Hi all,
Here are pictures and first impressions from my recent knife harvest. Perhaps these European designs are not the kind of knives that get a lot of attention here, so if your tastes range wider than "tacticool" knife styles you might be interested.
Here is the full set:
From top to bottom:
- Carl Schlieper "Copperhead", slipjoint, carbon steel blade, stag handle
- Boker "Sky Walker", liner lock, 440C blade, anodised blue titanium liners and polished carbon fiber inlays.
- Boker "Folding Hunter", backlock, 440C blade, ivory white micarta handle
- Perceval "Le Français", liner lock, 12C27 blade, olive wood handle
- Chambriard "Le Compagnon", in fact a typical Le Thiers design, slipjoint, 12C27 blade, juniper handle (which smells nicely peppery)
- Klötzli "Walker 03", liner lock, ATS34 blade, titanium handle with red bone inlays
- Carl Schlieper "Sodbuster", backlock, carbon steel blade, yellow plastic handle over steel & copper liners
All these knives are without a clip. The Klötzli can be bought with a clip though.
All knives came sufficiently razor-like sharp, with the Schliepers being the sharpest out of the box.
Now a closer look at each model.
The Klötzli Walker 03 is (like all Klötzlis) made to a very high standard of fit and finish. Everything fits precisely and there is no sharp edge except for the blade. A strong knife for many uses that becaue of its design can be used at the table as well. The hand-ground hollow blade is amazingly well done. The titanium locking liner is perfectly adjusted (this is observed in my 3 other Klötzlis as well, it's something Klötzli seems to do better than anyone else). I do think (and several people who hadled Klötzlis tend to agree) that this is in essence Sebenza or custom build quality, but typically geared towards a more gentlemen-like usage. This knife comes with a smooth leather pouch.
The Chambriard "Le Compagnon" is a really nice version of the popular Le Thiers design, which I think is more pure than the better known laguiole design. In true french style, while it can easily be used for various tasks it is really at home in your pocket for general food-related use. Most french cutleries argue that a 12C27 blade is perfectly sufficient, and put their energy more in elegant designs and a choice of rare wood handles than in researching exotic powder steels. You may agree with this attitude or not, and I would say that the 12C27 is largely sufficient for the typical usage of this knife. The balance of the knife in the hand is great and look at that elegant filework! I also think that Chambriard offer a good quality/price.
Perceval is an interesting small cutlery with truly lovely and typically French (except for a scottish style hunting knife) designs on offer. I loved this "Le Français" the moment I saw it. When folded it is so sleek that it makes for truly effortless EDC. Folded open it is so pure, so simple that it is impossible not to like (in my opinion). A stylish alternatice to EDC-ing a Le Thiers or a Laguiole. And, while slender, the build quality is convincing, as the lock is nicely adjusted and there is no blade play. I intend to carry it quite often.
This is an out of production Böker that I could buy for little money. A typical Walker design, here named with German tongue-in-cheek the "Sky Walker" because of the anodised blue titanium liners. It's very light and features a refined build quality. I understood that Böker messed up several of their liner lock designs, but this one locks without reproach an is well adjusted. This little knife was an interesting bargain, I do think that its feel is pretty close to typical Klötzlis with CF inlays. A nice universal pocket knife but I admit that I am less keen on the design of the pivot cover !
The "folding hunter" is the kind of traditional backlock knife that Böker is so experienced with that they can make it with their eyes closed. Indeed, a strongly made knife with a nice heft to it and no play. What more could one expect from a classic backlock knife? See it as an European equivalent of, say, a Buck 11O. I did like how the curves in the handle were just right for my average sized hands.
This Carl Schlieper (also called German Eye, or Eye brand) Sodbuster is remarkably convincing for the reasonable 35 euros that it costs. It locks with authority and slices as well as any Opinel. A "yellow plastic handle" sounds truly awful when you read it, but in practice it's more ivory-like and quite attractive and it actually feels rather good in the hand. A strong knife as well, you can depend on it. The picture shows a few small blemishes in the steel on the back, but not to the extent that I'd send it back. This sodbuster could be a nice gift.
The other Carl Schlieper is a traditional compact two 70mm blade Copperhead design. A classic knife with good build quality. It actually feels better, more solid, more precise in my hand than the ubiquitous Case knives. Nothing wrong with Case, but the Schlieper has something undefinable, perhaps it's "soul".
Comments, remarks, ideas, insults eagerly awaited...
[EDIT - ADDITION] ps I forgot to add the Svord Peasant friction folder that I got via a group buy on the british forum. A nice utility knife that amusingly blends the classic friction folder concept with today's plastic handles.
