Let's see those hidden gems

Hickory n steel · Apr 3, 2019

This thread is for those currently produced or very recently produced and still readily available traditional folders that just don't get much exposure for some reason.
They're not rare or hard to find, and they're not SFO's or anything ,but you just don't often see them in " what traditional knife are you totin' today " if you see them at all.

First up is the Grohmann mini Russell

The Christi .co companion

The Buck 524 alumni

The Gerber 300 LST ultralight.

Then lastly the Case 310L mini executive

I don't have any slipjoints that are scarcely seen, but I'm sure there are plenty out there.

black mamba · Apr 3, 2019

The one I'm carrying today was made around 2013, but I don't think I've ever seen another one.

Queen #40 gunstock jack in curly zebrawood

Great Eastern's .38 Special doesn't seem to be well received, they're hardly ever shown here, but they are a lovely slender carry with a very useful muskrat clip blade and beautiful covers.

Bocote

Stag

sXePhenomenal · Apr 3, 2019

The Katz Stockman expensive but very nice

r redden · Apr 3, 2019

I'll have to think on this for a bit I have a lot you don't see on the exchange but most are no longer in production and hard to find. in the meantime here's a few that you do not see often. Top left wood handle Maserin Top right Bear & Son MOP and Bottom center Rough Rider mini-barlow. I don't think these come up very often and all are great usable knives.

JohnDF · Apr 3, 2019

Great idea for a thread.
Here's one that's readily available, rarely (if ever) seen on the Porch, and a pretty decent little knife to boot...

joeradza · Apr 3, 2019

I'm not sure how hidden these are, but the Japanese made Parkers are gems. This is just one of many.

Somewhiteguyntx · Apr 3, 2019

sXePhenomenal said:
The Katz Stockman expensive but very nice
View attachment 1103892

Very nice, I'm a fan of the Katz hunting knived

5K Qs · Apr 3, 2019

I'll start off with some Case models that I don't often see, but with which I am quite impressed.
This Blackhorn is a very pleasant little lockback with synthetic covers:

And here are a couple of Case Caliber models, an LT347 stockman and a muskrat. They are linerless with Zytel covers, and seem functionally equivalent to their more "upscale" brothers:

I'll probably be back with more "hidden gems". Nice thread idea, HnS! :thumbsup:

- GT

Hickory n steel · Apr 3, 2019

5K Qs said:
I'll start off with some Case models that I don't often see, but with which I am quite impressed.
This Blackhorn is a very pleasant little lockback with synthetic covers:
View attachment 1103949

And here are a couple of Case Caliber models, an LT347 stockman and a muskrat. They are linerless with Zytel covers, and seem functionally equivalent to their more "upscale" brothers:
View attachment 1103950
I'll probably be back with more "hidden gems". Nice thread idea, HnS!

- GT

I really like the mini blackhorn.
I bought my dad a US ARMY one for his birthday, then another a couple weeks ago after he lost it.

Hickory n steel · Apr 3, 2019

These appear , but not as often as they should.

I really love the 6208 half whittler.

It's a good size in between the peanut and the Texas jack, and seems to fall a bit under the radar when compared to the exposure the other two get.

jstrange · Apr 3, 2019

5K Qs said:
I'll start off with some Case models that I don't often see, but with which I am quite impressed.
This Blackhorn is a very pleasant little lockback with synthetic covers:
View attachment 1103949

And here are a couple of Case Caliber models, an LT347 stockman and a muskrat. They are linerless with Zytel covers, and seem functionally equivalent to their more "upscale" brothers:
View attachment 1103950
I'll probably be back with more "hidden gems". Nice thread idea, HnS!

- GT

Those calibers are intriguing. I have been looking for the Trapper model, but current production appears only to be some sort of pink camouflage

TheChunk91 · Apr 3, 2019

sXePhenomenal said:
The Katz Stockman expensive but very nice
View attachment 1103892

That looks similar to the gec 66 stockman, but with more aesthetic blades.

Hickory n steel · Apr 3, 2019

jstrange said:
Those calibers are intriguing. I have been looking for the Trapper model, but current production appears only to be some sort of pink camouflage

I feel like if I was going to give a stockman a good try it might be that caliber.

