My first traditional slipjoint...

G

gators52

Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
3
Hey everyone,

Long time forum reader, first time poster.
I'm looking to buy my first traditional slipjoint and I thought I would post on here before I made my purchase.
This is going to be my EDC knife as well as work knife. I work on a golf course and mainly use it for opening fertilizer bags and pulling weeds. I also want a knife I can learn to whittle with.

I'm looking at getting a new case medium stockman with the clip, sheepsfoot, and pen blades in cv steel. Not sure on the handle color yet. Everyone seems to stay CV steel over SS in these case knives. The only worry I have is living in florida where we have high humidity and sweating from working outside. Will I have to take special care of the CV blades so they wont rust? I dont mind a nice patina and worn look, but I dont want rusting.

I've also looked at the buck knives, but i just love the looks of case knives.

While I'm not usually a make sure to buy everything from America kind of guy, there is some nostalgia involved with buying an American made traditional slipjoint knife. I'm not looking to spend more than what a case would cost, but if you guys have any other recommendations for some knives that i may be overlooking. I'd love to hear. Are buck and case the only traditional slipjoint knives made in america that can be found for under $50?
 
Queen has some, so does colonial, if you go vintage, there are a host of others.
 
Howdy and welcome, can't go wrong with a CV stockman. Great for all kinds of daily utility type uses and definitely makes for a decent whittlin knife. Nothing wrong with Case's SS but the CV is very easy to sharpen and only needs a bit of mineral oil for taking care of it. I just moved from Texas to Missouri and its tons more humid here and a bit more mineral oil sure does the trick at keeping that red rust at bay. Good luck!
 
gators52 said:
I work on a golf course and mainly use it for opening fertilizer bags and pulling weeds. I also want a knife I can learn to whittle with.

I dont mind a nice patina and worn look, but I dont want rusting.

I've also looked at the buck knives, but i just love the looks of case knives.
Click to expand...

I would suggest the Case XX medium stockman in stainless - pulling/cutting weeds - fertilizer might have an adverse effect on CV, especially if the blade is damp. Unless you just want a blade that will patina - why go through all the extra care that would be needed for CV, especially in Florida? If you live near the coastline and around salty air, another great reason for SS. I have quite a few of both, but, for your area and your needs, as you stated, I would go SS all the way. ;)
 
gators52 said:
Hey everyone,

Long time forum reader, first time poster.
I'm looking to buy my first traditional slipjoint and I thought I would post on here before I made my purchase.
This is going to be my EDC knife as well as work knife. I work on a golf course and mainly use it for opening fertilizer bags and pulling weeds. I also want a knife I can learn to whittle with.

I'm looking at getting a new case medium stockman with the clip, sheepsfoot, and pen blades in cv steel. Not sure on the handle color yet. Everyone seems to stay CV steel over SS in these case knives. The only worry I have is living in florida where we have high humidity and sweating from working outside. Will I have to take special care of the CV blades so they wont rust? I dont mind a nice patina and worn look, but I dont want rusting.

I've also looked at the buck knives, but i just love the looks of case knives.

While I'm not usually a make sure to buy everything from America kind of guy, there is some nostalgia involved with buying an American made traditional slipjoint knife. I'm not looking to spend more than what a case would cost, but if you guys have any other recommendations for some knives that i may be overlooking. I'd love to hear. Are buck and case the only traditional slipjoint knives made in america that can be found for under $50?
Click to expand...

Everyone seems to stay CV steel over SS in these case knives.
Not everyone. I like the Case stainless steel just fine.

Will I have to take special care of the CV blades so they wont rust?
Yes. Keep them relatively clean and dry, oil the joints occasionally. You don't have to go overboard, but you shouldn't ignore the maintenance.

Are buck and case the only traditional slipjoint knives made in america that can be found for under $50?
Pretty much. Canal Street, Queen, and Great Eastern are typically above that price point. There are a couple of others (Utica Cutlery, Bear and Sons).

For genuine work like you are talking about, it would be hard to beat a Buck 301 (large stockman pattern) or 303 (smaller stockman pattern). They are well-built, rugged little knives. I agree that Case knives are prettier.

There are at least 5 different patterns (frame shapes/sizes) that Case lists as "Medium Stockman" - '44, '087, '090, '032, '18, ranging from 3 1/4" closed to 3 5/8" closed. You have plenty to choose from.
 
I work on a golf course and mainly use it for opening fertilizer bags and pulling weeds. I also want a knife I can learn to whittle with. The only worry I have is living in florida where we have high humidity and sweating from working outside. Will I have to take special care of the CV blades so they wont rust?
Click to expand...

All the stockman patterns from Case or buck will work. Fertilizer, humidity and sweating. Because of the work and environment you are going to use the knife in, I'd go with stainless. You will have to remember to keep the CV oiled and clean.
 
