Vintage Harvey Dean Camp Bowie

[Stephen F]

Sometimes an object will capture your imagination, when that happens it influences you and your tastes on a sub-conscious level, it is a very subjective and personal thing. You find yourself drawn to similar shapes and features in other objects without knowing why.

Recently I had an opportunity to acquire a knife that has had such an influence on me.

Any one in possession of Jim Weyers Knives Points of Interest IV can turn to page 54 and see the image that first brought this knife to my attention. Why I was so enamoured with it is a combination of factors and possibly Mr Weyers superb photography. Certainly if you break it down to its component level then there is nothing singularly unique, infact many collectors currently frown upon some of the elements eg. Curly maple, nickel silver, rope filing on the guard, random pattern deep etched damascus .......... read that in a spec. list without a picture and I would possibly pass it over without a second glance.

But, for me certainly, the way Harvey Dean brings all these elements together with a simplicity of flow and balance is a good explanantion for why these components were so popular for a period of time, and continue to be so today in some circles.

Fashions change, but style and class will never become old. This knife was one of Harveys early MS pieces dating back to '92/'93, he has been making knives since the early '80's. In my eyes it has an ageless quality, the visual balance of the warm maple, against the dark random damascus lends the knife presence borne from their richness and energy.

When you hold the knife it conveys to you a sense of purpose, a functional object which takes its beauty from the harnessing of the fire that is the chatoyancy of the maple, and the brooding storm that is the swirling damascus.

The design is also a perfect blend of form and function, the flow of the handle, the balance of the asymmetrical guard, forward balance for chopping, radiused spine for comfort and handling, straight spine ... all the elements I have been sub-consciously looking for in other camp knives have their foundation in this knife.

Having prattled on about the subjective intrinsic qualities, I can hear the more practical members asking so what does all this mean for chopping and cutting ...... here are the specs:

Cutting edge: 10 1/4"
OAL: 16 1/2 "
Choil: 1"
Max Blade width: 1 3/4 "
Blade thickness: 7/32 "
Weight: 15 1/2 oz
Balance point: 1/2 " forward of ricasso.
Blade: Damascus (not sure of mix but would guess 1084/15n20)
Fittings: Nickel Silver
Handle: Curly Maple
Features: Radiused spine and clip, filed serrations for grip and striking on spine.

Harvey Dean officianados may observe that the MS and name Stamps are on the reverse sides from normal .... this means the knife has a twin ... I'll keep searching!

All that remains is to show you my image of the knife, and also to say a big thank you to the man who has been taking care of it for the last few years ... Thanks Randy, I'll look after it until its time to move on again!



Cheers,

Stephen

[ggfh666]

This is just amazing. Well not just but fully amazing.