"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

Gentlemen and ladies, do you prefer your slipjoints to be razor sharp out of the box, or do you not care? You'll put your own fine edge when you get it home?
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Gentlemen and ladies, do you prefer your slipjoints to be razor sharp out of the box, or do you not care? You'll put your own fine edge when you get it home?
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I wish you could buy slipjoints with 0.010" on the edge for me to profile myself, especially with queens offerings.
 
It would be nice, and some brands so give you a sharp knife out of the box. Victorinox, Buck, and most the time Case will. I'd like it at least very sharp, if not razor. It's like buying a new car, I expect it to run well. A new gun, even though I may have to sight it in, should be at least on the paper. If not, it shows an attitude that they don't really care about the end product, and if they don't care enough to give me a workable tool right out of the box, I may not care about ever buying that brand of whatever again.

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
It would be nice, and some brands so give you a sharp knife out of the box. Victorinox, Buck, and most the time Case will. I'd like it at least very sharp, if not razor. It's like buying a new car, I expect it to run well. A new gun, even though I may have to sight it in, should be at least on the paper. If not, it shows an attitude that they don't really care about the end product, and if they don't care enough to give me a workable tool right out of the box, I may not care about ever buying that brand of whatever again.

Carl.
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My thinking exactly.
 
jackknife said:
It would be nice, and some brands so give you a sharp knife out of the box. Victorinox, Buck, and most the time Case will. I'd like it at least very sharp, if not razor. It's like buying a new car, I expect it to run well. A new gun, even though I may have to sight it in, should be at least on the paper. If not, it shows an attitude that they don't really care about the end product, and if they don't care enough to give me a workable tool right out of the box, I may not care about ever buying that brand of whatever again.Carl.
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Well said. My sentiments exactly.
 
The sharper out of the box, the better. Less work for me to put the final touches on them with Xtra fine diamond and leather strop.

I do have 200-600 grit diamonds as well, so not a big deal if they are not real sharp, but nicer if they are.
 
A knife should be sharp straight out of the box. I know how to sharpen, but why should I have to complete the job on something brand new?
 
oDo any of you guys find the angles some companies use to be too steep? I seem to find myself dramatically decreasing the out of box angle on all of them, from rough riders to your classic US companies (schrade, GEC, Queen). Maybe I'm just being picky but for a thin small blade I dont need a working angle that I'd use on a chopper.
 
Can knives from the major trad companies be considered a 'sure thing'? Reason I'm asking is that I'm interested in moving into traditional knives, and know at some point I gotta stop reading and thinking and asking... and just buy something. If I walk into an Ace, for example, and buy a Case or Buck in the 40$ price range, am I at risk of buying something from a "budget" line if I haven't done thirty hours of Internet research and memorized every part # first? I know many manufacturers will build a reputation for quality, then develop separate product lines of more inferior materials and craftsmanship. Thanks in advance for any reply.
 
Hi,

I don't think traditional makers really make different tiers of products too often. At least like say Spyderco US made and their Byrd line. They may make special runs, like the Case/Bose collaborations. But by and large a Case is a Case is a Case. Individual pieces stand on their own quality and not the level of product line as a rule. Boker may be the exception with their various brands of knives.

The only thing you may wish to pay attention to is plain carbon steel blades vs. stainless steels. And this is often just a personal preference. Traditional slip-joints mostly are made from simpler steels or what many modern type collectors would generally consider lesser steels like 420HC or 440A for stainless or any thing from 1060 to 1095 for plain high carbons. But collectors/users of traditional slip-joints tend to not just too worked up over steels.

So pick out a Case of your choosing and be happy. Or any other brand for that matter.

Dale
 
I don't get too terribly worked up when a knife doesn't come from the factory with a sharp edge it's no big deal for me usually I just whip out the old Lansky with Diamond hone and reprofile the edge (I find putting a scary sharp edge on my knife enjoyable) to my liking however not everbody shares my enthusiasm when it comes to sharpening or knives and I feel the average joe knife user just wants a useable tool that requires little work as possible to use out of the box so I think it is very comendable for a knife company to offer a decent factory edge on their knives.
 
BRL said:
Can knives from the major trad companies be considered a 'sure thing'? Reason I'm asking is that I'm interested in moving into traditional knives, and know at some point I gotta stop reading and thinking and asking... and just buy something. If I walk into an Ace, for example, and buy a Case or Buck in the 40$ price range, am I at risk of buying something from a "budget" line if I haven't done thirty hours of Internet research and memorized every part # first? I know many manufacturers will build a reputation for quality, then develop separate product lines of more inferior materials and craftsmanship. Thanks in advance for any reply.
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A Case is a Case is a Case. You get a great knife no matter what model you choose.

