Russell Blades

[IRON JACK]

Has anyone tried the Russell Green River blades from Track of the wolf, are they worth fooling with?

Now that I have the buffalo skinner on the way 

Thanks

Jack

[St. George]

Those simple blades were probably the most popular on the Frontier - easily sharpened and of good quality.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Delmonico]

I have one of the skinners I picked up with a broken handle at a thrift shop, it has seen a hard use, but with some scrap walnut and a little sharpening it's one of my best cook camp knives:

[Marshal Deadwood]

I've used Green Rivers a LOT in my days............and love them.

Thats a nice piece of walnut in them grips, Del.

[Delmonico]

I've used Green Rivers a LOT in my days............and love them.

THanks a nice piece of walnut in them grips, Del.

The oil finish is a bit different, Canola oil, I do it on all my camp knives, I soak them good, let them set an hour or so and wipe off the excess, takes a week or so to dry.   Holds up to dish water far better than linseed.  I just wipe them with a paper towel dampened in it now and then.  Almost like touching up cast iron.

Soybean and rapeseed oils (Canola oil) were both used a lot in paints before the synthitics, soy bean painted most cars in the US except GM, (They used basically smokeless gun powder)  from the 30's into the 1960's.  Rapeseed was more expensive but resited salt water better and was used for marine paint.  Now some folks insist on cooking with either or both but I prefer not to cook my food in paint.

[The Elderly Kid]

When we pick up those old Russell knives (and others of the sort) we're always amazed at how thin the blades are. Modern camp knives by contrast are built like bayonets. The thing to remember is that in their day, these knives were not collectors' items. They were expected to be used heavily,sharpened a lot, and tossed aside when they were too worn for further use. A trapper heading out for a season in the mountains might buy a dozen at a time, expecting to use them up. Even those of us who (like me) use them all the time in the kitchen don't put the wear on them that the old-time outdoorsmen did, skinning and butchering vast amounts of game and resharpening the blade often as not on the nearest boulder.

[TallBaldBellied]

I use 'em daily.  I have multiples of butcher, skinner, sheath, spear, patch, and paring.  I won't let the missus use 'em.  She's hell on knives.  Toss' 'em willy nilly into the sink,  drawers, and the like.  They patina well.  Hold an edge purty damn good too.  Sharpen easy too.

[IRON JACK]

I got my buff skinner from track of the wolf yesterday. Looks great, it's .138 thick which isn't all that thin. It looks about like the knife in the first photo on this post.

Also got the cape buffalo horn blocks to make handles. Should make a great knife.

[GunClick Rick]

I never thought much of them until i got one,one of my favorites now.

[Capt.Virgil Russo]

Russell Belt Blade. Handle is coccbolo with a few doses of Tung oil. Sheath of my own crestion.

[GunClick Rick]

Darn nice!

Not the same in the topic but i picked up an old camilus pocket knife yesterday at a second hand store,one blade is srcewdriver that locks open.Nice job Capt.

[St. George]

It's the old TL-29 - the 'Electrician's Knife' - a combination knife, screwdriver and wire-stripper used by linemen and commo guys.

The Army's issued these for generations - still do - and the wire-stripper blade isn't all 'that' sharp.

This one's fairly modern - early 1960's.

Scouts Out!

[Capt.Virgil Russo]

Darn nice!

Not the same in the topic but i picked up an old camilus pocket knife yesterday at a second hand store,one blade is srcewdriver that locks open.Nice job Capt.

Thanks Rick. 

[1961MJS]

Hi

What type of sheath would a cowboy / railroad guard / army scout wear a Russell Green River knife in?  I always carried mine in my haversack when I was a member of the 9th Texas.  I've seen a lot of pictures of guys wearing their knife on their cartridge belt.  That seems uncomfortable to me.

Thanks