Is There A Traditional Grail Knife? If So, What's Yours?

B

BrotherJim

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I'll be 62 this September and although I've been "retired" since I was 53, I will officially begin retirement in September.

I've though maybe I'd pick out a retirement gift to commemorate the occasion. After all, it will have only taken me 62 years to get there.

ANYWAY, I have my eye on a knife. I don't want to say what it is because only 25 were made of the recently released knife and I'm afraid they'll be gone before I can afford the hundreds and hundreds of dollars being asked for them as it is. I'll just say it's a real fancy schmancy camper/scout type knife.

In reality and in all likely hood they WILL be gone by then, so I need some backup choices.

If there is a grail knife among traditional pocket knives, what is yours or what do you think that grail knife might be? Could be from a custom maker or not.
 
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I have held many grails. I have even sold knives that I thought were grails. I own all the knives I would need for years to come. I have found all but one that I want.

I have been looking for this knife since my join date here. It has eluded me and thus, has become my white whale. I see pics of it and only know of two people on the forum that own the knife. So, there are 33 more out there… somewhere.

The date of its production is significant to me. My wife and I started dating that day. (Yes, I have been made fun of due to voicing this before.:D)

It even happens to be white. 35 produced.


Photo borrowed from GEC



I have the other three from that date. Ahhh, but alas, the hunt continues. Here’s the other three.






PM me if you find it. Most of my knives have some form of family connection or meaning.
 
I would go with a #62 to celebrate your 62nd. Nice knife. I'd go with the courthouse whittler version. Something like this:



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Brett-Post a pic of that beautiful 62 whittler you just picked up. That's the nicest version that I've seen.
 
KBA, I too have had an eye out for a particular 73 ... and no ... I won't settle for a locking one, which seem to be the only ones available.
 
Rockon75 said:
Brett-Post a pic of that beautiful 62 whittler you just picked up. That's the nicest version that I've seen.
Click to expand...

Here ya go. I would agree with Rockon. The 62 is a great knife and you can join the hunt for a spring green 62 courthouse whittler. There is only around a 100 people looking for that one.

 
My "Grail" changes often, maybe too often :eek: :D


I would have to say a Tony Bose or Ken Erickson would top the list. Of course the pattern changes like the weather :rolleyes:


The fun, I have found, is in the hunt. If I bought a knife from either of those two gents, another would soon take its place!
 
Good point rockgolfer. There's always the next one ... sometimes before I have the one I just bought in hand Lol
 
Indeed Jim:thumbup:

The milestone of Retirement should certainly be met by a grail purchase! I have fallen into the groove of milestone knives, or knives that I find/justify/makeup the reason for purchase :D. I think my wife is starting to see through this tactic though but that my friend, is an entirely different subject ;)


Congrats on reaching retirement, a path that is certainly not easy! Enjoy in good health BrotherJim and be sure to share some pictures of your new beauty when you get it.



Jeff
 
Thanks Jeff !!!
Still got a few months to go. Not like I wouldn't have been looking for that grail knife anyway ya know :D
 
Even when I wouldn't have considered the purchase of a slipjoint, T.A.Davison's work always caught my eye. Maybe one day something from him with a wharncliffe....
 
Found mine recently. This one slapped me in the face as soon as I saw it and I had to grab it.

So far it hasn't left my pocket.

Todd Davison slip joint. The purple is a lot more subtle in person than the picture and REALLY works with this knife. It's just a "hint" of color in person if that makes sense.

LOVE this knife.

Todd's work is great and this knife is perfect. I'm pretty damn picky having genuine OCD also, so that's a statement for me to say that.

:thumbup:

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Gorgeous knife mrbear. What is the handle material?
That picture caused me to look around the intrawebs a bit and I found a Davison for sale. It has some chips in the handle (stated in ad and noticeable in pics) and I have no idea what caused it. The asking price is $500 and no way would I give that for a used and chipped modern traditional knife still being produced. BUT ... I sure would like to know what might have caused that and if it's typical of Davison knives in that material (whatever the material is)? Do you think the material in your knife's handle is the same as the material in one pictured below, just different pattern maybe? Picture is not mine, nor have I downloaded it. I just linked it to this post.

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It's funny, I go from one to the next and I know I'm not the only one here! You chase one and get it. Then I swear I instantly start looking for the next. This is a repetitive cycle that can't be stopped it seems. I have missed getting knives but I've also gotten lucky with that next score so I guess it's all about the chase.

So while it may not be anything special or super limited, my current chase is for a nice slim 2014 BF knife....(hint, hint!)

Brett, I've read your stories and see that you scoop up and sell a stockpile on the exchange. I hope you get that 73!!
 
Jsega51 said:
It's funny, I go from one to the next and I know I'm not the only one here! You chase one and get it. Then I swear I instantly start looking for the next. This is a repetitive cycle that can't be stopped it seems. I have missed getting knives but I've also gotten lucky with that next score so I guess it's all about the chase.

So while it may not be anything special or super limited, my current chase is for a nice slim 2014 BF knife....(hint, hint!)

Brett, I've read your stories and see that you scoop up and sell a stockpile on the exchange. I hope you get that 73!!
Click to expand...

Thank you sir. Maybe one day I'll get a pm. :D

I've have changed my philosophy on knife accumulation. I used to collect a lot of SFOs, serial #s, and patterns I just, well, liked. Thus, I had several I never carried. I sold off, or gave away, all my SFOs that weren't gifted to me (except for one that was gifted) and have been in the process of selling the knives I never carry to help pay for my wife's maternity leave.

Lately, I have wanted to try a few different patterns before working down to around a couple dozen to hold on to. I only plan on buying one more knife this year now that I have tried all the patterns I wanted to check out, and have an 85eo on the way. The last one will be either a knife near the birth of my daughter, which is in July, or a knife serialized with her birth date in a pattern I like. I have reached my "goals," cutlery speaking, except for this one 73, and am really enjoying the knives that I am keeping.
 
Thank you for the link mrbear !!! I didn't know he posted his knives here. That is one handsome knife too but I can't pull the trigger just yet. Snooze ya lose, I know, I know Lol
 
There are many that would qualify as a "grail" knife for me. Ken Ericson recently made a lockback whittler with tortoise covers that fit the bill. Most knives coming out of Wilfred Works check all the boxes too. Then you have to consider old Sheffield knives. A Wostenholm pearl four blade congress bare head is on the list, to go with my stag version. There are to many to name.

Chris
 
I think I have dreamed of that Erickson Tortoise Shell Whittler. :D
 
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