I'm not really a collector but have been a user of mostly traditional knives for around 50 years. Basically since my first Case pocket knife bought around 1979. It was my mistake breaking that old case a couple of months ago that led me on an odyssey to find a replacement for it. In my teenage years like most farm boys I also had a Buck 110 and then used to have my Dad's old Case sheath knife. The Buck 110 was stolen along with my first Opinel back in the 80's when a lot of stuff was stolen from my homegoods shipping back from Germany. Still had my Case though and in the second half of my Army career I also carried a S&W clip knife. Anyway the search for a replacement pocket knife opened up a whole new world for me and somehow I wound up with around 25 pocket knives. I've bought new Case knives, new Bokers, new Opinels, one sorta new Hen and Rooster, a new Rough Rider, and new Rosecrafts. Then I also picked up a couple of vintage Hen and Roosters, a vintage Soligen Boker, and a vintage Othello Anton Wingen Jr knife.
Now for my rambling, uneducated, and probably silly comparisons of the knives.
Now being just a simple ol' farm boy here's my impression from what I've gotten my hands on recently. First, the old German knives are top notch. I've got one Voss Hen and Roster and one Gutman. Both have a feel to them that just says quality and this was apparent the moment I first touched them. Subjective, I know. The one true Soligen Boker Copperhead is right behind these for how well it seems to be made. The Othello hunter knife seems to be really well made also. Not sure the age of that one though. The couple of new Bokers I've bought seem quite well made also although one did have the badge fall off as I unpacked it. Glued it back on and no issues since. I got the one "newer" Hen and Rooster solely because it was the Tennesse Walkng Horse knife and I grew up on a farm raising them. It's seems nice but not the quality of the vintage ones. Both of the Rosecrafts are top notch. Really sharp out of the box, well put together, blades centered, etc. My one complaint is the strong springs on them. They are harder for my old hands to open than pretty much any of the other knives. But all and all seem to be a bargain. The Rough Rider is what I should have first bought to replace my old Case. It was cheap, sharp, and solidly built. You really don't need more than it provides for a working pocket knife in my opinion. Of course that brings up the Opinels. Now I had one I carried a couple of years early in my Army career. Loved that simple, cheap knife and remember using it way more than my case pocket knife or the Buck 110. And since picking up some new ones I've fallen back in love with it. So simple, so perfect in my hand, so sharp, so balanced, superb. In fact, now that my love for the Opinels has been reignited I bought a couple to give my sons. Yep, I could have gotten them any knife and chose the Opinel. Guess that says what I think about these knives. Finally, let me be honest about the new Case knives. None of them are bad but to be honest they seem to be overpriced for what you get. I understand so many love to collect them but honestly I can't see anything about them that is special when compared to the others. They are pretty though.
Anyway, here's a quick picture of them all:
From the left row going top to bottom: Some cheap promotional knife I found in a box, a 90's Case Sodbuster I found in the house, my 90's S&W clip knife, seven different Case knives, and then the Rough Rider.
The center row: Opinel Stainless and Carbone, Buck knife the seller of the Othello gave me for free, the Othello Anton Winger Jr Hunter.
The right row: MOP Voss Hen and Rooster, Soligen Boker Copperhead, Gutmann Hen and Rooster, the two Rosecraft's, modern Hen and Rooster, and four new Bokers.
So for me the true queens of the group are the three at the beginning of the right row. The Hen and Roosters and the Soligen Boker. Then I'm picking the Opinel's. Crazy huh? Now when I'm heading out to do some kind of messy job I tend to pick up that black synthetic case sodbuster. And this is the one I grab to open any packages. When I head out I always seem to grab the Soligen Boker Stag Copperhead. I just love it. The Othello Hunter lives in my Jeep Cherokee since I got it and winds up in my pack when I head into the woods for photography. Sort of a "just in case" tool like the bear spray I carry into grizzly country. The new Boker Whittler sees a lot of use also when I'm just sitting outside enjoying the day and carving away on a piece of wood.
So that's my miscellaneous ramblings on my little adventure buying knives recently. It has been cool putting my hands on all the different knives.
Now for my rambling, uneducated, and probably silly comparisons of the knives.
Now being just a simple ol' farm boy here's my impression from what I've gotten my hands on recently. First, the old German knives are top notch. I've got one Voss Hen and Roster and one Gutman. Both have a feel to them that just says quality and this was apparent the moment I first touched them. Subjective, I know. The one true Soligen Boker Copperhead is right behind these for how well it seems to be made. The Othello hunter knife seems to be really well made also. Not sure the age of that one though. The couple of new Bokers I've bought seem quite well made also although one did have the badge fall off as I unpacked it. Glued it back on and no issues since. I got the one "newer" Hen and Rooster solely because it was the Tennesse Walkng Horse knife and I grew up on a farm raising them. It's seems nice but not the quality of the vintage ones. Both of the Rosecrafts are top notch. Really sharp out of the box, well put together, blades centered, etc. My one complaint is the strong springs on them. They are harder for my old hands to open than pretty much any of the other knives. But all and all seem to be a bargain. The Rough Rider is what I should have first bought to replace my old Case. It was cheap, sharp, and solidly built. You really don't need more than it provides for a working pocket knife in my opinion. Of course that brings up the Opinels. Now I had one I carried a couple of years early in my Army career. Loved that simple, cheap knife and remember using it way more than my case pocket knife or the Buck 110. And since picking up some new ones I've fallen back in love with it. So simple, so perfect in my hand, so sharp, so balanced, superb. In fact, now that my love for the Opinels has been reignited I bought a couple to give my sons. Yep, I could have gotten them any knife and chose the Opinel. Guess that says what I think about these knives. Finally, let me be honest about the new Case knives. None of them are bad but to be honest they seem to be overpriced for what you get. I understand so many love to collect them but honestly I can't see anything about them that is special when compared to the others. They are pretty though.
Anyway, here's a quick picture of them all:
From the left row going top to bottom: Some cheap promotional knife I found in a box, a 90's Case Sodbuster I found in the house, my 90's S&W clip knife, seven different Case knives, and then the Rough Rider.
The center row: Opinel Stainless and Carbone, Buck knife the seller of the Othello gave me for free, the Othello Anton Winger Jr Hunter.
The right row: MOP Voss Hen and Rooster, Soligen Boker Copperhead, Gutmann Hen and Rooster, the two Rosecraft's, modern Hen and Rooster, and four new Bokers.
So for me the true queens of the group are the three at the beginning of the right row. The Hen and Roosters and the Soligen Boker. Then I'm picking the Opinel's. Crazy huh? Now when I'm heading out to do some kind of messy job I tend to pick up that black synthetic case sodbuster. And this is the one I grab to open any packages. When I head out I always seem to grab the Soligen Boker Stag Copperhead. I just love it. The Othello Hunter lives in my Jeep Cherokee since I got it and winds up in my pack when I head into the woods for photography. Sort of a "just in case" tool like the bear spray I carry into grizzly country. The new Boker Whittler sees a lot of use also when I'm just sitting outside enjoying the day and carving away on a piece of wood.
So that's my miscellaneous ramblings on my little adventure buying knives recently. It has been cool putting my hands on all the different knives.
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