All I need is another excuse!
My 'DANO PANTHER' and my prototype sheath. I designed and made these for Dan and Danny Owens. They paid me in knives.

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Field Researcher. IGC

And one more.
'DANO FIGHTER and , again a prototype sheath.

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Field Researcher. IGC

Hobbyist,thanks for reviving this thread! Some fantastic blades here.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

Had these a long time.
Dick
[IMG]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/vrichard_2006/000_0026.jpg[/IMG]
Top is a NEMO (Buck USA) Bottom is a 124 (Buck 124 USA)

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Mafuta54

An old Puukko knife from Finland a friend gave me along with a WW2 Savage Enfield No1, MK4 and several bayonets.


A WW1 bolo dated 1910.


An assortment of handmade knives. The throwing knife was made for me by a late friend.

This is a custom knife made by my friend Steve Tedford. He is a master knife maker and it has become my favorite hunting knife.
The handle is big horn sheep antler and the blade is razor sharp.
Great for all jobs when cleaning a big game animal.

Dick-

I think we may have discussed this photo before; can't be sure.

At the top and bottom of your display are Bucks that are either Nemos or the Model 124. I usually see the later laminated wood handles on the model 124. I think they called it the Frontiersman. I once published an article on it and its use in a Nocona boot ad, in a knife title. Buck and the ad agency were very cooperative, and I got the full story on the artist, who depicted a cowboy using a 124 to behead a rattlesnake whose head he was holding down with his Nocona boot. He painted with a propietary technique, almost photographic in detail.

Many of you saw that ad, which ran in, "Playboy" and other big slick magazines. Maybe someone here can find and post the image. ?? Don't know if copyright might be an issue, but a link should be legal.

Anyway, what model is marked on the blades? Are they the same? Are these considered Nemos or the Frontiersman version? Both of yours have the earlier phenolic resin handles. Are the edges of the tang exposed?

The Nemo was intended as a dive knife, and failed in that role because some divers said the blades rusted. I believe this was due to them not caring properly for a dive knife that has been exposed to salt water. My diver son found that unless he scrubbed the blade of his knife in fresh water (not just rinsing it under a tap) the salt residue remained and rusted blades. It is also possible that the area where the guard joins the blade was not well sealed, as if by silver soldering, as Randall does with his knives. In that case, salt water may have seeped up into the guard and rusted the tang, weakening it.

The photos that I've seen of the Nemo didn't have the handle pins. Those may have been added later, maybe or maybe not before the knife was remarketed for land use. I can't tell for sure in your photo, but don't see the pins in the top knife. ?? I've never seen a Nemo in person. Don't know if the tang edges were exposed, where they could rust after frequent exposure to salt water.

I had a Model 124 in the later laminated wood handle form. The handle was just a little thick for my hand and I sold the knife. I wonder if the Nemo phenolic handle is slightly thinner?

Anyway, I think both knives are now collectors' items, especially the Nemo dive knife. Not as many collect Buck as collect Case, but many do. I do not know the current value of the Nemo, but think it may well reach well over $200. Depends on who has it and what they know about it, of course. You might get lucky and catch a garage sale where they think it's just some old knife they no longer want.

But that raises the moral issue of whether or not to rip them off...

Oh: look at the modernistic steak knife in between the Model 102 and the Caper, on the right. I'm almost sure that I saw that knife in a thriller movie starring Morgan Fairchild (who my mother taught in high school) being stalked by a mad fan of her role as a TV anchor. It was called, "The Seduction." I met her in a restaurant a few years ago, and she couldn't recall the movie. Pity. It made the point very clearly that good people have to be armed, as the police cannot protect. She blew the bad guy away with an Ithaca M-37 shotgun. I reviewed the movie, and the studio PR girl found a good slide of her with the Ithaca, which I used in the article. If you can't place Morgan Fairchild, she used to star on TV series like, "Falcon Crest" and, "Flamingo Road", but made a number of movies, usually not blockbusters, but sound. Mother said that she was an exceptional student in her Honors English 11th grade class. I found her to be bright and articulate in person, and she shares my interest in paleontology, perhaps almost unique among actresses. But she had no idea which knives were in her kitchen in that, "Seduction" movie.

However, the movie is good, and worth looking for.

I don't have too many knifes, just a few that interested me.
Heres my "Cobra" movie knife.

