Ruminations On The Congress Pattern

[jerryd6818]

I'm probably incorrect but I'm including anything with a sway back frame and calling it a Congress.

A Belknap Hardware Congress (Boker??). Love those stepped bolsters.

Did somebody say GEC Speaker Jack?

The Clerk also has a Congress frame.

It's the blades and bolsters on this one that tickled my fancy.

They even come in a Whittler configuration.

Queen made at least one over the past few years.

[peanut740]

I'm probably incorrect but I'm including anything with a sway back frame and calling it a Congress.I would add equal end bolsters to that statement.

A Belknap Hardware Congress (Boker??). Love those stepped bolsters.
Belknap Hardware Congress - Open Mark.JPG

Did somebody say GEC Speaker Jack?
GEC 133217 Speaker Jack Muslin Micarta - Open Mark Labeled.JPG

The Clerk also has a Congress frame.
GEC 130217 Clerk - Smooth Oiled White Bone - Labeled.JPG

It's the blades and bolsters on this one that tickled my fancy.
GEC_61_Mark Labeled.JPG

They even come in a Whittler configuration.
GEC 620311 UN-X-LD Courthouse Whittler Burnt Labeled.jpg

Queen made at least one over the past few years.
Queen #31 Congress (2012) Labeled.JPG

[Quick Steel]

[philco]

I really like those "barlow like" bolsters on that one QS.

[Quick Steel]

Thanks, S&M did a good job on this one; I like the total look. But I also really like the stepped bolsters that several have shown on this thread.

[Lansky1]

I've always gravitated to the half congress, as the full congress feels too "fat" - I just like slimmer knives. My beef with the half congress is the secondary blade doesn't have much meat to it ... the large sheepsfoot is great, but the secondary is almost like a slim pen style blade which doesn't seem to fit at all in a medium to larger frame knife

[QTCut5]

Here are the only examples of the Congress pattern in my knife collection. I don't carry either of them but it has nothing to do with the Congress pattern, it's simply because I have other patterns that I prefer to EDC which adequately serve all my EDC needs and these GEC Northfield Elk knives I want to keep pristine as collectibles. Aesthetically, I do like the pattern (to look at) because of the graceful swayback curve, but my EDC cutting needs are better accomplished with other patterns.

Here are a couple Congress pattern knives that I just recently sold:

~Q~

[Quick Steel]

Q, I think those GECs are flat out gorgeous. Usually, I am not particularly attracted by elk. But yours, imo, are exceptional.

[jerryd6818]

Garry, that S&M is some piece of work. Me likee.

[Quick Steel]

Glad you like it. Also, I have been thinking of creating a file of "Jerryisms." I have two entries already: "pins and noodles;" and "britches sagger." Folks on the West coast don't talk like that, to their loss.

[jerryd6818]

You're in Kentucky now. Just keep your ears open and you will hear all kinds of 'isms.

[ss69]

I carried this Case 052 for a while back in the ‘90s. Like some others have said, I like the looks of the pattern but for some reason I don’t enjoy caring it much. I think it’s a combination of a fairly thick knife, and on this example the blades are thinner than I normally like.

I will say that there are some attractive knives in this thread. The congress pattern just has a great old time look to it.

Tom

[Steve Warden]

Well, Garry, how 'bout a revival of this thread? A thread dedicated to the likes and dislikes of the Congress pattern.

Lots of great looking knives, gents! Yet while I can appreciate the looks of most any knife, mostly when the handle catches my eye, I can't say the same for how I feel about all patterns. The first thing I look for is pattern, then the looks of the handle.

I'm not a fan of the Congress. I had one for a while, a Boker, then gave it away about a year and a half ago in a little contest that showed some very cool cars owned by some of our AAPK members. https://allaboutpocketknives.com/knife_ ... lit=warden
Cal "toungeriver" was the winner, showing off a '55 Ford Customline.

Me, I did like the handles, just didn't care for the way it felt in the hand. Blade configuration just didn't suit this stockman guy, either.
I picked it up when I first started collecting to see if it might be a pattern that would interest me to collect. Nope.

Oh, well. With me off the hunt for Congress knives, the more for you Congress collectors!

Boker Congress.jpg (23.97 KiB) Viewed 2050 times

[edge213]

In 2000 I thought I needed a congress.
I purchased a stag Hen&Rooster.
It was a good looking knife but to small.
Later I purchased a large Boker congress.
I have since traded away both. I own a lot of knives, but no longer have a congress.
I guess that kinda says what I think of the pattern.
I did enjoy going through this thread though.

[Colonel26]

Count me in as a Congress fan! I love them and the way they fit your hand.

