Made this 50 years ago and use it every day

1197 Views 14 Replies 6 Participants Last post by SLING-N-SHOT, Oct 11, 2020

Grandpa Pete

Discussion Starter · May 26, 2020

Fifty years ago I made this knife from a saw blade, the handle from a piece of elk antler. It's been used a lot over the years, mostly as a kitchen knife. Hardly a day goes by that I don't use it a couple of times, selecting it over the collection of commercial knives that live in our kitchen knife draw. I enjoy using old tools that have acquired a patina, the result of years of use. They are kind of like an old friend that you can count on and that you feel comfortable with. So, my friends, show me pictures of your old, well used, knives.

GP

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MOJAVE MO

· #2 · May 26, 2020

2

Alright Grandpa Pete. This knife belonged to my Grandpa who was a 'cattle man'. He grew us all up on the same Dairy Farm and carried this same knife from about 1920 to 1960 or so when he passed away. The button doesn't lock anymore. It has a legible serial number and was made by the Walden Knife Co of NY. I like carrying this knife off and on because it isn't that knife most folks would have and it is infused with Grandpa Magic!

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Grandpa Pete

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 26, 2020

MOJAVE MO said:
Alright Grandpa Pete. This knife belonged to my Grandpa who was a 'cattle man'. He grew us all up on the same Dairy Farm and carried this same knife from about 1920 to 1960 or so when he passed away. The button doesn't lock anymore. It has a legible serial number and was made by the Walden Knife Co of NY. I like carrying this knife off and on because it isn't that knife most folks would have and it is infused with Grandpa Magic!

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"Grandpa Magic"...I like that one. It's nice to have objects that come with a story.

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MOJAVE MO

· #4 · May 27, 2020

Okay. Here is the EDC of my GG Grandfather. He was from hearty stock of which his GG Grandfather was Chief Justice John Marshall, 1st Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. John Marshall was so revered that on the day he died was the day the Liberty Bell cracked and folks figured it was a reflection of the death of John Marshall. My GGFather grew up the son of the Founder of the Chico Iron Foundry in Chico, CA, Michael Mery. So with all that money and prestige floating around my GGFather was able to go to school and become a Dentist. His EDC really reflects that in my opinion. I wonder if he ever held a chunk of iron as a kid?The blade is stamped Imperial-Providence, RI. He was the Dentist for my Dad who was terrified of Gramps and HATED going to the Dentist. The story goes that while in the final week of his life he admitted to occasionly making a 'scratch' on a good tooth to keep the customers coming back for more!

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Grandpa Pete

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 28, 2020

MOJAVE MO said:
Okay. Here is the EDC of my GG Grandfather. He was from hearty stock of which his GG Grandfather was Chief Justice John Marshall, 1st Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. John Marshall was so revered that on the day he died was the day the Liberty Bell cracked and folks figured it was a reflection of the death of John Marshall. My GGFather grew up the son of the Founder of the Chico Iron Foundry in Chico, CA, Michael Mery. So with all that money and prestige floating around my GGFather was able to go to school and become a Dentist. His EDC really reflects that in my opinion. I wonder if he ever held a chunk of iron as a kid?The blade is stamped Imperial-Providence, RI. He was the Dentist for my Dad who was terrified of Gramps and HATED going to the Dentist. The story goes that while in the final week of his life he admitted to occasionly making a 'scratch' on a good tooth to keep the customers coming back for more!

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Great story. That old pocket knife has been around. Thanks for sharing.

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MOJAVE MO

· #6 · May 28, 2020

Okay Pete. My last one and I'll give somebody else the stage! This was my Pops EDC for about 60 years. One knife. It is likely a Robeson Shuredge based on the serial number. Pops used this knife for everything. He never ever did not have it with him.
I've shown 3 Generations of EDC knives from the men in my family. It actually really bugs me that I have more than one EDC that I own. Even a couple that may have never seen daylight. I can only use one at a time, and I can't take them with me. It really doesn't make any sense.

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StringSlap

· #7 · May 29, 2020

MOJAVE MO said:
Alright Grandpa Pete. This knife belonged to my Grandpa who was a 'cattle man'. He grew us all up on the same Dairy Farm and carried this same knife from about 1920 to 1960 or so when he passed away. The button doesn't lock anymore. It has a legible serial number and was made by the Walden Knife Co of NY. I like carrying this knife off and on because it isn't that knife most folks would have and it is infused with Grandpa Magic!

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The Press Button switch blade was contracted out to Walden for production from 1893 to 1903. After the contract ended, Walden continued to manufacture them. Press Button was the actual brand name. Early Schrade and Keen Kutter knives manufactured by Walden command a premium in the collectors market. Super knives Mo and GP!

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StringSlap

· #8 · May 29, 2020

Posted this before, but here's the first knife I ever bought. Got it when I was 7 or 8 years old and still have it about 48 years later.

Shoe Product Green Plant Font

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MOJAVE MO

· #9 · May 29, 2020

StringSlap said:
Posted this before, but here's the first knife I ever bought. Got it when I was 7 or 8 years old and still have it about 48 years later.

colonial.jpeg

And there you go. You could carry that knife for another 48 years and it is highly likely that it would ever fail you. Yet, like many of us, I bet you have more than a handful of 'backup knives' just in case!

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Grandpa Pete

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 1, 2020

My father had three blade pocket knife which I ended up with but, sadly I lost it years ago. I don't remember much about it except that he had sharpened two of the blades so much that half of the blades were warn away. I would sure like to have it now so that I could pass it on to one of my grandsons. I guess I could pass on one of my knives but it just would not be the same since I have dozens of knives, my dad only had one and he carried it all the time.

GP

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msturm

· #11 · Jun 9, 2020

Found this blade in a collapsed trapper cabin about 20 miles back in the bush. it had a few rotted out leather "H" shaped washers in the handle. I cut birch burl scales to fit. Back in working order.

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SLING-N-SHOT

· #12 · Jun 9, 2020

Nice job, great looking blade

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Grandpa Pete

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 9, 2020

msturm said:
Found this blade in a collapsed trapper cabin about 20 miles back in the bush. it had a few rotted out leather "H" shaped washers in the handle. I cut birch burl scales to fit. Back in working order.

Nice recovery...another knife with a story. Love it. What's that brand on the blade? GP

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Tag

· #14 · Oct 11, 2020

I would bet that if you asked the grandson’s which knife they like the best,it wouldn’t matter how many knives you have. I’m sure they have a special knife that you own.

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SLING-N-SHOT

· #15 · Oct 11, 2020

Grandpa Pete said:
msturm said:

Found this blade in a collapsed trapper cabin about 20 miles back in the bush. it had a few rotted out leather "H" shaped washers in the handle. I cut birch burl scales to fit. Back in working order.

Click to expand...

Nice recovery...another knife with a story. Love it. What's that brand on the blade? GP

Best I could tell GP, from enlarging the pic, was Western made in Boulder, Colorado

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