I'm building my traditional folder collection (many pix)

[MG_Saldivar]

I'm slowly building my collection of traditional folders... I'll always EDC a one-handed opener but I think I'm recovering from "tactical-itis." Here's my modest collection...


Cheapo no-name Pakistan slippie with crossguard and bone scales. This is my "opening gunky UPS packages" knife at home and it's amazing for the price (less than $5 from SMKW years ago). It keeps a good edge and has authoritative 'snap.'

Medium and small douk douks... Just got these recently so they're still mint but I'm adding the small to my EDC rotation (3.5" blade limit in my area). Very impressive for <$40 for both, shipping included, from Garrett Wade.

Rough Rider Barlow with orange smooth bone. Needless to say, RR is not exactly Queen Cutlery but for a 'starter' slippie, this has been a great secondary EDC. Great fit and finish, surprisingly good edge retention.

Kissing Cranes sodbuster and Marjacq ringlock, both with carbon blades

Opinel Inox (I like the spearpoint, not so much the inox...) and Mercator.

SAKs straddle "traditional" and "multitool," but here're my SAKs anyhow.

Wenger Huntsman

Victorinox Sportsman II (economy)

Vic Minichamp

Vic Tourist

 

[MG_Saldivar]

Forgot to add my Victorinox Camper

...and my Okapi with the (other kind of) ring lock. I love this knife's ergos EXCEPT for the ring lock... It inspires me to search for a Spanish-style navaja with a ratchet lock.

 

[Wildcat]

that's a pretty good start.

Where do you get the Douk-Douk's?

 

[sunnyd]

I really love your Kissing Cranes soddy and the Marjacq and all of your SAK's of coarse. Great start to be sure.

Now then MG_Saldivar,

Perhaps you may be able to shed some light on a question that I cannot seem to get answered either way in the majority. Question is:

Which SAK has the best quality over all, Wenger or Victorinox??

 

[smiling-knife]

Nice start to your collection MG. Thanks for sharing them.

 

[MG_Saldivar]

Where do you get the Douk-Douk's?

I bought mine from Garrett Wade - I received them within eight days of my order.

 

[MG_Saldivar]

Which SAK has the best quality over all, Wenger or Victorinox??

There are lots of threads about this that have come up over the years, like this recent one in the multi-tool forum here on BF...

In my personal experience, Wenger's backsprings have been noticeably weaker than Victorinox's, which is a plus for some but a minus for others (note that weaker does not equal 'unsafely weak,' it just means 'not as strong as Victorinox's). HOWEVER, I haven't handled a Wenger made after that company's takeover by Victorinox, and I've heard the backspring issue is moot.

Wenger fit and finish is fine but I'll say this --- there has never been a Wenger that I didn't feel could be supplanted by a Victorinox for my own uses.

 

[mnblade]

Kissing Cranes sodbuster and Marjacq ringlock, both with carbon blades

Where can I find a carbon steel Marjacq like that online? I can only find stainless.

 

[MG_Saldivar]

I bought mine from an eBay seller in France. I'll see if I can find his info.

 

[mnblade]

Thanks, MG_Saldivar.

 

[MG_Saldivar]

I thought I'd update this thread with some recent acquisitions... I'm particularly excited about the Imperials and Colonials, which I got for a steal from an eBay seller...


Schrade Imperial electrician's knife - grip seems to be Zytel-ish, and the screwdriver blade locks with a kind of linerlock (even though it also has a backspring)

Colonial electrician's knife - scales are solid Delrin (?) and bolster also appear solid. Liner lock and backspring. Partially-serrated blade.

Small (top) and medium Okapi folders from Ragnar; amazingly, they came shaving-sharp out of the box, which seems uncommon with Okapis

Rough Rider canoe

Schrade Imperial Barlow. Disappointingly, the bolsters and scales seem to be "shell" style rather than solid. Still, for $4, I can't complain.

Case medium stockman, CV blades. The sheepsfoot blade stuck out when folded so I ground down the "kick" a bit and now it's nice and flat when closed.

Joker Laguiole style. That's the Spanish maker Joker as in "hoe-kerr," not as in the Batman villain... Beautiful knife, wimpy backspring. This is a safe queen.

Case Sodbuster Jr. (Tru-sharp, not CV :: sigh :

 

[MG_Saldivar]

Part II...

Imperial Kamp King. A Kamp King was the second real knife I ever owned as a boy, after a Schrade peanut. I don't know if it's my knife knut snobbiness or if my long-ago version was different, but this one was a disappointment - shell bolsters and scales and VERY weak backspring on the main blade (while the other tools all have great snap). ???

Schrade Imperial something-or-other --- not sure what to call this. Spearpoint daddy Barlow? One-blade jack? Something else? Anyhow, I like the classic style and modern-ish materials all in one. It's much "fatter" than other one-bladers I own, like the Victorinox Solo or Sentry.

Tiny French-made Laguiole - amazing how much blade fits in that tiny handle.

Schrade Imperial Barlow with all-Zytel (?) scales. Beautiful, and took a great edge. I ordered a second as a beater; this one's going into storage.

Colonial Barlow with solid Delrin (?) scales and solid bolsters. Beautiful blades. I want to find a second one of these to EDC.

 

[senoBDEC]

I have a couple Rough Riders too, but my K-55 Mercator has been my faithful EDC for about 6 months now.

 

[JatMat]

My collection is in my signature line, plus a few new acquisitions that have not been photographed yet.
James