Looking into getting a traditional, need some help.

M

MRaymond

Joined
Jan 27, 2012
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Hello all. I first want to start out by saying, after reading a bunch of posts here in the traditional forum, you all seem like a very good group. I just put up my Benchmade 707 sequel in the trade forum asking for something traditional. I am looking for a small traditional/gentleman's folder and I don't really know where to start. Sure, I will keep my PM2 and ZT 0550 for off work times, I would just like a knife that I can pull out in public/work without being looked at funny. That leads me to here. I would like something around the size of a medium stockman with 2.5-3 inch main blade. I am not really sure if I need more than one blade but I keep thinking back to being a kid and having a schrade 2 blade (muskrat?) type knife that I lost. Something in a really nice bone or something like http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/939663-Very-nice-Ebony-Slip-Joint-Knife would be perfect. I absolutely LOVE the look of those ebony scales. Shiny black or bone are my preferences I guess. I am looking for some advice on what I should look for.

Brands, Case, Queen, GEC, Custom? etc. I would like to keep it around the value of the 707 sequel ($90-100). Also, I am interested in either Carbon steel, D2 or a good stainless. Trappers, Sodbusters, stockmans, none of that matter as much as the other criteria.

Thank you very much, I have enjoyed reading stories and threads in this forum for the last couple of days and feel its time to carry a knife like a gentleman.
 
For the money, i would check out GEC (Great eastern cutlery). They have a great selection of both wood, bone or even stag scale handles. They seem to run around the $85-$125 range. I dont actually have one, but i have heard nothing but good things about them.

but you could probably do just fine checking out a buck 303 and that would be my suggestion. Granted they are delrin rather than wooden or bone handled, but they are durable, tough and are made to work and work hard. Great value for the money (maybe $35-$40) the 301 is a the larger stockman (just shy of 4 inches) and the 303 is the medium (I THINK its 3 1/4).
 
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If your forum name is really your email address, then you have an incoming message from me. Not black or bone, but the Case 32087 pen knife is nice, with a 2.5" clip blade and 1.5" pen.

Edited to say, the Queen #9 stockman and #2 jack in amber carved stag bone are both quite nice.
 
Hi!

Welcome to the Traditional Forum!

I just have a question; which handle materials would you prefer? Synthetic or natural?

If you like Stockman, imo that´s a good choice for the beginning.

If you would like a good working knife with some gentleman´s charme, you should show for a Swayback Jack.

I hope this could help a little bit.

Kind regards
Andi
 
Humppa said:
Hi!

Welcome to the Traditional Forum!

I just have a question; which handle materials would you prefer? Synthetic or natural?

If you like Stockman, imo that´s a good choice for the beginning.

If you would like a good working knife with some gentleman´s charme, you should show for a Swayback Jack.

I hope this could help a little bit.

Kind regards
Andi
Click to expand...

Hi Humppa, I would prefer bone or stag. If it is synthetic or wood I want it ebony or black (synthetic). Thanks for your advise. I keep coming back to the stockman style too.
 
Stockman is a good pattern... Imo.

Here´s my trusty Case Medium Stockman Chestnut Brown Bone with carbon steel blade

IMG_1087.jpg


The size is directly in your size range. I carried this one as my only knife for about nine months.

Kind regards
Andi
 
I don't own one, but Case makes a Smooth Ebony Muscrat.

GEC just came out with a Moose in ebony. It has a cartoon etching on the blae... though it might be argued that gentlemen should enjoy Rocky & Bullwinkle... If I had $100 and the same taste as the OP, that's what I'd get.
 
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Four things....

Length, width, blade profile and style.

I think you are right that smaller "gentlemen" knives with a traditional look are less shocking when used in public settings. One question I would think about is how long of a blade you want to have. In general, I like larger blades but people around get more and more nervous the bigger the blade is. In general, I find that anything under 3" causes no concern, anything longer than 3.5" scares people and stuff in the 3" to 3.5" range is on the fence. Related, the longer the knife the harder it can be to carry.

