Favorite: Peasants Knife (e.g. Opinel) or German Hippekniep (a.k.a. Sodbuster)?

I am carrying this one as I write. It is helping me renovate my kitchen!
It's a great carpenter's knife when the work is framing and more basic stuff. I use a finer knife when fitting moldings and doing other finishing work.
A nice reproduction of a Scagel. Scagel was the grandfather of custom knifemaking!


ScagelSoddie1.jpg
 
This one is off to the races! Love seeing the pictures!!!!

Currently tally:
9: Friction folding peasants knife (includes the Opinel)
5: German Hippekniep (aka Sod Buster)
 
Pinnah, it is a slip joint with a half stop, which is why you don't see the spring. Basically a sodbuster. Perfect knife, in my view. Just a hair shy of 4 inches long. Essentially a Modified Wharncliffe (Zulu Spear).
Carbon steel, holds an edge for ages, with a few quick strops. Queen got it right, including some special Stag!
Is your #10 ebony handled, or dyed black?
 
I'd have to vote for a carbon steel Opinel by a nose. I do love my yella Case soddie jr. though.

-- Mark
 
Opinel for me. They are genius knives, simple effective and pleasing to own. What slices better? No liners or springs to mess up and an effective locking collar, many sizes to choose from. Light in the pocket and will never bust your thumbnail.

That said, the Sodbuster style knife has a lot of appeal too, they both work well in the hand, that's the main thing no?

How about the Spanish equivalents.....very similar too.

Thanks, Will
 
I carry my Opinel or Svord each at least 20 to 1 over the sodbuster. That may change after I get either my Herder or the Bull Nose, but for now I will go with the Peasant knife!
 
I love my Opinals and my Svord but the Sodbuster knife is my favorite pattern so it gets my vote. The sodbuster pattern in common throughout the world in different cultures, probably because of it's simplicity and utilitarian design. Just a few of my Soddies

i-R6M2ZB7-L.jpg


i-gpmj7TL-L.jpg
 
I might add that if GEC brought out their Bullnose with a linerlock and a full convex grind by Bark River then i'd never have to by another working knife....
 
here are a couple...
myknives027.jpg

My Kitchen worker.... came to New Zealand thanks to a great Traditonalist member here :)
knives006.jpg
 
Im not sure if this is traditional (peasant?)...but its very basic and cutting very well.......Opis and Soddys are hard to beat!.........FES

soddy025.jpg
 
Wow, talk about a horse race!

Here's my count of the votes:
Currently tally:
13: Friction folding peasants knife (includes the Opinel)
12: German Hippekniep (aka Sod Buster)


@Waynorth: That is a very interesting blade profile. I don't think I've ever seen one like that. As for my Opinel #10, the handle is dyed black. It's a standard beech wood, which is hard to stain. I shaped the handle with 220, which is a bit rough but keeps the wood more open. The dye is a water-based dye finished with tung oil/varnish.
 
My vote goes to peasant knives, because they are more common in my country although there is a kind of sodbuster called cabritera.
A photo of the peasant knife of my zone
Taramundi power!!!
955b7888.jpg

Regards
Mateo
 
Here's another question. Why is the sodbuster pattern not considered a "peasant knife"? Personally I think it's in the same class if we're making it so broad as to include pieces as vastly different from each other as the Svord and Opinel models. Any of the locking Opinels are not friction folders, so I'd figure that other simple knives like the Mercator K55K and the Douk Douk would be in the same class? I'm perhaps a little confused by the lack of clarity.
 
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