Five Best Looking

[Will Power]

@Mike Robuck Great beauty from former times, big too That I*XL is one of the finest knives currently on view in the Forum But I recall you have an Old German Stag that's also a wonder.

Thanks, Will

 

[black mamba]

Mike, Will beat me to it. Your I-XL is stupendous! Do you know anything about how those pins are made?

 

[rockman0]

Thank you

That case coke bottle is amazing! Such a beautiful knife.

 

[Mike Robuck]

Thanks Jeff and Will. Jeff, I don't know anything about the bird's eye pins. Maybe JackBlack or Charlie can shed some light on them. Will, I think I know which knife you mean but I don't want to get in trouble by posting a sixth knife to break the rules. Here's the pile side of the IXL.

 

[Prester John]

"Best Looking" is subjective, I suppose, but here are my five:
(1) Spanish navaja de Albacete, by José Antonio Herreros Gomez:

Polished deer antler point, 440C steel. My prettiest knife, I think.

(2) Laguiole Honoré Durand:

Olive wood handle, 14C28 steel. 12cm closed. My favourite knife. Feels great in the hand, wonderful food/picnic knife.

(3) Le Thiers by Fontenille Pataud:

Boxwood handle, 14C28 steel. I just love the lines on this knife. The handle is not as comfortable as the Laguiole, though.

(4) Le Thiers by Chambriard:

Juniper handle, 13C26 steel. I was only going to put one Thiers knife in the "five best looking" category, but I had to include both. The knife pattern is fairly recent (1993, maybe?), but it really knocks me out.

(5) Schrade Scrimshaw stockman:

I believe the handle is Delrin, the blades are carbon (1095 maybe? Not sure of the steel). This is from 1982. I found it new in box at a gun show a couple of years ago. Paid $50; thought it was a fair price. I carry it occasionally, and have sharpened it lightly.

Group shot:

 

[knowtracks]

Great pictures of some great knives!
Photo by Chief. It has a very light, small NYK Co. etch under the nail nick.

A Schrade:

5 1/4 IXL:

Napanoch that I have had for a while now:

NYK Co. English Jack:

Classic Mike! Every one a treasure!
Thank You!


Dave

 

[Mike Robuck]

Thanks Dave. I know you have some great knives, and lots of them.

 

[Dr-Mabuse]

Will, that 83 is one of the finest examples of GEC's shielded stag I've seen.

This thread is driving me nuts. I keep going back and forth on my top five. I've done one photo shoot already for a post but I believe I'll scrap it. It's so hard to choose just five.

 

[Will Power]

Will, that 83 is one of the finest examples of GEC's shielded stag I've seen.

This thread is driving me nuts. I keep going back and forth on my top five. I've done one photo shoot already for a post but I believe I'll scrap it. It's so hard to choose just five.

Thanks very much, when I got it out of the tube I was astounded, both sides are superb and despite being gnarly it's thin panel Stag, those were the days when GEC didn't funk out of inletting on Stag It sees a lot of use but I suppose if I'd kept it mint it would be worth a lot-and created anxiety...

Well choosing 5 is really monstrous yes all you can do is choose 5 OF THE MOMENT, everything changes & there's no rule about changing your mind here, in fact it's welcome

 

[Old Hunter]

My Fight’NRooster Stockman is my most beautiful knife. This one came very early in my collecting days, have owned it for years and never carried it - it stays in its box only to be opened and admired. From the slightly lengthened bolsters, to the shade of green bone and perfect jigging, its shield and blades, this knife represents the best of German knife making of its era and in my favorite pattern too.

Case 6380 Whittler. This knife represents what Case could do at the peak of their game - beautiful jigging with a red color that doesn’t shout but simply exudes from the bone. Excellent fit & finish combined with perfect walk & talk - a great example of the cutlers art.

An E.C. Simmons Keen Kutter jackknife that represents the best of the hardware age, between the wars goodness that shows what old time knife makers could do with steel and ebony. The Clip (my favorite main blade shape) has a length and proportion that I just love to look at. Top it all off with a pinned Federal shield - makes one pine for what we have lost.

The mighty Buck 301 Forum Knife from 2018. Absolutely wonderful to remember what fun we all had with SK Blades many polls - a fast moving and frenzied time to assist in designing the perfect pocketknife. We all contributed and Buck Knives - a company known for heavy duty working knives, showed us that they could “walk the dog” and make a knife as good as any cutlery company on the planet. The elk handles surprised me - was thinking craggy, got smooth, and love the look.

For this last one I had to struggle between two; a GEC 76 pattern Krack-A-Jack SFO and the Case 5318 Medium Stockman I won in Primble’s fantastic Kentucky Derby GAW several years back. In the end I chose the GEC because I already had a Case Knife in my Top Five but no small batch producer. Almost ten years ago I traded an Army issued Benchmade Auto I had carried in OIF for Ole’ Jack, one of my first GEC - and I wasn’t disappointed. Nicely colored bone with an old time look and very competent jigging, but it is the W&T and nicely proportioned main blade shape that make this knife, that combined with Ole Jack’s shield - reminiscent of Francis, the talking Army mule!

 

[JohnDF]

That one should have been a no-brainer.

 

[rockman0]

Same 5 knives but different pictures.

I don't have the ability to pick my top 5 so I'll go with 5 that would all be in the running

I love coke bottles

I like folding hunters and stag

There's no bone like old bone. I never get tired of that saying.

Last but not least, I must represent pearl. You have to hold a pearl knife to appreciate it.

 

[Mike Robuck]

Beautiful knives Rob!

 

[rockman0]

Thanks Mike, they don't stand up to that IXL but I like em anyhow

Beautiful knives Rob!

 

[Modoc ED]

 

[Trvr]

All beautiful knives, but that swayback is exceptional!

 

[Modoc ED]

All beautiful knives, but that swayback is exceptional!

Thanks. Case did a great job on that one - not a flaw on it.

 

[black mamba]

Really some great stuff, fellas, there are so many gorgeous knives . . . no wonder we're all hooked!

 

[JohnDF]

You hit the lottery with that Swayback Jack.

 

[JonMcD]

Here’s the best looking to my eyeballs of my small but growing crew.

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