Page 24 - Blade (January 2019)
P. 24
COLLECTING CUSTOMS |
4: BIG TOYS for BIG BOYS proach is to help your focus, saving you
The original path was the one known as both time and money.
“Big Toys for Big Boys.” The mystique of Once you have identified the direction
the bowie knife has been around since you want your collection to take, begin
the time of the man whose name it bears. doing your homework and raising your
Variants of the bowie were mainstays knife IQ. If you don’t, you will fi nd that
of the Civil War and the settling of the you have done yourself and the custom
American West. The 1900s brought small- knifemaking community a disservice if
er versions of the knife primarily used in you pass on a quality knife because of
armed confl ict and introduced collectors your low knife IQ. Moreover, you may
to knives used by the military. Makers buy a knife that one day you decide to
of such knives included Floyd Nichols, trade or sell, only to find you will have to
Frank Richtig, Walt Kneubuehler and take a loss on it because you overpaid for
Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer Rudy Ruana, to it, again due to your inferior knife IQ.
name a few. Most knife enthusiasts are Doing your knife homework will in-
more familiar with the factory elite of the crease your knife IQ, enabling you to
time, including Randall Knives, Ek, Mar- get the best value for your money. This
ble’s and various repros of the Fairbairn- will allow you to add knives to your col-
Sykes dagger, to name a few. lection with confidence.
Tony Bose changed the landscape for the Bowies and combat knives in all
collectors of custom slip joints and multi- their designs, dimensions and materi- The 4 F’s
blades. (Kerry Hampton image) alshavefascinatedcollectorsforover Knowing the “4 F’s” of custom knives
170 years. Today most of us would not will bolster your knife IQ. They are:
knife user/collector to the designs of think of carrying knives with blades in 1) Fit. How does the knife fit togeth-
some ofthebestcustomtacticalfolder excess of 6 inches. However, that does er? Are there gaps between the blade
makers of the time. This combination not keep collectors from wanting such andguard?Arethescalesflushwiththe
created a confluence at the BLADE Show pieces. Larger knives, in particular tang? These are examples of some of the
andotherknifeeventswhereknifebuy- forged models, are once again gaining areas to examine.
erscouldseethefactoryversionsand in popularity. 2) Finish. Does the blade have a
the custom knives they emulated. This smooth, even finish? No matter what
created the path to the everyday carry Do YOUR HOMEWORK style of knife, pay particular attention
(EDC) knife. Try to determine the direction of your totheplungelineareas.This is where
collectionas earlyaspossiblewiththe thegrindmovesdowntowardthechoil
understanding you are not committed area.Thegrindsshouldbeevenoneach
to the direction for an extended period side. The same equality should exist in
of time. The reasonin g , if there is one, and handle.
(See“FitandFinish101”thisissue.)
3) Flow. The knife should move
seamlessly from the blade tip to handle
butt. Uneven grinds, blocky guards and
poor ergonomics will detract from the
knife’s flow.
PATH 4: Bowies and combat knives have fascinated collectors for over
170 years. Terry Vandeventer’s bowie includes Dog Star damascus,
seashell motif damascus, and woolly mammoth ivory in a damascus
frame. Overall length: 15 inches. Maker’s list price for a similar piece:
$3,600. (image courtesy of the author)
24 BLADE JANUARY 2019
