Case Sway Back Gent vs. Sway Back Jack

Doug Add

Doug Add

Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
3,331
I usually prefer a single blade, but maybe having a two spring width on this size knife would be nice. My preferences lead me toward the Gent, but I love the Chestnut scales, and as far as I can tell they are only available in the Jack, not the Gent.

My smallest is a Schrade 708Y, which is 2 7/8" closed, with one spring for the two blades. Next is the Boker 8113 Stockman and Colonial Barlow, both 3 1/2" closed with two springs.

Any of you who have both care to chime in with your experiences? Or, even if you have just one and not both, let me know what you think.

Bonus points for side-by-side photo comparisons to show the width difference.

Thanks, you all are teaching me so much!
 
If it matters to you, only the Jack is available in CV steel. Gent is Tru-sharp stainless only.
 
I have two each Case swaybacks; gents & jacks. My original purchase was a gents, but I too like the look of the chestnut bone so that was the next purchase. I have since bought a Kinfolks gents in Stag and another jack in green bone. I like the swayback design with a Wharncliff blade. I have half a dozen other makers knives in that pattern.

The Case chestnut/cv is one of three knives that rotate in my pockets daily. It just works out best. I find two blades give me a better option than one, and there's not that much added bulk. A pen blade is very useful.

I wish Case would do a knife in this pattern with cv and amber stag scales. I'd buy two (at least).

Here's a quick photo showing the Kinfolks, the Chestnut, a Case Copperhead with the same blades, and a couple customs.
wharns.jpg
 
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I only have two SBJ's, but I have heard others complain that the gent is a little too slim and prone to pocket slippage. In my mind, the SBJ is pretty dang near perfect and I do like slim knives.
 
I got a chance to go to an NRA show about a year ago. There was a Case knife dealer there and I had my first encounter with a Sway Back Jack.
It was kind of a great feeling to open and play with this knife. It was an extremely solid little pocket folder, I think that I could have slipped it in my pocket and left it there for a year or so.

Since then, I have also played with a SBG, but I didn't care for it like I liked the SBJ. The little pen blade looked extremely useful for extra cutting, kind of like a peanuts spare blade.
If I could go back in time and tell myself to buy one knife, it would be that SBJ that I left sitting on the counter. It was a beauty in chestnut.
 
Thanks, these comments and the pics posted by Blade_Crazy have helped push me even further toward the Chestnut SBJ.
 
IMG_0945.jpg


This is my SBG, I don´t have a SBG. But I like that one, especially for suites or something like that. This one is Old Red Bone Pocket Worn. The knife is pretty thin. I prefer thicker ones, two layers would have been a better choice. More to grab. But the SBG is somekind of a Gents knife for me. Not for any work, but wearing it on holydays or for an other event where another knife is not fitted as well.

My tip: Get both... :D

Kind regards
Andi
 
Here's my group of Case sway backs - two jacks and one gent:

SwayBacks.jpg


I like them all a lot. Great knives in my book. There is a significant difference in the thickness of the two blade versus the single blade. I find myself really taken with the PW red bone though.

Ed J
 
Thank you Ed J for sharing.

What do you think, how much is the difference in the handle thickness? I mean is it like any Stockman or Peanut (just related to the handle thickness)?

As you can see in the post above I have the same SBG. :)

Kind regards
Andi
 
Weird question...for me.
I admit I've never handled any of the two. And, considering where I come from, I should rather opt for the single bladed Gent. But, I've been asking myself the same question, and even though I have no reason for it, I realized that, in this particular pattern, I prefer the two bladed jack. I don't know why...but I do.

Fausto
:cool:
 
Humppa said:
Thank you Ed J for sharing.

What do you think, how much is the difference in the handle thickness? I mean is it like any Stockman or Peanut (just related to the handle thickness)?

As you can see in the post above I have the same SBG. :)

Kind regards
Andi
Click to expand...

I measured both the SBJ and SBG just in front of the rear scale pin. The SBG is 9mm thick and the SBJ is 12mm thick. If you think you need a top shot of them side by side, I'll try to get one for you.

Ed J

More info: My burnt white bone peanut measures 11mm and my Sparxx stockman (63032) measures 12.5 mm.
 
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I am gonna have to ask for one for Christmas or something. I need another knife like I need more vericose veins, but man, I just love this pattern. I like the Jack cause the pen blade is the perfect finger nail cleaner, and it is a small knife as it is. Damascus??????? Yeah, that would be pretty incredible, a light colored bone with a damascus blade, hmmmm. Not sure if there is such a model, but it is beautiful in my mind's eye right now.
 
From time to time i see this knife and gets impressed how it looks. I,m actually waits on coming top of a knifemakers list but mabye this would be a stop on the way.
 
I decided on the Gent style, but instead of the pocket worn red I went for the Honey Brown bone of the Kinfolks model. It arrived in today's mail, and I am quite pleased.
 
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Hi Doug! That´s really a nice SBG. The bone looks pretty cool :)

What made you decide the SBG and not the SBG? I m just interessted in your reasons for deciding. My reason on that time was, I wanted to have a single bladed wharncliffe knife which I can carry for suits or other more official events. :)

Kind regards
Andi
 
Andi, I really do prefer a single blade knife, so the gent had the strongest pull on me for that reason. That, coupled with the slimmer profile led me this way. I may yet get a jack or even a peanut, because I really like the chestnut and deep canyon chestnut bone.
 
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