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Old 04-21-2014, 08:09 PM
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Jacknola Jacknola is offline
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Update on where the question stands. Gary Clinton kindly added a couple of very interesting photos. First one is possibly the first coolie cap ever made for Randall, decorating a knife documented sent to James Jones, 1955. It also has a diabolical method of attaching to the tang... the only thing I can think of is that this was a peened tang that was later ground smooth. Or perhaps it was threaded and tightened with a special socket wrench with some tabs to fit into the coolie cap groves.

Documented 1955, former James Jones collection, now Gary Clinton. See Gadis, pp. 163-164



1961 - This is a Gary Clinton model 1 that is in a Stockman sheath, presumably about 1961. Thing is, I cannot make out what the tang nut looks like. I think it is a hex nut.. but hopefully Gary will forward a picture of it. In profile it looks very similar to the 1963 bowie.


1964-66 Gary Clinton forwarded this very intriguing picture. It is an aluminum coolie cap, which is itself unusual... and the tang nut has been very crudely ground to more or less round. In the process, the flutes in the coolie cap have been partially ground down. I suspect this was a very early attempt at what became common practice within a couple of years. Cool (ie) knife hardware!



This is a knife in Sheldon's book. I've come to suspect it has a hex nut and is dated about 64-66, no later.



1963 vs 69/70

And this is the combo that started the question, probable 1963 vs 68-70.



It seems that coolie caps were a bit crude, fashioned to take the curve of the handle, individually shaped, and possibly secured by a hex tang nut (taking the Clinton James Jones creation out of the equation), until about 1966 or so. Note the swelled shape of the caps of those early coolie capped knives.

Suddenly about 1966-68 or so, the coolie caps are significantly more sophisticated, and the tang nuts smoothly rounded ... which seems to be the method adopted thereafter. And... the coolie caps seem to me more of a cone, and the handle shaped to accommodate the cap.

But all that is my impression. It may not have legs and it may be that there was no pattern at all. What I need is several early 60s coolie caps with (or without) tang nuts. It will probably take time to find these, but only then can we make a time line and start seeing if there is a pattern.

Also, I sent a message to Sheldon asking about the statement in his book that coolie caps first became available in 1959. I suspect it is from a catalog, though the 12th issue was in 1958 and the 14th was 1961 (no 13th issue). Perhaps he has some additional information he's willing to share.

Oh well ... no one has really addressed this trivia that I can find.. and I'm having fun and learning. Regards.

Last edited by Jacknola; 07-31-2017 at 02:39 PM.
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