Gentlemany quality Slipjoint

M

mantzao

Joined
Jun 16, 2011
Messages
1,535
Hello guys,

I had/have all of the best production knives out there so i maybe would like to try a nice slipjoint!
I've seen some of T.A. Davison work and he has some beautiful ones but they cost way more than i am prepared to pay for a folding knife without a locking mechanism.
I do like the wharncliffe blades he makes!
I'm not looking for a UKPK though:)

I'm pretty green in this area so i will definetly consider a locker;)

So, is there something out there that resembles it in looks and quality?

Thanks:)
 
Case's Swayback Jack/Gent is a top notch wharncliffe slipjoint at a steal of a price. If you want a bit more handle, they also make a wharncliffe trapper (single and double blade). Good knives to get a feel without breaking the bank. There's a fairly wide gap in price between production slipjoints and customs, but the swayback jack holds its own for fit and finish.
 
The other big brands are Canal Street, Great Eastern Cutlery (Northfield/Tidioute), Queen, Schatt & Morgan, etc... that list alone should keep you busy for the week!
 
Great Eastern makes some interesting patterns. Canal Street also makes some very nice models - I have a Canittler that is outstanding. You can also check a certain auction site and search "Wharncliff pocket knife", and find a few older patterns that might fit what you're looking for.

Bernard Levine wrote a book a while back called Levine's guide to Knives and Their Values. (Get the fourth edition.) If you can find a good used one, it's a treasure trove of good information.

~Chris

ps - mantzao - I sent you an email with some info.
 
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Kershaw Wild turkey in damascus.....faultless quality....smooooooooooooooooooothe knife......................................FES

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Some great buys in Solingen, Germany made Boker Tree Brand classic slipjoints can be found from $35 up, buy it now - inc s/h, in both SS and CS. Super quality. I've bought a few there - some great dealers. They have been uniform in fit and finish, sharpness, open/close effort, etc - a step above the four new Case knives I've bought, for sure.

Stainz
 
GEC has a couple of bigger knives, though not that many wharncliffes. IMO, if you're looking for overbuilt knives, you shouldn't be looking at slipjoints.

Edit: The AG Russell Wharncliffe Sowbelly may suit your tastes just right actually. Search it up, I'm not sure if I can post a link directly to AG here.
 
GEC #72 and #73 are awesome... same with the GEC White Owl. and any GEC knife really. Any GEC, Case, Canal Street, older Shrade, Camillus, etc. are incredible knives. Im trying to find a Wharncliffe GEC #72
 
mantzao said:
...The Case ones seem nice but they also seem a bit too small and thin!
I would like something a bit more overbuillt:D
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That is one of the benefits of a good slipjoint. The thin, razor sharp blades cut, and do it well. Don't let the small size fool you. These things are made to work. In fact, there is a thread in the Traditional forum right now where a member's swayback jack saved a guy who was in a situation in a treetop and needed the rope cut to get free. The SBJ did the job. But, because of the slimness, they are unubtrusive in the pocket, and in polite company because they are pretty. Give it a shot.
 
If it is a slipjoint you are seeking the Traditional Forum on this site will be the best place to begin your search. Use a google search to look through older posts on the subject. I may have less than a dozen posts but that is only because it seems as though almost every question I've ever had has been asked and answered by several people prior to me. I need not post, only search. However I will provide you with a couple of suggestions since I'm here.
Slipjoints come in many sizes. I find that 3.5" or smaller work best for front pocket carry for me. Many people have a larger limit on the size before they switch to a sheath, YMMV.
For a not-traditional slipjoint, Spyderco has a knife called the Kiwi. It comes with either a plain or stag handle. At less than $30 this knife is a steal; that is if you dig the style. It seems to be a love it or hate it type of knife. Spyderco produced this knife earlier with a lockback. Both of my specimens, slipjoint and lockback, are near to flawless. One thing to note is the slipjoint is almost impossible to open one handed due to the stiff backspring.
If you think the Case knives are a bit under-built I'd follow suit with others in this tread and suggest a GEC. The price of a GEC is generally higher than a Case but from the few examples I own the quality is correspondingly higher as well. I would suggest you take a look at the Geppetto #57. Its a solid knife for sure but very pocketable at the same time. GEC also has a few other offering with a wharncliffe master blade such as: Congress #61 and #62, Easy Open #25, and the Sleveboard #26 (wharn. version). I'm sure there are other knives with wharncliffe master blades but these are a few I remember looking at at some point or another.
Enjoy the search, it's half the fun of being a knife nut.
 
mantzao said:
thanks for all the help so far guys, i really appreciate it:)

I've found some A.G. Russels that look pretty good!

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/839882-A-G-Russell-Curved-Regular-Jack/page5

Wharncliffe is really what i'm looking for.
The Case ones seem nice but they also seem a bit too small and thin!
I would like something a bit more overbuillt:D
Click to expand...
ol

I have the A.G. Russell knife you linked to. It is as well-made as any production slipjoint I have seen. Fit and finish are topnotch. It is very solidly built and is probably strong enough to meet your "overbuilt" criteria. It would be an excellent choice.
 
bonzodog said:
J.H.Lloyd .a few for sale in dealer section,great value ,great knives,
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You took the words out of my mouth.

I have a couple of his and they are very nice. Beryl Driskill makes nice knives.

I like Canal Street's Half Moon Trapper, nicely sized with a decent selection of handle materials. Also, their Pinch LockBacks are nice, too. I also like GEC's #65 Ben Hogan.

Shoot, buy a couple of each . . . .
 
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