Anyone else can't get on with 3 bladed traditionals?

[cchu518]

For all intents and purposes this is a very nice knife I just can't get into knives with three blades though. This one is a GEC 68 in black linen micarta. It's my first GEC, I see now why people love the quality of GEC. I received this one in a trade. It was funny as part of the trade had an AG Russell Barlow lockback, and that one is growing on me fast.

I'm going to try to find maybe one of those slimmer 3 blade Bucks or a Schrades to see if that changes my mind about the 3 blades.

 

[Halfneck]

Pretty much prefer 2 bladed or single bladed traditionals myself. Only traditional knives I carry with more are my SAKs.

 

[cchu518]

I dont know if I think of saks in the same way as a regular folder. I received my first cadet last week and I love it! I believe the slimness of the alox make them very appealing to me!

 

[67nick]

I seem to either prefer traditionals with 2 or 3 blades. I really like having 3 blades if I am going to be in the wilderness or outdoors, while 2 blades are perfect for everyday use. As far as GEC goes, I think the 68 and 15 models are perfect EDC's.

 

[jc57]

I prefer 1, 2, 3, or 4 blades. Not much into the 5 or more bladed versions.

 

[KYenglish]

I think I tend towards 2 blades, but the 68 is a nice frame and I'm kinda a sucker for it, I tend towards a single spring as well and that doesn't stop me form liking the 68 pony jacks either (might want to check them out if you haven't, same frame but 2 blades)

 

[knarfeng]

A sheepsfoot and pen blade are what I need. A clip just makes it so I don't have to carry another knife for "what if's".

 

[black mamba]

I guess you could say I like 3-bladers, as I have over 80 stockmen, from a 2⅞" Rough Rider to several 4⅜" Moore Makers. More than half of them are my collection of the #53 Cubans from GEC. This pattern, because of the muskrat clip main and low-riding sheepfoot, carries as well or better than a #73 Scout does, and you still have 3 blades.

The slender serpentine stockmen of 3½" are just wonderful to carry, and still can do 98% of what I use a pocket knife for. This photo compares a #66 Calf Roper (the serpentine version of the #68 Buckaroo, same size) with a Marbles, which is 1/32" longer but so much slimmer than the GEC.

These slender medium stockmen are barely more noticeable than a 3" pen knife, but have so much more versatility and cutting power.
Cchu518, you should try one in this pattern before you give up on 3-blade slipjoints. They'll turn your head!

 

[cchu518]

I think I tend towards 2 blades, but the 68 is a nice frame and I'm kinda a sucker for it, I tend towards a single spring as well and that doesn't stop me form liking the 68 pony jacks either (might want to check them out if you haven't, same frame but 2 blades)

The frame on the 68 is ridiculous! It's what drew me to it. But its slightly too thick with the extra blade. Will try to look at the Pony Jacks!

I guess you could say I like 3-bladers, as I have over 80 stockmen, from a 2⅞" Rough Rider to several 4⅜" Moore Makers. More than half of them are my collection of the #53 Cubans from GEC. This pattern, because of the muskrat clip main and low-riding sheepfoot, carries as well or better than a #73 Scout does, and you still have 3 blades.

The slender serpentine stockmen of 3½" are just wonderful to carry, and still can do 98% of what I use a pocket knife for. This photo compares a #66 Calf Roper (the serpentine version of the #68 Buckaroo, same size) with a Marbles, which is 1/32" longer but so much slimmer than the GEC.

These slender medium stockmen are barely more noticeable than a 3" pen knife, but have so much more versatility and cutting power.
Cchu518, you should try one in this pattern before you give up on 3-blade slipjoints. They'll turn your head!

I've never given stockmans a chance but I am eyeballing some Bucks and Schrades just to try if I don't like them I can always gift them. For some reason the RR have worked out for me, it seems like there is a lot less material on them and they are less overbuilt making them a very good pocket EDC for normal light use. The GEC feels like I could beat on it for a few years and it would be able to take it.

