Backup100BLK

A little belated, but just so it's included. Spyderco released a Sprint Run of the Large Chinese Folder with Pink scales. :)

It's been a pretty excellent couple of weeks for my Lum collection. A couple of weeks ago, I scored one of Bob's Catalog from 1981 (Pre-Eugene OR!!!! more info in my Lum Blog). Which helped to fill in some info about his early work. This weekend, thanks to a collector from Florida, I scored an old Lum fixed blade (LUM stamp, so it makes it pre-1985), that will now be my preferred letter opener. Once I make a nice stand for it.  Handle is well aged ivory micarta, SS bolsters with a black spacer, and tapered tang. The blade profile is very similar to his Stalker model (especially in the Folding Stalker model). But the handle is not what wound up on the final Stalker model. Best that I can guess is that this would be something that Bob would classify as a Boot Knife or Dirk. And in his unique naming scheme, it would probably be called a Deluxe Stalker Non-Folder Boot Knife (please don't quote me on that, it's an inside joke on how Bob prefers to name something a "Non-...

Came across this little beauty in one of the knife forums (photos copyright to the original photographer): It's a custom "Pimped" Large Chinese Folder with 400 year old oak scales, buffalo horn bolsters, and a anodized blue titanium liner. The work was done by a firm called CustomSpyderco.com . Which, from a glance at the their website, does very nice work. A very creative alternative to own an unique Lum.

I generally do not like Ebay, as it's not a very knife friendly place. However, once in a while, you find a diamond among the thousands of offerings. In this case, Item #261008813736, a Bob Lum Catalog dated from 1980, when he was still living in Santa Barbara CA., before he moved to Eugene OR. And even more valuable, a price list. This is the period where Bob's lack of record keeping had left a big gap in his knowledge base. The information contained within the catalog has really helped in filling in some of those gaps. A couple of interesting notes to share: 1) The knife featured on the cover of the catalog was the Chinese Non-Folder, a  Small Utility fixed blade that can be seen here (top picture, second from bottom):   http://100lums.blogspot.com/2009/09/utility-blades.html Mine is not the one on the cover of the catalog in that mine has a small choil to mark the end of the edge, and for easier resharpening. But it would have cost me a mere $135 if...

Spyderco will be releasing a Sprint Run of the Lum Tanto Fixed Blade this year. New will be Maroon handles and a small "Spydie" hole in the blade near the tang.

A belated Happy New Year, and Gong Xi Fa Cai to everyone. Going into 2012, I'm happy to see Spyderco continuing to offer two versions of the Chinese Folders as part of their Ethnic Series. The C65CF, Medium Chinese Folder in Glass Fiber, and the C143G, the Large Chinese Folder in Black G10. Benchmade is also continuing to offer the two Dejavoo models. 741 and 746. And missing from the reporting front was the special run of the Spyderco Medium Chinese Folder with Pink Amalite handles. Perfect for the ladies.

Very surprised it sold for only $1200 after being relisted again. That is a very good price for a Deluxe Stag Tanto. Bob's table price for something like it would be in the $800 to $850 range.