Posted: 3/19/2019 11:25:30 PM EDT
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I was driving thru Effingham IL today and found this. Can anyone give me a few details/history. I believe it is an original BlackJack made in Effingham. I have read threads here in the past about these knives. Google is not cooperating with info on this particular blade. Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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They were really good knives, just introduced at a time when there was tremendous competition in the knife market. IIRC, some of their knives were made out of A2 steel...very good stuff.
One of the knives I regret selling was an original Effingham made Mamba with a 9" blade. They usually don't have a sharpened false edge, but I returned mine to the factory, and even had a letter verifying that the false edge was done at the factory. |
| They are made by Bark River for Blackjack. Great knives. Mike Stewart at Bark River does awesome work. Lifetime Warranty on everything he makes, including the Blackjacks I believe. I have a Model 5 that my dad gave me 15 years ago. I sent it in to Mike and for $20 he did a Spa Treatment and sent it back looking brand new. I can't say enough good things about them. I have several Blackjacks and Bark Rivers. |
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They are made by Bark River for Blackjack. Great knives. Mike Stewart at Bark River does awesome work. Lifetime Warranty on everything he makes, including the Blackjacks I believe. I have a Model 5 that my dad gave me 15 years ago. I sent it in to Mike and for $20 he did a Spa Treatment and sent it back looking brand new. I can't say enough good things about them. I have several Blackjacks and Bark Rivers. |
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Quoted: These are old Effingham knives mostly Randall clones. Blackjack was an early venture of Mike’s he blew it out after a deal with Ek. I believe he worked for Marble’s after Blackjack closed down then opened Bark River. |
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I was driving thru Effingham IL today My dad and I would commiserate about the construction, and the one month I went through without construction at 3am I called him immediately. He thanked me for waking him and letting him know. We had a laugh. |
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Oof. Sorry. The city of eternal interstate construction, at least on 70. My dad and I would commiserate about the construction, and the one month I went through without construction at 3am I called him immediately. He thanked me for waking him and letting him know. We had a laugh. Quoted:
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I was driving thru Effingham IL today My dad and I would commiserate about the construction, and the one month I went through without construction at 3am I called him immediately. He thanked me for waking him and letting him know. We had a laugh. |
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Quoted: I don't know about the deal with Ek but I knew he worked for Marbles. He's back doing the Blackjacks now and if I recall correctly he did alot of the Effinghams. I follow their FB page and he's always quick to respond. Blackjack is brought up all the time on there. I think they are good. I believe my Model 5 is a Effingham but I also have a 124 that is current production. |
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Quoted: The Ek thing got contentious, I believe. |
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@ssgsnake
Mid 90's. I interviewed with them fresh out of college (1995) at their facility just off I-70. They had one machine running blanks for Chicago Cutlery, before the stuff moved to China. (Not relevant, but cool at the time) All their "custom" in house knives were hand sharpened. Biggest claim to fame was the 2" hanging rope cut. No kidding, they had a spool of rope hanging from the ceiling. Interviewer walks over, asks a worker to give a finished knife and takes a swing at the 2" rope. "Zing" cut that rope in half, no frayed edges just a clean cut. Buddy had one, don't remember the name but it was a 1/4" thick spine and was great at fucking up sheet metal. Said something about that knife to the interviewer and he responded, something along the lines of "ya it will mess up a car hood/doors." Great knife you have! |
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That's a Model 7. That knife is as good as a Randall model 1 for use, but not in value. I have a couple of Effingham made Trailguides that are fine knives. The Trailguide is also a copy of a Randall.
Blackjack currently has a cheap Chinese line of knives and the Classic line that is made by Bark River. I think Smokey Mtn Knifeworks owns the Blackjack name now. |
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That's a Model 7. That knife is as good as a Randall model 1 for use, but not in value. I have a couple of Effingham made Trailguides that are fine knives. The Trailguide is also a copy of a Randall. Blackjack currently has a cheap Chinese line of knives and the Classic line that is made by Bark River. I think Smokey Mtn Knifeworks owns the Blackjack name now. |
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I've heard there was some controversy over Blackjack and coincidentally watched a Youtube video last night talking about it. The guy on the video was re-telling Stewart's version of the story. It went something like this: "There's a lot of controversy about Blackjack, as people say that Mike left town in the middle of the night and left everyone including suppliers hanging in the wind. But Mike tells me that it was actually his investors that took back their investment and stole extra money that wasn't theirs and that's why the company went out of business."
That doesn't really pass the smell test for me . . . . but I still own and enjoy a couple of Bark Rivers. |
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Quoted:
That's a Model 7. That knife is as good as a Randall model 1 for use, but not in value. I have a couple of Effingham made Trailguides that are fine knives. The Trailguide is also a copy of a Randall. Blackjack currently has a cheap Chinese line of knives and the Classic line that is made by Bark River. I think Smokey Mtn Knifeworks owns the Blackjack name now. |
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Yes I remember the Classic Hunter back when Mike Sippin and his partner Tony (I wanna say Assardi?) were selling them at gun shows.
Great knives great company high quality low prices...Wish I woulda bought more of them. Had the Vorpel in my hands and meant to buy it then decided to wait till the next show...and boom they were outta business and gone... 
I will try to post pics of mine up this weekend sometime I still have an Archangel and coco bolo chute knife NIB 
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They are very much in business. They were having internet issues. Their FB Group is very active. Mike was posting today. Quoted:
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Is Bark River out of business? Their website has been down for me for several days or weeks. I still want a Blackjack 125.  |
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