The "Rambo" knife.

"The Enforcer" or Special Forces knife.

And the knifes seen in many movies, the Switchblade and Butterfly knifes.





Ernie

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S&W .500 Magnums RULE !

Dick, thank you for your service!

Lots of nice blades here!

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Rather be outdoors

Just picked up a Spartan, "Horkos" model. Waiting for it to be delivered!
Please continue to share your favorites--

Respectfully,

TH

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Rather be outdoors

Not sure how rare or valuable...but maybe "unusual" would apply. I bought these in the late 90s. E bay seems to be selling them for around $150.00. Not very strong or sharp, from what I've heard. The liner lock doesn't seem very secure.

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NRA Life Member

This Special Forces Bowie has an interesting story behind it. I purchased this totally unused knife and scabbard many years ago when I lived in El Paso. One evening I showed it to a friend, a Vietnam veteran. His eyes popped out of his head. He told me that when he was in Nam, a SF captain had boxes of these things, and gave them to anyone who wanted one. My friend wove the lanyard in an unusual pattern. Turns out, this was his knife, and he traded it off foolishly for something else he coveted. As you probably know, these knives in this condition are easily worth $1,000 or more. I told him if I ever decided to part with it, he would have first right of refusal. Only problem was, I didn't want to stick my friend for that much cash - it just didn't seem right.

And then, on a recent trip to El Paso, he showed me a little Smith Model 1 2nd issue. I had an "Ah Ha!" moment. I told him I'd trade him straight across for his old Bowie if he still wanted it. He hesitated for a split second, and then we shook hands on the deal. I knew the gun was worth about $800, but he didn't have near that much in it. As I recall, I was out about $150 for the knife. I really wanted to return the knife to its first owner, and this was the way to do it. I returned to AZ with the Smith, and had his knife in overnight insured mail the day after my return. I do miss the knife, as it was a cornerstone of my U.S. military knife collection, but I have the satisfaction of pleasing a good friend who really deserved it much more than I. I do have a picture, and here it is.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Paladin, Wow. Thanks for sharing that beauty. I'm glad you and your friend were able to work out a good trade together.

My good friends and I will barter too like that. Once in awhile, you come out a little bit ahead, others, a little behind. No biggie.

Recently I traded a good friend a 8 3/8'' barrel model 14. It was an exceptional shooter and in overall very nice condition. Gave him a price that was probably about $100 - $150 below what I could have got elsewhere, but I know he has been talking about one for the longest time.

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Rather be outdoors

Not valuable or rare, and a ****** picture to boot.

It's a Benchmark, made in Gastonia NC by a fellow who owned a steel mill, and thought he could make a better knife than the ones he had used while hunting. The company wasn't in business too long before Gerber bought it, but this one's from the original company. I bought it in the very late 70's while stationed in Ohio, and used while living in South Dakota from 1980-85. There is some wear on the blade the picture doesn't show. I've enjoyed owning it.

Seeing Gatorbaiter's outstanding stiletto collection made me pull this one out and take a couple of photos. Custom, rare or classic ? I don't know about that, but here's the story.
My dad was in Laredo, TX in early 1944 receiving aerial gunnery training prior to attending Navigation school and going on to serve as a Navigator on a B-24 out of Italy. I assume that he bought this knife while on leave from the Laredo base and visiting Mexico. He carried it inside his A2 flight jacket throughout his combat tour, probably more for the reassurance that it may have given a 20 year old in those circumstances than anything else. The handle was originally cow or ox horn but bugs ate it and it crumbled away. I replaced it with a bit of California muley antler from a buck I took back when you could still hunt deer in SouCal. The pommel and cross guard are brass. Senor Cruz wasn't very good at spelling, you can see where he crossed out the C and replaced it with the X in Mexico. It's as sharp as a needle.

A few of mine.

First: my old Buck. Bought it in the PX in Ft Richardson, AK, about 1965.

Next, The Laguiole I carry day to day. It has only a blade, no corkscrew, and is made by Fontenille Pataud. Scales of antler.

Last: an Opinel, another French knife. They're very inexpensive, used to cost less than 5 francs in France. This one has a fancy rosewood handle.

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Each one of those is a classic in its own way. I am especially fond of the Opinel, which still can be had in basic trim for about ten or twelve bucks from the manufacturer (which means you can probably find them cheaper on eBay). The locking mechanism is about as cheap, simple and elegant as can be.

