Need help selecting a new "watch pocket knife"

[Ernie1980]

Greetings traditional forum!

I have a nice selection of traditional knives, but I realized the other day that I traded my "pocket watch" knife away! I have been on the look out for a replacement, and am now turning to you for help. I was thinking about something like a peanut or mini copperhead, but held both today and they are a little too small. Based on that, I think the gec esquire is going to be too small as well.
I saw this ad while browsing the exchange, and think it's just what I am looking for:

http://www.vcmcustomknives.com/small-stag-drop-point.html

The only problem is the price is well above what I am looking to spend.

So here are my parameters:

Between 2.8-3.25 closed 3" would be perfect
Under 150$
No more than two blades, one would be best but either is fine
This is getting picky, but I would like a blade on the stouter side rather than a thin little blade(s)
The rest is debatable, I am still on the fence about blade shape, steel, and covers and am open to suggestions.

Any ideas?

 

[Cory Hess]

Take a look at the GEC #25. It's a 3" sleeveboard and comes in one and two blade configurations. You can pick one up new in the $100 range depending on blades and covers.

 

[jone]

I would second Cory's suggestion. Great knives.

 

[hoppes no9]

I just got my first GEC #26 (similar to the 25) and I LOVE it. It's a big knife in a small package. Highly recommended.

Edit -- here's a quick comparison shot: #26 snakewood, #92 che chen rosewood, #57 kingwood.

 

[Baldy McBalders]

Hi,
I would suggest looking at the GEC #26 as well; even more options on covers and blades in addition to those offered in the #25 pattern, while still being a 3 inch sleeveboard pattern. I have one with a spear main blade, pen secondary, but I have seen clip main with pen, and wharncliffe main with coping secondary as well.
Hope this helps, and good luck!
B.

 

[black mamba]

The #25 from GEC was the first thought of mine as well. Stout, 3" closed, excellent 1095 blades, great little knife.

 

[dma1965]

GEC 25 is great. You might also consider a Case/Bose swayback gent or swayback jack.

 

[Baldy McBalders]

Just a quick low light pic of my #26 in cocobolo. I wasn't trying to be artistic with the guitar pick; it was the closest standard sized object I had for size reference.

 

[sitflyer]

Another vore for the GEC 25 or 26 camp here.

especially so if you can find a single blade pattern that satisfies your wants and needs. This one rides well in the watch pocket of most if not all of my jeans. Some jeans are a little more shy on real estate than others in the watch pocket. Now that cooler weather has arrived this little 25 is going to again become a part of my daily compliment...
P.S. I have rather large hands, and these stubby lil' things offer me a secure grip on a small knife.

 

[Jack Black]

I've not handled a GEC 25, but I like the 22 Magnum

 

[jkulysses]

My first thought was a GEC 22 Magnum but after you threw in the little bit stout part the 25 Little Jack was the next knife that came to mind.

Jake

 

[Bjoern]

if it doesnt have to be carbon steel i would throw in hartkopf knives-they make small knives in wood, stag, classic and elegant full metal and mother of pearl. a pdf catalogue can be downloaded here:
http://www.friedrich-hartkopf.de/#Taschenmesser (bottom of page) some are hard to find, depends on where you live...
the sixth number indicates the size in cm
b

 

[bdev]

The GEC 06 Pemberton is a possibility also. Single clip blade (GEC also makes it in a double but I like a watch pocket knife to be thin) that is small but still doesn't get lost in your hand. It's 2 3/4" and a coke bottle design.

Here's mine......

 

[bonzodog]

If it were me ,I would save and get the John Lloyd.He makes a great knife for the money.

 

[quattromori]

Honestly, I see no big point in having two blades on a 3" (or smaller) knife. Both blades will eventually have (roughly) the same length, so I'd rather pick a thinner (single bladed) knife. Personal opinion of course.
A single bladed peanut, or Pemberton or #25, might be a good pick.
If you don't have one, let me suggest you a Vic Ambassador: 3" closed, blade and scissors, and thinner than the previously mentioned slipjoints

Fausto

 

[LastRodeo]

How about a Buck 55?

 

[Ernie1980]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! Does anyone have a 25 and 26 to give me a side by side picture?

 

[JustinR]

The GEC pemberton has the smallness that you are looking for while having some more meat on the bone.

I would also recommend an old Schrade 33ot, 233, or 833.

Queen makes a small jack that is 3 1/4" that can be found with D2.

 

[pertinux]

Honestly, I see no big point in having two blades on a 3" (or smaller) knife. Both blades will eventually have (roughly) the same length....

I cannot fathom the blades on my #25s becoming "roughly the same length" in several lifetimes. Er, ever. What am I missing?

Does anyone have a 25 and 26 to give me a side by side picture?

Here is a #25 barlow (two blades) with a #26 sleeveboard:

The patterns share the same frame. The #25s are single- or double-bladed jacks with the blades pivoting from the smaller end of the frame. The #26s are single-spring (but what a spring it is!) double-bladed knives with the main blade pivoting from the larger end of the frame, the secondary from the smaller.

#26 Tacky Tango® sleeveboard, #25 double-bladed jack:

Main blades:

Secondaries:

Here's where you will see the biggest difference, the spine width:

... Pay close attention to the width of the single spring on the #26. Due to the pattern's short length, the wide and strong spring, and the location of the spring pivot points, these knives are typically nailbreakers.

In particular, the tiny, non-pinchable secondary blade, offset, must displace that hefty spring in order to open.

I highly recommend finding one in person, or purchasing one from a vendor with a good return policy, if opting in to a #26.

[I can open both blades on each of mine relatively easily now (the ivory sleeveboard remains a challenge), due to both improvements in my finger/nail strength and technique and time invested in cleaning out and working the knives' joints, but still far prefer the #25s. But then, I prefer GEC's #25s to most other knives!]

Gratuitous picture of single-bladed #25s:

A dedicated #25 thread, with some #26s sprinkled in here and there:

GEC 25s-- Gots 'em?

Hope this helps.

~ P.

 

[quattromori]

Sarah,
you are not missing anything, and you sure own more #25s than me yet I can't see much difference (in terms of use, not pure blade length) between the main and secondary blade on those knives (same for the Case peanut and so on). They're both short blades to me; so I'd rather keep it thinner than carry a short blade paired with a shorter one
By the way...you should have a letter in your mailbox

Fausto