Online Newsletters
December 2007 Newsletter
Volume VII, Issue XI
Jonathan Reasor, Editor
President's Message
Hello Bolster readers and knife enthusiasts. Another year draws to a close and we look forward to the new year, new KCA officers and board of directors and new challenges. We renewed the KCA annual knife show in 2007 and there is a great deal of support to have a 2008 KCA knife show. 2007 saw the first Bone handled Youth knife, and there most likely will be a stag handled and Mother of Pearl handled knife for 2007. Plans are underway to have Mother of Pearl and Stag handled knives in 2008.
We are looking forward to the Annual Christmas Party at Ryan's Steak House in Louisville, KY. We donate money and items to the local Ronald McDonald House. For a list of items to bring to the Christmas Party for this worthy cause, see the announcement elsewhere in the Bolster. Since our Bylaws mandate that elections for officers and Board of Directors happen at the Christmas Party, a list of the nominations for 2008 is also included in this Bolster issue. Also remember to bring to the Christmas Party a donation to be used as a door prize. We have already received some donations. There will be a drawing at the Christmas party for the Mike Pellegrin custom Mother of Pearl handled knife. Tickets are available and will be sold at the party. Don't forget the Irene Haberman knife raffle drawing for the Paul Myers Custom knife at the Christmas Party. Tickets are still available.
The 2007 Club Youth Knives will be available for purchase at the Christmas Party. We also have some 2006 Youth knives available for sale. The 2007 Club knife is still a work in progress, possibly a choice of either M.O.P. or of Stag handles. Most of the 2006 Club knives have been delivered or were picked up at the last meeting. We still have some of each. Check out the Bolster for more information on these knives.
Many thanks to the Board of Directors for all their work and attendance in 2007. And a special thank you to the other officers. There were some trying times with sickness and loss of loved ones and members, yet the KCA moves on and we have a great team nominated to lead us in 2008. There are some younger folks in this list. We are grateful for all the donations and gifts received and for the step-up and help-out attitudes displayed by members. We have a healthy list of members from all over the country and for you we are grateful. Stay in'touch.
Many thanks to you all for allowing me to preside this year of2007. May the New Year be prosperous and enjoyable, the holidays happy and peaceful and, HAPPY COLLECTING. See you at Ryan's.
Mac Howard
Kentucky Cutlery Association 2007 Youth Knives are here!
(KCA Youth Knife engraving not shown in picture)
Bring your money to the KCA Christmas Party and be the first to own this history making knife. After 30 years in existence, this will be the first KCA knife not made of pearl.
The 2007 KCA Youth Bone Handled, Great Eastern Trapper can be yours for only $70.00. There will only be 25 produced, so buy now before its to late. If you can't make the party use the order form HERE.
Model 73 Northfield UN-X-LD “Scout” (Trapper) with primitive bone handles, clip and spey blades, nickel silver bolsters, brass liners and pins, UN-X-LD shield. Length: 3 ¾”. Tang stamped “Northfield UN-X-LD Made in the USA” on front and “Titusville Iron Works” on back. Comes wrapped in wax paper in sturdy round tube.
MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 12, 2007 KCA MEETING
The meeting was called to order by President Mac Howard at 7:00 P.M. on November 12,2007 at the VFW Post 8639. Members said the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation was given by Chaplain Jackie Smith who inspired members to remember all Veterans as well as family and friends.
~ Members welcomed visitor Chris Scott who was visiting with member Hoy Blackburn of Hardinsburg, Kentucky.
~ Jerry Bodner encouraged all members to participate in the Memorial raffle for Irene Haberman with all proceeds
going to the KCA Treasury. The raffle knife was donated by Paul Myers and the drawing will be held at the December 10th Christmas Party.
~ Jerry also reported he is communicating with several Custom Knife-makers for a possible Custom knife for our 2007 Club knife.
~ Minutes of the October 8, 2007 meeting as reported in the November newsletter were accepted.
~ The Treasure's report was presented by Jonathan Reasor in the absence of Gary Reasor. The report was approved.
Gary Reasor is now at home and is working on a full recovery.
~ Members were reminded we still owe $48.00 to the Crusade for Children which were proceeds from our August KCA Knife Show.
~ Members were encouraged to bring door prizes for the Christmas Party.