I can put my hands on three of them right now, and have another two or three tucked away in various pieces of motorcycle luggage. I'm clad you included them in this thread. Classic does not necessarily mean expensive.

Bob Terzuola made this one for me about 25 years ago.

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NRA Life, COTEP 640

This one was made by an older gentleman, Ken Richardson, who has since passed. The blade was made from an old rotary saw mill blade and Ken, being unaware of Cali. laws, helpfully sharpened the upper edge of the blade.


This is an old Westmark I've had for years and has been one of my favorites.


Cold Steel Tanto blade - one heck of a tactical/combat knife.

This is a great thread. I love knives and was bummed to see that some of the pics have been deleted. You guys have some great knives and I'm as jealous as I can be.

Here is my one true "valuable" knife. It's an original "Sting" made by AG Russel:


I found this pic especially interesting. I have one of those Bucks as well. Do you still have the second pouch and compass?

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Freedom isn't free.

My wife bought this for me at a local Pow Wow.

Did Trapper Alexiou have something to do with this knife?

I have no idea, but the pow wow was in Michigan.

Here is a sash knife from the civil war. The handle is ivory with the date 1860 and "E.B. Ellis"
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373643913.038561.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1373643951.500759.jpg

I've wanted to post this for a couple of days now but I've been waiting because I have another knife I wanted to post also. It's a small Gerber folding knife I received as a service award from an employer back in the '80s. it has never been out of it's presentation case. It's purty little thang. I've looked the hill over and I just can't find it. If I ever find it I'll post it up.

The knife in the pics is obviously a Swiss army knife. I know, I know, you are wondering why it blue and not red. When my daughter graduated from medical school my dad and I sent her to Europe for a couple months. While she was in Switzerland she got my dad a beautiful pocket watch and she got me a genuine Swiss army knife. The red ones are for export and the blue ones are for sale in their country, and have a few more features on them than the red ones. I thought it was cool that she had my initials put on it. I don't know how rare this knife is over there but I bet it's pretty rare in the good ol' USA,.

Edit to add that I also have an old knife that my dad used from the late '40s or early '50s. I think it's a Case. He was a whittler and he used to whittle on peach seeds, caeving them into monkeys holding their tails and carve balls in a cage from solid blocks of wood. This knife has been sharpened so many times it looks more like a small ice pick or hole punch than it does a knife blade. I'll post that up too if it ever turns up.

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Real men love cats!

Thank's to everyone who has posted image's of their knives...well here is one of my favorite's...just wish
I was a better photographer.

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Couldn't agree more about the Opinels--the carbon steel ones, anyway. I have no experience with the stainless versions. The carbon steel (I seem to remember it's 1090, not used much in this country) takes and holds a fine edge and is easy to re-sharpen. Besides being simple and easy to use, they're very light to carry. Designed to be a working man's knife, and they fill the bill.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Over 40 years ago, I made knives from commercially made blades. I made 2 using stainless Green Mountain Buffalo Skinner Blades. My cousin had a stroke in her late 30's and lost the use of her right arm. She loved to cook and had problems cutting food. I gave her one and I kept one. She was able to roll the knife on a cutting board with her good hand. I still have the twin to the one that I gave to her.



She is still using that knife today and she is in her 70's now.

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Corripe Cervisiam

This is a Randell 12-9 that was made in the 80's.

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Corripe Cervisiam

I seem to remember that one even though I don't remember the first one.

Custom made somewhere in Wyoming. 10' blade, Elk horn handle with South African Water Buffalo horn butt cap.

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Mafuta54

Well I can't rightly call it a custom..or rare..but it is a classic
jigged bone handles are near perfect blade looks pristine,
but the sheath is a little dog eared..but is original to the knife.

IC

Imperial, dated to before the 1950's.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I bought this Tapio Wirkkala 'Puukko' knife back in the early '80's for $40 out of a catalog.

I've read that they are pretty rare these days. Last one I saw for sale about 2 years ago went for $350 on eBay.

I used to carry it when camping until a fellow camper noticed it and informed me it was a rare knife and worth lots more than what I paid, so I put it away.

EDIT: After taking the pic and posting, I looked at Google and found the little bro of this knife on ebay for $200. Mine is the larger model. I don't know which is more desirable to collectors.

