Alternative (to Case) sources for carbon steel slipjoints?

[Planterz]

Don't forget to look at vintage Cases, preferably pre-1980. There will still be variance from piece to piece, but the overall quality is generally better than what we get today.

 

[pinnah]

Outside of GEC which all have been perfect, every other manufacture has had minor flaws. What I don't get, the knives I still have from childhood were mostly cheap Imperials, and Ulster and they are still tight and all the old knives I have picked up at flea markets have been tight, to many newer companies let too many sub par knives slip through, there was a time when people took pride in their work and manufactures wanted to put out a quality product to last a lifetime.

Three quick comments regarding parallels from the bike collecting world. First, in terms of fit and finish, the is a line (and it's not always clear where that line is) where you move from well enough made to be useable to fit and finish for the sake of fit of finish. Here, quality is in the eye of the beholder. Some folks are perfectly happy with very useable knives/bikes that comparatively crude looking. Others prefer superior fit and finish. Highly personal. If the OP is in the latter camp, best to stick with companies that put a tremendous emphasis on fit and finish issues. In this case, GEC.

Second, we should remember that the old knives and bikes still in circulation tend to be the survivors - the ones that happened to come of the assembly line particularly well made and sturdy. There is a reason why if you find a 70s vintage Raleigh bike, it is likely to still be sound.... The lousy ones broke 20 years ago! When I wander into a place that has old knives (or old anythings), I try to squint my eyes and picture the hundreds of trash cans that ate the compatriots of these few survivors. I wonder how many TL-29s got used and busted and tossed out over the years?

Third, just because it's old, doesn't make it good. People bring me old bikes to work occasionally. Sometimes I have to gently tell them that their beloved bike was cheap bike when it was made and the fact that it is old, doesn't make it good. No knife is nearer and dearer to my heart than an Ulster BSA knife. I got my first when I was 8 and always had a few laying around. They were inexpensive knives and pretty much everyone I've owned eventually got significant blade wobble. The construction method they used was designed to make a useable knife cheaply.

 

[IVANKERLEY]

Second, we should remember that the old knives and bikes still in circulation tend to be the survivors - the ones that happened to come of the assembly line particularly well made and sturdy. There is a reason why if you find a 70s vintage Raleigh bike, it is likely to still be sound.... The lousy ones broke 20 years ago! When I wander into a place that has old knives (or old anythings), I try to squint my eyes and picture the hundreds of trash cans that ate the compatriots of these few survivors. I wonder how many TL-29s got used and busted and tossed out over the years?

:thumbup:dead on and well said!
regards
gene

 

[Stich2442]

Three quick comments regarding parallels from the bike collecting world. First, in terms of fit and finish, the is a line (and it's not always clear where that line is) where you move from well enough made to be useable to fit and finish for the sake of fit of finish. Here, quality is in the eye of the beholder. Some folks are perfectly happy with very useable knives/bikes that comparatively crude looking. Others prefer superior fit and finish. Highly personal. If the OP is in the latter camp, best to stick with companies that put a tremendous emphasis on fit and finish issues. In this case, GEC.

Second, we should remember that the old knives and bikes still in circulation tend to be the survivors - the ones that happened to come of the assembly line particularly well made and sturdy. There is a reason why if you find a 70s vintage Raleigh bike, it is likely to still be sound.... The lousy ones broke 20 years ago! When I wander into a place that has old knives (or old anythings), I try to squint my eyes and picture the hundreds of trash cans that ate the compatriots of these few survivors. I wonder how many TL-29s got used and busted and tossed out over the years?

Third, just because it's old, doesn't make it good. People bring me old bikes to work occasionally. Sometimes I have to gently tell them that their beloved bike was cheap bike when it was made and the fact that it is old, doesn't make it good. No knife is nearer and dearer to my heart than an Ulster BSA knife. I got my first when I was 8 and always had a few laying around. They were inexpensive knives and pretty much everyone I've owned eventually got significant blade wobble. The construction method they used was designed to make a useable knife cheaply.

Some of the knives I am referring to are knives that I have owned and used for 35 years, I didn't seek out gems when I was a kid, but they are still perfect after years of use, and probably cost between $5 & $ 10 when new. I use all my knives for work, not as a box cutter, but a tool, I'm not picky about gaps, but blade play on a new knife is unexceptable, especially if it cost $100+, also a lot of old knives I find have been used hard broken blades, broken scales, but still no play in the blades or gaps, yes they survived ( barley) but the craftsmen ship is still apparent. With most any tool that breaks, it is most likely user malfunction, not a malfunction of the tool.

 

[Will Power]

I was looking at a Boker Appaloos bone canoe from a dealer on the net. It seemed so cheap price wise(beautiful knife) ARE they handmade in Solingen ?IS that Solingen in Germany?

If it's still around, I'd go for it! That particular bone is most interesting to look at, same with their washboard scales knives.

 

[CoffeeCat2112]

If you're willing to look at older knives, the USA-made Schrades are nice. The Old Timers are still pretty reasonably priced on the secondary market, but your scale choices are pretty limited. Other older Schrades seem to offer other scale choices.

 

[knarfeng]

Third, just because it's old, doesn't make it good. People bring me old bikes to work occasionally. Sometimes I have to gently tell them that their beloved bike was cheap bike when it was made and the fact that it is old, doesn't make it good. No knife is nearer and dearer to my heart than an Ulster BSA knife. I got my first when I was 8 and always had a few laying around. They were inexpensive knives and pretty much everyone I've owned eventually got significant blade wobble. The construction method they used was designed to make a useable knife cheaply.

Bingo.
I grew up with inexpensive slip joint knives. Until I started hanging out around here, I'm not sure that I ever had one that didn't have at least a bit of blade play. It didn't bother me. I figured it was normal. I read the paeans of praise for old knives as if they were all 4-star. I dunno. None of mine were 4-star.

That's not to say that I don't see some really amazing old knives posted here. But I agree with you that I don't think all old knives were amazing. Some just got the job done.

 

[555]

Just received 5 Case knives in the mail. 4 in CV, 1 in SS, all were tight with no gaps and happy with the F&F. Only 1 has minor blade play on the spey, not enough to return or to affect the function of the knife.