Past forum knives have been both archetypical patterns and eclectic patterns, or a combination of both. The barlow is a classic pattern, yet the forum took it in a new direction. The trapper is an old pattern as well, but the wharncliffe pattern is a new interpretation. The stockman and moose were straightforward, and the caplifter/easy-open jack, ring knife, and cannitler were rarer patterns.
That said, I once again voice my enthusiasm for a congress of some kind. If the overall plan for the forum knives is to "sample" the classic traditional folding patterns, we would be sorely amiss if we did not, at some point in time, include a congress. Just as a collector who wanted to get at least one of each pattern would have an incomplete assortment without at least one congress.
I would be happy with either a single spring half congress or a 2 spring "Irish" congress/congress jack. A half congress would undoubtedly be the easier and less expensive route. Which could keep the cost of the knife down, or allow us to source some premium options (like handle material) and keep the price the same as an Irish congress.
An Irish congress would be great, because it's an atypical variant of a classic pattern (like the 2009 Barlow or 2012 wharncliffe trapper). I wonder about a couple things though.
- An Irish congress has 2 springs, which could cost more than a half congress. However, it's one pivot instead of 2, which could cost less (I really don't know).
- A half congress requires blade crimping, catch bits, and asymmetrically ground blades, or some combination thereof. Whatever method the manufacturer uses, it adds to the cost over a simple "jack".
- With no pen blade opposite the sheepsfoot like in a half congress, this could allow the sheepsfoot blade of an Irish jack to be longer than normal to fill out the frame. My GEC half congress, for example, could be a good half inch longer in the sheepsfoot if the pen blade didn't have to fit on the same spring. I know we're a long way off from choosing either a pattern or manufacturer, but if GEC were to make us an Irish congress without making the sheepsfoot longer, I would be disappointed.
- However, a longer sheepsfoot blade would mean a new blade, and that could mean new tooling, and more cost.
As for which I'd prefer, it's honestly nearly a coin flip for me. The half congress, being slimmer, would be more pocket friendly. However, an Irish congress, at 3 5/8", would still be very pocketable and with its longer sheepsfoot blade (I hope), have a cutting edge advantage over the half congress. My preference scale tips ever-so-slightly in favor over the Irish congress, if only for the uniqueness of the pattern. I already have a few half congresses, so the Irish would be cool and different, but even though I Have a few half congresses, I'd still buy another.
I remember last year being enthusiastic about both the Irish congress and a slim-line wharncliffe trapper, and enthusiastic about participating since I've only been interested in traditional knives for a couple years, and the current/previous patterns at that time (the moose and caplifter jack) didn't catch my fancy (if I was around the Trad forum in 2009, I'd probably have gotten a barlow). But the congress lost to the trapper, and when it was decided that it would be as large as it ended up being, I bowed out of participating (plus, I was broke.
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I really, really hope to participate in this year's forum knife, but I'll honestly only be interested if the knife has at least 2 blades, one being curved and one being straight. There's talk from some members of a single spring, double end serpentine or sowbelly. I wouldn't be opposed to something like that, as long as the secondary blade was a sheepsfoot or coping blade.
And I want stainless steel blades. The last three had carbon steel. I like carbon steel, but for something as "limited" as these knives, which are commemorative of sorts, I'd like to know it's not going to turn into a chunk of rust if I don't keep it perfectly dry and oiled. D2 would be OK I guess.
I have practically no interest in a single blade knife, unless it happens to be a straight blade, but I'm probably in a very small minority here. A GEC #47 pattern (Hayn' Helper) with a wharncliffe would sound really cool, especially with premium handles (and maybe a bolster, but no butt cap). Basically a large sway back gent/jack. Again, I'm likely in a small minority here. I'd probably be better off buying a GEC and having it modified (hm...not a bad idea...).
As I said, I really hope to participate this year, but honestly, if I don't, I won't be
too disappointed. After all, that'll just leave me with more money to buy more 2013 Case/Bose mini wharncliffe trappers.
. Anyway, most of them had issues. The feel was gritty, springs were weak and a couple has some wobble. I was ready to buy one but they just turned me off. Dont get me wrong, I have couple of Queen knives and they are great, they just have some QC issues.