~ Nominations for Officers and Directors for 2008 were accepted from the floor. There were no offices with more than one nomination so all Officers and Directors won their respective offices by acclamation. To comply with KCA By-Laws there will have to be a motion made and seconded and a vote taken at the Christmas party to finalize the results .
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS FOR 2008
Officers
President - Glendon Downing
Vice-President - Mac Howard
Secretary - Jonathan Reasor
Treasurer - Gary Reasor
Sergeant-at-Arms - Ben Gray
Directors
Dan Johnson
Bill Medlock
Deborah Buchanan
Jim Haberman
Directors with one more year to serve
Dale Greenwell
Robert Greenwell
Joe Jones
Ronald McDonald House Wish List
We will again collect toys and make a cash donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Louisville at our annual Christmas Party. Ronald McDonald House is a home away from home for the families with children receiving medical treatment. Here is a list of some of the items that they can use. Save this list, post it on your refrigerator and start collecting some of the items now. Don't forget, they also appreciate the pull tabs from you soft drink cans. Thank you.
Donate Toys - You can donate new toys, books and games to any Ronald McDonald House playroom. Because Ronald McDonald Houses serve so many children and families, we can only accept new toys - our playroom items get more use than toys played with at home. Toys that make great donations to a Ronald McDonald House include:
Board games, Stuffed animals and dolls, Books for various reading levels, Puzzles, Video games (rated E), Movies (rated G), Balls and outdoor games
Donate Food - Each Ronald McDonald House provides visiting families with at least one stocked kitchen. Canned goods and nonperishable food items make great donations for any Ronald McDonald House, and they make it easy for families to fix meals and snacks without worrying about grocery shopping.
Donating everyday household products is another way to help your local Ronald McDonald House. Donating any of these items, as new, can help Houses better serve families:
Paper products (facial tissue, toilet paper, paper towels), Trash bags, Aluminum foil, plastic wrap and sandwich bags, Laundry detergent and fabric softener, Cleaning products (sponges, dishwashing liquid, dishwasher detergent), Bath and bedroom items (towels, shower curtains, sheets and pillow cases), Personal care products (deodorant, dental floss, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner), Entertainment products (games, movies, books, art supplies), Phone cards, Gift cards for local grocery stores and gas stations, Greeting cards and postage stamps.
THE SINGLE BLADED PALETTE OR SPATULA KNIFE
BY BARRY CARITHERS
As a canvas painter's tool, the palette knife was a flexible instrument for mixing and blending the oil-based paint pigments onto the artist's palette. Once the right mix of colors were achieved, the palette knife would receive a quick wipe with a rag and be set aside. The folding palette knife was first used by Edwardian plein aire painters. The wooden handle and blade were easy to clean, but more importantly this tool folded and closed and went into the painter's pocket. An increase in America's middle and upper class populations at the turn of the 20th century found more adults with extra leisure time for such hobbies as woodworking, pottery or painting. Men and women alike could pack up their brushes and canvases and travel to the great outdoors to paint their impressions of nature's scenic beauty. These Arts & Crafts Period leisure painters of the 1900s -1920's, talented or not, created thousands of small primitive and folksy oils now commonly found at estate sales, flea markets and antique malls.
Similarly, the very same single-bladed tool could also be found in the hands of a physician. The palette blade in this piece, now called a spatula, was designed for the late 19th or early 20th century doctor to be used as a tool for mixing powders or salves for his patients. More commonly though, the specimen in use by the doctor also had an elongated spear blade and flat butt along with a spatula blade, thus making it a true physician's knife.
While the single bladed spatula knives used by the physician are more commonly handled in pearl, tortoise, ivory, or stag celluloid, the artist pallet knife was generally handled in wood. Sometime prior to the 2nd World War, these pieces fell out of favor and were discontinued by most manufacturers. Today they are rather difficult to find and actually are prized among a select group of knife collectors & artisans who collect them. I was fortunate to recently find a circa 1900's artist's paint-flecked example by a little-known cutlery firm called Clifton Knife Corp., unfortunately not Clifton Cutlery of Cincinnati! The Clifton Knife Company remains among America's numerous unknown and short-lived cutlery companies, and hopefully one day will have its very own history.
Good hunting!
