The News from ElephantToenails.com

Cutlery News Journal has released a new exciting audio series with the key players of the knife industry. Today the first show was made live. It is an exclusive one-on-one candid unscripted interview with Mr. Perry Miller, the President of the National Knife Collectors Association.

I’m starting a new category topic called “I’ve Got a Beef.” It is for me to sound off. So when you see ole Johnny Mac here you know I’m sounding off. (I was a Borg fan actually, but grew to like John McEnroe a lot over the years). If you don’t know John was famous for his on the court tirades.

Unfortunately, my first installment in “I’ve got a Beef” is pretty close to home for us all of us, but I’m sorry….cause I’ve got a beef.

HOW ABOUT A GLO IN THE DARK WEBSITE?

You guys know I am not one to complain BUT my gracious- have you seen the new National Knife Collector Association website? I know I am not web guru myself, but come on….. green and purple GLO colors.

Maybe it is just my browser or something….like my eyes. It looks like Day-Glo fluorescent with an optical illusion as its focal point!? How about instead, maybe…..a knife, or how about people- yes, smiling collectors at a show…… but a never-ending Day-Glo circle? Must be some of that new age stuff at work here, or something…

I know the NKCA is more than for collectors of antique knives- but there is ton of imagery that could have been used on the site. (I realize pics can be slow to load, but..) I also know the NKCA is a non-profit and probably not flush with cash, BUT…… can’t we make our organization’s site look appealing for folks who come to check out this wonderful hobby of ours? Hopefully, the landing page/homepage is just under construction.

Ken Mundhenk

I live in Blue Creek, Ohio. I’ve been married soon to be 36 years and we have 2 son’s ages 31 and 22.  We are anxiously waiting the birth of our first grandchild.

I’m a material handler for a coal fired electric generating station.

I’ve been collecting case knives for about 14 years. I carry a stag mini copperlock. Over the years I’ve collected the limited editions and recently the tiny trappers. 

I’ve always been fascinated by the toenails but didn’t know alot about them until I met Roger Cunningham, he’s the local toenail guru. Going to knife shows with Roger and watching him on the hunt caused me to catch the toenail fever. With his help and guidance, I’ve acquired several case and catts.

I’m a member of the case collectors club and NKCA. I want to say your ET site is fantastic! I truly enjoy it, it’s a big help to a newbie in the hunt for toenails. I understand you will be in Bradford,PA in July, I’m looking forward to meeting you.

At the Dalton show I found would have been a first for me but after I scoped it out, determined it was a fake.

It was reported to be called a Case Brothers “swayback” toenail. As I walked up on it, it immediately caught my eye (sorry for the blurry photo…I got this one shot and then my battery died).

It was greenbone Case Brothers that appeared a bit thinner than usual. It was a really cool knife and there for a minute I thought it might be a new toenail “style.” In case you are curious he was asking $2200 for it.

I couldn’t help but get my glass out to look closer and upon a more thorough inspection found the bolster pins had been dug out. No longer where the pins nice and round and there was an unusual “rust” on top of each one- both sides and both ends. Really, that was about all I found that I didn’t like, but put it back fairly quickly after discovering the pin problem and therefore didn’t continue to inspect it. The handles followed the contour of the liners nicely. I did notice there were some “bumps” where the bolsters came to meet the handles in a couple of areas, but probably wouldn’t have been too bothered by that had the pin problems not jumped out at me. The blades and stamping were original…..just don’t know where the counterfeiter came up with the handles and frame.

I walked away from the table disappointed. I thought I had found a real jewel because not all “one of a kind” knives/toenails are fake.

It was snowing when I left The Northwest Ga Convention Center earlier today, but the blustery day only added to making this a memorable trip for me. For you newer collectors who have yet to attend a knife show, you must make every effort to get to one.

Attending a knife show, for me, is about 1) scoping out the toenails for sale, 2) seeing the prices being asked for those toenails, 3) meeting knife folks, 4) visiting with the knife folks I know, 5) finding out the latest talk on the goings on in the Knifedom, And 6) having the opportunity to handle a lot of toenails and testing my learning on identifying the good ones from bad ones.This show was all of that and more! (more…)