I sure enjoyed Gus Marsh's presentation Wednesday night on Schrade. It gave me a renewed appreciation for a great cutlery. So I got to looking over my Schrade collection and wanted to re-share with you in this blog. Feel free to share yours here also. Maybe your special ones or all of them.

I was going to say that I have been sorting out which knives to take to Scotland with me next week.

It isn't strictly true though because I know right away which knives it will be. I have no great need for a handful of knives on this trip, in the past I only rarely had more than one knife at a time. Now I am a collector I have more than enough ,with a GEC viper being…

If you ever visit Larry and me you will understand why this is a weeks worth of work.  He does things in stages.  This is the final product over a week and sometimes more.  Now sheaths have to be made! Guess who has THAT job?  Hope you enjoy seeing these.  I think they are absolutely beautiful although I may be a little biased!

Tina…

On July 3rd, in the "Made in China!" thread, I mentioned that I was doing a little experiment with an "odd" knife.

Well I finished my “non-scientific” experiment with that knife. I took a China made knife, which happened to be a Coast in this test, and used it in tandem with a no-name brand knife. The no-name knife had no markings on it and came in a box labeled “Old Fashion Knife”.

The no-name knives (actually there were three no-names) had white bone or buffalo horn handles,…

Photos of Henry Calvin(Sgt. Garcia) with his " Texas Black Knife" - Also photo of  the Crozier Technical High School mini tank- BTW, they made this, too !!…

How these knives came to be dubbed " Texas Black knives"-  The first was found in an estate sale belonging to General  Graber Kidwell of Dallas, Tx.- Not much thought about it until another was found in the estate sale of Henry Calvin, better known as Sgt. Garcia of the old " Zorro" tv show- Got the finder interested in old newspaper articles etc. and he dubbed the knives " Texas Black knives-- What follows are old Dallas newspaper articles, and Henry Calvin (Sgt.  Garcia)  with his own "…

 Now  is the saga of the Crozier Tech knives-

Upon America’s entry into World War Two, our troops were painfully short of many items of equipment. Many were not even known at the time, as a new type of war was being fought. Large-scale troop movements in diverse weather conditions made supply a real problem. Clothing and weapons were the first big step, without which our troops could not enter any battle. Knives were on the agenda, but pretty far down on the list. The need was there,…

Here is an old letter requesting a knife--

"In Jun. 1943, my dad (only 20 years old) had just finished Navy boot camp, and commando training.  He was in an ARGUS unit, assigned to act as an infantry soldier, and to set up radar stations with the Marines when they invaded Tarawa (although he didn't know then that Tarawa was his

destination).  He felt his issued knife was insufficient as a combat knife. And he wrote home to my Granddad, in Dallas, with one request.  As I read…

The real hero of this saga is the Crozier Technical High School of Dallas, Texas- They are credited with making over a 1000 knives, some claiming over 2000 for the men overseas, but an authenticated example of such a knife is a mystery - The school  started making knives due to the pleas of servicemen begging for durable knives- These knives were crude by any stretch of the imagination, but serviceably tough- Most were made from old files and old commercial saw blades and were handled in…

Okay, how do I begin ?? Long before a nail file got a student expelled from school, there was a period of sanity when some schools actually sponsored the making of knives to support the WW2 war effort- I, as many of you know, do a lot of research on vintage knives as  a hobby for other members, and I was unaware of this until a few days ago- I find this story fascinating, and a story with a real lack of hard information- I thought the story worth sharing~~~ This story will be picture and…

Greetings everyone

It has been awhile since I posted anything on this wonderful site....I don't really know why but I know that I have missed you all and the wonderful conversations and comments. I have been going through quite a lengthy grieving process for my Father...Please people make sure that you share your feelings with your loved ones...that way once they are gone you will have no regrets and the Grieving process is far more easier...I know that I an glad that I was able to…

Earlier today I had conversation with Jim Sargent, His words to me were "I'll guarantee you that knife on page 235 is a good knife".Indicating the 6265LP in the lower right corner He went on to say he'd seen 2 or 3 others. Also that he would look around and get back to me in a couple of days.When I learn something more and I can spread more truth I will. Yay for the little knife!!!!!

Tony Foster explains the existence of both knives saying they were both mistakes...one in the WR era one in the tested era???? Hmmmm now my curiousity is really peaking as I am thoroughly unsatisfied with this explanation..and will pursue the topic further...To quote Micheal C. in the movie..."I try to get out and they pull me back in"..Onward with the quest.

AS I SAID EARLIER I TALKED TO FOSTER AND HE SAID IT WAS BS AND A MISSTAMP...I TALKED TO THE GUY I GOT IT FROM ..A COLLECTOR WITH 50 YRS EXPERIENCE...HE POINTED OUT TO ME THAT ON PAGE 97 OF SARGENTS 7TH,TOP RIGHT PICTURE..SAME KNIFE OLDER STAMP SO IT WAS A PRODUCTION KNIFE AND NOT A FREAK...i'VE GOT A EMAIL IN TO JIM SARGENT MAYBE I CAN GET A REPLY AND SOME GOOD ANSWERS...THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST I'LL KEEP YOU "POSTED"

I talked to Tony Foster about my knife he says it's a mis stamped 6208 whittler said he had one with 3 blades stamped as a 65. That 6265 and 6165 were both large frame knives first production was prior to 1920 in Bradford. I didn't think the blade was changed. It's been indicated to me knife is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of a lot,  Good day and my regards.................

 My knife measures 3-1/4" long it has 2 blades one pen like and another some longer but about the same style. Both blades are tang stamped with the tested 1920-1940 stamp the longer blade has 6265 with XX stamped over it. The handles are a redish greenish bone.(excuse the scientific color description) The shield shows a closed c.On page 120 of Sargents 7th edition, he shows a 6165 large frame hunter with a 1914-1919 Bradford production date. Now if that's true then the mystery is, WHEN WAS…

I saw the production schedule on GEC's website yesterday. I had told myself ,sternly , that I would resist for a while.

Then I got to thinking that I haven't got a knife in 440c and that ,oh well you know the story by now.

So I now have a GEC #47 Viper on order with antique amber scales.

Looks like the Viper has bitten me again.

I was recently contacted by a supplier of Pakistan knives and steel.  Now, Now...give this discussion a chance.

This supplier has been on iKC for a number of years.  When he first contacted me it was with the hope that I would listen and have an open minded discussion with him.  Because he is a member and has been very respectful not to overstep here at iKC with selling openly.  I chose to listen.  This was how the discussion started

The issue is that I want to…

What if you could spend a weekend in a town known for knife making, tour two US Knife factories and celebrate the likes of French Kate, Ben Hogan and the US oil Boom?  All the while spending the night in a caboose?

It brings back memories for me.  This is the first year in some time that we will not be there.  I encourage anyone close enough to make this trip...Do IT!

Titusville is a beautiful town, right down the road from Tidioute.  This year the one weekend can be action…

By preliminary, I mean I hope readers will be kind and,if I say things that are wrong they will help me to get it right.  Anyway, here it is:

 The “Trapper” pattern pocket knife emerged in the 1920’s and quickly overtook the Barlow as the leading American pocket knife form.  Although no pattern for pocket knives or for just about anything else emerges “whole cloth” or totally new, the Trapper seems to me to come about as close to that as possible.  It is not difficult to see the…