MONTANA KNIFE MAKERS WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE - the Buffalo knife mystery
A good friend came down with lung cancer last year and has been selling his various collections. I bought his knife collection and have become stuck in a mystery which I hope you knifemen in Montana can solve.
The collection contains several hand made knives marked "OLSON" on the blade. The design is particular and I researched and found it IDed to Joe Olson of Montana. Further research led me to see the same type of knife made by the late Bob Schopp also of Montana. I was informed that Olson did not make that type of knife but it appears that he did. There is a short bio of him on line which shows this type of knife which I understand is called a "track knife". The surrent Olson knives are folders which are worlds away from these fixed blade types.
The photos below show the typical type of the knives with sheaths from Bodean Hide Works and the mystery Buffalo knife .
The Buffalo knife is quite a simple design and has a hand painted handle. The artist has signed a monogram "TS". This same monogram is found on the "OLSON" maked knife. The blade on the Buffalo knife is unmarked and wonders off to the right.
I read that Joe Olson started making his knives from old car springs and I wonder if this is one of his earliest knives.
It occurs to me that Olson may have bought out Schopp's business after his death in 2001 and contined using his parts but with OLSON marked blades.
Can anyone in Montana or elsewhere confirm why the same knives were made both by Olson and Schopp and who made and painted the Buffalo knife ?
A good friend came down with lung cancer last year and has been selling his various collections. I bought his knife collection and have become stuck in a mystery which I hope you knifemen in Montana can solve.
The collection contains several hand made knives marked "OLSON" on the blade. The design is particular and I researched and found it IDed to Joe Olson of Montana. Further research led me to see the same type of knife made by the late Bob Schopp also of Montana. I was informed that Olson did not make that type of knife but it appears that he did. There is a short bio of him on line which shows this type of knife which I understand is called a "track knife". The surrent Olson knives are folders which are worlds away from these fixed blade types.
The photos below show the typical type of the knives with sheaths from Bodean Hide Works and the mystery Buffalo knife .
The Buffalo knife is quite a simple design and has a hand painted handle. The artist has signed a monogram "TS". This same monogram is found on the "OLSON" maked knife. The blade on the Buffalo knife is unmarked and wonders off to the right.
I read that Joe Olson started making his knives from old car springs and I wonder if this is one of his earliest knives.
It occurs to me that Olson may have bought out Schopp's business after his death in 2001 and contined using his parts but with OLSON marked blades.
Can anyone in Montana or elsewhere confirm why the same knives were made both by Olson and Schopp and who made and painted the Buffalo knife ?
