2015 Forum Knife - It's Never Too Early To Think About the Next Blade Forum Knife

[Mink]

That looks good OH :thumbup:

I would second that pattern. Great looking bone on it as well.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Of course, the Case canoe is single spring. But we've had a canoe for a forum knife, if my memory is correct.

Actually, it's two thin springs. GEC is single I think.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

As for single blade vs. multiple......

I like more blades myself, for the reason Frank mentioned (blades for the task at hand).... I find that I like one blade for dirty work and one for food. That doesn't keep me from using single blades though. It's just a preference.

I also like the slimmer pocket knives as well. The single spring, two blade, options work really well here..... or smaller knives like the peanut.... or slim dual springs like the Case Canoe mentioned.

 

[Ernie1980]

Have you guys ever thought of having a forum contest to design your own pattern? Based on a traditional but with a unique style.

We did this in the past, but it seemed to cause arguments, hurt feelings, and time wasted by a volunteer forum knife organizer. Last year we had a few choices that we chosen by our forum knife spearheader. These choices came from what we posted about wanting to see in our forum knife, and I think the result was amazing!
Charlie has put in a lot of work looking at what we are asking for and will use his experience to give us some nice choices!!

As for the double blade: if the knife is the same size why not put in a second blade? I like having choices

 

[Sam Dean]

My mistake. An old Case canoe from the '70s or before was single spring, and I thought they were all like that. Apparently they stopped making 'em single springs some time in the '80s.

That sounds right. I can almost picture the old case canoe my father had. Pretty sure it was made before 1960, and I'm pretty sure it had a single spring with a catch bit on the thin pen end. It was a nail breaker for sure, but I sure do wish I had it now!

 

[B.F.U]

I'm not a fan of the 2 bladed single spring. The Northwoods Presidential I had (and the other one I still have) suffered from bad blade rub. Not just a little, more to the point of catching and not fully snapping closed. The fix is to either grind the blades so they're offset, krink the offset, or shorten the blades so they don't hit. None of those options sound too good, I would just rather have 2 springs.

Still, I'm really anxious to see what the manufacturers offer up. CS already set the bar pretty high!

I like when the blades are ground to fit, shows craftsmanship. But I also hate blade rub. Knives as expensive as the Presidential should have no rub.

 

[SA Condor]

I like when the blades are ground to fit, shows craftsmanship. But I also hate blade rub. Knives as expensive as the Presidential should have no rub.

This is neither here nor there, but Knivesshipfree was very clear and upfront about the potential blade rub. So much so tha okbohn made a video explaining it. It was a known fact before anyone purchased the knife if you took the time to watch the short video. Derrick stated in the video that it would have cost a LOT more to eliminate all blade rub. So apparently in his opinion, for the price . . . the blade rub was acceptable.

Everyone has their own opinion. If you want to go that thin, the blade rub is probable. If you don't mind the extra thickness . . . blade rub problem is a non-issue. Let's focus on the forum knife and not turn this into a bash fest! Especially since the maker being talked about doesn't even have a stick in this fire. If Northwoods were a candidate for making our knife this year, then this would be worthy of our discussion.

 

[waynorth]

Here are some pics of single springers. Note, several of these have a little blade rub, which is typical of the breed. They ground them thin to be superior slicers/cutters.

The reasons for including them in my collection are many - here are a few:
-They are light and easy to carry
-They are harder to make (the wow! factor)
-They often have superior finishing
-with the typically thinner blades, they cut!
-you have a spare blade, but not too many of them.
-you have to admit, they are lookers!!

 

[Will Power]

Well they may not have a stick in this fire but since a single-spring two blade is a likely candidate then discussion is inevitable. I'd like to add that I have a pretty decent collection of single-springs and that very few display blade-rub. Certainly not of the type that impedes closing so I don't see any inevitability in blade-rub on these patterns. It depends how well they're constructed in the first place, expensive or low cost.

 

[Sam Dean]

No bashing going on here, I just mentioned the presidential as it's the only "modern" traditional I have that's a single spring with 2 blades. My point was pertaining more to the effort, compromise, and expense, involved in making a 1S2B.

To be clear regarding Northwoods & KSF - Derrick was very clear and upfront about the rub. I voted with my dollars and purchased a mammoth and bone as soon as they came out. The bone is now gone; the mammoth I'll keep as long as I'm able. Great person, great company, no complaints!

