Great Eastern 38s Farmers Jack

I agree with the favorable comments above concerning the absolute utility this knife offers. I carry one everyday in a horizontal slip sheath for ease of access. Just a great knife that you have to try for awhile and make up your own mind. Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder
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The more I look at these the more I realize I need to have one. .. let the hunt begin.

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Here's my latest which I was very lucky to be able to get from Jamie on the Exchange, thanks mate! I always though Camel Bone was the preserve of Northwoods GECs but fortunately not. This is my first Camel and I'm very impressed with the colour and character, nice thicker slabs which I think is very important on a single-spring or single-blade knife. Very nicely turned out knife indeed and Jamie put a fine edge on the blades, that's a bonus too as GEC edges are usually dullish.

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Will Power said:
Here's my latest which I was very lucky to be able to get from Jamie on the Exchange, thanks mate! I always though Camel Bone was the preserve of Northwoods GECs but fortunately not. This is my first Camel and I'm very impressed with the colour and character, nice thicker slabs which I think is very important on a single-spring or single-blade knife. Very nicely turned out knife indeed and Jamie put a fine edge on the blades, that's a bonus too as GEC edges are usually dullish.

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Although not a northwoods it is a bohn - but it's a good bohn indeed! :)


- Paul
 
Will,

My pleasure, for sure. It was indeed a fine knife, just had too many examples to choose from. Can't keep them all as they say...

I hope it serves you well and with the brass liners and n/s bolsters it may just well add some variety to your 38's!
 
I have once said,I believe these working knives were developed for the gardener and pruner that was a "cut above" the common gardener. Maybe for an Earl of Wharncliffe or some other noble gardener that wanted a knife of use, but beautifully constructed.

She could work all day and still be lovely in the evening.
 
It's a fascinating idea Lyle. Not only a different pattern and beautifully put together, but also immensely practical. The other day I was cutting a long mixed hedge at the country place that gives on to a field. Had to negotiate a ditch and some rough grass where I've seen snakes several times (I am not a fan of them:eek::barf: ) before I could start cutting. No machinery for me, I prefer a lightweight pair of sharp shears, and as the hedge is not out of control, shears work best. For removing suckers or long plants growing in the hedge the Lick Creek worked flawlessly, the small Hawk is the man for these type of tasks, effortless. At the end of it a nice job and having a beautiful knife in your pocket that's made its contribution, is contentment of the right sort!

Would be excellent to find out more about its origins, maybe somebody will unearth an old catalogue that sheds light on it or from an early c20th gardening book such as the English were keen on? We wait and hope.

In the meantime, another run of Lick Creeks with some choice Stag on it or an appropriate synthetic would be just the job to tide us over:D

Many thanks, Will
 
Will Power said:
Here's my latest which I was very lucky to be able to get from Jamie on the Exchange, thanks mate! I always though Camel Bone was the preserve of Northwoods GECs but fortunately not.
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Sometimes our brains forget to explain to us what we already know. Ahem:

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(Currently, Bohn/KSF is the catalyzing camel connection, not "Northwoods" exclusively.)

;)

This is my first Camel and I'm very impressed with the colour and character, nice thicker slabs which I think is very important on a single-spring or single-blade knife. Very nicely turned out knife indeed and Jamie put a fine edge on the blades, that's a bonus too as GEC edges are usually dullish.

IMG_4129.jpg
Click to expand...

What a beauty!

Lyle's Farmer's Jack was my "Knife of 2015," as seen here.

The cut to the chase, from the post linked above:

pertinux said:
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I have loved how Lyle loves his Farmer's Jacks from the first time I was fortunate to meet him, and was honored to help him put his heart to words for the label of his/GEC's Farmer's Jack.

As for the knife itself, I expected to admire and respect the pattern, to esteem the knife for what it represented.

I had no idea I would love it, nor that it would beg to come along day after day after day, and prove so useful in all its doings. As with the #83, it overrode default preferences (for jack configurations, for at least one 'normal' blade[!], for smaller knives), totally surprising and delighting me.

I carry it most often with an LT Wright Patriot, thusly:
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So, my Knife of 2015:
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There ya go.
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:D

~ P.
 
You guys make me smile.

