Overview
This Model W by Ralph Bone features a satin finished blade with a false top edge, .195" blade stock and 1.281" blade depth, hidden tang construction. The handle is comprised of brass guard and butt, black and brass spacer, black linen micarta grip. #174 on the blade. Comes with a brown leather sheath Randall sheath. Has a few light scratches, otherwise excellent condition. The Model W was the last knife designed by Ralph Bone and was produced in very limited supply towards the final days of the company.
This model was designed by Bone to be made, as a limited edition knife model, to be sold, only, by Roy Weatherby in a package with one of his special model rifles. However, after Bone designed and made only a few prototype examples of the knife, he left the company, before the knife went in production. Due the forecasted inability to meet the demands of sales by Weatherby, the deal between the company and Weatherby was cancelled. Ultimately, the knife was introduced as a standard production model in the company catalog. The subject is a slight variation from the original Weatherby knife and is the highest serial number I have observed. However, in my book, I estimated that 100 were made, all by De Leon. - Huxley Walters