Lot 1255

Rare Vietnam War Era Bob Loveless Dixon Fighter Knife

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Rare Vietnam War Era Bob Loveless Dixon Fighter Knife

Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000

Starting Bid: $11,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 22, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Extremely Rare and Desirable, Documented Vietnam War Era Robert W. "Bob" Loveless Custom Dixon Fighter Pattern Knife with Inscription and Letter from the Original Owner Manufactured c. 1967, this is a very rare and highly desirable example of a knife produced by the legendary American knifemaker Bob Loveless on special order during the Vietnam War era. This particular knife is a custom variation of the Loveless "Dixon Fighter" knife special ordered by Herman L. Weiner in 1967 at the request of his son Thomas E. Weiner who was deploying for combat in Vietnam. In the included correspondence from Thomas Weiner, he notes that he deployed to Vietnam at the end of January 1968, just two weeks before the Tet Offensive. He notes that his father ordered this knife to his specifications. He states that he was stationed in the An Loc region and Phnom Penh near the border of Cambodia. He also notes that by the time his father was able to ship this knife to him, he had already been shot in the right knee, requiring four major surgeries to save his leg and a return to the United states. He kept the knife as a memento of his father and of his time in Vietnam before selling it to Jack Lucarelli, an avid collector of Loveless items as well as a close friend of Bob Loveless, in 2011. The knife itself measures 11 3/4 inches overall with a 6 3/8 inch clip point blade having the Loveless Lawndale maker's mark stamped on the left and "THOMAS E. WEINER/RA18855246" electro-penciled on the right. It is fitted with an attractive brass guard and hardwood grip scales with a lanyard hole near the pommel and special order thumb rest checkering just behind the cross guard. Includes a leather sheath. Born in Warren, Ohio, in 1929, Robert Waldorf "Bob" Loveless went on to become one of the greatest American knifemakers of all time. In 1953, after having already served during World War II, Loveless again joined the Merchant Marine based in New York, where he visited Abercrombie & Fitch and tried to order a Randall knife. Learning that the current wait time was nine months for the knife he wanted, Loveless decided to simply make his own, grinding his first knife blade from a 1937 Packard leaf spring, forging it on the oil-fired galley stove of the ship. He returned to Abercrombie & Fitch with his knife, showing it to the head of their cutlery department, eventually selling his knives to the retailer for $14 each. From 1954 to 1960, Loveless produced knives called "Delaware Maids" for the retailer, essentially copies of Randall's designs that even outsold the Randalls. By 1960, Loveless had begun making his own designs and innovations, and in 1970 he was one of the founding members of the Knifemaker's Guild, serving as the organizations first secretary and then two terms as its president from 1973 to 1976. Through studying 19th century knifemaking techniques, Loveless reinvented the "fully-tapered-tang" method of knife construction, which placed the balance of the knife near its center and making it incredibly strong. In 1985, he was inducted into the "Blade" magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame. Lucarelli cast Loveless to play himself in the feature film "Cartel War" in 2009 just before Loveless's passing. In a scene inside Loveless's actual shop in Riverside, California, he authenticates his "New York Special" model, which was used in crime, to the main character, a police officer played by Lucarelli. Lucarelli said sharing a scene with Bob was a special honor. In 2010 Loveless died, having forged a legacy as one of the America's, and the world's greatest knifemakers.

Manufacturer: None

Model: None

Class: Other

  • Provenance: The Jack Lucarelli Collection
  • Condition: Exceptionally fine, the blade remaining almost entirely bright with very minimal evidence of handling or sharpening. The brass shows an attractive lightly aged patina with a few spots of very light oxidation. The grips are very fine with a few scattered light dings. The sheath is very fine with some mild handling evidence. A rare documented Vietnam War era fighting knife from one of America's most gifted knifemakers!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000