All About Pocket Knives

Anybody going to Tulsa this weekend ? My brother and I are going over, on Saturday. Supposedly the biggest in the world, 4,000 tables (mostly guns, tho).

I'll be the the old bald guy, wearing overalls, in a wheelchair. Pushed by my big galoot of a brother. If you're there, bring some tradin' material !

Cya,

JR

Ringmaster; "Supposedly the biggest in the world"

... We all know that can not be true.

Every thing in TEXAS is the biggest in the WORLD...

Google Tulsa Arms Show and you will find that it is advertised inside the the website as being over 4,000 tables covering 11 acres. I would say that is the biggest I ever heard of. Heck here is a link to a main advertising page.

http://www.tulsaarmsshow.com/frames.html

Good to see that there is enough interest to have a show this large. Kudos to the organizers, I would absolutely love to be at this show!

I still have 2 guns left to sell myself, a 1903 Savage .22 rimfire (slide action and clip) and it appraises at $500 to $600. Looking for $450, only 13,000 were made from 1903 to 1922.

Also have an L. C. Smith 12 Ga with 30 inch Damascus double barrels, double external hammers and double triggers made in 1906 or 1907. It appraises for $1,000 to $1250. Looking for $1,000 on that as 92% are already in private collections.

I saw TWO L. C. Smith 12 Gauge exactly the same at the Silver Legacy in Reno, NV. Only difference is that the metal on mine is much better, the reasson it appraised so high.

I need another knee surgery, so the guns go, I can always get new ones. An old near mint Sharps went for $35K and a 94 Winchestor went for $2.5K. Everybody was HAPPY!

Kudos JR for getting out there in your chair, and kudos for conning your brother into pushing you.
When I go to a show I usually take my walker (the kind with hand breaks & a chair seat on it). If it is a small show I just a crutch & a cane. It is nice I am not the only other gimp around AAPK!

Have fun at the show and be sure to run over the toes of anyone who gives you a hard time (or a bad deal)!

Dale

Good luck at the show JR...

Sounds like alot of us use a little help around. Here is my indoor helper.....

Bill

Call me what do you mean Hukk ?

I need another knee surgery, so the guns go, I can always get new ones.

Can you get new knees or guns ?????

Another collecting opportunity !

My knees have improved greatly since retiring, and staying off ladders, but getting up off the floor is still tough. No more painkillers, but I'm preparing for the day the problem returns.

Gold one inscribed " To Papa 1889 "

Fran

i made this in 1995. still useing it today.

Very nice hand carved cane Johnnie. What kind of wood?

Shoot !

I'm not even gonna show my ole crooked stick. Ya'll got some reeeal nice walking sticks. Beautiful, guys.

JR

Well guys, we made it home tonight and had a pretty darned good time.

You hafta remember, it's been almost 15 years, since I've been to a gun/knife show. So things HAVE changed. My first shock was the signs all over everywhere, that said "No Cameras Allowed"...still haven't figured out their reasoning. So, I had to "stow" my camera, I wanted to take some pic's, for you guys.

I expected prices to have gone up, but there was still a little "sticker-shock". I didn't intend to buy much, and I didn't, but saw a few old friends, and made a new one.

Visited with Cliff and Rusty Polk, for quite awhile. Cliff makes the folders, Rusty makes the forged fixed-blades. Cliff had to excuse himself - old folks gotta make the bathroom run, quite often. Rusty and I had a really, really good conversation about 1095 vs. 5160 steel. Rusty uses both, but prefers 5160, because he sez that 1095 will "temper" while grinding, if you're not careful. Of course, he's forging, not stock removal. Picked up a few more good tips also - just hope I can ever get a chance to use 'em.

Went by Bob Dozier's table, but he wasn't there. The first knife I picked up was $1095.00 - man, he's gone up ! I would never, ever low-rate Bob's knives, but that's a lotta money. So, neway the next table over, had a new book, about the history of Morseth knives. (If you remember, Bob had a very close connection with Morseth, because of A.G. Russell). So, I got an autographed copy, for $55. Too much - but, hey, the guy's gotta feed his family ! It's a nice book, too.

Then, I made a new knife-maker friend. His name is Bill Coghill, from Tulsa, OK. Really nice guy, kinda young (I'd say about 40). He doesn't have a website, but his email address is: [email protected] I'll show you a coupla pictures of his work, at the bottom of this post. This was the only knife I got.

The pocket-knife dealers (there weren't many), didn't seem to care if they sold a knife. I sure don't understand that. More than once, I wheeled up to a table, intent on looking at some of the good stuff - and they were just sittin' there, with a cell phone glued to their ear, ignoring customers. The guys selling Chinese tactical knives were always eager to make a sale, tho'.

I also saw a dealer, with several Lloyd Pendleton knives - but he was too busy shootin' the breeze, with another dealer to talk to me. Lloyd's work has always been excellent, I think. I don't see how these guys guard against shop-lifting - he only glanced at me, for about a second, and then continued his conversation.

