Actually, Don, of ABS Master rating/stamp, specialized in period pieces "back in the day", and passed on relatively young at age 57 back in 1999, so neither knife nor design actually new. On the other hand, the knife is nearly mint condition as was delivered from Don, the repro old knife thing.

Full convex to edge, 10.6 oz weight exactly 1/2 oz over the trusty woods pal 1-8 included for scale, balance at ricasso, differential draw down of tip/spine/rear of blade transitioning to tang. Copper bolsters/pins. Most everything else self-evident, except, perhaps, the sharpness, slices with ease through bunched rags and loosely held paper.

Self-evident being this your basic essence of "knife" in many cultures. In the USA, this would be your generic indian-trade/scalper/butcher/mountain man/camp knife, showing across even those groups its wide commonality/utility.

Or, simply, granny's old butcher knife unnoticed on kitchen counter.

Very beautiful knife, my congratulations!

Very ancient form of blade and handle, similar to Asian - classic.

yes, just classic basic knife, most anywhere, no style points.....whether Don sold it as such, it was listed as a "camp knife", was bought as such, and will be used as such. Brush buster and food processor.

I did not picture the sheath, but primitive, aged, covers blade, and flat "loop" sewn on back at top and bottom of leather piece, very flat and simple to shove under belt for easy on/off situations/times.

The US govt supply sytem might call it KNIFE, BASIC, CAMP/COOK.

that is a very nice knife. good grab. is the handle full tang?

Does he silver solder the brass bolsters?
the handle is cool

max

Thank you for compliments, guys, and mainly posting fyi as usual.

Full tapered tang. Mostly his bolsters pinned, but these copper ones were soldered. I would have chosen pins, but can always be added if need be.

PS- I suppose can add this historic note here, as well as anywhere else. For those who did not know, as for resemblance of these repro retro knives (and those originals they emulate) to modern kitchen cutlery varieties, those early frontier knives were the direct inspiration of the factory knives which followed shortly after the late 1700s-early 1800s golden age of primitive frontiersman westward expansion or plain roaming.

They are not too common to see for sale today. And him so long off the hot-property radar, trying to find more examples not leading to a gold mine, even though he was highly regarded at the time, and Muzzleblasts cover featured a knife of his as a prize the year he died.

You would never guess by looking at the photo that the last knife is a little 3.5" blade neck knife.

For those new to birdshead grips, the normal hold is as with a derringer. Pommel is butted against palm for thrusts and over a foot of reach, and a casual wrist flick buries the edge over 1/4" into a dead dry pecan tree trunk, near effortless chopping. Still light and fast when held in such a manner.

A more normal or choked up grip for kitchen or fine carving work, it handles as a much smaller knife out front.

As much as I dislike out of focus shots, this is the best I can do in between tropical waterfalls from the sky. The hot knife through butter wood carving came after the chopping and no perceptible use to knife at all. Actual chopping done with front half of blade also used for carving, as opposed to the "say CHEEeese" photo shot.

PS- As for tropical, the grass was just mowed yesterday.




(that would hurt)

Lofty, way better than any photo's I can do. great looking knives. I really like the multiple pins and the nice bolsters work. show us all the knife.

do you have sheaths for these cool knives?

max

This knife is the same as first posted next to my 1-8, and the others are photos lifted from the net in various older posts/listings, and sorry if not clear in that post.....in rereading, I see a phrase was dropped regarding searching "on the net" not leading to a gold mine. My apologies for lack of clarity. Let me make it up by adding a few more, the last terrible partial was described by seller as a "rifleman's bowie" with buffalo horn scales...

The sheath is a simple blade cover with flat strip sewn to back at top and bottom, and simply looks rough and stained, as it did new.

When time and weather allows, will post, but nothing to write home about, a frontier sheath with stitching too modern neat paradox. I like it for its minimalism to cut down bulk on a short sword.

I have been wearing it around the property removing brush, small trees, and banana plants, the knife simply stuck in waistband.

Max, as for multiple pins, the ABS guys know from experience in having their knives submitted for destruction tests, that a lot of little pins are better than a couple of big pins when it comes to the 90° bend test with blade returning to within a few degrees of true and only 1/8" (or whatever) cracking allowed at hardened edge.









Mainly posted all the above in case you run across such a marked knife with MS on ricasso or blade obverse, at a reasonable price, it will not disappoint.

lofty,
great photo's and great knives. I will be looking for these in the future.

thanks for the post and information

max