The Jacks I've been perusing have been Boker, Case, Hen and Rooster and Buck Creek. Have you any recommendations or suggestions? I favor darker covers and either Carbon Steel (1095 and the like) or Chrome Vanadium. Sadly, Case's Tru Sharp (stainless) doesn't impress me in a carry knife, and I have reservations about Buck's 309.
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I have been looking at a Jack to supplement my Peanut.
- Thread starter Captain O
- Start date
afishhunter
Basic Member
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- Oct 21, 2014
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Rough Rider 3 5/8 closed canoe, 2 blade barlow, or perhaps their medium size trapper. Good steel, hold an edge, easy to sharpen, and won't break the bank.
If you can find one, the Colt canoe or trapper with carbon steel blades are also a good choice. They cost a little more than the Rough Rider though.
The Colt line is being dropped.
If you can find one, the Colt canoe or trapper with carbon steel blades are also a good choice. They cost a little more than the Rough Rider though.
The Colt line is being dropped.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2009
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- 49
Here's a second vote for the Case Texas Jack in CV. It's basically a peanut on steroids. Great knife.
Thanks everyone.
- Joined
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Case's Tru-sharp can develop a wire edge that is a touch harder to break off than the CV. I find a stropping or pulling through some wood can get that edge just right.
Get it right and it performs as good as the CV.
I like the CV for nostalgic reasons, but the Tru-sharp can shave hair and last just as good as the CV.
Get it right and it performs as good as the CV.
I like the CV for nostalgic reasons, but the Tru-sharp can shave hair and last just as good as the CV.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
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You can get the Amber Bone CV and darken the scales if that's your issue with it. That is the only jack pattern currently produced by Case in CV steel. Queen made a few jacks in D2 steel which you can still find if you shop around. Collectorknives has some new old stock 2008 models. If you can get it sharp in the first place (which was certainly a learning experience for me) it will keep a good edge for a long time.
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I've never tried or thought or heard of pulling the blade through wood thanks for the tip. I will have to raise a burr on something tomorrow so I can try it. :thumbup:
Woodrow is right. Cutting a piece of paper will also do the trick to remove a burr, too.
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- Dec 9, 2015
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Picture time! This is a Case Texas Jack (#44) circa 1977 that's been in my watch pocket for the past few months. I bought it on Ebay all scratched up and re-finished it to 800 grit and then hot vinegar etched.
As you can see the liners do rub the tangs somewhat, a bit more on the clip than on the pen blade. It feels a little scratchy if you don't oil it (sometimes I accidentally wash the oil out when I give it a good soak and scrub after cutting raw meat), but when kept oiled the walk and talk is great.
A basic, non-collector pattern with carbon steel and brown delrin scales might not get any oos and ahhs but it sure does it's job well as a pocket knife. And it only cost me $20 plus about an hour of sanding and etching so it's not going to break the bank to replace if I lose it.
I say get one, I like this better than pretty much any other multi-blade pattern. It has one big blade and one small blade; it's variety without redundancy. Why have two or three equally small blades in a peanut or small stockman, or two large blades in a trapper when you could have one of each?
I don't know about you, but used seems to be the way to go for me and Ebay is a goldmine for old pocket knives. I'm not a collector, I use and scratch my knives, so I don't mind if they come like that. You can get a non-collector used Case for $20-30 or USA Old Timer for about $12-$18 all day long on Ebay, sometimes less if you're willing to sit and watch for a week or two. I just sold a pretty nice (great walk and talk, no blade rub, crisp tips, hardly sharpened) USA 108OT small stockman that I had cleaned, sanded and etched for only $15 shipped.
As you can see the liners do rub the tangs somewhat, a bit more on the clip than on the pen blade. It feels a little scratchy if you don't oil it (sometimes I accidentally wash the oil out when I give it a good soak and scrub after cutting raw meat), but when kept oiled the walk and talk is great.
A basic, non-collector pattern with carbon steel and brown delrin scales might not get any oos and ahhs but it sure does it's job well as a pocket knife. And it only cost me $20 plus about an hour of sanding and etching so it's not going to break the bank to replace if I lose it.
