to WW2 and never came back. Why did it remain unused tied in the gift box? I almost wanted to leave it in the box as found but the light layer of rust was too much to ignore, at least I have the pictures.






 
North Shore said:
First traditional for me in a while, picked bone serpentine split spring whittler with multiple pinches in the bolster and a long drawn out swedge clip blade. I like the Shapleigh diamond shield

View attachment 2527035
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Wow, that one is a prize! If that doesn't get you hooked back on traditionals, nothing will.

Please don't polish it. ;)
 
waynorth said:
It's just great, John!!! I am glad you can still post pictures!! 😁
Is that a Case box?? If so, can you show the cover??
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Thanks Charlie, the box is not marked Case anywhere, I think it is just a box that whatever store sold the knife put the knife in as a gift box. Pretty sure most knives back then came in boxes of 6 and not individual boxes, the box is Case blue though.
 
North Shore said:
First traditional for me in a while, picked bone serpentine split spring whittler with multiple pinches in the bolster and a long drawn out swedge clip blade. I like the Shapleigh diamond shield

View attachment 2527035
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Nice Whittler!! Beautiful condition!!
Your knife was made by Empire for Shapleigh, before or after WW I !!
I have it on good authority (Winsted, Connecticut relative of an older Empire worker) that some expert cutlers hand filed those grooves on higher end knives as extra decor!!
Note my little serpentine pen below!!Pinched Pearl 1.jpgDimpled pen 5.jpg
 
Great info Charlie and beautiful knife Dan.

Dan , did you see the discussion on AAPK entitled NYK saddlehorn ( poster admitted it was not that pattern)? I said all that because of the pick bone handles on your Empire DE. I made the assessment in the post that the lovely pick bone handles on that knife had been buffed , therefore most likely taken apart because of such buffing.
We'll notice no buffing around the bolsters or springs on your knife ( although buffing is typical on many original jigged bone and stag handles), which I consider typical for most , if not all , pick bone in it's original state.

This information is something that would never be found and lost forever with whatever you call what that YouTuber is doing!

I haven't seen an original state pick bone handle that was buffed at the edges. I believe this is another example of the "Stag Shop" aka The Walden Handle Company comprised of Schrade, NYK , and Walden Knife Co. I make that statement , but somehow Wostenholm ( and I don't think they got theirs from The Walden Handle Company) was pick boning some of their handles and I might imagine other companies may have been also.

 
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