Easy opening?

D

db

Joined
Oct 3, 1998
Messages
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I’m looking to replace a mini trapper that my father inlaw carries. It’s scales are broken off and the blades are sharpened down to almost nothing. He says it has good old steel the blades will turn black when he cuts up an apple and will stay sharp after he scrapes wire with it. So I’d like to get him a carbon steel blade or even one of the Queen D2 may work, no stainless. The only other knife he has carried was a single blade long trapper style he took off of a German back in WW II. His hands are getting kind of week example I gave him a Queen #11 D2 and he had a lot of trouble opening it. So I’m not real sure what to get for him. Any suggestions on an easier opening pocket knife that would give an old pocket knife guy a smile?
 
From the Case catalogue:
W.R. Case Yellow Handle Knives
Barehead Slimline Trapper #0031
31048 CV or 31048 SS
Clip Blade
4 1/8" closed; 2.3 oz

This would be easy to open,easy to see if laid down amongst a bunch of stuff,the CV blade carbon,pretty slim,too,good size & point to the blade Comes in a mini trapper & Peanut w/CV too
If he has been around slips all his life,this should be fairly easy to open,since the pull ain't so hard
Geez,now I want the barehead slim trapper!!
-Vince
 
I have two case Slimline Bearhead trappers, both are easy to open and great old school knives. They may be worth looking in to. Joe
 
Do you guys think the Case Trapper would be much easier than the Queen #11?
 
db said:
Do you guys think the Case Trapper would be much easier than the Queen #11?
Click to expand...

db,IMO,Ifeel,that the "pull",on the Case,is lighter,than on the Queen,BTW,what pattern is the #11,is it one of the D-2 knives,.they are pretty hard pull opening knives
 
db,Now that I see that the Queen#11 is one of those newer D-2 knives,I think they are harder to open,than the Case
I think,any "one hand" opening knife,is not going to be easy for him,if the Queen was hard for him.Manuevering your hands and fingers for a one hand deal is not so easy,and if your FIL is an older gentleman,accostomed to a regular slip,I think keeping it simple is the way to go,Just my $.02
-Vince
 
I think your right keeping it simple is the best. I was kind of thinking if it can be opened one handed it should be real easy to do it with two. I'm tempted to see if he'd use one of my Spydercos with that big hole it gives him alot to grab on to to open. I just don't think he'd like a big asz locking knife that looks like that.
 
The Boker Copperheads in carbon steel are easier to open than most of my other slipjoints. They measure 3.75" closed and fit nicely in the pocket. The main blade doesn't snap shut as hard as the 2nd blade and there's plenty of it exposed to grab.

Perhaps the Boker Copperliner will work. It's a trditional looking slipjoint knife with a thumb stud for easier opening. Unfortunately it only comes in stainless. http://www.knifesupply.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=BO4610

Copperheads2.jpg
 
db,One knife,that is NOT like the traditional pattern pocket knives (more modern ,I guess),but is easy to open/close,and is a fantastic design :
Lone Wolf Loveless City knife
If you can find one,this would make a great gift for him.
The Spyderco will be easy enough to open/close,but the blade will be a bit far off from a slipjoint,he may not prefer that
-Vince
 
One thing you could do is take one of the Case yellow barehead trappers, or some other model that has a bit wider blade, and carefully relieve the handle a bit -- make an "easy opener" out of it. This is a traditional thing to do, to cut the handle back a bit to expose more blade, so that it can be pinched between a finger and thumb to open it. In fact, I was thinking that you may have been asking about that when I opened your thread.
 
Sixgunner, that is a great idea. I do think having more to grab on to will help him alot. You guys are giving me some great things to consider, keep them coming.
 
How about a lockback? They're easy to open and have the added safety of a lock, some traditional styles too.Try Weidmannsheil carbon single blade lockback in stag, about 3.75" and chunky but not too clumsy. E-bay has some.
 
I'm going to try two and if niether work out I guess I have two new knives. Thats not so bad itself. :)
I ordered a Case Trapper and a Russell Featherlite. I'll give him both and let him decide what he likes. Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions.
 
Kershaw Double Cross or Double Duty. Very traditional style, with easy one-hand open and close (simple liner lock).
4390.jpg
 
Hey db,

If that doesn't work for him, shoot me an email. I have a couple of trappers that he might like, I'd be happy to send them to you. I'm not much for the trapper pattern, and they're not happy sitting in my drawer.
 
my buddy (realstagman) just picked up a Moore Maker copperhead and I like the knife othere than the fact that the blades are a bit lazy, if that's what you mean by easy to open. I will say it is a nicely made traditional.
 
SODAK thanks for the offer, I'll keep that in mind. I already ordered the Featherlite and picked up the Case locally. Wudnme thanks I'll keep MM in mind. I'm not sure if his problem is how much there is to grab or how hard the pull is, probably a combo of both. He's 88 and doesn't like to admit he has trouble doing anything. Heck he still chops wood to heat their farm and stays pretty darn active. We are hopeing to go back up to his place sometime next month and I hope he'll like something I take up. If not I'll keep trying.
 
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