First traditional folder?

Hi,

Two fine choices! Nice bone on both of them. Is the Swayback Tru-Sharp or CV? It will look great coming out of suit pocket or even from your bluejeans front pocket. The Boker Trapper is a great working knife. A very capable tool.

Compared to many of them new-fangled locking folders, slippies often seem to require a touch-up when you get them. Think of it as an introduction and a "get to know each other" ritual.

And don't fret about the cost too much. You got to check each one out before you bought it. And that's worth something. Besides, spread out over a life time's use, it ain't nothing.:)

Dale
 
dalee100 said:
Hi,

Two fine choices! Nice bone on both of them. Is the Swayback Tru-Sharp or CV? It will look great coming out of suit pocket or even from your bluejeans front pocket. The Boker Trapper is a great working knife. A very capable tool.

Compared to many of them new-fangled locking folders, slippies often seem to require a touch-up when you get them. Think of it as an introduction and a "get to know each other" ritual.

And don't fret about the cost too much. You got to check each one out before you bought it. And that's worth something. Besides, spread out over a life time's use, it ain't nothing.:)

Dale
Click to expand...

Yeah the bigger issue I have now is if I am going to keep either of them. I like the boker handle (it has hints of purple than the camera doesn't really pick up) but there is a wee bit of bladeplay. The swayback however I think is just too small for my tastes. The boker might be a bit too large. I want something in between. Hah, all in a matter of minutes.


-Freq
 
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Took the cv swayback to my dmt aligner...too small. I really screwed up one side of the blade/bevel. It's way high now...looks horrible. Oh well :)
Also can't seem to get this thing screaming sharp...it came pretty dull from the factory, and I guess I suck at free handing blades this small. It's utility sharp but barely shaves. I was looking forward to EDCing a carbon steel for the keen edge. The Boker while not shaving sharp either, seems to cut better. The swayback just tears at paper too much.


-Freq
 
Well thanks for the hospitality, I'm really enjoying all the info. I wish I could find a knife that has the fit and finish of this chestnut swayback, but with bit bigger blade.


-Freq
 
freq18hz said:
Took the cv swayback to my dmt aligner...too small. I really screwed up one side of the blade/bevel. It's way high now...looks horrible. Oh well :)
Also can't seem to get this thing screaming sharp...it came pretty dull from the factory, and I guess I suck at free handing blades this small. It's utility sharp but barely shaves. I was looking forward to EDCing a carbon steel for the keen edge. The Boker while not shaving sharp either, seems to cut better. The swayback just tears at paper too much.


-Freq
Click to expand...

Hi,

Yes a sharpener like the DMT can be a bit tricky with small blades. I would do them free-hand, but that's not to everyone's taste. So try again while figuring out where you went wrong. Though I honestly don't get too excited about even bevels. Edges are meant to used, not necessarily look pretty.:)

And don't fret about the size of the Swayback. Consider it a going to town knife/dress knife. Or for when you aren't working hard. Sometimes you need a pretty one in your pocket.

I honestly dislike blade play in a new knife. So I might consider exchanging the Boker if it really bothers you. And 4 1/8" is a lot of knife in my book too. If you do like the the Trapper pattern, maybe look for mini-trappers. Which despite the mini part of the name are generally in the 3 1/2" to 3 9/16" range. I know Case, Buck Rough Rider, Boker Plus, and Bear&Son, and Utica all offer that size. I see that the Utica measures in at 3 7/8" closed, so it's a bit bigger than the others, and is still noticeably smaller than a regular Boker trapper.

Dale
 
I wish I could find the case cv swayback quality in a slightly larger knife. The chestnut looks real nice too. I really did destroy the blade though.

-Freq
 
Form follows function

What does a ranchhand need in a knife as his work tool?
A cattle knife or stockman has three blades:
A main clip blade for general use
A short spey blade very sharp for castrating
A sheepsfoot for accurate cutting leather and the like

What does a sailor need?
A stout straight blade to cut rope without a dangerous point in rolling seas
So a large sheepsfoot blade and a marlin spike

A Trapper
A trapper knife with a heavier main blade and a long spey blade for skinning

These are all common patterns and have the name according to the trade


Then there are knives that the name describe the form of the knife
A dogleg jack is the shape
The canoe looks like a canoe, high at both ends
A copperhead looks like a copperhead snake
Sleeveboard (wider one end like a sleeveboard for ironing)

Then there are knives that are by shape
A serpentine (bent serpent shaped)
Equal ended


And if you think it is easy there are often different names to call the same pattern of knife!!!!



Blade shapes
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/research/knife_information/blade_shapes.php

Case knife patterns by number designation
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wr_case/patterns_by_number/index.php

Case knives by pattern name
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/wr_case/patterns_alphabetically/index.php




Case, Camillus, Northwoods, Schrade, Queen, Boker, Schatt & Morgan,

Camillus and Schrade
Bankrupt and no longer. RIP
Schrade trademark has been taken over by a offshore based company and are not the same knife of years gone...

Boker, a German company that makes good knives in the $35 to $50 range in carbon or SS

Case, accepted here as the benchmark
$35 in delrin
$45 in bone and upwards depending on the marketing strategy of Case for collectors
A very wide selection of scales and patterns mainly in SS

Queen makes very good working knives in wood or bone for $45 to $60 in D2 steel

Schatt & Morgan are manufactured by Queen and are an even better quaility with some old patterns from $65 to $100 mainly in bone mainly in SS but with some finer quality steel

GEC is a new company that has made a great impact on the market
Excellent quality users and they have broken into the collectors market
In mainly carbon with a very wide selection of scales from Acylic to very fine stag, but with a limited selection of patterns

There are many other companies, a few from Germany, and a few that have come out of Queens tooling



Hope this helps...
 
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No question

Either a Moore Maker 4 1/2" yellow stockman

or a

Northwoods #11 :) :) :)
 
When I got back into collecting I picked up several lower priced slipjoints - Case, Boker, Hen&Rooster, RoughRider, few other brands. None of them quite did it for me as they didn't compare with my more expensive framelocks and linerlocks and were mostly traded off. So, I've been on this particular subforum for a while now and I'm going to concentrate on a little more high end. I've a Case/Bose Dogleg Jack on its way right now, and will pick up some of the more cost effective customs, and collaborations as time and finances allow. When I was younger, I wanted the biggest assortment I could put together, now, I'm a little older and want the best I can afford.
my .25c.
 
freq18hz said:
Well thanks for the hospitality, I'm really enjoying all the info. I wish I could find a knife that has the fit and finish of this chestnut swayback, but with bit bigger blade.


-Freq
Click to expand...

Case_Brothers_ATS_34_Olive_Green_Seahorse_Whittler_1_of_250.jpg


If it is the wharncliff blade you like, you might step up in size with a seahorse whittler. I don't believe Case makes make them in CV though, but this is a fancy one in ATS-34. These are a 4" knife.

41279834_9186635.JPG


A stag version will run you about a bill.
 
neeman said:
Case, accepted here as the benchmark
Click to expand...

That might be true - but I couldn't disagree more with what it describes as a useful way of thinking about US cutlery

Case just make a lot of knives in a lot of interesting patterns

I have no torch to carry for any of them, but Queen (and their variants esp. S&M and Moore Maker) and the GEC imprimaturs substantially surpass anything Case has made in the past 20 years
 
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Paying a little more to hold them in your hands is good sometimes. Nice knives.

Case_Brothers_ATS_34_Olive_Green_Seahorse_Whittler_1_of_250.jpg



The bone on that one Hal is incredible.

Steve
 
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