Getting older · Apr 3, 2019

joeradza said:
I'm not sure how hidden these are, but the Japanese made Parkers are gems. This is just one of many.View attachment 1103944

Interesting

B.F.U · Apr 3, 2019

5K Qs said:
I'll start off with some Case models that I don't often see, but with which I am quite impressed.
This Blackhorn is a very pleasant little lockback with synthetic covers:
View attachment 1103949

And here are a couple of Case Caliber models, an LT347 stockman and a muskrat. They are linerless with Zytel covers, and seem functionally equivalent to their more "upscale" brothers:
View attachment 1103950
I'll probably be back with more "hidden gems". Nice thread idea, HnS!

- GT

I don't mind the pink camo too much for the $12 they sell for some places, but I've heard they're like twice as thick as an equivalent Case pattern. Is that true?

sXePhenomenal · Apr 4, 2019

TheChunk91 said:
That looks similar to the gec 66 stockman, but with more aesthetic blades.

It is just a little larger. That clip is one of my favorites. I’ll get one sooner or later. I had one for about a day before I sent it back because the dealer sent me the wood covers instead of the amber bone. They’re pretty excellent

spyderg · Apr 4, 2019

Enigma knives. At not much more in the way of price as everyone’s favourite slipjoint brand, you lose a little in F&F but gain a lot in the way of steel. A couple small gaps,(due mostly to having bronze washers) but you get titanium liners and M390, us2000(Cruwear) and another supersteel or two they sometimes use. Fancy wood scales, micarta, and more. They make small batches but last I saw they had some available. I’ve got two and they are fantastic knives.

JohnDF · Apr 4, 2019

I'm not sure this is a "hidden gem", but they sure don't pop up as often as others...
These Case Mini Wharncliffe Trappers are super pocket-able and quite literally cut like a scalpel. The fit and finish on them is usually pretty good too. They can be had at a very reasonable price, come in a variety of handle materials, and are available in both stainless and CV steels. I've given away a half dozen of these little gems and I'm sure all the recipients could attest to their slicing ability. Not sure why we don't see them more often on here?

joeradza · Apr 4, 2019

spyderg said:
Enigma knives. At not much more in the way of price as everyone’s favourite slipjoint brand, you lose a little in F&F but gain a lot in the way of steel. A couple small gaps,(due mostly to having bronze washers) but you get titanium liners and M390, us2000(Cruwear) and another supersteel or two they sometimes use. Fancy wood scales, micarta, and more. They make small batches but last I saw they had some available. I’ve got two and they are fantastic knives.

Good call. No problems with f&f whatsoever here.

5K Qs · Apr 4, 2019

Hickory n steel said:
I really like the mini blackhorn.
I bought my dad a US ARMY one for his birthday, then another a couple weeks ago after he lost it.

I remember reading the thread where you described that, and showed the sheath you made for your dad after he lost the first one. Thoughtful birthday gifts, HnS!! :thumbsup:

jstrange said:
Those calibers are intriguing. I have been looking for the Trapper model, but current production appears only to be some sort of pink camouflage

The ones I have are called tan, and I don't know when they were discontinued, but I'm quite sure they were NOS at the dealer from whom I bought them last summer. In addition to the pink camo, I've seen brown/green camo models at some online vendors
.

L.H.S said:
I don't mind the pink camo too much for the $12 they sell for some places, but I've heard they're like twice as thick as an equivalent Case pattern. Is that true?

A BF member who has both a Caliber LT347 and a bone 6347 said the Zytel was much thicker than the bone. I thought the Caliber models, having no liners, might be substantially lighter than a "normal" model. But when I found a site this morning that posted weights for their knives, the Caliber stockman was listed as 2.7 oz while several different bone 6347s were listed at 2.9 oz. For the muskrat pattern, the Caliber and several bone models I checked were all listed at 2.6 oz but a yellow Delrin muskrat was 2.0 oz!

JohnDF said:
I'm not sure this is a "hidden gem", but they sure don't pop up as often as others...
These Case Mini Wharncliffe Trappers are super pocket-able and quite literally cut like a scalpel. The fit and finish on them is usually pretty good too. They can be had at a very reasonable price, come in a variety of handle materials, and are available in both stainless and CV steels. I've given away a half dozen of these little gems and I'm sure all the recipients could attest to their slicing ability. Not sure why we don't see them more often on here?

I'm one of the recipients of John's Wharncliffe mini trapper generosity, and can indeed attest that the Carhartt model he sent me is a slender slicer!

- GT