Original Kephart on Ebay!

[hso]

Good pictures show some of the features of the blade and grip most makers don't copy.

Rare 1 of 3 known original Kephart/ Colclesser Bros. sheath knife + rare book | eBay

Colclesser Brothers closed in 1915 and Mr. Kephart’s book was published in 1906, therefore, this knife was manufactured between 1906-1915. It’s unknown, how many of these iconic blades were manufactured.

www.ebay.com

 

[Flat Rock]

Wow

 

[Flat Rock]

I’m always hoping to find one at random flea markets and junk sales and stuff like that I wonder how many were ever made?

 

[Mk-211]

Now if I just had an extra $10K to toss around...

That should be in a museum, with the book.

 

[Flat Rock]

 

[dh1633pm]

And I thought I had an original Kephart. Mine’s much newer looking. Hmmm, maybe @hso will be bidding.

 

[hso]

Hmmm, maybe @hso will be bidding.

Not a chance. The ebay ask is about $2,000 high, but ya never know what an enthusiast with the money will do.

I've handled Ethan Becker's original (before he had a chance to get it) and I have 2 copies with the exact same dimensions and shape (down to the spine taper and grip "pinch" no one else puts in) that Mike McCarter made from our measuring and handling Ethan's. One of those is in period materials that Colclesser Brothers so it would be as close to original as possible.

 

[hso]

 

[dh1633pm]

Thanks @hso for the pictures. Nice.

 

[nettlle]

If only that knife could talk.

 

[Boattale]

Fairly close copy.

 

[DT Guy]

Not a chance. The ebay ask is about $2,000 high, but ya never know what an enthusiast with the money will do.

I've handled Ethan Becker's original (before he had a chance to get it) and I have 2 copies with the exact same dimensions and shape (down to the spine taper and grip "pinch" no one else puts in) that Mike McCarter made from our measuring and handling Ethan's. One of those is in period materials that Colclesser Brothers so it would be as close to original as possible.

Is the 'grip pinch' the gap between the scales and the tang, or something else?

Larry

 

[hso]

something else?

The front of the scale flares a bit, or the scale is more slender, all the way across making something of a stop or guard, but there's a slight depression on each scale right behind it that's referred to as the "pinch" on the Becker and museum knife and my copy.

Apologies for the picture. The "bump" is symmetric and you can't really see the slight depression of the pinch.


The tang is tapered to match the Becker Kephart.

The ebay knife refers to the pinch being absent from their knife and therefore indicative it is an earliest production.

 

[jmr40]

According to the link a 4" version was available at one time. I saw a reproduction somewhere, it may have been made by Flat Rock, with a 4" blade. That would be something I'd consider in addition to the 5" Becker version I have.

 

[DT Guy]

The front of the scale flares a bit, or the scale is more slender, all the way across making something of a stop or guard, but there's a slight depression on each scale right behind it that's referred to as the "pinch" on the Becker and museum knife and my copy.

Apologies for the picture. The "bump" is symmetric and you can't really see the slight depression of the pinch.

View attachment 1257177
The tang is tapered to match the Becker Kephart.

The ebay knife refers to the pinch being absent from their knife and therefore indicative it is an earliest production.

Thanks, HSO-interesting design.

Larry

 

[hso]

I thought that pinch may be a wear feature, but seeing it at the museum and reading descriptions of it makes me think it is a feature instead of wear.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I made one here out of an old saw blade and included the "pinch".
It's a nice feature and helps with gripping the knife as well as the keeping it in the sheath part.

 

[hso]

The other thing the Kephart inspired knives don't include is the slight narrowing of the spine from 2/3 up from the edge on the original. The thickest part of the blade is in line with the tip and falls to the the edge and slightly tapers to the spine.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

I wasn't aware of the taper until I saw the pictures of this one. Interesting feature.
One thing about the "Kephart inspired" versions that I like is the lanyard loop some have.

 

[Quanah]

The popularity of that pattern is testament to the influential power of the written word.

 

[Flat Rock]

The other thing the Kephart inspired knives don't include is the slight narrowing of the spine from 2/3 up from the edge on the original. The thickest part of the blade is in line with the tip and falls to the the edge and slightly tapers to the spine.

I taper the spine on my Kepharts down to A nearly “false edge”

 

[hso]

I taper the spine on my Kepharts down to A nearly “false edge”

The slight taper to the spine is the full length of the blade from the thickest width of the blade on the line from tip to the plunge. I need to find the drawings McCarter and I made and post them.

 

[sgt127]

@hso

Since you have touched, smelled, handled (tasted? ) an authentic Kephart.

How do you think the Ka-bar rates?

I have one. It seems a dandy all purpose outdoor knife and, just based on what I’ve seen, a pretty good rendition.

As far as materials, it’s honestly just about equal, I would think. Ka Bar has been making carbon steel blades for awhile now and, probably have it down pat.

 

[hso]

How do you think the Ka-bar rates?

Other than the spine being the thickest part, it is very close since Ethan gave of copy of Mike and my drawings to KaBar and let them copy his knife.

There's no way to comment on materials since no one knows what the original materials were. Mine is L6 saw steel. The KaBar is 1095. Properly heat treated 1095 is a great working knife steel. KaBar knows how to handle it.

 

[hso]

Here's the Becker Kephart before he got it.