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AKA: "Strange Tamer"

Gil & Wesley Hibben Legacy Combat Fighter.

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Jorge

Included a carved walrus dagger by Finger, my Lee Jr.(which has seen the inside of more whitetails than most people have seen the outside) a wierd quirt dagger pearl and jade inlay and braided leather (war trophy) a genuine as new still cosmolene'd Skacet, An old German Schlieper-( like a sod buster)
and down below, two of a mystery lockblade with a coke bottle shape scales of hardwood, never sharpened- we got it way before Browning or Buck made this style, it's a handmade folder.

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Halfway and one more step

here are my latest Favorites

Until I make some more.

Arctic Muskox and Damascus



Fossil Walrus and Damascus



its a take down



How about a Dagger with gold and Cape Buffalo



Now you know why I call myself SteelSlaver

Funny, just before I read your post, I was scouring my photos, trying to find a decent pic of my knife to post. My photo fu is weak, and you have saved me the trouble of posting one of my lousy pics.

My knife is the same as yours, or maybe the smaller version, I can't tell. I bought mine from a catalog as well, probably Brookstone. I carried it around in a motorcycle tank bag for many years. It didn't do a lot of work, just carved some steaks, and sliced some salami and cheese around the campfire. Then I put it away for a while, but only recently found out it might have some collector value.

Cold Steel makes an inexpensive puukko modeled on the Tapio Wirkkala, but the real thing is a much more satisfying objet, with a bakelite handle and brass bolsters.

Wirkkala was not a knifemaker, but a designer. His puukko is obviously a successful piece of design, as it caught my eye in a catalog, and yours as well. It is very nice to handle and to look at, and it cuts pretty well too.

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Not in jail.

Sir, I believe you have a fixed blade(second from top on left) that may have been made by the same maker of my "mystery" folder. They have similarities in bolster, shape of blade and handle.
Do you know the maker? My father was given the lockblade folder in the 60's and passed on in early 70's.

Thanks much, Jim

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Halfway and one more step

This Randall Model #1-8" is one of five that I had made to commemorate the heroes of 7 December 1941.
The handle material is the actual teak from the deck of USS California, the flagship of the battleship fleet in Pearl Harbor.
This is the only one of the five that I scrimshawed.
The work depicts Ford Island and battleship row as it appeared on that fateful morning of a "day which will live in infamy".

This is my Randall guarded design dealer special.
The handle is Snakewood and the engraving and gold inlays were done by David Perdue.

I can't see a lot of detail in the photo, but it looks like either a Browning or a Gil Hibben custom. Good reason they look alike, he designed Brownings line of early knives. My impression they still used them into the 1970s. My Browning B78 BiCentennial included a Hibben in the set.

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Dick Burg

I think it's the Browning folder designed by Hibben.

I remember those. Haven't seen one for awhile.

Which knife replaced it as your "user"? Just curious.

Seems that almost every pretty good knife becomes collectible in a few decades, if only for nostalgia.

I've mostly quit worrying about it and just use the knives that I like, but take care of them.

I think I paid $12 for a Puma Hunter's Pal in a discount store about 1970. Retail "list" was about $18. In box with sheath, that model is now being offered for as much or more than $350.

There was a time when men actually carried and used knives by Loveless and by Dietmar Kressler. Kressler told me that his customers who hunt preferred his 154CM blades to Damascus, as the edges sharpened more uniformly and didn't rust. But who hunts with a Kressler knife on his belt today? He was already pretty famous when the German edition of, "Playboy" ran a major article on him, with superb photos. After that, I think the knives were so desirable that anyone there who carried one put it in a safe and started carrying a Puma or a Randall, etc.

Loveless got similar publicity, if never in such a major magazine, and prices for his and other famous "handmades" shot up so much in price that few would carry and use one.

I've even seen Buck knives only 15 or so years old selling at shows for much more than you could buy a new one for! I did pay more than "list" for a couple of Model 120's, but only because that model was largely discontinued. I think they now make it only in occasional special runs for major distributors.

Here is my favorite creation from Bob Lovelass.
Has anyone else seen one?

I spent some time in Bob's shop a few years ago. He showed me some very interesting stuff! Bob was also a big fan of the .44 HE Triple Lock and still had a few.

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John