J. Russell Single Blade Jack Legit?

[herbva]

I hope/wish this knife was legit, but there are a few things about it (other than being overly cleaned) that make me suspicious. In particular, the tang stamp looks like the letters were hand stamped, one letter at a time, and some of them are crooked, spaced differently, out of line, etc. My copy of Goins, shows and describes quite a few J. Russell tang stamps and I don't see any that look, or are described like this one. And there is no mention of any shield being stamped "G.R.W." (Green River Works), but it does have the diamonds on either side that are pictured in some of the tang stamps shown in Goins. What do y'all think?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/403674587822?_ ... 7Ciid%3A14

[stockman]

herb, don't look like any old Russell I have seen. Hope I,m wrong.

Harold

[just bob]

I vote NO!!!! Isn't that a left-handed knife? Nothing in the Russell books that look anything like that. G.R.W. on the shield - that's new. I assume intended to mean Green River Works?

[Madmarco]

I know nothing about the knife Herb, other than to say, perhaps the shield was made by a previous owner and the initials belong to them?

[herbva]

I vote NO!!!! Isn't that a left-handed knife? Nothing in the Russell books that look anything like that. G.R.W. on the shield - that's new. I assume intended to mean Green River Works?

That's exactly what I assumed Bob - Green River Works. I was hoping this was a rare one, but the tang stamp seems just so suspect............

[herbva]

I know nothing about the knife Herb, other than to say, perhaps the shield was made by a previous owner and the initials belong to them?

Mark, I love these big jacks and the old J. Russells are so cool. Maybe this was a rare one from before the Green River Works fire in 1868? Probably not.

[TritonJ]

I don’t know, Herb.
I’m siding with Harold and Bob here.

[Madmarco]

I know nothing about the knife Herb, other than to say, perhaps the shield was made by a previous owner and the initials belong to them?

Mark, I love these big jacks and the old J. Russells are so cool. Maybe this was a rare one from before the Green River Works fire in 1868? Probably not.

That theory is fine by me Herb! Like I said, I know nothing about your knife! Nice to know someone else likes em' BIG!