All About Pocket Knives

Nice! An excellent user for another 20 years or so.

The pig hunters around here sure love this wide-belly Gator 650 for skinning hogs. I think I must have sold or swapped at least a half-dozen of these in the past year.
~Q~

Hey guys, long-time lurker first time poster. I appreciate all the knowledge and info I see on these boards. I picked these two up at an estate sale. Was told a little bit about them from the owner. He said the 525 was in high speed tool steel and it was the first fixed blade they made? Not sure of the validity of that. He said the folder was also high speed Steel. The blade on the folder says Blade reground the by Roderick "Caribou" Chappelle. Who was a famous blade Smith from the Pacific Northwest from what I have heard. I was told they were both vintage. Just trying to get any more info I could on them and maybe a value? I might let them go because I got a good deal on them, but then again I might keep them because they don't make knives like this anymore and they are cool additions to my collection. Thank you ahead of time.

Your fixed blade is a a Presentation Series. That series was made from 1971 until the mid-90s. The knives were made with stag, wood, and "hypalon" (a rather spongy rubber-like material) handles. The knives were also made with stainless or "high Speed" tool steel blade. The HS on your blade designates "High Speed". According to 'Levine's Guide to Knives and Their Values' the "High Speed" steel was used only in 1974. Gerber's first hunting model was produced just after WW2, so your Presentation is far from "first".

Your folder is a Magnum Folding Hunter produced from 1975 to 1987. I know nothing of the custom work.

I have not heard of Caribou Chapelle either but regrinding or resetting the Gerber Factory angle was a pretty common practice. I managed a Cutlery store about 40 miles south of the Gerber Factory in the 1980s and we did that frequently. They used a wider angle than most companies of their day. The knives were not as sharp but the edge held up far longer than many others. Most people had trouble trying to sharpen a Gerber because they didn't follow the original Factory angle. I have reground many Gerbers so that the owners could maintain the edge easier.

I have not heard of Caribou Chapelle either but regrinding or resetting the Gerber Factory angle was a pretty common practice. I managed a Cutlery store about 40 miles south of the Gerber Factory in the 1980s and we did that frequently. They used a wider angle than most companies of their day. The knives were not as sharp but the edge held up far longer than many others. Most people had trouble trying to sharpen a Gerber because they didn't follow the original Factory angle. I have reground many Gerbers so that the owners could maintain the edge easier.

My latest: a Folding Sportsman.

The Gerber Folding Sportsman (FS) series knives were made in three sizes (FS-1, FS-2, FS-3). I believe your knife is a "Classic".

Here's a Gerber Pixie. I don't chase these so I have never seen one with a sheath.
Is the sheath common?
I paid $30 for this little ensemble and I'm pretty happy with it.

I got this 06 AO in fairly good shape and at a price I wish he'd had 5 more.
Never really cared for a tanto, until now. A little slow on opening, the front edge looked like somebody used it to dig worms. Cleaned it up and took the chips out. The lazy spring is gone, just gunked up. Good as new.
This morning, it heads out to Ft. Bragg. My son's stationed there, figured it would make a good surprise for him.
There's no such thing as too much back up.

FRJ,

Nice Pixie. The chrome plated ones like yours began in production in 1954 and ended 1972. Many Pixies were sold as kitchen knives, but it isn't uncommon to find them with sheaths.

I'm mostly a Buck collector, but here are some of my Gerber A Series knives from the 1970s and 1980s. From top to bottom they are: A325, A400, A425,and A450.

Bert

Here is a Pixie and two Trout and Bird. I think the first Trout and Bird is from the 1970s and the second from the late 1980s.

Bert

I found this Mini Magnum along with 2 kitchen knives (Durendal and a Little Snick. Both swordmark) for dirt cheap.
. The armorhide is coming off in a few places and a previous owner scratched the chrome up nice trying to sharpen the blade. Perfect!! It's just like I like em, a little beat up and ready for some MUDification. Now all I gotta do is find the time.

orvet wrote:I have not heard of Caribou Chapelle either but regrinding or resetting the Gerber Factory angle was a pretty common practice.

Rod Chappelle was a knifemaker featured in many magazines in the 1970's and some of his designs were pretty far out. The 525 's handle design looks a lot like many of Rod's designs. I'll see if I can dig out one of the articles on him and post it for you Dale.

knife7knut wrote:

orvet wrote:I have not heard of Caribou Chapelle either but regrinding or resetting the Gerber Factory angle was a pretty common practice.

Rod Chappelle was a knifemaker featured in many magazines in the 1970's and some of his designs were pretty far out. The 525 's handle design looks a lot like many of Rod's designs. I'll see if I can dig out one of the articles on him and post it for you Dale.

Article from the American Blade magazine Volume1 Number 1.Some of his designs were pretty far out.

MUD wrote:I found this Mini Magnum along with 2 kitchen knives (Durendal and a Little Snick. Both swordmark) for dirt cheap.
.
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The armorhide is coming off in a few places and a previous owner scratched the chrome up nice trying to sharpen the blade. Perfect!! It's just like I like em, a little beat up and ready for some MUDification. Now all I gotta do is find the time.

Finally made time. Sometimes that's what you gotta do.

Just got this ivory Silver Knight
~Q~

Good looking scrimshaw silver knight!!!!

MUD wrote:I found this Mini Magnum along with 2 kitchen knives (Durendal and a Little Snick. Both swordmark) for dirt cheap.
.


The armorhide is coming off in a few places and a previous owner scratched the chrome up nice trying to sharpen the blade. Perfect!! It's just like I like em, a little beat up and ready for some MUDification. Now all I gotta do is find the time.

Mud, what did you use for the Armorhide repair, or is it a trade secret?

Bert

bertl wrote:

MUD wrote:I found this Mini Magnum along with 2 kitchen knives (Durendal and a Little Snick. Both swordmark) for dirt cheap.
.


The armorhide is coming off in a few places and a previous owner scratched the chrome up nice trying to sharpen the blade. Perfect!! It's just like I like em, a little beat up and ready for some MUDification. Now all I gotta do is find the time.

Mud, what did you use for the Armorhide repair, or is it a trade secret?

Bert

Well sir, that is not a repair. Completely stripped and refinished. I've done a Shorty and Pixie that were chrome (flaking badly on both) and a T&B. The T&B was in worse shape. They don't see daily use, but all have been used.

I'm a painter by trade. All trades have secrets.
I will say that the coating I used is for industrial applications and should hold up to daily use.

The Durendal and Little Snick that came with the MiniMagnum. Chipped chrome on both handles.
Figured I'd make my own KitchenProof set.

Hey Mud, those look great. Would you like to refinish a few of mine?

Case V42 wrote:Hey Mud, those look great. Would you like to refinish a few of mine?

Thank you for the kind words. Holler at me whenever you're ready.

Not my latest, but my only!