Will ,I have a reprint of an 1885 Wostenholm catalog( their first of such,although stated their business predated that century) and standing out beautifully among the other pruners was the farmers jack.( I still wonder where Levine got that term). Earliest dated catalog cut,I have seen them listed in the "town patterns"book, I expect was earlier,but I haven't seen those Town patterns dated.

It was simply listed as and with the other pruning knives,peach pruners and the more robust bladed common pruners.It was amazing to see the various widths of the pruning blades.

It was on Plate 1,first among their listings. There are 14 different styles of pruners,this excludes their budding and grafting knives. All are the single bladed hawkbills we are accustomed to,except the farmers jack and one pruner included a saw blade.
 
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Well, I have looked most all of these over that I can. I saw a few new ones that have micarta, wood and camel bone handles. The two I seem to come back to are the Lick Creek jigged antique yellow pick bone and the smooth ivory bone. It's odd that these two knife handles are so different yet both appeal to me. One with smooth bone and one with jigged bone. I think it maybe the long bar shield on them that is attracting me. The newer ones have a similar bar with some fancy ends but they just don't do it for me for some reason. LOL. There is one with a Tidioute shield, dark blue jigged bone and no etch on the blade. But, no joy on that one either for me. The Orchard Gems with the diamond shield are very nice looking and there's even one with similar jigged bone like the antique yellow pick bone on the Lick Creek but I'm more attracted to the long bar shield on the Lick Creeks ones. Maybe its the etching too that is pulling me toward the Lick Creek. Maybe it's the idea and history behind it. I saw in the other thread on these 38s where the design for the Orchard Gem came from as far as the diamond shield.

Lyle, was there a similar knife in the past that you based the long bar shield on you're design for the Lick Creek 38 models? I may have missed it in the other thread if it's pictured there. This is becoming a bit torturous to try to pick one I prefer. However, I'm working in the right direction.
 
A most satisfying knife - thanks again Lyle for bringing this pattern back to life. OH

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Glocktenman,

Here is to hoping the blue bone may grow on you. While not the most beautiful of the #38's, she is still quite attractive ;). Definitely something to hold you over until something fancier can be had. Just let me know if you want a test drive, more than willing to send her your way:thumbup:
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Lyle, was there a similar knife in the past that you based the long bar shield on you're design for the Lick Creek 38 models? I may have missed it in the other thread if it's pictured there. This is becoming a bit torturous to try to pick one I prefer. However, I'm working in the right direction.
 
Yes Randy,about half or more had the bar shield , Wostenholm's might have been the biggest influence, but there was a lot to look at. I think aesthetically it compliments the frame best.

It's simplicity draws a focus on the whole,not of it's own,but it does appeal to the eye in contrast to the curves.

If I had got my order for the boys knives in time, I would have appealed for a small bar shield on mine. I'm thinking about making it a signature of what I SFO.
 
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Examples:

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Top to bottom: Utica, Cutsure, Enderes, Crown, A Jordan, H A Dreer

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All Wostenholms

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Wibert,Adolph Blaich,Camillus,Utica UTK,Challenge

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Valley Forge?( This might be Wostenholm),Remington,Schrade( made for Peter Henderson Co NY)Valley Forge

There's more Randy.Seems a standard ,unless they used their Co. shield
 
Thanks OH(Bruce?), I'm guessing from AAPK remembrances,and thanks to Bill Howard.
 
So, I bought these two (47 and 38) together. Taking them out of their tubes, I was blown away by them both, but the 38 the real beauty. The jigging in mine has really continuous lines that feel amazing under the finger. The brazilian rosewood is such a rich color, and that beaver shield is just 100% awesome (IMO) :cool::thumbup: When you have the secondary blade out, the hawkbill fills the inside of your palm, leaving the perfect amount of room for your index finger to come down on top of it for an incredible grip. This knife is perfect, and I can't wait to make a deal with someone who wants to get rid of their whittler :p

(if the blade seems weird or has spots its just a little mineral oil I put on because this one has been sitting in the tube... that big ass 47 was too tempting to play with first :rolleyes: If I were to go back and only purchase one of these though, it would be the 38. But since I've already patnia'd the 47... guess I gotta keep them both :D











You can find the unboxing video I did here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yewm5mvUzgs
 
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