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- Oct 5, 2006
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Review: Kerry Hampton "Back Pocket"
Introduction
I received a custom Kerry Hampton "Back Pocket" folder through the pass around here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=782596. I don't have much experience with custom knives and even less experience with traditional knives, so this is a new one for me. I'm not sure how to contact Kerry, but perhaps so one who does can post here for those readers who might want to order their own.
Size
Closed length on the Back Pocket is 4 1/8". It weighs 2.7 oz, but somehow seems heavier. Here it is with a Schrade Copperlock from the '80s, an Victorinox Alox Pioneer, and a Canal Street Canittler for visual comparison. (My only slip joints.) The blade is 1/8 thick and the overall feel is that of an overbuilt, beefy folder. I called it Strider meets Case in another thread and I think it is apt description.
Fit & Finish
The fit and finish on this knife is outstanding. Everything fits flush and is nicely finished with apparentl attention to detail. The liners, for example, have a milled cut-out to accommodate the pivot washers that I've never seen in another knife. The centered blade has an unexpected swedge. The black micarta handles are perfectly finished. I love that the Kerry Hampton Back Pocket was hand made in Terre Haute, IN, USA by one knife maker -- not in a factory in China.
Blade & Handle
The 3" x 5/8" blade is ground from A2 carbon steel and etched etched with ferric chloride. The gray matte etched finish looks good and seems to help with potential rusting issues with a carbon blade. As described in the pass around post, the blade has a "WilfredWorks heat treatment and cryo-quenched Rc62." The edge arrived slightly dull from the last pass around participant, but a few strokes on the Sharpmaker brought the edge on the A2 right back.
The pull on the blade spring is a strong as I can ever remember having felt on a knife. It's tough to open the knife using the nail nick without breaking your fingernail (which is bad), but you can get enough of a grip on the blade itself to pull it open without it. Once you get it open open, though, the backspring tension makes it almost seem like a lock back design (which is good.) When closing, you need to pay attention or the blade might bite you, like it did me. (My bad, though, not the knife design -- there is a distinct half-stop to prevent this.)
The handle seems a little thicker than most slip joints I've held and is comfortable in the hand. Despite it's "Back Pocket" moniker, it rode well and unobtrusively in my front my hip pocket.
Conclusions
I was hoping that this knife would have enough of that special "it" to draw me into traditional knives a bit more, but it didn't quite get there. I know enough about folding knives to appreciate the top-notch build quality and attention to detail that went into the Back Pocket. The etched A2 blade steel is amazing and something I'd like to see more of in other knives. The black Micarta is a little boring for me, though. One thing I like about traditional knives versus modern designs is that some unusual materials are used, like bone, stag, horn, etc. and I would have liked to see that here. Black Micarta isn't much of an upgrade over black G10 to me. Another thing that I like about traditional vs. modern designs is the availability of more than one blade, where the Back Pocket is a single blade design. Finally, I've been spoiled by one-handed openers. It just seems like a hassle to pull out a knife and open it with two hands. I know it only takes a few extra seconds, but it seems much longer.
So who is this knife for? If you are looking for a tough, no frills working knife like your father or grandfather carried, but with the build quality of modern knives, the Kerry Hampton Back Pocket may be for you. Thank you, Kerry Hampton, for letting us borrow your knife, and thank you, J. Morrow and BladeForums for putting the pass around together.
Introduction
I received a custom Kerry Hampton "Back Pocket" folder through the pass around here: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=782596. I don't have much experience with custom knives and even less experience with traditional knives, so this is a new one for me. I'm not sure how to contact Kerry, but perhaps so one who does can post here for those readers who might want to order their own.
Size
Closed length on the Back Pocket is 4 1/8". It weighs 2.7 oz, but somehow seems heavier. Here it is with a Schrade Copperlock from the '80s, an Victorinox Alox Pioneer, and a Canal Street Canittler for visual comparison. (My only slip joints.) The blade is 1/8 thick and the overall feel is that of an overbuilt, beefy folder. I called it Strider meets Case in another thread and I think it is apt description.
Fit & Finish
The fit and finish on this knife is outstanding. Everything fits flush and is nicely finished with apparentl attention to detail. The liners, for example, have a milled cut-out to accommodate the pivot washers that I've never seen in another knife. The centered blade has an unexpected swedge. The black micarta handles are perfectly finished. I love that the Kerry Hampton Back Pocket was hand made in Terre Haute, IN, USA by one knife maker -- not in a factory in China.
Blade & Handle
The 3" x 5/8" blade is ground from A2 carbon steel and etched etched with ferric chloride. The gray matte etched finish looks good and seems to help with potential rusting issues with a carbon blade. As described in the pass around post, the blade has a "WilfredWorks heat treatment and cryo-quenched Rc62." The edge arrived slightly dull from the last pass around participant, but a few strokes on the Sharpmaker brought the edge on the A2 right back.
The pull on the blade spring is a strong as I can ever remember having felt on a knife. It's tough to open the knife using the nail nick without breaking your fingernail (which is bad), but you can get enough of a grip on the blade itself to pull it open without it. Once you get it open open, though, the backspring tension makes it almost seem like a lock back design (which is good.) When closing, you need to pay attention or the blade might bite you, like it did me. (My bad, though, not the knife design -- there is a distinct half-stop to prevent this.)
The handle seems a little thicker than most slip joints I've held and is comfortable in the hand. Despite it's "Back Pocket" moniker, it rode well and unobtrusively in my front my hip pocket.
Conclusions
I was hoping that this knife would have enough of that special "it" to draw me into traditional knives a bit more, but it didn't quite get there. I know enough about folding knives to appreciate the top-notch build quality and attention to detail that went into the Back Pocket. The etched A2 blade steel is amazing and something I'd like to see more of in other knives. The black Micarta is a little boring for me, though. One thing I like about traditional knives versus modern designs is that some unusual materials are used, like bone, stag, horn, etc. and I would have liked to see that here. Black Micarta isn't much of an upgrade over black G10 to me. Another thing that I like about traditional vs. modern designs is the availability of more than one blade, where the Back Pocket is a single blade design. Finally, I've been spoiled by one-handed openers. It just seems like a hassle to pull out a knife and open it with two hands. I know it only takes a few extra seconds, but it seems much longer.
So who is this knife for? If you are looking for a tough, no frills working knife like your father or grandfather carried, but with the build quality of modern knives, the Kerry Hampton Back Pocket may be for you. Thank you, Kerry Hampton, for letting us borrow your knife, and thank you, J. Morrow and BladeForums for putting the pass around together.
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