"Old Knives"

herder said:
waynorth, those Russell harness jacks are certainly rare in my book and are very neat!!! Russell Barlow models were offered in nearly every hardware and sporting goods catalog from the late 1800s through WW II, but it's darn hard to find any ads or paperworks for non-Barlow Russell folders from the early 1900s onward. I believe that Russell stopped making all folders aside from Barlow models much past the late 1920s, and I also think that the blade stamps on your models date to the 1920s. Did Russell actually make those models or contract out for them, who knows??? But they certainly are uncommon as you suggested.
The shield on the bone handled model was used on other Russell folders, but I have never seen the shield on the ebony model used before on a Russell.
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I don't know much about Russell knives, but I have one that Bob (Big Biscuit) kindly gifted me.
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herder, as Duncan implied, the second (Ebony) Russell HJ was probably made by Empire. The punch has the earmarks!
Nice Russell jack, r8shell!!
 
r8shell said:
I don't know much about Russell knives, but I have one that Bob (Big Biscuit) kindly gifted me.
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Nice old ebony jack, r8shell, and probably dates to the 1920s with that stamp and short curved nail pulls.
Earlier models generally had straight line stamps (or a different style curved stamp) and long match-strike nail pulls.
 
Here is an old Russell fixed blade hunting knife with a "Thistle" type handle.
Russell was one of the first to use this handle style right around 1900, and one of the last companies to offer that model type in the 1930s.
Some cutlery companies used carved horn for the handles, but Russell used carved ebony.
This type of guardless knife used a "Tube" sheath where the blade and most of the handle fit in for better protection and less chance to lose the knife.

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herder said:
Here is an old Russell fixed blade hunting knife with a "Thistle" type handle.
Russell was one of the first to use this handle style right around 1900, and one of the last companies to offer that model type in the 1930s.
Some cutlery companies used carved horn for the handles, but Russell used carved ebony.
This type of guardless knife used a "Tube" sheath where the blade and most of the handle fit in for better protection and less chance to lose the knife.

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Very unique and simply amazing!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::cool: Love the sheath
 
waynorth said:
Nice Russell jack, r8shell!!
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Thanks!
herder said:
Nice old ebony jack, r8shell, and probably dates to the 1920s with that stamp and short curved nail pulls.
Earlier models generally had straight line stamps (or a different style curved stamp) and long match-strike nail pulls.
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Thanks for the info. I figured it was pre-WWII, but didn't know much beyond that.
That's a very cool fixed blade. :thumbsup:
 
Thanks, Ramrodmb and r8shell.

Great old Russell Thistle model, Charlie!!! As far as I know, Russell produced that knife in two sizes, one with a 4-1/2 inch blade and one with a 6 inch blade like yours.
Russell offered many fantastic fixed blade hunting and Bowie styled knives in the late 1800s through the very early 1900s. Sadly though, only the Thistle top models and a few plain looking hunting knives existed through the company from just after the turn of the twentieth century up to WW II when everything ended for them. Enclosed is an illustration for the Thistle top model showing both sizes, and an original "Green River" hunting knife that was the backbone of Russell's original success.

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Thanks for a pic of your nice knife, and the info Neal! :thumbsup:
Cool woodcraft, Cal!!:)
 
tongueriver said:
Nice thistles. The only one I have is a Henry Sears 1865, and could have been made by someone else. It appears to have a woodcraft type blade, and I think the handle is a man-made material. Not a top-notch example of the genre, but possibly interesting.View attachment 1192685 View attachment 1192686
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Very nice example, and Sheffield also made some wonderful Thistle handled knives as well as Duncan stated.

As long as we are on a Russell roll, here is a Navy knife from around the turn of the 20th century.

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Great rope-cutter Neal!!! Russell is under-stated in the collector world!!
 
Great info and pics on the thistle knives. Very cool jack, r8shell.

Here's a Catt. "King of the Woods" with some nice bone. Blade is down a bit and there are some white specs on one side that I have not tried to remove so far. From what I have been told, this is a pre-1920 knife and that they didn't make the pattern after that. It was also made without a liner lock. It was a Case/Bose pattern a while back.
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A friend sent me this pic from a catalog. Beautiful catalog.
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Thanks Charlie and thanks for all of the "likes." A mutual friend talked me into it.
 
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That bone is remarkable Mike, catalogue too :cool:

Liked all that discussion and pictures about the Thistle Top knives, beautiful items, love to see a modern attempt on them:thumbsup:

Regards, Will
 
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ELBERS Czechoslovakia

This belonged to my buddy's grandfather who died some months ago.
It was a nice knife at one time. 3 5/8" long, half stops, smooth but lively action.
I adjusted the colour so that bone comes across just right.
Too bad about the run in with the belt sander. :confused:

Anyone here know anything about this knife?
 
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