Embarassing confession .... and a stockman question

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Hey, same basic idea, we just differ on the details! ;)

I prefer the spey as a slicer because A) it has a deep belly that the other two don't, and B) I find that grinding the sheeps down that thin tends to make it lose that straight cutting edge, as the tip wears faster than the rest from use.

But, hey, it's a free country! If it works for you, that's all that matters, right?
 
Gryffin said:
I prefer the spey as a slicer because A) it has a deep belly that the other two don't, and B) I find that grinding the sheeps down that thin tends to make it lose that straight cutting edge, as the tip wears faster than the rest from use.
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True, the tip of the sheepsfoot does tend to wear a lot faster than the rest of the blade. For real slicing, I use the master blade, I just like the sheepsfoot nice and thin to cut paper (nice for clipping out an article from the newspaper) or surgery on the fly.

I am interested in the way you grind yours now. Maybe I'll give it a try on my next stockman (I'm looking for an old Buck 700 series stockman, or maybe a Queen in D2).
 
Psychopomp, like you, I have found the sheepsfoot to be ideal for clipping things from newspapers and magazines. That tiny point is excellent for precise cutting.

<to everyone> Pssst, see I really can make a short post. :D
 
I'm enjoying the asides as much as the thread... :D

I use the clip point for heavy cutting. I thin the heck out of the sheepsfoot, and use it for my fine cutting (love that point). The spey for me is pretty useless, but I keep it sharp in case the other 2 go dull. ;)
 
Yes Sodak, it is an interesting thread, more like fringe; lots of threads;)
I was looking at my old Case tested greenbone stockman that I carried from about 1990 to 1995, blades blackened nicely, bone cracked in a couple of places, but tight, and realized that I used the sheepfoot quite a bit for peeling walking sticks. Every time we (my wife, youngest son and I) went out in the woods, or beachcombing for a day, or a week, I'd have to whittle a new stick, for each of us, and the sheepfoot was the one I used for stripping bark, and shaping a grip. It just seemed to do the job well.
It was nice finding that old knife again. Thought I'd share it; have a look!
 

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The stockman is my favorite multi-blade slipjoint pattern aesthetically.

I stopped by a gun show yesterday and a couple of vendors had knives. I found a vendor that carried some slipjoints. He had an 80's vintage case. Now my only experience with the stockman is with a Chinese-made Buck I bought from Wally World. The Buck has three springs, so each blade has its own spring. The Case stockman illustrated to me the bent blade method of manufacture. Maybe I'm spoiled by the Buck, but the bent blade method seems to me to be an inferior way of making a knife.

I also don't like the way the blades are angled on the Case when they are opened. The Buck's blades are more in a direct line with the handle whereas the Case knife's blade are slanted more downward.

The worst part of it was the fit and finish. The dealer was asking $40 for the Case. I would've paid it, bent blade and all, because the Case came in CV. There was one major defect in the knife though. The spring on one of the blades was not flush. When the blades were closed, the top of the spring stuck up above the handle. I have never seen that and I was flabbergasted. No way would I accept that. In the end I walked away.
 
Karmagong;

Buck's method of making stockman patterns with 3 backsprings is certainly sound and they produce a high quality product. However, the "bent blade" method with two backsprings and a center liner has been traditionally used for over 150 years and can be done in a quality manner..the advantage being that for a given blade stock thickness, the knife will be slimmer overall with the two backsprings and a center lineras compared to 3 springs.

I agree that on 80's to current Case stockman knives, the bent blade method looks sloppy, in large part because Case does a lot more of their processes using automated equipment (less hand fitting) and due to the fact that the blade stock that they use on 3-blade patterns is too thin.

However, if you look at Queen's current production stock knives (#9 and #49) or older Case stock knives, 70's and earlier, you will see that when it is done properly, the bending is very sublte and the knife looks better and "walks and talks" better.
 
Other blade style options would not be a bad thing for other people, and I'd be ok with it, as long as Stockman patterns with a spay are always easy to find. I love the spay blade on my stockman. I don't have cows but it's useful with the chickens and skinning animals. I don't like pen blades myself, but I respect that if you don't want a spay on your knife you should be allowed to find a stockman pattern with a different 3rd blade. As for me in my stubborn ways, It's either the "Clip, Sheepsfoot, Spay" ; or the "Clip, Sheepsfoot, punch". I could never look at a two bladed knife and call it a stockman. :) But, I am very stubborn. Happy Hunting.
Dale.
 
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