Welcome to the Traditional Forum. A Stockman is def a great working EDC. Perhaps the large Stockman might be a consideration. It's 4.25" (closed) but a robust and rugged knife. Stainless is good. CV carbon steel will do just fine, it will def take on a serious patina in your environment, but a wipedown at the end of the day and oil the joints every few weeks and your knife will be fine.

The medium Stockman is 3 5/8" closed.

Share some pics when you get it! :)
 
In between the "medium" and "large" there is the regular old Stockman. 6347 / 3347 model numbers. 3 7/8" closed. Decent sized knife with good sturdy blades, but carries well due to the rounded bolsters and serpentine frame.

it is listed on some sites as "medium" and on others as "large" but it is correctly called just "Stockman".
 
A medium Stockman is a great start, Queen in recent years before the Daniels Family took over made a nice medium Stockman with D2 blades, they were reasonably priced and a great knife.

Here a few of mine...

Front to back, Queen in D2 with Burnt Stag scale; Northwoods 2008 Forum knife in Burnt Stag; Buck 303 in imitation pearl scales.

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It seems most of you are recommending a SS blade because of the work environment I talked about in my post. If I go the SS route so I maybe reconsider getting a buck? I keep reading that many people are happier with the buck SS vs the Case SS.
 
For a really hard working knife, it would be hard to beat that Buck. Sturdy, pretty near to indestructible, and a new one will have a lifetime warranty. Good heat treat on the blades and they do a good job holding an edge. Their 420HC is a great pocket knife steel.

But the Case knives are prettier! Their knives will work like the dickens as well and used to use them in my construction work exclusively. Never had a Case fail mechanically. I have a large copperhead that I carried for several years using on the job and it has about one more lifetime in it. The heads of some of the pins have popped off, the scales are really smooth, and the maint blade is about 1/2 of the original snap. Still, years of work and it is a great knife, warts and all. Case's stainless is pretty good these days, and it would serve well.

All of that being said, it seems that the Buck steel is a bit harder and tougher than the Case SS. Just my opinion.

But no doubt regardless of the actual knife I would get stainless. The ammonium nitrate (along with other nasties) in the fertilizer will eat your blades up if they are carbon and will still give your stainless blades tough time as well. I only carry stainless out on the job these days as I carried carbon for about thirty years and don't like the maintenance. I like the stainless these days because there is little or no maintenance on the knives, and what little there is to do is quick. I don't like being penalized because I forgot to wipe down and oil my blades every night. I used carbon when stainless was awful and unusable, but you can get some top grade cutlery in stainless these days.

So no doubt stainless, and probably on the Buck because it is as tough as a railroad spike and comes with their "Forever Warranty". And the Buck should be a bit cheaper, too.

Robert
 
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One more vote for the Buck 300 series (301 or 303 depending on the size you prefer), but I would also look closely at the Queen made stockman models in D2 (not technically stainless, but not rust-prone either).
As for Case, their SS is not a bad steel after all, although it doesn't keep an edge as long as Buck's SS or Queen's D2. It also depends on how many cuts you think you'll do in a day, or week :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
OK, here is what I consider the best 300 series build. Of course the standard is the sawcut black but I am partial to these rosewood and brass models. 300

 
Those are some great looking Buck knives 300.
I would buy a Buck over a Case SS any day. Better steel and solid knives.
 
Why would he get flamed? He's right on both counts. Buck's heat treatment of 420HC is better than Case's. It may not matter much in some usage situations, but it is better. And the Buck 300 series are solid knives. They are little tanks, as slipjoints go. The other comment (that he would buy a Buck before a Case) is a matter of personal choice so really not much to debate there.

There are certainly times when a Case knife would be a better choice than a Buck, primarily due to blade geometries. I have a ton of Case knives but I find myself carrying my Buck 303 most of the time these days.
 
I'll do the flamin' around here, Baba Looey.

And folks speaking truth won't be flamed.
 
jc57 said:
Why would he get flamed? He's right on both counts. Buck's heat treatment of 420HC is better than Case's. It may not matter much in some usage situations, but it is better. And the Buck 300 series are solid knives. They are little tanks, as slipjoints go. The other comment (that he would buy a Buck before a Case) is a matter of personal choice so really not much to debate there.

There are certainly times when a Case knife would be a better choice than a Buck, primarily due to blade geometries. I have a ton of Case knives but I find myself carrying my Buck 303 most of the time these days.
Click to expand...

knarfeng said:
I'll do the flamin' around here, Baba Looey.

And folks speaking truth won't be flamed.
Click to expand...

An old Case lover might feel a little gouged over the statement that Buck is better than Case, but, the flaming cartoon I directed at my friend Mark, was meant as a humorous little gouge back at him. I am pretty sure he would get a laugh out of it. I don't have strong feelings about it, either way. If I offended anyone with my warped sense of humor, I do indeed apologize. :o:)

Frank - I had not even thought of Baba Looey in many a year, but, I guess I get your point, however, I am not sure who is speaking the truth here. :confused::D

I guess I will just drop the cartoons in the future. ;)
 
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