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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mtngunr" data-source="post: 4369953" data-attributes="member: 46104"><p>This little knife is called a/the Smokejumper. Rudy Ruana was a blacksmith/farrier who started making knives for Indians which could skin a frozen horse. He set up shop in Montana when all that area was very much middle of nowhere wilderness frequented by hunters who were tired of fancier knives and handles coming apart in rain and snow, and came up with his cast aluminum handle as a fix, which also made his knives popular with soldiers. One of his small skinners also became very popular with forest service smokejumpers where the little Ruana became sort of a pride badge of the profession. This one was made likely in the 1960s while Rudy was still in the shop and making knives with his son-in-law who went on making them (along with HIS sons) after Rudy retired in the 1970s. The grandsons are still at it, but seems none of their kids inclined to take up the hammer, and sad to see maybe the forge finally grow cold.[ATTACH=full]532538[/ATTACH]</p></blockquote><p></p>