Here are pictures and first impressions from my recent knife harvest. Perhaps these European designs are not the kind of knives that get a lot of attention here, so if your tastes range wider than "tacticool" knife styles you might be interested.
Here is the full set:
From top to bottom:
- Carl Schlieper "Copperhead", slipjoint, carbon steel blade, stag handle
- Boker "Sky Walker", liner lock, 440C blade, anodised blue titanium liners and polished carbon fiber inlays.
- Boker "Folding Hunter", backlock, 440C blade, ivory white micarta handle
- Perceval "Le Français", liner lock, 12C27 blade, olive wood handle
- Chambriard "Le Compagnon", in fact a typical Le Thiers design, slipjoint, 12C27 blade, juniper handle (which smells nicely peppery)
- Klötzli "Walker 03", liner lock, ATS34 blade, titanium handle with red bone inlays
- Carl Schlieper "Sodbuster", backlock, carbon steel blade, yellow plastic handle over steel & copper liners
All these knives are without a clip. The Klötzli can be bought with a clip though.
All knives came sufficiently razor-like sharp, with the Schliepers being the sharpest out of the box.
Now a closer look at each model.
The Klötzli Walker 03 is (like all Klötzlis) made to a very high standard of fit and finish. Everything fits precisely and there is no sharp edge except for the blade. A strong knife for many uses that becaue of its design can be used at the table as well. The hand-ground hollow blade is amazingly well done. The titanium locking liner is perfectly adjusted (this is observed in my 3 other Klötzlis as well, it's something Klötzli seems to do better than anyone else). I do think (and several people who hadled Klötzlis tend to agree) that this is in essence Sebenza or custom build quality, but typically geared towards a more gentlemen-like usage. This knife comes with a smooth leather pouch.
The Chambriard "Le Compagnon" is a really nice version of the popular Le Thiers design, which I think is more pure than the better known laguiole design. In true french style, while it can easily be used for various tasks it is really at home in your pocket for general food-related use. Most french cutleries argue that a 12C27 blade is perfectly sufficient, and put their energy more in elegant designs and a choice of rare wood handles than in researching exotic powder steels. You may agree with this attitude or not, and I would say that the 12C27 is largely sufficient for the typical usage of this knife. The balance of the knife in the hand is great and look at that elegant filework! I also think that Chambriard offer a good quality/price.
Perceval is an interesting small cutlery with truly lovely and typically French (except for a scottish style hunting knife) designs on offer. I loved this "Le Français" the moment I saw it. When folded it is so sleek that it makes for truly effortless EDC. Folded open it is so pure, so simple that it is impossible not to like (in my opinion). A stylish alternatice to EDC-ing a Le Thiers or a Laguiole. And, while slender, the build quality is convincing, as the lock is nicely adjusted and there is no blade play. I intend to carry it quite often.
This is an out of production Böker that I could buy for little money. A typical Walker design, here named with German tongue-in-cheek the "Sky Walker" because of the anodised blue titanium liners. It's very light and features a refined build quality. I understood that Böker messed up several of their liner lock designs, but this one locks without reproach an is well adjusted. This little knife was an interesting bargain, I do think that its feel is pretty close to typical Klötzlis with CF inlays. A nice universal pocket knife but I admit that I am less keen on the design of the pivot cover !
The "folding hunter" is the kind of traditional backlock knife that Böker is so experienced with that they can make it with their eyes closed. Indeed, a strongly made knife with a nice heft to it and no play. What more could one expect from a classic backlock knife? See it as an European equivalent of, say, a Buck 11O. I did like how the curves in the handle were just right for my average sized hands.
This Carl Schlieper (also called German Eye, or Eye brand) Sodbuster is remarkably convincing for the reasonable 35 euros that it costs. It locks with authority and slices as well as any Opinel. A "yellow plastic handle" sounds truly awful when you read it, but in practice it's more ivory-like and quite attractive and it actually feels rather good in the hand. A strong knife as well, you can depend on it. The picture shows a few small blemishes in the steel on the back, but not to the extent that I'd send it back. This sodbuster could be a nice gift.
The other Carl Schlieper is a traditional compact two 70mm blade Copperhead design. A classic knife with good build quality. It actually feels better, more solid, more precise in my hand than the ubiquitous Case knives. Nothing wrong with Case, but the Schlieper has something undefinable, perhaps it's "soul".
Comments, remarks, ideas, insults eagerly awaited...
[EDIT - ADDITION] ps I forgot to add the Svord Peasant friction folder that I got via a group buy on the british forum. A nice utility knife that amusingly blends the classic friction folder concept with today's plastic handles.
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If not I will have to get one of my French Canadian friends to interpret for me.. 
