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Arkansas Stone Set From Jimmy Lile AKA “The Arkansas Knifemaker”

timwcic

"Look what I found"
My first post over here in the knife section, guess this is we’re the cool lads play. In the past 30 plus years, I only remember seeing 2 Lile Knives for sale at the markets going for prices that would make a flea blush. This score is the first time I have ever seen any branded “Lile Hand Made Knives” Arkansas stones. I was surprised to find them from a very motivated seller. A complete three stone set, marked on the stone ends W, Soft, and H. The stones look and feel above average of what would have been available in the 70’s-80’s. Lile maybe cherry-picked thru the inventory to carry his name. All are 8x2x1 inch in matching labeled wood boxes. Under the Hard was a tag for Smith Whetstone Co, guessing point of origin. I already have several set of stones I use for knifes and Cutlery, so these won’t see much use. They will be conserved and preserved for the future

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Legion

Staff member
My first post over here in the knife section, guess this is we’re the cool lads play. In the past 30 plus years, I only remember seeing 2 Lile Knives for sale at the markets going for prices that would make a flea blush. This score is the first time I have ever seen any branded “Lile Hand Made Knives” Arkansas stones. I was surprised to find them from a very motivated seller. A complete three stone set, marked on the stone ends W, Soft, and H. The stones look and feel above average of what would have been available in the 70’s-80’s. Lile maybe cherry-picked thru the inventory to carry his name. All are 8x2x1 inch in matching labeled wood boxes. Under the Hard was a tag for Smith Whetstone Co, guessing point of origin. I already have several set of stones I use for knifes and Cutlery, so these won’t see much use. They will be conserved and preserved for the future

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No Rambo knives hidden in the lot with them?
 

Legion

Staff member
Haha.

Yes, Smith's quarry, presumably.

The boxes dont have the joints you see in others of the time. But match Smiths.

I wonder if it is one quarry selling stones under a bunch of names, or one box factory selling boxes to several quarries.

Top, Natural Whetstones, Inc, and many others. Bottom, Smith's.

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