For our forum knife - although I'll buy anything that materializes from this process - I would prefer a pattern that's NOT a 1S2B. Unless, of course, we're talking about a riggers knife! (which is a CASE pattern...)

 

[r8shell]

That rigger's knife is an interesting idea, because Case may be the only company that could possibly make one in our budget since they already have the pattern. So if we ever want one, now might be the time.

 

[gunstockjack]

I love those single springers Charlie. As thin as a single blade, but with a bonus!

 

[blademan 13]

It is very possible for a single spring pen to be very thin yet have no blade rub. I am not confident it can easily be done by any of today's production companies. At least not without a premium. From the left: GEC White Owl, GEC Esquire, vintage Keen Kutter and a vintage Joseph Rodgers. While the GEC's are very nicely done, they have a long way to go before they achieve the thinness of the old masters. I would dearly like to see a modern pen made that is an equal to the classics in this regard and would happily pay to get it.

 

[Cory Hess]

I just picked up a Queen #03, and I'm very impressed with how they pulled off the two blade single spring. The thickness of the knife is just about identical to my single spring peanut, and they wedged those blades in there with no rub that I can detect. At 3 3/8" the blades are long enough to be useful and thin enough to be incredibly slicey.

 

[supratentorial]

This pattern is my favorite single spring knife...and probably my favorite knife in general. It has a single spring with a catch bit. It was in the running for the 2012 BF traditional knife but didn't win the final vote. I would LOVE for GEC to reproduce this pattern EXACTLY like the original with one exception. I'd like the 2ndary blade to be a sheeps foot. The "sowbelly shield" is a must! It's hard to believe but no modern knife company has put the "sowbelly shield" or "barbie shield" on a sowbelly knife. And no modern knife company has made a 2-blade single spring sowbelly!

 

[B.F.U]

This is neither here nor there, but Knivesshipfree was very clear and upfront about the potential blade rub. So much so tha okbohn made a video explaining it. It was a known fact before anyone purchased the knife if you took the time to watch the short video. Derrick stated in the video that it would have cost a LOT more to eliminate all blade rub. So apparently in his opinion, for the price . . . the blade rub was acceptable.

Everyone has their own opinion. If you want to go that thin, the blade rub is probable. If you don't mind the extra thickness . . . blade rub problem is a non-issue. Let's focus on the forum knife and not turn this into a bash fest! Especially since the maker being talked about doesn't even have a stick in this fire. If Northwoods were a candidate for making our knife this year, then this would be worthy of our discussion.

..... I don't think I was bashing anyone or anything. I just think that blade rub should be eliminated in a high price knife, as it is with my two blade single spring GECs. For the same materials, other than covers, from the same company for considerably less. So if we have a two blade single spring knife I would expect it to not have blade rub if it's close to $100. Relevant to the discussion of the 2015 forum knife because I would be disappointed to receive a knife with considerable blade rub if we go with a single spring two bladed knife.

 

[Old & In The Way]

Jake - that's a fantastic looking sowbelly and I can easily see why it'd be a favorite of yours. I like everything about that one, from the blades, shield, and bolsters to the incrediblly jigged bone covers. One question, who was the maker? Thanks in advance, and again, just a wonderful knife. :thumbup:

 

[supratentorial]

Thank you, Stephen. It's a Remington. There are a lot of fakes out there (a few have popped up recently) but this one is real... cleaned up a bit but real. Here's an old ad scan.



I think it would be a nice pattern for GEC since it could be used for several pattern variations for future regular production runs... 3-blade, 5-blade, and split backspring whittler...

...and they could make it with a punch and their acorn shield.

 

[blademan 13]

Cory, nice looking knife. Have to give that one a closer look.

Jake, splendid knife that would indeed be a strong forum candidate. I am usually on the fence when it comes to sowbellys but your 2 blade description gets me off it. :thumbup:

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Here are some pics of single springers. Note, several of these have a little blade rub, which is typical of the breed. They ground them thin to be superior slicers/cutters.

The reasons for including them in my collection are many - here are a few:
-They are light and easy to carry
-They are harder to make (the wow! factor)
-They often have superior finishing
-with the typically thinner blades, they cut!
-you have a spare blade, but not too many of them.
-you have to admit, they are lookers!!

Great looking knives..... I like.... I'm still for a sleeve board!