The News from ElephantToenails.com

We jumbo swellcenter collectors know you just don’t run on one everyday, not the vintage variety anyway, so getting one custom made is definitely an option.

Jeff Claiborne continues to keep us informed on the ones he makes.  Today he shows us a jigged peachseed bone handled easy open jumbo.

Jeff Claiborne Custom Jumbo

I’m sure if you want to order one to spec, he’d make one for you.

I think the best way to tell you about my last three days is as a photolog, so here goes. The tale begins at Parker’s Knife Show, then a tour through the NKCA Knife Museum and finally, breakfast with some fellow Elephant Toenail Collector Club Members. Then I headed home.

Parker's Show Hall

C Platts Jumbo for sale by Joe Seale

National Knife Collection Museum

Platts History & Jumbo

Case Family Toenail

Case Brothers Toenail

Early Case Toenail

Henry Sears & Son Tear Drop Style

Napanoch Display featuring Toenail

Voyles Knife Auction

Just got back yesterday from Parker’s Show. Got lots to report, but I need to head out for the morning.

But, if you aren’t a subscriber to Knife World you got to get a copy. A wonderful front page article on toenails is there front and center by our toenail friend, Joe Seale. Also, in full techno-color is that wonderful old C Platts Jumbo he has for sale (got to see it in person at the show too!).

Anyway, you got to get a copy (Dec. 2008 edition), if for no other reason than to add the article to your toenail archive/library.

I’ll be back to report more about toenails, our toenail friends (and fellow ETCC members) at the show and more- later today (unless my honey-do list is real long, which in that case it might be midnight before I can update you on this weekend’s findings and great fellowship).

Mr. Tony Bose

The Tony Bose interview is out of production and is now live. And yes, while the interview is an all around Tony Bose interview, I did ask him specially about his toenails. As you may know, he is one of a few custom knife makers to make toenails of the vintage toenail variety.

Tony is one heck of a gentleman and was a pleasure to talk knives with. I think you will find the interview enjoyable- he has a very dry sense of humor, but is really very funny.

Instead of loading it here at The News, follow the link directly to his interview. Thanks and enjoy the show.

Hope to see you at the Parker Show next week and don’t forget our ET Collectors Club Breakfast Sat. morning.

Due to the rarity of Jumbo Swellcenters (vintage or custom), I have elected to bring you another custom Jumbo that is being finished up right now.

Jeff Claiborne has keep us in the loop on his toenail makes and has another (his second) he is finishing.

He said, it is green mastodon leg bone. The only work left is to “hand rub, then high polish buff.”

We vintage Jumbo purest may jump back at the sur nuff green here, but recognize it is a custom and not a replica… it has grown on me. If you can’t handle it, then you can give it to me for Christmas

I know you probably think I fell off a log and broke my hands, but between my work schedule and family scheduling, I am still here and OK (as far as I know anyway).

Wanted to update you on my interview with custom knifemaker Tony Bose- I’m scheduled to talk to him in the morning…it is going to be good. I know, again, we aren’t into customs much around here, but my gracious, to talk to a knifemaker of the caliber of Mr. Bose who has actually made swellcenters- albeit only a few, is way too cool for me. Again let me remind you of his statement that those knives were there hardest to make of ANY knife he has ever made.

I can’t wait. Plus, with all the technological advances in knifemaking we have today, if today’s makers call it hard, just think how hard it must have been back at the C. Platts factory!

You guys know we have been following the progress of the making of a Jumbo Swellcenter by knifemaker Jeff Claiborne.

Jeff told me it is now finished. And I’m exciting to present the unveiling of Jeff’s excellent representation of this rare vintage pattern. 

This is a stag handled Jumbo Swellcenter. Custom made jumbos are very rare. From my conversations with two knifemakers, both of which have made jumbos, it is a very difficult knife to make, but I’ll post more on that in a later post.

With that allow me to present this handful of a beauty-

If you missed the earlier posts on the stages making this knife, here you go: Part I  and then Part II 

Would you believe me if I told you you could buy a W R Case Jumbo Swellcenter for only $2.00? The one pictured here wasn’t it though.

Well, it is true. Here’s the story. Got a call this morning from a knife friend I met at the Case Collectors Appreciation Day back in July. He told me that he has a friend who bought a knife at a Flea Market who approached him about what it was worth. My knife friend immediately recognized it as a Jumbo.

The long and the short of it is this- his friend bought it for TWO DOLLARS! It sounds like it is probably in at least good+ to maybe VG condition. Aside from the fact that knife may be worth bumping on $1000 (I haven’t seen it, so could be more), the fact that there are rare toenails sitting in a box of knives at flea markets and trade days, just drives me crazy.

So come on guys, let’s not sit on our duff and wait on the next one showing up on eBay, let’s mobilize and scurry the country. I bet we can turn up a dozen or more in unexpected places.

As a side note: I rarely go to trade day down here in my area, BUT two weeks ago, I got up and went. I even went by myself and at the crack of dawn. I didn’t find any toenails, but did buy me two chains

Our life is filled with a deluge of thoughts and image impressions. Our memories are, to put it in computer terms, are like a folder on our hard drive. All day, every day, our internal video camera is recording everything our 5 senses are encountering. Think of the shear amount of data our brains filter on a daily basis. Most studies conclude the brain retains this information for your entire lifetime.

Well, while it is interesting to ponder all that I’m just a knife guy who can’t seem to “call up” my kid’s cell phone numbers, so trying to remember what I got for my birthday when I was 10 years old is fruitless.

BUT some things I can remember easily and as if it was just yesterday.

And the day I saw my first toenail is one of those instant recall memories. I’ll never forget it; that knife just jumped out and grabbed me.  It was so different from any of the knives I was familiar. It was so different, unusual, peculiar, and cool, that I knew right then and there I had to find me one!

Long story short- I was “studying” Levine’s Guide to Knives and Their Values 4th edition and when I flipped to the page- those ET’s just reached up and grabbed me ’round my neck.

Here is exactly what I saw

To be honest, it was the C Platts that stood out to me the most.

You gotta love that knife. I mean look at that master blade. It is huge.

I lusted over it for some time (before I turned the page). I was disappointed to see Levine say these knives were popular and expensive. I concluded they were going to be hard to find and really doubted if I would ever actually own one.

So, do you remember your first time?

As an aside, forget the value he had on it at the time (The jumbo had $675 and the pearl MSA at $1200). I’m guessing the book was published close to 25 years ago. That knife today is worth going on… Well that exact knife is owned by the Platts family and is worth probably $10,000 to $15,000! The pedigree of that knife being in the founders family for all these years is what knocks that price out of the park.

I know of two cleaned excellent condition W R Case swellcenters sold a few months ago for $4500 a piece. I know of another one in Near Mint condition offered for a tad under $6000.

I was contacted by a reputable dealer recently making me aware of a super nice Platts Jumbo Swellcenter he had available. He deals in only the best of the best.

Check it out-

She’s a beaut that is for sure! Of course, a minty knife like this has a minty price- just a few dollars under $6000.

If you know where any Jumbos are out there for sale better grab them while you can. If and when they get hard to find, then you will see prices that will take your breath…..

One day I’ll post the prices for Jumbos were for sale for back in the early 80’s. You will be amazed at how affordable they were then (at least to us today anyway). We will probably look back and feel the same way 10 years from now.

If you are interested in this one let me know and I’ll hook you two up.