I want to buy a knife for my father and hoping to get a 3-4" slipjoint with bone or stag handles that is easy to open. Any recommendations? Would the case swayback jack fit the bill or is that not easy to open? As a point of comparison I'm looking for something smoother and with less tension than a Case Large Stockman or Victorinox SAK.
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Looking for a gift with an easy pull
- Thread starter davide
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I am really not sure that any GEC will meet this requirement
Look at a Canal Street Half Moon Trapper available in either bone or stag
It is a single blade knife
These are well known for having a softer pull
The one i have is very easy to pinch open
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I agree with JJ, if I were looking for the softer pull a Boker or Boker/Henckel would be my choice. The price is very reasonable on these also.
Will Power
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CASE Swayback has rather strong springs, plus small blades so it might be unsuitable. Fantastic little knife though.
Most Bökers have a more gentle spring but still good enough. Canoe could be one to consider.Böker Whittler is a decent option too.
As neeman wrote, the Canal St certainly offers an even softer approach. GEC including the so called EZ-Open are certainly strong and tough openers!
Most Bökers have a more gentle spring but still good enough. Canoe could be one to consider.Böker Whittler is a decent option too.
As neeman wrote, the Canal St certainly offers an even softer approach. GEC including the so called EZ-Open are certainly strong and tough openers!
glocktenman
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Schatt & Morgans open smooth and easy.
Davide, if I may ask, what kind of knife does your father carry now?
This may be very relevent in making a choice of knife.
Second this. The CS has a very soft pull.
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There are very few slipjoints that are lighter than a Vic's backspring tension.
I have a Bret Dowell 3.5" shadow trapper that's very smooth and has a light pull (per my request) comparable to a Vic.
The Case Copperlock would be my first choice for those folks with arthritic hands, strength, or thumb issues.
I have a Bret Dowell 3.5" shadow trapper that's very smooth and has a light pull (per my request) comparable to a Vic.
The Case Copperlock would be my first choice for those folks with arthritic hands, strength, or thumb issues.
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Not a slipjoint as you mentioned in your post, but I agree with JB about the Copperlock's.
Since my thumb injury I carry a small and large Copperlock(yellow/CV), along with two customs made with a light pull. Since getting the light spring customs the Copperlocks aren't getting as much pocket time, but I still carry the small one at times.
He doesn't carry one regularly, his last knife was a simple money clip knife my uncle had given him over 20 years ago. He's a very DIY person, though, and loves Westerns so I was hoping to get him a classic American knife that could be opened easily. Since he's not a knife person I was thinking a smaller blade would be best like Sobuster Jr. or Swayback Jack size.
Thank you for the advice so far everyone, it is much appreciated. To your point specifically, while the spring tension on SAK's is not too great, they don't give much to hold onto when opening. A knife with the tension of an SAK but with a nice long pull rather than a nail nick more blade exposed would be preferred.
This is a situation that needs some careful thought. It seems like he's not a 'knifeguy' if he was content with a little money clip pen knife size blade. You may need to look at small pen knife sized knives that are small enough and light weight enough that it will be un-noticed when dropped in a pocket. If not, it may end up in the sock drawer collecting lint. Maybe a small stockman or baby butter bean, peanut, or even something like a small 3 inch jack. Case has a great selection of classic American patterns with bone handles. The recent knives I've seen from Case have been beautifully finished knves. The Chestnut bone is gorgous stuff on any pattern. Some patterns are available in stag.
My old man was a lot like that. He carried a little 2 7/8ths peanut his whole life because he didn't like a knife to be noticable in his pocket. People gave him some knives over the years, but he never would carry them. When he passed on, they were in mint condition in his sock drawer. His peanut on the other hand was worn down with the years of use. When I asked him one time about it, he told me; "I don't need a big knife, I just need to cut somthing. It just needs to be sharp".
Those old non-knife guys are hard to buy for!
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Will Power
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Then I favour the recommendation of a CASE Mini Copperlock: It looks Old School-various bone options. Has a long pull, is slim in the pocket but offers a nice Clip blade and is a lockback that looks like a slipjoint.