Early Voos HJ Knife

[avenger]

A buddy of mine that knows I've been looking for an early HJ knife with legible motto surprised me today with this one just now for $325. I'm torn on the missing buffer leather though. As for collector value, how big of an issue is a missing buffer, and can period replacements be found and slid down over the blade without destroying the buffer? I'm kind of torn on if this is "the one" to get, or if I should keep looking. I'd be all over it if it had the buffer, but I'm still learning how to properly value these things.

Thanks for the help!

Scott

[Wagriff]

An early Emil Voos HJ knife. It has seen better days, of course, and I am not too enamored by the very faded motto, but it is what it is and is definitely a knife that has Been there. Personally, I would not be too hesitant about the missing leather buffer. Many of these are found like this. If it were mine, I would simply cut out a disk of leather and replace it after aging it down abit. They are, after all, simply plain leather ovals and quite often fell apart or rotted off over time. $325 is about the top value of a Voos in this condition, in my opinion. You could do worse.

[avenger]

William! It's good hear from you. I hope you're doing well these days.

I have some time to think about this one. It's been hard finding good condition HJ daggers with motto, and unfortunately the 2 or 3 I've seen come up have been way too expensive for my tastes. But, I think you have a good assessment of this one, which I may have to pass on. I don't mind spending the top of the reasonable value bracket for something, but I like for the condition to be there.

In this case, I haven't had to consider one without a buffer, but it's good to know that's not the proverbial deal breaker on HJ daggers!

[maximus71]

I picked up my early motto HJ at a gun show in near the same condition as yours for 200, must have been my lucky day!!

[rbminis]

I would not be so quick to say that a new leather buffer could be added. The "belly" of the blade is taller than the ricasso, (where the buffer would sit). I am pretty sure that you would have to wet it and stretch it to get it on and hope it shrinks back enough to keep it from being loose.
I am pretty confident the buffer was installed during production before the rest of the handle was added and was put on from that end.
At that price, I would would wait until you find one that suits your needs better. Be patient, one will come.
Check Lakeside Trader.
Ralph.

[gerrit]

I like the early no ricasso thin blades with their small diamond and iron based hilts, having a very early can also rsult in the fact that it only has the front spring, the bit later ones already got the 2 spring scabbards.

Yours has seen better days but it still is a nice TR piece...if that one could talk.
Ralph is right, no bufferpad would stick unless you glued it..
Here a Voos i once owned to compare with yours

Regards,
Ger