OH NO Another Knife!

[airedale]

Throughout my adult life I have been dabbling with a modest collection of knives I have accumulated down through the years. I stick with mostly American made pocket knives as they were about all I could and can afford.

I was introduced to the knife collecting world as a young fellow on an Elk hunting pack trip in Colorado that me and my Dad went on many years ago  "1970". In our group was a gentleman named Ralph Bone, he was from Lubbock Texas and by trade a custom knife maker. I thought I was a high roller with my brand new Buck folding 110, old Ralph brought me down out of the clouds showing me some of his creations that cost 10 times as much as my Buck. He went on to explain why a custom knife cost so much, in a nutshell a ton of hand forging, fitting and polishing the finest materials available.

Ralph was an original member of the Knifemaker's Guild  which in itself has a lot of notoriety but he also went on to become master engraver and custom gun maker.  The best thing coming out of meeting Ralph was he sat me down and showed me how to properly sharpen a knife with a stone, I still use that method today so many years later.

So I have long been on a quest to own an original Ralph Bone knife, any made directly by him were way out of my price range until a little while ago. I struck paydirt from an old collector that bought one directly and personally from Ralph out of his shop in Lubbock many years ago. We did a bit of haggling on the price and made a deal.

The knife pictured below is used but in mint condition, has the belly zip hook along with the original Johnson sheath. I will use this knife and hope to make old Ralph proud.

[wolc123]

That’s a nice looking knife.  I love the belly hook.  Reminds me of my favorite factory deer hunting knife, the Schrade Sharpfinger.  
 

I always feel compelled to use an old Buck 110, while I’m up in the Northern zone, because my father in law gave it to me as a Christmas gift.  Using that up there sure gives me an appreciation for my Sharpfinger, which I always use at home.  A one piece design is light years ahead of a folder, when it comes to cleanup after use. 
 

My belly hook was starting to get a little dull, but I sharpened it up good, using the little white stone that came in the sheath of another, larger Schrade knife.  It worked great again after that, for “unzipping” the hide from a little buck that I skinned last night.

Edited November 27, 2022 by wolc123

[Four Seasons]

2 hours ago, wolc123 said:

That’s a nice looking knife.  I love the belly hook.  Reminds me of my favorite factory deer hunting knife, the Schrade Sharpfinger.  
 

I always feel compelled to use an old Buck 110, while I’m up in the Northern zone, because my father in law gave it to me as a Christmas gift.  Using that up there sure gives me an appreciation for my Sharpfinger, which I always use at home.  A one piece design is light years ahead of a folder, when it comes to cleanup after use. 
 

My belly hook was starting to get a little dull, but I sharpened it up good, using the little white stone that came in the sheath of another, larger Schrade knife.  It worked great again after that, for “unzipping” the hide from a little buck that I skinned last night.

Not to derail the thread but is the fat on that buck as thick as it looks?

[wolc123]

Just now, Four Seasons said:

Not to derail the thread but is the fat on that buck as thick as it looks?

Yes it is.  He looked like a doe, ate like a doe, and was fat like a doe.  It took me a while, after skinning him last night, to trim off all the external fat.  Hopefully, there’s not so much inside.   I’m cutting him up and grinding tonight.  I wasn’t sure we had enough vacuum bags left, but it looks like we do.  
 

I always just zip lock the first deer each year, because we go thru it so fast, vacuum sealing would be a big waste of time and money.  This one (#2) needs to get vacuum sealed and won’t get eaten until after we finish up what’s left from that big one last year. 
 

All except for certain “special parts” some of which I am enjoying for lunch right now.  I can’t recall having any that  were tastier.  Maybe that Whitetail Instute “tiny tine turnips” he had for his last meal are worth what they charge for them.  

[Four Seasons]

6 hours ago, wolc123 said:

Yes it is.  He looked like a doe, ate like a doe, and was fat like a doe.  It took me a while, after skinning him last night, to trim off all the external fat.  Hopefully, there’s not so much inside.   I’m cutting him up and grinding tonight.  I wasn’t sure we had enough vacuum bags left, but it looks like we do.  
 

I always just zip lock the first deer each year, because we go thru it so fast, vacuum sealing would be a big waste of time and money.  This one (#2) needs to get vacuum sealed and won’t get eaten until after we finish up what’s left from that big one last year. 
 

All except for certain “special parts” some of which I am enjoying for lunch right now.  I can’t recall having any that  were tastier.  Maybe that Whitetail Instute “tiny tine turnips” he had for his last meal are worth what they charge for them.  

Definitely looks like he was packing on for a cold winter. Buddy shot a decent 10 on the park and he was worn out. Actually shot him in his bed and had very little fat anywhere. 

[Grouse]

A friend of mine almost got me into knife collecting.  Thank God I had the will power to resist it.  I spend too much on guns and ammo as it is. LOL!

[suburbanfarmer]

8 hours ago, Grouse said:

A friend of mine almost got me into knife collecting.  Thank God I had the will power to resist it.  I spend too much on guns and ammo as it is. LOL!

Cant spend much in NY anymore on guns or ammo, nothing left to buy or no way to buy it  

Edited November 28, 2022 by suburbanfarmer

[Grouse]

Like I always say, "Where there's a will, there's a dead man!"  LOL!