If you could only carry one.

Old Hunter said:
One pattern, for me it would be a Stockman, if I had to narrow it down to a specific Stockman it would be the Case 18 pattern Medium Stockman. I've prepared for that to happen! OH
Case-18-pattern-1975-2015.jpg
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Wow a yellow ten dot 1970. That’s a nice one. Love the 18s and yes you are definitely prepared!
 
Old Hunter said:
I love them all (that’s why I bought them all) but I can play along here - the second one from the left side. It is a 1977 with stainless steel blades (won’t rust) and has great 1970’s Case F&F and W&T. It also has a standard width Clip blade, although it has the nail nick placement of a Turkish Clip, and it has a wonderful, nearly jet black bone with steel liners - just a class act pocketknife all the way around. It is also the first 18 pattern knife I ever bought - a 1977 to commemorate the year I got married and graduated from college. Yes, that one hits the bullseye a lot for me. OH
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Is that third from the left Appaloosa? Another 1970! Sorry to hijack on the thread but wow what a cool collection of 18s!!!
 
Old Hunter said:
I love them all (that’s why I bought them all) but I can play along here - the second one from the left side. It is a 1977 with stainless steel blades (won’t rust) and has great 1970’s Case F&F and W&T. It also has a standard width Clip blade, although it has the nail nick placement of a Turkish Clip, and it has a wonderful, nearly jet black bone with steel liners - just a class act pocketknife all the way around. It is also the first 18 pattern knife I ever bought - a 1977 to commemorate the year I got married and graduated from college. Yes, that one hits the bullseye a lot for me. OH
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I love to hear why people love certain knives. Thanks for sharing that! Again, beautiful collection of case stockmen you have there.
 
Thank you gents for the kind remarks and compliments. Just a point of accuracy, the knives in my picture run from 1975 (far left) to 2015 (far right). They are arranged chronologically from left to right, oldest to newest. The ten dots I own (three of them I think) are all from 1980. OH
 
I'm very fond of canoes (and of stag), so something like this is one I'd definitely consider:
mohawk.mark.main.jpg
But a spear/pen blade combo seems quite limited for the only knife I'd have. :(:thumbsdown:

I'm also a big fan of stockman patterns, especially sowbelly stockmans (and stag), so something like this would certainly be in the running:
stag.sow.mark.closed.jpg
The clip/spey/sheepsfoot blade combo obviously beats out the canoe, and the sowbelly has almost sunk joints, too!

But, as many others have noted previously, from a versatility standpoint, it's hard to ignore some kind of SAK. I'd probably go with an Alox Electrician with spear/sheepsfoot blade combo, an awl, and a flathead screwdriver/bottle opener:
electrician.rock.jpg
Yep, if I can have only one knife, I'd go with a scout knife.

In fact, I've made this decision before in an earlier thread, and my heart says this is really my final decision:
5K Qs said:
I'm basically here for the nostalgia, and I enjoy symmetry, so I'd like my first knife to be my last knife, if it has to come down to only one:
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- GT
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- GT
 
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Greg, Beautiful canoe! For me, one take away from this discussion - why are some of my best knives still NOS? Carried the 6318 today, first one I ever bought, first time it has ever been carried. Felt good to have it in my pocket. Didn’t cut anything of significance but it was ready - needs a bit of edge work, has the original factory edge, okay but no cigar! OH
Case_6318_HPSS_-_1977.jpg
 
Old Hunter said:
Greg, Beautiful canoe! For me, one take away from this discussion - why are some of my best knives still NOS? Carried the 6318 today, first one I ever bought, first time it has ever been carried. Felt good to have it in my pocket. Didn’t cut anything of significance but it was ready - needs a bit of edge work, has the original factory edge, okay but no cigar! OH
Case_6318_HPSS_-_1977.jpg
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love the 6318! A classic favorite.
 
robertj298 said:
Which pattern would you choose to carry? I think my choice would be the improved trapper.
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Peregrin said:
That'd be mine too. Also known as a Wharncliffe Trapper.
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My taste has swung a little over the years but currently it’s also improved trapper. Followed closely by mediumish size stockman especially if I can get a wharncliff and pen blade in it.
This is the one that’s been in my pocket more often than not lately.
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tongueriver said:
I love dozens of kinds of folding and fixed blade knives but if I could only have ONE knife I would have to pick a fixed blade that could do everything. Not everything well, but everything. I can't say that about ANY folding knife.
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Very nice Randall you have Cal, what model number is it? I have one quite similar and have dressed one deer with it, its been several years, but I remember it being an excellent skinner. OH
 
Tough question!

If I could only have one, it would be a tough choice between a Buck 301 stockman or a SAK pioneer. I've got too many years use from each one in many weird situations and parts of the world to discount either of them. They are my two favorite go-to pocket knives. I guess I'd drop them both in a hat, shake up the hat and reach in and see witch one I touch first. :confused:
 
Old Hunter said:
Greg, Beautiful canoe! For me, one take away from this discussion - why are some of my best knives still NOS? Carried the 6318 today, first one I ever bought, first time it has ever been carried. Felt good to have it in my pocket. Didn’t cut anything of significance but it was ready - needs a bit of edge work, has the original factory edge, okay but no cigar! OH
Case_6318_HPSS_-_1977.jpg
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I've thought the same thing. If you've never carried them how do you know they're your best? They may fall apart if you carry them and use them after a year or so lol
 
I'd have a hard time choosing between the 1306 or the 1303. The 1306 is a pattern ready for anything in my opinion and it would come down to the size..the 1306 isn't too bad in the pocket but the 1303 disappears being 3 7/8". The full-size in the pic is made by Tom Ploppert and the 3/4 size by Mike Zscherny. PXL_20210207_175505276~2_resize_96.jpg
 
To be perfectly honest, as much as I'd like to say peanut, or one of my double ended jacks(half whittler or wharncliffe modded muskrat), what it'd end up being if I had to carry just one pattern, would be a stockman. Probably a medium/3.5"~3-7/8", and with a punch/awl instead of the spey.
 
Tough choice, as I really like my large Trapper. But if only one, it would be my clasp Hunter. It can handle most any cutting task. I like the blade length, grind, good size handle, 2 blades and a lanyard hole.. DM
20210215_175742.jpg
 
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