help with traditional carbon steel knife for gift

shootist16

shootist16

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I am going to get my grandfather a knife as a gift. He likes carbon steel blades of a traditional nature. These types of knivesreally aren't my bag......baby. My question is which brand and which pattern to get. Stockman? Trapper? Something else? What type of handle material?

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Dennis Bible

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Dennis,
You're a good grandson. There are a number of traditional patterns out there and the Stockman is probably the most useful. My personal favorite is the barlow (jack knife). I also like the sowbelly and trappers. Especially the slim trappers. There are a number of neat knives out there.

For 1095 steel SMKW is offering a green delrin saw cut stockman or trapper in the $20 range. They are really neat looking. I just ordered one this morning. Very eye catching and something you don't see that often.

Something more fancy and perhaps ATS34, Queen Cutlery makes some fine traditional patterns.

Schrade Olt Timer makes a tool steel knife and are inexpensive. They cut surprisingly well but a plain jane looking.

Case offers goggles of patterns and their knives are beautiful. The steel just sucks.

Lots of choices out there.



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~Greg Mete~
Kodiak Alaska
Buck Collectors Club-Lifetime Member
JKM-Chai
KnifeKnutt@aol.com
 
The Case yellow handled line of knives with the delrin handles are all traditional patterns and come in their "chrome vanadium" steel. Just what this is no seems to know, it aint stainless and is pretty good stuff. Cases knives tend to be a little on the soft side, but they sharpen easy, and respond well to a butchers steel. I am sure your Grand dad would recognize these and appreciate em.
 
I know he would recognize Case, so that is a distinct possibility. I have also heard good things about Hen & Rooster, Eye Brand, and Henckels. I will probably get him a stockman. The Queen cutlery sounds good. ATS-34 maybe a mixture of new material and old style?

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Dennis Bible

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Dennis,
I'm a big CaseXX fan. I would suggest just about any of their classics as a knife for your Grandfather.
Since you are looking for a carbon blade that narrows it down to only a couple of thier patterns.
As mentioned before, by Fox Creek, they offer a complete line of Yellow Delrin handled knifes as well as the new Amber Bone line in Chrome Vanadium. I would suggest the latter for a more traditional look.
If you can see past the Stainless factor, take a look at their other patterns. Unfortunately, you're about a few months late for stag, but if you look around on the net you might get lucky.

CaseXX=
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--The Raptor--
 
Dennis,

Case is terrific. I have a great stainless three blade stockman with jigged bone handles. Just a word of warning. If you go with chrome vanadium is rusts incredibly easily if you don't take care of it very well. The fit and finish on mine is terrific and I carry it every day.
 
Dennis,

You can't go wrong with Case. I love my stockman and carry it every day. However, I would go with the stainless blades because the chrome vanadium rusts extremely easy if you don't take care of it very well. Case also has unbelievable customer service.
 
I sometimes carry and use a Boker carbon-steel whittler (one large clip blade, and two smaller blades, a spear, and sheepsfoot on the other side on the recurved handle). It is about 3.5 inches closed. It is a great little user for all sort of purposes like letter opening, or whittling. The main blade is etched nicely (although mine is starting to show some wear), and the knife feels good in the hand. The rosewood scales are nicely done. Around $65.

Paracelsus
 
I'm particularly fond of the stockman pattern. The ones I have had good luck with in carbon steel are Eye Brand, Case, and Kissing Crane. If he is traditionally minded, he will probably like one in bone or stag.

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Die Entropie der Welt strebt einem Maximum zu - R.J.E. Clausius
 
No pun intended, but I really have my eye on eye brand. The ones I have seen look like real quality.

If I go stainless I am considering a Boker. They use 440-C so i know it is a decent steel.

How do you all feel about Boker?

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Dennis Bible

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Stockman pattern is a must. Boker 7474 i believe is a stockman with rosewood handles and i heard that their high carbon is a modified 52100. I have heard some nice stuff about Boker. Their 4474 model, I think, is a large stockman with stag handles and 440C blades.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=955453&a=11486609&p=40427958

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=955453&a=11486609&p=40427970

Here are 2 Pics of an Imperial Cattle knife from the 20's or 30's. I got it from my grandfathers basement and have been refinishing it. The blades and bolsters were pitted and rusted and the handle was falling off, so I redid it with red dyed and stabilized maple burl. I am still working on the bolsters and blades, but they may be too far gone. This is another route to go. Get an old traditional knife, redo the handle and clean and fix it up. They are on Ebay all of the time, just be careful of what steel it is. They are also pretty inexpensive. Or you can buy a new knife and do the same, like an Old Timer stockman and put a nice handle on it. I did that one in the pic with a Dremel, hand files, sandpaper and epoxy in 2 evenings at college. It's not that hard to do, if you need any help, let me know!
 
i think buckcreek is worth a mention... i have a 'diamondback' model that i really like


bill o.

as an edit...you might want to avoid celluoid handles though

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Someday, we'll look back on this, laugh nervously and change the
subject.

billyboy@tnx.com

[This message has been edited by oxbubba (edited 02-18-2001).]
 
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