I know a relative of this man, Leighton Baker who owned the A.W. Petersons Gun Shop. He wrote a book on Jim Baker I have a copy autographed by the Author.
Evan, Thank you for your videos on the historical artifacts. Anything you chose to highlight will certainly be of interest to me. I am 78 years old and was born & raised in central & western Oklahoma surrounded by Indian reservations. I have always found their history to be a sad portion of American history. Again thanks for your work.
I used to have a hard-copy of that book. Got it from I think some kind of Field & Stream book club in about 1971. The only book I still have is a book from the 1920s which is animal tracks.
Many knives of pioneering/exploring/prospecting/trapping people have been altered and/or improvised by the user from materials at hand. Lots of old knives made from old files, saw blades, old broken knives/swords/scrap steel, etc. Not everyone back in the "old" days had access to factory made cutlery, or the funds to purchase a factory made knife. Probably the most factory made knives to make it to the west were brought to the fur rendezvous by traders and were bartered off for furs. Lots of old documentation and shipping manifests of hundreds of inexpensive butcher knives bought by traders and carried west for the fur trade era. They were essentially the same as modern day old hickory and russell green river knives available today. They're not as glamorous as many would like to think of, but that's what most of the early trappers and explorers had and carried as their do-it-all knives. Most had several with them
Fascinating artifacts with fascinating stories, Evan. Whatever you wish to present and discuss suits me; firearms, knives, or other historical artifacts. Your presentations are interesting and educational.
6:31 into video. I think it's a Nordic proverb. Something along the lines of, "He who has no knife, will soon have no life." So I can understand how a knife could have been so valuable to a person of that era. I myself have a treasure trove of knives for different tasks. If my Leatherman touches fluids for car or gun, I don't eat with it.
Thank you Evan for another interesting and educational video on historical artifacts from the most interesting era (for me anyway) of the northwest prairie and Rocky Mountain areas of our country. As always, very well presented, researched, discussed....and appreciated!
From the shape of the blade, looks like a Green River knife, the Hunter or some times called the Fish knife. But not full tang. I've had that book for YEARS. and years, and yes, it is an excellent book.
Back then marbles was just getting established a great choice for a hunting knife back then,, today they are highly collectable, they made guns knives Hatchetts gun sights ectra a company with great history
Thanks for the presentation. The second knife belonging to Mr. Alex Matt looks as though it could be a re-purposed scimitar (very large butcher knife). It has a rebuilt leather handle, and appears to have the front of the blade cut/removed. It is my understanding that longer institutional/ kitchen type knives were bought second hand and shortened for body carry across the body or on the hip. Think Nessmuk.
Copper in the sheath,shows extremely good condition, for being that old. It should have been way more oxidized, with all those years. That copper has only some patina, that can be formed in just a year or 2... It doesn't convinve me, that it's a reallly old knife, because back then, they used their knives a lot and always they show that use in their apperance. There were not any collectors, that kept their knives in pristine condition back then... They all used them and used them to the point, the blade became way smaller and funny looking shapes. This doesn't even have piting on the blade...I aint no expert, but I my experience, shows a different picture about old knives.
I would add if a knife isn't sharpened through mechanical means or those d****d modern pull throughs, just using hones, a stone and a strop the blades don't wear out fast, you can have a 30/40 year old knife used every day and the edge won't be much more worn than when it was new. A seasoned Mountain Man will know this and he wouldn't have had access to mechanical means very often anyway. A leather belt is your strop, if you want to process an animal before you have four legged company a hone was the way to go then and you can't get through a whole trapping season without a stone.
The old Special knife scam used by stagecoach drivers on tourist for years! Think about it, do you really think Jim Baker would be so careless as to leave his knife anywhere? and if so don't you think the sheath would have stayed on his belt? How often do you think Antelope get harvested directly on the stage route, much less on one that you just happen to be friends with the driver? The same type that falls for this also buys a genuine Jesse James Pistol that his mother just found while cleaning his room. Mr. White was a walking wallet and an easy mark. That sheath is from the leather of the back boot on a Wells Fargo coach used to secure mail and luggage, they got used hard and replaced often thus providing scrap leather that ended up in the handicrafts of many bored stage stop owners like John (Jack) Clark as one of several stops operated by the Clark family The Stone Ranch Stage Station provided meals fresh mounts rest as well as good stories and special souvenirs.
Them guy would love the knoves we own and make nowadays, we pay much more attention to detail and fit & finish and steel is some much higher in quality. ⚔️🐊⚔️ 🤺
I have about 30 Early Primitive Bowies and frontier knives some dating back to REV War. One of my knives came out of Colorado. That Baker knife’s construction style is from the right period, Early-mid 1800’s but the sheath is not. The other knife is interesting. The sheath is not Indian war period old. It is Made from modern factory processed leather.
Probably Even today, leather knife sheaths and gun holsters are a high wear item. I have several knives that I bought new with a new leather sheath and have had to replace with a new one or make a replacement. Old knives from the period might have been on their 5th or 6th sheath by the time they fall into a curator's hands.
It's possible I know of more than a few modern day hunters and campers that set a knife down and neglect to retrieve it and either go back to look, or write it off and obtain a new one
Holy crap this guy is boring me to tears. Its his tone and the speed at which he presents. Highly suggest someone take him to a Jr. College and enroll him in speech or public speaking courses....
I am sorry you don't care my style. I won a national public speaking contest in high school. Maybe I have forgotten what I learned. What do you suggest to improve my presentation?
@@wsmvolunteers8588 You are doing just fine. Orlosthedruid doesn't have to tune in if he/ she isn't happy with your efforts. BTW, the Jim Baker knife has a bolster made of pewter. A common thing on knives of the day. Thank you for your work.
