2019 Traditional Forum Knife...The First Poll

[Slim278]

Didn't we just get one like this.

 

[Elgatodeacero]

i think its good GEC called this 97 the Allegheny (Marauder would have been best), and is not associating with Gen. Custer.

With all due respect to Gen. Custer and the very brave men of the United States 7th Cavalry, I would not purchase a "Custer " knife (and passed on the M&G). Custer earned a reputation for daring and bravery in the civil war and his battle reputation was very real. He was a serious war hero at the end of the Civil War.

For better or worse America loves the winners.

I also would not purchase or use a Titanic brand canoe.

 

[joeradza]

i think its good GEC called this 97 the Allegheny (Marauder would have been best), and is not associating with Gen. Custer.

With all due respect to Gen. Custer and the very brave men of the United States 7th Cavalry, I would not purchase a "Custer " knife (and passed on the M&G). Custer earned a reputation for daring and bravery in the civil war and his battle reputation was very real. He was a serious war hero at the end of the Civil War.

For better or worse America loves the winners.

I also would not purchase or use a Titanic brand canoe.

Stupidity and vanity was more like it.

 

[Stropping Young Lad]

i think its good GEC called this 97 the Allegheny (Marauder would have been best), and is not associating with Gen. Custer.

With all due respect to Gen. Custer and the very brave men of the United States 7th Cavalry, I would not purchase a "Custer " knife (and passed on the M&G). Custer earned a reputation for daring and bravery in the civil war and his battle reputation was very real. He was a serious war hero at the end of the Civil War.

For better or worse America loves the winners.

I also would not purchase or use a Titanic brand canoe.

Stupidity and vanity was more like it.

You guys don’t know the whole story. Custer was weakened and his judgement was compromised because he was on the edge of starvation.

The problem was with his knife. You see, it was saber ground, so any time he would try to cut an apple or slice some salami, all of his food would launch into the distance.

By the time Little Bighorn happened, he was a shell of his usual self.

 

[Elgatodeacero]

Stropping Young Lad

your post made me laugh out loud! haha

 

[Pinemoon]

Enjoying this thread, especially the Custer comments

Here's a little sarcasm...
My entry for "worst knife ever."
A Buck 110 with sabre ground sheepsfoot

 

[brownshoe]

Fox are known for tactical offerings. They contract with law enforcement and military worldwide. If you visit their site don't expect too many traditional offerings. That said, they do make excellent knives.

Fox has been making traditional knives since the '70s. Their tacticals are "newer" designs. They've been expanding their brand and production for a number of years.

My friend has 20 yo Fox lock back that's held up fine. The Fox, having a point, beats a sheepfoot, and the fixed blade is too big for EDC. However if you want resale value...

 

[Pinemoon]

Fox has been making traditional knives since the '70s. Their tacticals are "newer" designs. They've been expanding their brand and production for a number of years.

My friend has 20 yo Fox lock back that's held up fine. The Fox, having a point, beats a sheepfoot, and the fixed blade is too big for EDC. However if you want resale value...

It appears Fox just isn't known well enough to be a contender in a traditional forum.
Be neat to see some earlier Foxes...

 

[Jsega51]

Didn't we just get one like this.

Yep, and it’s one of the most bland offerings of the Forum Knives. I’m looking at the 86 as the saving grace to really make this style stand out. Plus it’ll be much nicer in the hand over the dinky 15 pattern.

 

[abbydaddy]

Well it looks like the GEC is walking away with the nod this year. I am on vacation, so I hadn't checked in a while. When I left it was neck and neck, but now the GEC lead looks insurmountable.

I'm not going to pretend I am happy with the outcome, but there is a relief that comes with not having a stake in the outcome. I'm gonna buy the forum knife, but this year I don't need to worry about whether or not it will be a knife I will use, or which scales match my desires. 1095 leaves me cold. The 86 pattern leaves me cold. As long as it has the stamp, I'll be equally fine with whatever gets decided.

 

[screened porch]

When I left it was neck and neck, but now the GEC lead looks insurmountable.

It seemed very sudden. Maybe those "weekend warriors" someone was anticipating above.

So I'm off the hook.


I believe there's a school of thought that Custer's plan for Little Big Horn might have worked, if his two junior officers had obeyed their orders instead of sitting on their dastardly derrieres. Though if 100% of your junior officers want to see you dead, you might be doing something wrong. Still, it's hard on your men.

 

[tmd_87]

It seemed very sudden. Maybe those "weekend warriors" someone was anticipating above.

So I'm off the hook.


I believe there's a school of thought that Custer's plan for Little Big Horn might have worked, if his two junior officers had obeyed their orders instead of sitting on their dastardly derrieres. Though if 100% of your junior officers want to see you dead, you might be doing something wrong. Still, it's hard on your men.

Underestimated the size and strength of the native Americans camp as well. If he would have waited for the infantry and their artillery pieces we may be talking about the Massacre at Little Big Horn.

 

[rbeggs]

Since it's GEC and Mike...
I wonder if there is any possibility in making the #86 a Sheepsfoot NF Barlow?

One can dream, can't they?

THIS!!! Except a big spear or clip

 

[akaMatt]

... I'm gonna buy the forum knife, but this year I don't need to worry about whether or not it will be a knife I will use, or which scales match my desires. 1095 leaves me cold. The 86 pattern leaves me cold...