I say get one, I like this better than pretty much any other multi-blade pattern. It has one big blade and one small blade; it's variety without redundancy. Why have two or three equally small blades in a peanut or small stockman, or two large blades in a trapper when you could have one of each?
I don't know about you, but used seems to be the way to go for me and Ebay is a goldmine for old pocket knives. I'm not a collector, I use and scratch my knives, so I don't mind if they come like that. You can get a non-collector used Case for $20-30 or USA Old Timer for about $12-$18 all day long on Ebay, sometimes less if you're willing to sit and watch for a week or two. I just sold a pretty nice (great walk and talk, no blade rub, crisp tips, hardly sharpened) USA 108OT small stockman that I had cleaned, sanded and etched for only $15 shipped.
Case's Amber Jack is just fine the way it is. I'm strongly considering one. Like the Peanut, it disappears in the pocket untill it is needed. The CV is 1095 Carbon Steel with Chromium and Vanadium added to allow it to be highly tempered and hold an edge longer. Just keep the surface waxed and the knife will, like the Peanut, "work beyond it's weight".
This is why I love my Peanut so much, it has cutting power beyond what is readily apparent. Case makes some truly great personal cutting implements.
Will Power
Gold Member
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- Jan 18, 2007
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- 33,363
How do you feel about D2? Queen Cutlery's No.2 Jack is a nice compact knife in their Amber Carved Stag Bone.
GEC's 56 Dogleg Jack in Spear or Clip is another candidate. Or the 76 Outlaw Jack.
I think CASE now does their Teardrop in cv that may interest too.
Regards, Will
GEC's 56 Dogleg Jack in Spear or Clip is another candidate. Or the 76 Outlaw Jack.
I think CASE now does their Teardrop in cv that may interest too.
Regards, Will
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2005
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- 4,248
My personal favorite is the Case Medium Jack. Sadly it's Case Middle Child in regards to the Peanut & Texas Jack, and gets neglected. When I talked to a Case employee at BLADE about offering the Medium Jack in CV steel he said they just don't sell as well as the other two.
Buzzbait
Gold Member
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- Feb 25, 2001
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- 6,732
I love Queen's D2. When the blade is thin, it cuts well and holds the edge far longer than simpler traditional steels. Definitely look into Queen if edge holding is high on your list of needs.
I used to be pretty down on both Case's Stainless and CV steel. It's all pretty soft, and the edge tends to deform easily. I sharpened to my standard 30-degree inclusive angle, and it always gave me problems. But I've recently started to sharpen my Case knives at a 40-degree inclusive angle, and have kept the edge at a coarser grit than I would normally use on slipjoints. I've had MUCH better success with this new sharpening method.
If you keep your eye open on the secondary market, the #77 Yankee Jack comes up from time to time. It's a larger jack, and very capable. The pine green bone is very dark and deep.
I used to be pretty down on both Case's Stainless and CV steel. It's all pretty soft, and the edge tends to deform easily. I sharpened to my standard 30-degree inclusive angle, and it always gave me problems. But I've recently started to sharpen my Case knives at a 40-degree inclusive angle, and have kept the edge at a coarser grit than I would normally use on slipjoints. I've had MUCH better success with this new sharpening method.
If you keep your eye open on the secondary market, the #77 Yankee Jack comes up from time to time. It's a larger jack, and very capable. The pine green bone is very dark and deep.
I love Queen's D2. When the blade is thin, it cuts well and holds the edge far longer than simpler traditional steels. Definitely look into Queen if edge holding is high on your list of needs.
I used to be pretty down on both Case's Stainless and CV steel. It's all pretty soft, and the edge tends to deform easily. I sharpened to my standard 30-degree inclusive angle, and it always gave me problems. But I've recently started to sharpen my Case knives at a 40-degree inclusive angle, and have kept the edge at a coarser grit than I would normally use on slipjoints. I've had MUCH better success with this new sharpening method.
If you keep your eye open on the secondary market, the #77 Yankee Jack comes up from time to time. It's a larger jack, and very capable. The pine green bone is very dark and deep.
I already have a beautiful Queen Stockman with Zebrawood covers and D2 steel blades. It's a great knife, but it cost me a great deal of money. I have found a Case Amber Jack for less than $40.00.
