Klaas Harness Jack

[yellowhammer]

I was given one of these yesterday by a friend on another forum and thought you might like to see it. 'It' is a 1950s Harness Jack slipjoint from the Robert Klaas works in Solingen.



The Harness Jack pattern is a main blade & an awl, both at the same end of the handle. This 'un has the biggest awl I've seen on a folder. It looks like it's actually half a pair of scissors. Check out this bad boy;



Main blade is a Wharncliffe, flat ground with a (too) small secondary bevel. Steel is either 1095 or 1075 by all accounts, and the tip is made deliberately blunt, even for a wharnie;



Only mark on it is the Kissing Cranes motif, above the word Germany;



With the British Blades standard unit of measurement ;



Fit and finish aren't perfect, but this is a fifty year-old hand-made knife. That's character, that is. The backspring is incredibly strong, making the knife quite difficult to open, at least for girly-fingered ponces like me. There is a very secure half-stop on both blades.



I really like this knife. It's gone straight into EDC, replacing the Pioneer - heady praise indeed

[Grant Lamontagne]

That's a beauty!

Keep me in mind if it ever needs a new home!

I'd say put me in your will for it, but that may drastically reduce your lifespan!   

Def

[Benner]

That is real nice.

[yellowhammer]

Good, innit? A chap over at British Blades was selling several models, including one with a corkscrew and a Sodbuster, for less than a tenner each a while back. I think the postage to send it over the pond from Germany was prohibitive though If anyone wants one I can have an ask though.

I think I'm going to attack some fruit with it and get a nice patina going. Although a 'forced' grain mustard patina on the awl might look quite cool too

[Spoonrobot]

Nice pictures!

Any guess what kind of wood is the handle made of?

[yellowhammer]

Cheers! I'm not sure on the wood, but I'm thinking it could be stained beech

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

That thing is gorgeous mate , I'm seriously envious

[I'm Still Bison]

That thing is gorgeous mate , I'm seriously envious

                And being a Kissing Cranes from back in the day,you know it's going to be the good stuff.Bone or horn scales would be gorgeous on it.

[CQC-7]

That is a really cool knife.

[J-sews]

I really like the old world Solingen knives