Second, how thick of a handle to you want? I find that thinner knives (like thin profile lock backs like the Buck 500 or smaller Buck 501) carry better than pretty much any slip joint I own. In general, most multi-blade slip joints can be wider.

Third, I would think about which blade profile you like the most. I'm a sucker for the spear point blade on my Ulster camper, but most of my knives have drop points, which I like a great deal. I generally don't care for clip blades but this is a highly personal issue. Comfort with one blade profile over another could/should guide your choice. Along these lines, the more you can hold and try the better. Some speak to you more than others and it's what you like, not what I like.

Fourth, I find the history of different patterns means more to me than others. I like Camper/Scout patterns because that's what I used in my youth and lock backs because that's what I used as I got into hunting. Peanuts and stockmen leave me cold but I didn't grow up with them.

Lastly, in your price range, the world is your oyster. I would point my browser to a GEC dealer and look at their Northfield line for something that moves you.
 
You could also take a look at the Case Peanut.It comes in many flavours,and verily disappears in your pocket until called upon.Those little blades really slice well too.
 
Thanks for all the advice. I am leaning towards a Case Medium Stockman with CV. Could anyone tell me what other offerings there are that fit that size from makers like Buck, Queen, GEC, etc?
 
raym0016@gmail.com said:
Thanks for all the advice. I am leaning towards a Case Medium Stockman with CV. Could anyone tell me what other offerings there are that fit that size from makers like Buck, Queen, GEC, etc?
Click to expand...

The Buck 303 Stockman is close - about 3/16" shorter by my measurements, but since it has three backsprings (one for each blade) as opposed to two for the Case, it's a little thicker. (I'm using the Case 63032 medium stockman for my comparison - like the one Andi is showing in hand.)

GEC has a #66 Calf Roper that would be considered a medium stockman. I don't own one so I can't comment.

I'm sure Queen has some but I'm not familiar enough to make any recommendations.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide. :thumbup:
 
My suggestion is a GEC Dogleg Jack in Ebony. I have one of these. Superb knife, most attractive, very comfortable in hand, carbon steel, shaving sharp edges on arrival and a long established Traditional pattern. I guarantee you will love it and that it will make you into a fully converted Traditional knife guy.
roland
Edit to add pic.

Jan2012005-12.jpg
 
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New traditional I'd go Case. Personally 3 blade stockmen are small enough to forget I have on me, but big enough to get the variaty of gentlemen's jobs done. Smaller I'd agree on the trapper or peanut.

Never had a swayback jack... yet.

God Bless,
 
The #66 below is a good choice imo for an all around knife. Its also available as a Jack.
IMG_2336.jpg


If you're just looking for a smaller companion then you may want to check out a #33 Conductor below or a #68 White Owl (not pictured). The main blade for all 3 I mentioned are around 2.5". The #66 and #68 are 3.5" closed while the #33 is 3 3/8". The #66 is 2 layers while the other 2 share a single spring.
IMG_1738.jpg


edit: Manufacturer's pics of a #66 Moose and #68 White Owl
661212-ebony-wood-moose.jpg

681211-ebony1.jpg
 
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I'll throw in another vote for the GEC #66 patterns. Good stuff! The #68's are nice too.
 
You mentioned ebony wood, and Trand has shown you a few. Here is my ebony Tidioute White Owl. I usually prefer a clip blade to a spear, but I really liked the black/brown variation in the ebony of this one. It is a single spring knife at 3.5" closed, with a 2.5" main blade. So, it is big enough for most cutting tasks, and slim enough to carry comfortably.
 
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If you look around there are other brands that are very nice for the money. Here's a pattern very much like what you're looking for with Black Mother of Pearl from Herbertz, a German company. I think this is very much a gentleman's knife.

HerbertzKnife2.jpg
 
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