RIP Tony Bose

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brownshoe said:
I met Tony at a show and it was during a dead time. I joked about whether or not he'd sell out. He laughed and showed me the paper slips for the lottery, joyfully indicating that he did the knife lottery in order. You got picked for a knife, you didn't pick a knife.

He said it wasn't always that way. Once he was hard up and needed food for the family. He traded a knife for a dozen pizzas, one at a time over a few weeks. The guy tried to cheat him out of the last pizza, but he had kept track with hash marks by the phone he used to call in the orders, so it didn't work, since delivery of the knife came after the 12th pizza. I spend time in rural IN and it can be a hardscrabble state.

He encouraged me to go for the lottery, but I told him "I was a man of means by no means." He laughed and said if I won, to keep it for awhile, enjoy it and then sell it for more $. I told him that's why I buy his Case knives, so I could keep them. He then pulled out the Remington he rebladed with 440V that was the inspiration for the Wilfred lock back hunter. Guess what knife I bought next when the price dropped to $320 :)
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Here is the Remington knife you are referring to right next to the Remington reblade Tony made for me. Pretty epic pair of you ask me. Like you, I love this pattern so much that I ended up with the Wilfred lockback hunter prototype from Tony. I’ve really enjoyed reading all these posts and hearing the stories of Tony’s generosity and impact he made on all of us
 
Lhpanther said:
View attachment 1463201


Here is the Remington knife you are referring to right next to the Remington reblade Tony made for me. Pretty epic pair of you ask me. Like you, I love this pattern so much that I ended up with the Wilfred lockback hunter prototype from Tony. I’ve really enjoyed reading all these posts and hearing the stories of Tony’s generosity and impact he made on all of us
Click to expand...
I was waiting for Tony to reblade my Remington lockback!! :(
I'd rather see Tony again, than that knife!!
 
mendezj said:
I’d like to post this here too if I may.

I met Tony some 35 years ago. That was before the Internet. I was talking to Bill Keaton about a pocket knife and he told me that if I wanted the best pocket knife made I should talk to some Tony Bose. And to make sure to ask for 440V blades. I called Tony from Ecuador where I was working for Philip Morris. I remember that we laughed a lot during that conversation before we agreed on the knife he’d make for me. It is, as I still have it, a small gentleman’s knife with black Micarta scales..., and 440V blade. Throughout the years I have skinned many a deer with that little knife as well as dressed many, many doves and ducks.

We kept in touch since, I finally met him in Atlanta at the knife show. He had made a knife for me and told me that if I wanted it I had to pick it up in Atlanta. By then I had several of his knives as I knew I couldn’t get a better knife if I tried. In Atlanta we went to dinner with the Case big boys and had a great time. We last met last year when I went to visit him at his home in Shelburn. We last talked on the phone yesterday and today I received an email with a picture of another choke tube he had made for me.

Very seldom one has the opportunity to meet someone with the extraordinary kindness and human mettle as Tony. Tony was a truly exceptional man. Deeply in love with Karen, his little dumpling, his beautiful wife, companion, best friend. Tony was a family man. I don’t think he ever recovered from the death of one of his sons a few years ago in a tragic car accident. He raised Reese to be a solid man, a trustworthy, hardworking man who inherited his father’s talent and work ethic.

There are powerful men, rich men, captains of industry, rulers of empires, and then there is the virtuous man. Tony Bose was a virtuous man. A superior man because of his integrity, character, and deeply noble soul. I’ll think of Tony every day, and I’ll miss him every day. I hope Old Dawg, Wizard, that there is a Heaven because if there is you’ll be one of the few souls deserving a restful peace forever. Much, much love, brother man.
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Thank you for sharing your memories. They are wonderful stories that help us know what an outstanding man Tony was.
 
My condolences to the Bose family and friends.
I never met Tony, but it was on my to do list.
I can see what type of man he was by the outpouring amount of love.
RIP Tony
 
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F999A90F-1B33-444E-8393-7B58366CCB3F.jpeg What a way to find this out. I’m new to knife collecting. I’m just entering into leaving the knowledge gathering phase of our hobby so I’m researching a little, trying to find out more about the knives I have and organize my collection a little. During this activity, I’m researching Case knife tang stamps an I came across one with USA T.B.6.5210 SS. Hum, what does that mean? I found that T.B. was for “Tony Bose.” Not knowing who that is or anything about him, I began researching his name. What sad news I found! RIP Mr. Bose. What a legacy you have created. We are fortunate to have had you with us. You have truly given our world of knife collecting great gift.
 
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“VCM3 said:
I still kinda can’t believe it either , the sad news. Reading and seeing the picture posts all over the internet ,then coming here to the "porch " and reading the replies. Tony , Rest In Peace , will be missed by so many ,now with a hole punched in our hearts . He loved the knives and the people that came associated with. Tony was such a great guy , and I think a part of him will go on in every one of us he met and didn't , the knives being the common. RIP Tony Bose condolences to the Bose Family
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Vince ,you are so right , its been over a month later an the vacuum has just been taken out of me. I can’t hardly get in the spirit to go to my shop and do anything. But I know this loss to all of us is hard . Once I told Tony , I’m ready to quit, give it all up and he said to get your self back in your shop an keep trying . So i said to my self, yes I can do it an there will be no student of Tony’s who is a failure . So I give him all the Thanks for putting up with me all these years and having patience when i asked questions on why or how to do a particular job on a knife. My heart goes out to Reese and Karen.
 
brownshoe said:
I met Tony at a show and it was during a dead time. I joked about whether or not he'd sell out. He laughed and showed me the paper slips for the lottery, joyfully indicating that he did the knife lottery in order. You got picked for a knife, you didn't pick a knife.

He said it wasn't always that way. Once he was hard up and needed food for the family. He traded a knife for a dozen pizzas, one at a time over a few weeks. The guy tried to cheat him out of the last pizza, but he had kept track with hash marks by the phone he used to call in the orders, so it didn't work, since delivery of the knife came after the 12th pizza. I spend time in rural IN and it can be a hardscrabble state.

He encouraged me to go for the lottery, but I told him "I was a man of means by no means." He laughed and said if I won, to keep it for awhile, enjoy it and then sell it for more $. I told him that's why I buy his Case knives, so I could keep them. He then pulled out the Remington he rebladed with 440V that was the inspiration for the Wilfred lock back hunter. Guess what knife I bought next when the price dropped to $320 :)
Click to expand...

GREAT story!!!

Lhpanther said:
View attachment 1463201


Here is the Remington knife you are referring to right next to the Remington reblade Tony made for me. Pretty epic pair of you ask me. Like you, I love this pattern so much that I ended up with the Wilfred lockback hunter prototype from Tony. I’ve really enjoyed reading all these posts and hearing the stories of Tony’s generosity and impact he made on all of us
Click to expand...

What a pair!!!
 
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