Buck, maybe a wee bit of caution may be needed. They do have a few models of the 300 series pocket knives that are made in a far off land. Are they inferior? No, they are still Buck's, and still have the backing of a great company. They are still a v ery good knife for the money. If you stick to the 301, 303, 307, and 309, you get a made in U.S.A. pocket knife. My own feeling is you can't go wrong anyways, a Buck is still a good knife, even if some models are not made here. Look at Rough rider; a very good value for the money if you want to try out different models of traditional pocket knives without laying out big bucks. I know some people who have great things to say about Rough Rider, including a friend of mine who really uses the living heck out of his knives.

Case, Buck, and Rough rider are some of the best dollar for dollar value in pocket knives today. Awful hard to go far wrong.

Carl.
 
...and if I may add something...even if the knife u get doesn't fit all that u expect, I'm sure the same has happened to u with modern folders...just choose one and remember, whatever knife it will be, it will be a great knife, since it will open u the doors of traditionals. Which means that u will probably not want to come back, and start changing ur perspective about knives, especially if u keep reading regularly on this subforum).
So, how far from u is the nearest place selling Case?
Fausto
:cool:
 
Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

Carl, I'm okay with knives not produced in the US (I've got a KA-BAR phat bob folder in my pocket right now that I love, that's made in Taiwan), except for China.

Fausto, this weekend I will be in an Arizona mountain town where I'll drive right by a place that I know has a case with a few Bucks and Case folders. And your points about traditionals are correct, which is why I was trying to find out if there were any big pitfalls to just buying one and getting on with things. I've been reading this subforum for too long without actually getting a knife and getting to business!

If nothing in the case speaks to me, then I'll go online but as I'm quite impatient, this weekend presents a good opportunity to buy something I can first touch and look at.

Thanks again everyone.
 
BRL, I envy u. U have the chance to do something that I can't: go to some store, take a look at a few traditionals, handle them, feel them, and choose.
I know the feeling u had about reading here, asking opinions, and so on. I have done the same thing here on BF. Unfortunately, I'm not that lucky, so I have to trust others and buy it online. Also, I have a goal which reduces the number of blades I am buying.
So good luck for ur choice (my bet is that on monday u will post about ur new Case :) )
Fausto
:cool:
 
I made a trade on BF a couple weeks ago with Orca8589. I traded an old SOG folder for a nice Case trapper. I was merely trying to fill the hole that was opened in my pocket when I lost my Grandfathers Case slipjoint. Orca8589 is a standup guy, and besides sending me the case that we agreed upon, he also added in another slip joint, and Colt sow belly trapper that he said would be a good everyday use knife to help "pull me over to the dark side" of traditional slipjoints, lol. He succeded. I've carried the Case trapper twice... Once to a wedding and once to a family dinner. It's too nice to use everyday, so i've found myself with that Colt sow belly in my pocket everyday... Go figure.
I climb cell towers for a living and this past week found my self with a lot of time all week hanging in my harness at the top of a tower waiting for the guys on the ground to send antennas up on the ropes. waiting, enjoying the view, looking out at Onieda lake in the hazy distance and all the small ponds and creeks within a few miles down below. I'm also an avid fisherman... Most of the crew guys go to the hotel bars at the end of the day, I go to find fish. Rivers, creeks, ponds, lakes. Sometimes there is a river right outside the hotel, sometimes a short walk, sometimes a short drive, but it's what I do. Anyways, Monday I'm up there hanging around, waiting, thinking about all the spots I see, and that I'll be doing this, the waiting part, for a lot iof the week. So Tuesday, I brought up a piece of wood and that sow belly, and for the next 3 days, I watched shavings spirral down to the east on a light breeze and dissapear into the field some 200ft below. It's time for some hardware hooks and paint, which I have know idea when I'll get to, but I may have found something to do up there while i'm waiting besides just enjoying the view. My first attempt at a hand carved wood lure, it's a top water popper. Thanks to orca8589.

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Welcome to the dark side, oilburner. You may not realize it, but you're hooked now, so abandon all hope. :D

Carl.
 
And I thought I had it made whittling on sticks between calls at my cop job.

The part about the shavings floating away in the wind with that kind of view made me realize what I enjoy pales in comparison.

I would imagine, that even though you are at heights that most of us would feel uncomfortable at, that whittling way up in the air is as relaxing as it gets. Alone with your thoughts, your knife, and the wind.

Probably as good as it gets right there.
 
I am hooked, I'm looking through the knife box to see what I want to trade next, lol. It was relaxing, but my only fear was dropping the knife when I first started on it. After a little while I got comfortable with it. I just had to keep looking down to see how close the parts coming up to me were getting if they were on they're way up. If the guys on the ground were moving around and getting things ready but not on the ropes yet, then I knew I had a good 20 mins or more to enjoy before I even had to keep my eyes on the ropes. :) It's not always relaxing. Wind, cold, rain, snow, this was just a good week!
 
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