To sum up, we only saw about 1/4 of the show (about 1000 tables), before my wheelchair pusher (and myself) got tired - it is one huge show ! Here's a coupla pic's of the knife I bought from Bill Coghill - ATS 34, mirror-polish, with stabilized maple burl scales. $45. He heat treats, himself - Rockwell C between 58-60. With a sheath, that's NOT anything you'd like. He's a heckuva nice maker - and he's got a lotta inventory. Email him, if you like his work. (And prices).

JR

I just got back from the Tulsa show. I had a great time. Got to talk with Jim Sargent and Jerry Skelton for a while, I saw a lot of other knife dealers there too. Just to few dollars and to many old knives I liked. All in all a great show. I've been going there for about 20 years now, and I always look forward to the next show. Picked up some knife books I did'nt have, did a lot of swapping, and came home exhausted.

Ringmaster wrote: Visited with Cliff and Rusty Polk, for quite awhile. Cliff makes the folders, Rusty makes the forged fixed-blades. Cliff had to excuse himself - old folks gotta make the bathroom run, quite often. Rusty and I had a really, really good conversation about 1095 vs. 5160 steel. Rusty uses both, but prefers 5160, because he sez that 1095 will "temper" while grinding, if you're not careful. Of course, he's forging, not stock removal. Picked up a few more good tips also - just hope I can ever get a chance to use 'em.

YUP, 1095 will work harden faily easy. I like to cut out the knife blank, drill the holes and then anneal it. Sometimes I use the kiln, but I like the lazy man's way. Toss it in the woodstove just before you clean it out and let it cool in the wood ash. Fireplace is good to, just make sure that the steel can cool sloooowly in the ashes. You can go out and buy vermiculite to anneal, heat and allow to cool in the vermiculite. Save some cash and save those ashes! Empty the fireplace or woodstove and save the ashes in a metal or wood box to put your hot metal to cool slowly in.
DON'T EVER put hot coals in a wood box, you'll regret it, possibly burn down the shop. I did see a house burn down that way. 1095 will come to you sometimes with HARD SPOTS in the steel. Great to work with once it is annealed.

Glad you had fun JR, I'd enjoy one of those big shows. I do like your new knife by the way, seems I've heard of him before.

Ringmaster wrote :


The pocket-knife dealers (there weren't many), didn't seem to care if they sold a knife. I sure don't understand that. More than once, I wheeled up to a table, intent on looking at some of the good stuff - and they were just sittin' there, with a cell phone glued to their ear, ignoring customers. The guys selling Chinese tactical knives were always eager to make a sale, tho'.

I had the same experience today, more than once. Dealers too busy with a B.S. conversation to wait on a potential customer. They'll whine all next week about how bad the show was, and how there were all " lookers " and no " spenders." A-holes !

Fran

Sauconian wrote:I had the same experience today, more than once. Dealers too busy with a B.S. conversation to wait on a potential customer. They'll whine all next week about how bad the show was, and how there were all " lookers " and no " spenders." A-holes !

Fran

I have noticed this is typical in many shows I have been to. I think a lot of dealers are visiting with friends they only see occasionally & catching up on the latest gossip. I guess it is like a lot of us, that is one of the few times they get to visit with their “knifer friends.” I think a lot of them are also doing some at-the-show-wheelin’-dealin’, especially on the first day of a show.

It is very frustrating when you want to buy something or have a question & they seem to ignore you. I have gotten to the point that I will say, “Excuse me, but can you help me?”

What really frustrates me is the guys who have their neighbor watch their table & the neighbor can (or won’t) take money for them.
There are so many tables in a big show that I don’t have time to come back 4 or 5 times to catch the guy who can make the deal with me.

I will have to remember these things because my wife is saying that she thinks I should start selling at shows. She has even volunteered to help me watch the table. It sounds like a lot of work to me!
Maybe she just wants me to get rid of some of my knives.

Dale

What really frustrates me is the guys who have their neighbor watch their table & the neighbor can (or won’t) take money for them.

Dale, I've watched the table for my friend Bill at every show we've been to, if he needs a smoke, restroom trip, or just wants to walk around. His prices are marked, and I know what % he has to bargain. Only if someone wants to do some " horse trading ", will they have to wait for him.

He also excuses himself from any phone call or conversation to attend to a customer. That's what he's there for.

Selling at a knife show isn't near as much trouble as selling at an antique show. No fragile glass, china, or heavy furniture. I've met lots of new people, and made a couple of great contacts, hanging out with Bill. Try it once, at a smaller show. I'm getting hooked.

Fran

He also excuses himself from any phone call to attend to a customer.

Now you touch one of my nerves.

I hate it when I go in an auto parts store and the waiter stops to answer a phone to give some one a price on something when I am standing in line to get waited on.

I have in the past left the store wail saying things (loudly) as I left with out any thing in my arms.