Just in case you guys think it is an exclusive thing!! This is my personal knife that I like very much!! I've always carried it in in my purse. For the past couple of years (during the endless move), I misplaced it!!! I searched for it everywhere. I looked through most of my purses. Ok... I like purses....there are lots of them!!! No luck!! I knew it had to be here somewhere. As I was putting one purse away to get another to use, I thought, OK, I am looking through everyone of them to find that knife. Well since I am a Barnes...yep...you guessed it!! It was in the very last one!!! I was so happy to find it, I thought I'd share it with you all!!

This next one is the knife that Jeff bought! He showed it to his daughter and apparently she like it very much, because it now belongs to her!! I hope she enjoys having and using it! Jeff had Gary put a lanyard hole (not sure if that's what you call it) in the handle, so Jeff made the lanyard and embellished it with a slightly more feminine touch, with a really cute bead.

So....guys.....your lady might like a knife too!!!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/2016 06:43PM by Kelly.

Kelly

I'm so glad you found it. I've misplaced a few things over the years that I'm still looking for. Quite a beautiful knife also btw. Gary can sure build 'em.

Karl

Thanks Karl. Hey...maybe you should look in your wife's purse!!

Kelly
That's a great little purse knife . I bet you were really bummed when you couldn't find it . My wife and I were at her 25 anniversary (IIRC )at the hospital she works at and each table had gifts for the amount of years worked . When she came back after getting called up , she came back with a rose handle gerber folder with a shield ( logo ) with micro rubies & emeralds . That's my wife haha .

Thanks
Kurt

Hey Kelly,
That is a beautiful knife. Give Gary a nudge... I still have a daughter-in-law who doesn't have a Barnes knife! Nice work Gary.

Gees Kurt,
I didn't even know that Gerber made knives like that. It sounds cool. I gave my daughter a Kershaw assisted open knife when she went in the Coast Guard (can't remember the model name), and she said that for the next five years she had to constantly fight off the guys who were trying to talk her out of it. She still has it too.

Later guys (and Kelly),
Jeff

I'm think, Jeff ......

When I need a break to just sit and carve ..... I'm seeing a couple of Stag Lanyard Beads in the Future!! Ohhh Yeahhhh ...

Gary

Hey Gary,
GREAT IDEA! I don't think I have ever seen those. Make sure you plan one for that Daughter-in-law knife I asked Kelly to 'nudge' you about .
Later,
Jeff

Very nice Kelly, glad you finally tracked it down.

Kelly,

My wife used to carry a small fixed blade Barnes in her purse until I made her put it in the safe since it might be considered a concealed weapon and she did not have a permit. She loves that knife, but it belongs on a belt. However, she will now be carrying a new Barnes folder (folders are not considered weapons in most cases) in her purse along with her other tools (a small leatherman on her keychain, a medical shear tool, and a small gerber folding tool).

I like the scales on your knife, is it ivory? What is the inlay?

Keith

Hi Keith,

Thank you. The scales are "pre ban ivory". Inlay is a matrix that Gary developed around 1975/76. It expands and contracts at the same rate as natural material, so it doesn't crack them. The shell is "Paua". My jewelry and knives and Gary's customers knives have stayed remarkably stable.

These pendants are the same materials as the knives.







Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2016 10:19PM by Kelly.

Kelly,

Those are very nice earnings and knife. Does Gary still have some of the pre ban ivory?

Keith

Hi Keith,

I only work with ancient Ivory - since the ban.

I hear New York State is banning ancient Ivory. They tell us what to do/think. It's our place to obey.



Gary

Wow Kelly
Those are gorgeous ! Gary must really love you and I know he does .
Way to go Keith ask a great question . I was thinkin they had to be bone of some sort . I always thought ivory got yellow .

My dad used to refurbish pianos and when he passed I had coffee cans full of ivory keys ( real ivory) I couldn't find anything to make with them and nobody wanted them . Jewlery might have been a great idea but they were thin .

Thanks
Kurt

Kurt,

I know its hard to find pre ban ivory these days (not to mention expensive), and old piano keys are a good source. Yes they are thin, but look great as inlays and small items. I have two old pianos with ivory keys which cost more to repair then they are worth and I am considering deconstructing them for the wood and the keys. I'm also thinking the cast iron sound boards might make a good backstop for an airgun range (small bore only). If anyone has any ideas on how to deconstruct them, let me know.

Also, never travel outside the country with any ivory items. They will be seized at the boarder and destroyed or whatever the feds do with such things. I read a musician with an old expensive instrument was confiscated at the airport when they returned from a gig in Europe last year. I think it was a violin from the 1800's or something like that, but they took it anyway because it had ivory inlays.

Keith

Beautiful items Kelly!!!
Jeff

Keith
I've torn apart many old pianos . As a kid my dad a I would go get the free ones in the paper and bring them home for parts or repair . He actually supplied the 3 room school at our church with pianos . One in each room . There is really good lead ( soft) under the keys for counter weight on a lot of the pianos . And the wood ..... Well you can get some nice large pieces of beautiful wood . Most of them are all glued together NEVER to come apart except with a chain saw of course . The cast iron is hollow well you can see thru it , to reduce weight I guess . They are very brittle and shatter easy with a sledge hammer . After we striped all the good small parts I would take them outside and burn them and rake up left over metal for scrap . There are a good length of ... Piano hinges usually brass or bronze . But most of the big wood on the back of the upright pianos is all glued and screwed and I never could separate any of it . BTW. Baby grand and player pianos are very restorable but you never get back out what you put into them . The lead weight under the keys is the the best I ever found for split shot sinkers . It's very plyable with no additives .

Thanks
Kurt

Kurt,

Thanks for the info, I did not realize they might be all glued together. Here I was thinking all I have to do was remove the screws and bolts.

So I get some good lead out of the deal also. That will come in handy for casting.

Both piano's are uprights, one is a piano forte and the other a full size Kimble. The prices we have gotten for repairs is anywhere from $4K - $11K each to restore (depending on the vendor), and afterward they will be worth $4K - $5K apiece, maybe. Plus we have to pay to send to the restorer. So the deconstruction route seems to be the best option. I don't have a chain saw, but I do have a recip saw and a hand saw. I want to keep as much wood as possible for further projects along with the keys (maybe Gary might be interested in some of them), the front panels, some fixtures, and of course the lead.

Keith

Keith
There are some good pieces ( large ) of beautiful wood available . The top for sure comes off fairly easy and other big panels sometimes single piece 25"+ wide not glued glued . The large spindles in front are always good too. I've made a couple of coffee tables out of the benches that open up . I do remember one really cool piano stool we had that was very ornate steel , wood and other ( glass maybe) ! It had lion feet holding a big ( glass) marble that was clear for the feet .
I don't remember what happened to it but the wood seat would spin up and down for all adjustment .

You will have fun and a couple of piles a good usable recyclable / repurposed material .
The whole thing with the keys / ivory was they didn't match other pianos due to use and discoloration . They sure seem like it would be good inlay material though .

Thanks
Kurt