 

[pmew]

For all intents and purposes this is a very nice knife I just can't get into knives with three blades though. This one is a GEC 68 in black linen micarta. It's my first GEC, I see now why people love the quality of GEC. I received this one in a trade. It was funny as part of the trade had an AG Russell Barlow lockback, and that one is growing on me fast.

I'm going to try to find maybe one of those slimmer 3 blade Bucks or a Schrades to see if that changes my mind about the 3 blades.

I like all sorts of knives, I carry congress patterns a lot which have four blades, I'm not put off by them at all.

If you want to try a multi-bladed GEC which isn't too thick, how about one of these #33 conductor whittlers like this?



Pictured with a #68 white owl and a #25 jack for comparison.

The single blade Jack is thicker than the 33 and the white owl just marginally thinner at the two bladed end of the whittler.




But the main blade pivot end is slimmer than both.



Also, even though it's closed length is three and a quarter inches compared to the #68 being three and a half, don't worry about losing out on blade length.



Hope this helps,

Paul

 

[fatcorgi]

I like stockman's and whittlers for aesthetic knifeknut reasons - I have a GEC 81, and a Bertram Jack Daniels Barrel Whittler - three bladed knives that just look really great. They are also complicated patterns to get right, and I can admire the craftsmanship - my #81 has no bladerub whatsoever, which is very hard to achieve.

For practical purposes, I feel perfectly knifed-up with a two-blade Jack knife, or the Bertram half stockman gifted to me from Carl. I just don't use knives enough in my desk job to really need that third blade. It doesn't get in the way though, or make the knife unduly heavy.

 

[leghog]

Anyone else can't get on with 3 bladed traditionals?

Not me. I carry a couple daily.

 

[pinnah]

Another one who strongly favors single blade knives.


EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr

 

[Old Hunter]

Most of the Stockman pattern knives I own are the about the same width of most of the Jack-knives I own (both having two backsprings) - so the extra thickness doesn't seem to be an issue. I like two and three bladed pocketknives equally well. OH

 

[Living_Simply]

Another fan of single blade and two blade knives. Two blades is the most I typically care for. I've had a few stockmans and they are great but I never really needed the third blade whatever it may be. I do like a smaller pen blade like on the two blade GEC #15 and Case texas jack (two of my favorite patterns), it really is handy when opening packaging and working on smaller projects.

 

[markpmc]

My most carried knife for the last few weeks is a Queen stockman. I'm also a big fan of the GEC #53 Cigar frame. Try one of the 'slender' models as Jeff suggested. I think you'll be suprised how well they carry.

 

[cchu518]

Besides the sak and micra I edc, I often rotate a trapper with me on the weekends. Whichever blade I pull out to use is arbitrary. In most cases the same with a peanut. Which is why I think my brain cant handle the third blade, lol. In my modern suburban/urban office world there isnt a need for it.

My annual camping trip in Pa, usually Worthington forest. I believe it might take me close enough to a knife shop that sells traditionals. I wont pck up another GEC until I can handle some more unless its to replace the peanut that I just gave away. Those old 3 blade Schrades and Bucks are calling out to me to try out!

I totally understand the forum's love affair with GEC though. They have this early 20th century craftsman hand finished and inspected look about them regardless of whether or not that's true!

 

[bonzodog]

My preference is single or twin blades.

 

[TLARbb]

I don't connect well with 3 blade stockman patterns. More a two blade knut, I am. And single blade. It is nice to have more than one blade but I don't need 3 blades. My problem with the stockman pattern is the very high sheepsfoot; it doesn't feel comfortable in my hand unless I'm using the sheepsfoot. Now I can get along much better with a whittler pattern. Another exception is this 250C Silver Knight:

Ed J

 

[Will Power]

I like Böker's Whittler a lot, not thick or bulky, same with their smaller Stockman.

All depends on your hands, taste and pockets!