Looking for a jackknife....?

C

cluckey

Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
39
Well, I have been very responsible lately about buying knives...so I think I should reward myself and get just one. I am looking for something along the lines of a Case small texas jack. Is it a pattern they produce in the yellow handle with the CV? Also are any comparably priced production jacks that should be brought to my attention? Some form of carbon steel is a plus.

Thanks all,

Cluckey.
 
Case is still making the Small Texas Jack with CV and peachseed jigged amber bone. That would be my choice if cost is an issue, you can pick one up for $38 or so.

I have a small Case Texas Jack in antique barnboard (stainless) that is very nice. It has the best walk/talk and blade snap of any of my Cases. I don't know if Case made many of those, though- I have never seen another one like it.

Queen makes a dogleg jack with D2 blades and cocobolo or jigged stag bone handles- that might be worth looking into. Schatt and Morgan had a "horticulturalist knife" in series XVII that is a 3 5/8" jack.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Moonwilson,

Ooo that S&M looks too beautiful to use. Queen's Dogleg jack looks great, and so does their gunstock, decisions decisions. I have however heard issues with the angle of the edges with queen, would this be a hard to fix thing for a person relatively new to freehand sharpening?

Thanks,
Cluckey.
 
I don't think the small Texas jack is available in a yellow handle. I agree with Moonwilson about the Amber bone being a great choice.

If your set on yellow and want a different pattern, the med stockman or trapper may suit your needs.
 
LuciousClay,
Thank you for your reply.
I'm not set on yellow at all, but I do love my yellow handled medium stockman. As it stands I'm teetering between the Amber Bone texas jack from Case in CV, or the D2 Queen gunstock in their amber stag bone. The Queen is a bit more but looks alot sturdier.
 
The Queen gunstock would also be a good choice. I do like D2 tool steel, however, like you I'm fairly new to free-hand sharpening and sometimes I have trouble with D2. I can keep a sharp knife sharp by touching it up often but if it gets dull I have a hard time getting it razor sharp again. I would probably ask a buddy to help me if I was wanting to re-profile a D2 blade.
 
Little change of direction, but if you like the jack blade configuration (main clip and secondary pen blade) the Russell 3 1/2" barlows are very nice. Carbon steel blade, brushed steel bolsters and excellent F&F.

I got my Dad one in red smooth bone. He lost it, and I offered to get him something a little more high end since he carried and used it constantly. He only wanted another red smooth bone Russell Barlow. I have one in brown sawcut bone and I love it.

They are made by Boker and the QC seems to be very good and consistent.
 
LongbeachGuy, Thanks,

Barlows are another pattern I was considering... my only experience with them so far is limited to two rough riders I impulse baught. I like the pattern and a spearpoint blade would be great, but I am having trouble finding anything but the granddaddy barlows from Russell and those I'm sorry ot say are a bit too big for my needs. Does anyone know a company that sells the regular barlows from Russell? I considered a one of the Boker grand canyon barlows, but something about the jigging rubs me the wrong way.
 
I got my Dad the Case CV Texas Jack in amber bone as a gift a couple years ago. It's pretty nice and pocketable. He's not a knife guy, but he likes it and carries it daily.

I had the Queen gunstock for awhile too. It's beautiful and would hold up to some rugged use, I think. I traded it away because I just wasn't using it much and it was a waste to keep it sitting around in a drawer. I found it too big for comfortble carry, especially with the sharp corners on the bolsters. A beautiful knife, though.

My only traditional folders right now (aside from SAKs) are a Case peanut, Case wharncliffe trapper, and a small Boker stockman. I am getting the hankerin' for another big-ish folder like a Barlow, canoe or even a mountain man. Lord knows why - I always trade them away eventually!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top