A.G. Russell Swayback

He is with us no more but A.G. Russel’s legacy continues to build, thanks to knife designs he left behind. Russell is an icon in cutlery history, known as one of the greatest cutlery sellers of all time, but truth be known, he enjoyed designing knives most of all. In that role some of his greatest achievements were taking traditional patterns and adding his own touches to them while still staying faithful to the original. A perfect example is the A.G. Russell Wharnecliffe Swayback Jack featured here.

Russell’s Wharnecliffe Swayback Jack is 3-5/8″ closed, a standard size found on the majority of the old pocketknife patterns, but the nickel silver bolster atop the handle is longer than typical, offering a stouter handle around the blade pivot. Think of it as a Semi-Barlow. Typical pocketknives this size have a blade thickness of 0.10″ — A.G.’s Swayback Jack checks in at 0.125″ for tortuous cutting power further aided by its stainless Bohler M390 Microclean “super steel” blade. The Swayback Jack opens up to 6-5/8″ via a strong backspring that could kick a door down. The handsome smooth bone scales are bright white, giving the handle a crisp, vibrant look. Fully opened the gracefully curved flow from base to tip are akin to a bird in flight. Fellow gun owners will like the coup de grace — a bullet-shaped escutcheon on the front scale.

Why You’ll Like It

Wharnecliffes and their Sheepsfoot brethren are the hardest-working blades in the knife stable. Everything from electrician knives to heavy duty rope knives sport this blade. Russell’s Swayback Jack is just as onerous as it is elegant. If you never owned or handled a Swayback, the uncommon backward curve of the handle will surprise you in its comfort and firmness of grip. Better yet, you get all this goodness delivered in a black fleece-lined zipper pouch at a very reasonable MSRP of $145.

AGRussell.com

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