2019 Traditional Forum Knife...The First Poll

[cbr1000]

I prefer a knife cover that looks decent while I'm still alive...

 

[r8shell]

I prefer a knife cover that looks decent while I'm still alive...

de gustibus non est disputandum

New osage:

After a year or so:

I like the idea of the color changing over time, but I can understand if orange isn't to everyone's taste. I think just about any wood will darken if it's handled and used for a long time. When I'm looking at a hundred year old knife, it's hard to tell if it was originally cocobolo or rosewood or ebony.

I also want to point out the big Jack on the far left. Notice how the bolster is longer than normal, but not quite long enough to be considered a Barlow? I don't think GEC has ever made one like that, and wouldn't this 86 be a good time for them to make one?

 

[JTB_5]

Checkered wood would be awesome. I don’t know that GEC has ever done it before, but they did so that “scratted” bone on Charlie’s first run of Ancient Barlows.

Scratted smooth Autumn Gold bone or oily Creek bone would be my picks if we went with bone.

I’d take scratted! Especially if they make it a barlow as well.

 

[Fodderwing]

de gustibus non est disputandum

Agreed

 

[Ajd3530]

I like osage for its utilitarian properties. Its sturdy and I think its pretty grippy for smooth wood; I use my osage Bull Moose in the kitchen a lot because and appreciate it. But I don't think it's especially handsome at all.

 

[akaMatt]

New osage:

After a year or so:

Wow! That pen looks so much better after a year!

 

[Fodderwing]

I like osage for its utilitarian properties. Its sturdy and I think its pretty grippy for smooth wood; I use my osage Bull Moose in the kitchen a lot because and appreciate it. But I don't think it's especially handsome at all.

Wow! That pen looks so much better after a year!

I can't argue y'all's point. Bois d' Arc really doesn't have a great deal of dramatic grain. It is quite plain. But over time it develops much character. Your grandchildren would appreciate it.

 

[Stropping Young Lad]

How about Lignum Vitae? That would fit the sturdiness of the saber grind, and people who are tired of GEC forum knives can rest easy because Bill probably wouldn’t want to make any more of them after we force him to cut lignum.

 

[cbr1000]

I'm hoping for wood covers..some shade of black ebony or macassar.. posting this because it's a satin sheepsfoot Northfield with two lined bolsters and almost a tip bolster end.

 

[akaMatt]

How about Lignum Vitae? That would fit the sturdiness of the saber grind, and people who are tired of GEC forum knives can rest easy because Bill probably wouldn’t want to make any more of them after we force him to cut lignum.

Those are cool picks! Are they real, and did you make them?

 

[BuckShack]

Lignum Vitae would be nice

 

[Elgatodeacero]

real lignum vitae would be my first choice, but bearing grade lignum vitae is hard to find and cannot be exported from the USA if already here.

palo santos wood is also very nice.

 

[MadDuck]

Is it heresy to consider carbon fiber on a traditional knife? We seem to be losing access to many of the traditional materials so is it time to expand our definitions? I have one of the Lionsteel knives with carbon fiber and it looks great.

 

[btb01]

Is it heresy to consider carbon fiber on a traditional knife?

Yes.

 

[Ajd3530]

Is it heresy to consider carbon fiber on a traditional knife?

Absolutely it is.

 

[Camillus]

I am not convinced about CITES restrictions on cocobolo and rosewood. Both have been produced recently by GEC. And I have bought both. So please don’t rule them out prematurely unless we have official confirmation.

Personally Desert Ironwood (not ironwood, please folks) is nice but it is becoming a little overdone imo. All things in moderation.

Jobillo, African Blackwood, Osage orange are all good choices for a ‘hard use’ style. I would prefer Jobillo or Rosewood for their character and comparitive rarity. Walnut would also be good for the same reason

 

[Stropping Young Lad]

Those are cool picks! Are they real, and did you make them?

Nope, thats a shamelessly stolen picture.

 

[H2O2HI]

I am not convinced about CITES restrictions on cocobolo and rosewood. Both have been produced recently by GEC. And I have bought both. So please don’t rule them out prematurely unless we have official confirmation.

Personally Desert Ironwood (not ironwood, please folks) is nice but it is becoming a little overdone imo. All things in moderation.

Jobillo, African Blackwood, Osage orange are all good choices for a ‘hard use’ style. I would prefer Jobillo or Rosewood for their character and comparitive rarity. Walnut would also be good for the same reason

African blackwood is listed on CITES appendix II under the genus-wide restriction on all Dalbergia species.

 

[Jolipapa]

de gustibus non est disputandum

I also want to point out the big Jack on the far left. Notice how the bolster is longer than normal, but not quite long enough to be considered a Barlow? I don't think GEC has ever made one like that, and wouldn't this 86 be a good time for them to make one?

The whole knife, blade included is very attractive!

 

[Jak3]

What about Maple burl or Tiger Maple? Hard Maple or Rock Maple is a very hard domestic hardwood. Maple possesses a beautiful chatoyance as well. While it, like most domestic hardwoods, is soft when compared to exotic hardwoods such as Ebony, Purpleheart, Cocobolo, and Ironwood, Maple is still a nice choice.