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- Feb 25, 2001
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I know that I promised a couple months ago, to post some pics of my father-in-law's knife collection, but today was the first day that I felt up to the task. I've almost unpacked things a few times to take pictures, but it was just too soon. It would have meant acknowledging that he was really gone. For some reason, I woke up this morning, and knew that it was a good day. So here goes.
Please forgive the swirls on the steel. Pa coated each knife with a massive glob of Ren Wax, whether it needed it or not. LOL. I tried my best to clean them up before shooting them, and made sure to coat them back up when I was done.
First off, here is his small GEC collection. He didn't start buying GEC until the last year or two, but quickly became very impressed with GEC's level of craftsmanship. Pa had big hands, so he tended to favor large knives. His favorite GEC's were the Texas Camp Knives and #77's.
Toward the end, his hands grew very weak and shaky. The Navy Knife became his main pocket carry, as the EO notch allowed him to open the knife easily, and the 440C blade held an edge long enough for him to use it until I could stop by to touch up the edge for him.
The stag 77 barlow was pretty much his grail knife. He grew up carrying a barlow, and stag was his favorite cover material, so the combination was perfect for him. I think that if he'd had the money, every knife he purchased would have been in stag.
He always loved his Mudbug because of the total honesty of the design as a hard use working knife. The small fixed blade became the kitchen pairing knife of choice, while visiting our camp in the Adirondacks.
Pa's departed wife worked for Behr-Manning/Norton, while Pa was away in Germany during the Korean War, and for a few years after he returned home. She often had occasion to bring home sales samples on their products, as well as factory seconds. Pa became a small engine mechanic for Sears, so he put a lot of those Behr products to good use. When we cleaned out the house, I found a treasure trove or Behr wet/dry paper, a number of sharpening stones, most of which are Crystalon, and an old book on how to sharpen. I even uncovered an old leather strop.
This unnamed old stock knife is now one of my favorite working knives. It lives on my work bench in the garage now, ready to tackle any home repair job that I might be messing with.
I just had to show you these crazy old pair of Parrot-Head pruning shears. I sharpened them up, and they work amazingly well. Far better than those cheap sets you now buy at the hardware store.
These are his old fixed blades. There's his old Rapala small filet knife that he used to clean trout. The other two knives shared duty over the years, as his hunting knives. The R.J. Richter Mora has a sensational profile for outdoor use. The other stacked leather knife is a bit thick at the edge. I don't know who made it, as it has no tang stamp. All I know is that he purchased it at a hardware store in Troy, New York.
Make sure that you drink your AWAKE. Would Bette lie?
There are a ton of other traditionals in his knife collection. Some newer Queens, as well as some from 15 years ago. Lots of newer Case knives. He had a small scout pattern collection, and some German stag knives from the late 90's. He had some nice older AG Russells and a few Canal Streets too. I'll try to post more in upcoming weeks.
Please forgive the swirls on the steel. Pa coated each knife with a massive glob of Ren Wax, whether it needed it or not. LOL. I tried my best to clean them up before shooting them, and made sure to coat them back up when I was done.
First off, here is his small GEC collection. He didn't start buying GEC until the last year or two, but quickly became very impressed with GEC's level of craftsmanship. Pa had big hands, so he tended to favor large knives. His favorite GEC's were the Texas Camp Knives and #77's.
Toward the end, his hands grew very weak and shaky. The Navy Knife became his main pocket carry, as the EO notch allowed him to open the knife easily, and the 440C blade held an edge long enough for him to use it until I could stop by to touch up the edge for him.
The stag 77 barlow was pretty much his grail knife. He grew up carrying a barlow, and stag was his favorite cover material, so the combination was perfect for him. I think that if he'd had the money, every knife he purchased would have been in stag.
He always loved his Mudbug because of the total honesty of the design as a hard use working knife. The small fixed blade became the kitchen pairing knife of choice, while visiting our camp in the Adirondacks.
Pa's departed wife worked for Behr-Manning/Norton, while Pa was away in Germany during the Korean War, and for a few years after he returned home. She often had occasion to bring home sales samples on their products, as well as factory seconds. Pa became a small engine mechanic for Sears, so he put a lot of those Behr products to good use. When we cleaned out the house, I found a treasure trove or Behr wet/dry paper, a number of sharpening stones, most of which are Crystalon, and an old book on how to sharpen. I even uncovered an old leather strop.
This unnamed old stock knife is now one of my favorite working knives. It lives on my work bench in the garage now, ready to tackle any home repair job that I might be messing with.
I just had to show you these crazy old pair of Parrot-Head pruning shears. I sharpened them up, and they work amazingly well. Far better than those cheap sets you now buy at the hardware store.
These are his old fixed blades. There's his old Rapala small filet knife that he used to clean trout. The other two knives shared duty over the years, as his hunting knives. The R.J. Richter Mora has a sensational profile for outdoor use. The other stacked leather knife is a bit thick at the edge. I don't know who made it, as it has no tang stamp. All I know is that he purchased it at a hardware store in Troy, New York.
Make sure that you drink your AWAKE. Would Bette lie?
There are a ton of other traditionals in his knife collection. Some newer Queens, as well as some from 15 years ago. Lots of newer Case knives. He had a small scout pattern collection, and some German stag knives from the late 90's. He had some nice older AG Russells and a few Canal Streets too. I'll try to post more in upcoming weeks.
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