A big ol Congress knife and a 4 1/4” stockman are my hands down favorite knives to use. One of my favorites is a rosewood handled Boker jumbo Congress. I typically don’t gravitate toward wood scales, but this one is so thin it disappears in your pocket or hand for a big knife.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Recently there was a post about Persian knives and many of those are Congresses. I know Ali that posted those, uses a Congress for his Calligraphy. The blades are perfect for cutting down the quills.
After reading this thread I realized that I prefer to collect them more than use them. I don’t have one in my rotation, but I have more Congresses in my collection than just about any other pattern, except the Barlow. I know the reason I don’t use one is that my earliest purchases were all Case Congresses and I couldn’t open the blades w/out turning my thumbnail backwards. When I got other Congresses that were easier to open, I had already put other knives in my rotation. Those tough pulls turned me off of Case Congresses.

[Quick Steel]

I agree cudgee.A knife with blades that are difficult to open is a real turn off as far as regular use.

[Colonel26]

I took pictures of mine tonight. I thought I had them all out, all Boker. Then I remembered there was one more, a Queen.

[Quick Steel]

A nice assortment Colonel. Thanks for sharing.

[Colonel26]

A nice assortment Colonel. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you sir. One reason I like the Boker version is that I have 4 different blades, all very useful. The only thing I really miss is a spey. Not sure if anyone ever made a Congress with a spey, but if they did, that would be about the perfect knife on the farm.

[FORS8KEN]

I have almost the identical knife that has tree brand across it. Mine does not have the writing on the blade tho. Would you be able to give me any information on it? Im clueless. Thank you

[knife7knut]

I just did a post on another forum about congress pattern knives and don't recall ever seeing this one.Looks like it was started some time ago.
My biggest complaint with the pattern is many of them are very difficult to open;Case in particular.I had one awhile back that one of our illustrious mechanics here replaced the back springs in because they had been broken.He did a great job on it but they are still difficult to open.I also have a Primble and a couple of Bokers that exhibit the same hard opening.
I have yet to carry one as an EDC but they still seem to gravitate to my accumulation. The last one was a two blade pearl KA-BAR. Guess I'll post them here for your viewing pleasure.
#1 A.Fiest & Co.Germany
#2 F.Ward & Co.B4ANY Sheffield.
#3 Beacon Knife Co. Germany.Blade has been fixed since the picture was taken.
#4 An older Boker missing the shield(never saw THAT happen before!)
#5 Boker Olde Stag
#6 Case 6488;Thanks Elvis(Bob) for doing a great repair!
#7H.W.Mason Sheffield 8 blade.
#8 Hibbard,Spencer,& Bartlett.
#9J.A.Henckels
#10 John Primble.

[knife7knut]

Page two.
#1 KA-BAR Collector's Club pearl congress.
#2 Krusius Brothers with French ivory handles.
#3 R.Bunting & Son circa 1840
#4 Schmactenberg Brothers Finzer's Tobacco Knife.
#5 Marked only,"Silver Steel" with an owl on the opposite tang,the curve of the handle is very slight.
#6 United Cutlery Germany with fluted handles.
#7 Vulcan Knife Co. Germany.Patent date of 1895 on shield is for the method of handle attachment.Handles extend under the bolsters requiring no pins.
#8 Walter Brothers.

[Ripster]

I just did a post on another forum about congress pattern knives and don't recall ever seeing this one.Looks like it was started some time ago.
My biggest complaint with the pattern is many of them are very difficult to open;Case in particular.I had one awhile back that one of our illustrious mechanics here replaced the back springs in because they had been broken.He did a great job on it but they are still difficult to open.I also have a Primble and a couple of Bokers that exhibit the same hard opening.
I have yet to carry one as an EDC but they still seem to gravitate to my accumulation. The last one was a two blade pearl KA-BAR. Guess I'll post them here for your viewing pleasure.
#1 A.Fiest & Co.Germany
#2 F.Ward & Co.B4ANY Sheffield.
#3 Beacon Knife Co. Germany.Blade has been fixed since the picture was taken.
#4 An older Boker missing the shield(never saw THAT happen before!)
#5 Boker Olde Stag
#6 Case 6488;Thanks Elvis(Bob) for doing a great repair!
#7H.W.Mason Sheffield 8 blade.
#8 Hibbard,Spencer,& Bartlett.
#9J.A.Henckels
#10 John Primble.

Wow,those are drop dead gorgeous. And U don’t carry any ? I would be so tempt to date, I mean pocket any one of those babies. Only have one congress in my stuff, 3 blade Electric with bone. Think it’s original, and maybe a Queen laying around as well. Will dig them out and get pics. Haven’t ever carried a Congress. Not sure why but going to check it out. Great topic ,glad someone revived it. And lots of great stuff here, keep it coming.