What is the logic behind buying the forum knife if there is nothing about it of any interest at all? The only one who benefits from this at all would be GEC (in this case)... not the forum, not the dealer. Why not apply this hundred bucks to another knife that does appeal to you?

 

[JohnDF]

What is the logic behind buying the forum knife if there is nothing about it of any interest at all? The only one who benefits from this at all would be GEC (in this case)... not the forum, not the dealer. Why not apply this hundred bucks to another knife that does appeal to you?

Maybe the Forum Knife, in any form, is a "me too" knife... Lol

 

[Prester John]

What is the logic behind buying the forum knife if there is nothing about it of any interest at all? The only one who benefits from this at all would be GEC (in this case)... not the forum, not the dealer. Why not apply this hundred bucks to another knife that does appeal to you?

I wouldn't shell out $100 for a knife I didn't like and wouldn't carry and use. I plan to buy the GEC knife unless it ends up with micarta scales, or some other synthetic. Will buy if stag, bone, or wood.

 

[PirateSeulb]

27 votes for Fox against such strong competitors it a rather good showing I think. I wish we had Buck or Fox in the lead their offerings are definitely more exciting than GEC for myself.

 

[jc57]

What is the logic behind buying the forum knife if there is nothing about it of any interest at all? The only one who benefits from this at all would be GEC (in this case)... not the forum, not the dealer. Why not apply this hundred bucks to another knife that does appeal to you?

I've never understood this either. Ever since Spark quit doing the runs himself (I think 2013 was the last of those), there is no financial or other benefit to the forum or to any of the participants in the process, other than the manufacturer, from just buying the knife. The ONLY time this was true was in the days when we might not have had enough interest to hit the minimum order quantity, and the entire run would be scrapped as a result.

I have only bought the forum knives that interested me. I think that's three. 2013, 2014, and 2018. A while ago I decided I will only buy knives that are exactly what I want, and at a price I am willing to pay. That has saved me from buying knives from a lot of runs that were close, but no cigar.

I like 1095 but have enough already, and prefer stainless. I like jack knives but prefer 2 blades. I like a straight edge but not as my only blade. I don't like saber grinds in general, though I have made a few exceptions. I usually like two bolsters except in certain patterns. I like polished blades. I like jigged bone. I like evenly matched non-fat stag. It looks like the 2019 forum knife is heading in a direction of "knives I don't really like" so I'll probably not buy one. No harm to anyone, I'm sure they'll sell 500 of them, being a GEC and the "no-profit" rule making them cheaper than normal GECs. Good chance for people who want a GEC but can't get one because of the scarcity to have a great knife.

 

[Pàdruig]

I am still in a place with my knife collecting that I buy far more than I let go. Sort of in a "I'll try anything" phase. If I get in a knife that doesn't appeal to me right away, it goes in my knife chest to be revisited at another time. There has only been one or two knives that I have sold almost right after acquiring them. One being the 46. Beautiful knife but it was simply obnoxious to open the blades with their beastly pulls.

Last year's forum knife was sort of disappointing for me but I arranged a trade with a fellow member here for more appealing elk and I stuck it in my chest to be revisited another day. I brought it out last weekend and actually enjoyed having it in the pocket whilst I was doing chores. There is something rather refreshing about having a robust knife with thick grinds and a tough steel. You don't have to worry too much about damaging it in harder use.

I guess my point being: I will likely buy whatever the offering is until my mindset changes in the future (if it ever does) but I don't feel that everyone should feel obligated to purchase a forum knife. Unless, of course, they are involving themselves in the voting process.

I wouldn't shell out $100 for a knife I didn't like and wouldn't carry and use. I plan to buy the GEC knife unless it ends up with micarta scales, or some other synthetic. Will buy if stag, bone, or wood.

I agree with this to an extent (see above). If micarta becomes the chosen material, I would have a very hard time wanting to buy it. I like Micarta but I only like it on my fixed blades and it is great on my Sodbuster style knives but I do not care for it on my traditional cutlery as a whole. The Micarta on the 2017 TC was likely done in order to keep some of the costs down, I don't recall there being much of a vote on it. I think we were told Micarta and then we voted on the color. I would kind of hate a repeat of that...

Good chance for people who want a GEC but can't get one because of the scarcity to have a great knife.

This is a great point and it also leads to the inevitable conversation involving flippers. Frank and Gary are doing their darnedest to make flipping as minimal as possible but the exclusive GEC 86 done for the forum at the price we inevitably will pay will have the flippers frothing at the mouths and I expect we will see some rather repulsive behavior in the not so distant future.

That said, the initial cost of a special release GEC 86 will be an excellent opportunity for folks to get in on a nice knife at a substantially lower price.

 

[abbydaddy]

What is the logic behind buying the forum knife if there is nothing about it of any interest at all? The only one who benefits from this at all would be GEC (in this case)... not the forum, not the dealer. Why not apply this hundred bucks to another knife that does appeal to you?

I think of it as a physical representation of my participation on this subforum. If I was limiting my purchases to knives I wanted/needed based on my desires ahead of time I wouldn't really ever need to buy another knife. I already own every knife I could imagine ever needing unless some of them are lost, damaged, or stolen. But I still enjoy getting new knives from time to time. And I don't keep any that I don't feel an emotional connection to. The participation in the process is worth more to me than the knife.

Why do you buy knives? What is the logic? Do you need more knives? Different people have different motivations. I don't know what yours are. Mine are primarily sentimental.