C.E. “Gene” Johnson

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WheelingWV
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:15 am
Location: Wheeling, WV

C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by WheelingWV »

I posted a few days ago in the “General Discussion on Blades” of this forum inquiring about a knife maker, C. E. Gene Johnson. I was able to find a bit info about him. He was born in 1933 and began his “second career/hobby” -knife making- in 1975. I was unable to locate an obituary, but it’s my understanding that he passed a few years prior to 2013. For anyone interested, or bored, I’ve copied an interview with Gene from The NY Times (April 26, 1996) and will post it in the comments.

Anyway, here is my “new to me” Gene Johnson custom auto with a covert opening mechanism. To deploy the blade, you slide the lower part of the top scale (if you’re right-handed) to the left with the palm of your hand. Same procedure to release the blade. It appears to be very close to mint condition. If anyone cares to share their knowledge of Gene, it would be much appreciated.
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Mistakes are like knives. They can help us or they can hurt us. It all depends on whether we grab ‘em by the handle or by the blade.
WheelingWV
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:15 am
Location: Wheeling, WV

Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by WheelingWV »

From a NY Times article by Gloria Reed, April 26, 1996:

PORTAGE - Gene Johnson has a really sharp hobby. He makes knives from scratch. "The first thing I tried to make 20 years ago was a knife out of a saw blade," Johnson said. "Then I found out they made metal for making knives." Johnson's first knife is a mere piece of metal now compared to the rest he has made over the years.

"About 11 years ago, I retired from U.S. Steel on disability after 33 years," he said. "I laid around on the couch so long, I had to come out of the house and do something besides cut the grass."

That's when Johnson began taking knife making seriously. "I've invested around $10,000 in tools and materials to do this," he said.

"By the time you give one or two knives away, you barely have enough money to pay for making them."
Johnson has made knives as big as a Bowie knife down to a pocketknife with an eighth-inch blade. "It takes about two weeks for me to make a knife," he said. "I only work on
them for three hours a day. It takes 40 to 50 hours to finish one."

On every knife, Johnson puts his name and the date he made the knife. "I make all my patterns for the knives," he said. "You don't want to use someone else's pattern. I draw them out sort of like a blueprint." After drawing the pattern, Johnson takes a bar of steel and shapes the blade on a bandsaw. "Then I grind off the metal I don't want on it," he said. "Then I heat treat it.” Next, he polishes the blade on a buffer and puts the handles on.

Johnson uses all types of materials for the handles.

"I have $150 worth of materials in one knife," he said. "The handles are ivory. Another knife made with mammoth ivory has $200 worth of materials. The mammoth ivory is very, very expensive." Mammoth ivory is gathered by the Inuit in Alaska. Some of it is considered to be millions of years old.
"You can make the handles out of anything," he said. All Johnson's materials come to him in the raw state. The mammoth ivory looks like a piece of old wood when Johnson gets it. "I take all the rough parts off, then polish it," he said. "Each mammoth
handle looks different. Some are brown, some are green. It all depends what minerals are in the ground where it is found."

Johnson's most unusual knife is an 11.5-inch pocketknife. "This one is called 'The Weeping Heart,'" he said. "The heart goes all the way through the blade."In order to get the open heart in the blade, Johnson had to drill a hole in the blade, then file the heart out.

Probably the most time-consuming knife was a Kris Blade knife.
"I had to make the knife completely by hand because of the 'curling' on the blade," he said.

The most fun to make are pocketknives. "I usually stick to one blade for them. I like the one-bladers."

Many custom knifemakers in the United States are reviving the ancient art of making the Damascus blade.
Johnson makes the Damascus blade in his workshop, using steel forged by a blacksmith. "After I cut the blade, I dip it in acid to get the pattern on the blade," he said. The blade is left with a blue swirled look.
Mistakes are like knives. They can help us or they can hurt us. It all depends on whether we grab ‘em by the handle or by the blade.
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thom
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by thom »

Really nice knife and story. I guess I have to put one on my bucket list. Thanks for posting.
Thom
WheelingWV
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by WheelingWV »

Thank you, Thom. As you know, I’m proud of my Latamas.

C.E. “Gene” Johnson seems to have been a great knife maker and one of the ”good guys.” I’m impressed with his work. Thanks, Sir, for your response.
Mistakes are like knives. They can help us or they can hurt us. It all depends on whether we grab ‘em by the handle or by the blade.
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fastr19
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by fastr19 »

I never heard the name but that is an outstanding knife.
WheelingWV
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:15 am
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by WheelingWV »

Thank you, fastr19. There are a few of Gene’s knives on arizonacustomknives.com (All but one have been sold) Mine seems to be very well made and very well taken care of.
Mistakes are like knives. They can help us or they can hurt us. It all depends on whether we grab ‘em by the handle or by the blade.
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whippersnapper
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by whippersnapper »

fastr19 wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:33 pm I never heard the name but that is an outstanding knife.
Ditto 8)
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natcherly
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by natcherly »

Interesting piece from a little known maker of auto knives. Would love to see a video of how the covert mechanism functions. Looks like those scales are pretty well anchored in place.
WheelingWV
Posts: 222
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by WheelingWV »

That’s what I thought, too, Natcherly. I had to text the seller after I received it to ask him, “How in the hell do I fire it?”

He laughed, then explained that it was, in his words, “A trick knife.” LOL
Mistakes are like knives. They can help us or they can hurt us. It all depends on whether we grab ‘em by the handle or by the blade.
WheelingWV
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:15 am
Location: Wheeling, WV

Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by WheelingWV »

OK, confession: I just purchased the only other C.E. “Gene” Johnson knife that I could find (anywhere).

It’s easier to confess here, amongst folks who understand the addiction, than it is to Wifee. 😎😁
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Mistakes are like knives. They can help us or they can hurt us. It all depends on whether we grab ‘em by the handle or by the blade.
LittleAugieMo
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by LittleAugieMo »

:mrgreen: Looks like another maker to add to my BOLO list.(just what I need)
sammy the blade
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by sammy the blade »

Welcome to the forum LittleAugieMo.
2024 candidate for president
WheelingWV
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Re: C.E. “Gene” Johnson

Post by WheelingWV »

Yes, LittleAugieMo, to some extent I think we’re all a bad influence on each other here in this Forum. LOL. Tons of knowledgeable folks here.
Mistakes are like knives. They can help us or they can hurt us. It all depends on whether we grab ‘em by the handle or by the blade.
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