On the search for the perfect whittler...

A

aarya

Joined
Jun 21, 2006
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514
Hello all.
I'm looking for recommendations. More specifically, i'm in the market for a slipjoint. Congress or whittler pattern, higher-end stainless steel, and nothing too fancy.
I want to use this knife for whittling, so the blades need to be optimized for this, or be of such a condition that i can easily optimize them myself.
That means, somewhat thin blades.
Size-wise i'd like it to be around 3.5-4 inches closed.

I posted here a while back, also looking for recommendations to what i could get in this regard, which led me to get a small whittler from A. G. Russell in BG42 steel. And while that knife is great, it's too small to comfortably use for anything but the smallest kind of work.

So.. Anyone know of such a knife? Maybe a custom maker who specializes in these patterns? A maker who'd like to maybe take this project on?

I appreciate all the help you guys toss at me. :thumbup:
 
I have found what you found out...a comfortable handle is paramount to whittling. Yes, the blades might matter, but a knife big & comfortable enough in the hand made for better whittling.

As to what knife, I think it depends on whittling style & what you like to use. Some (Myself included) like & prefer Coping/Sheepsfoot/Wharncliffe shaped blades, while others prefer Clip type blades. Whittlers are ideal, usually, because of their lg. main blade (Usually a Clip, but sometimes a Wharny) & Coping & Pen blades (Sometimes a different combo, but usually that one). I like the Whittler, but don't have any right now.

Stockmans are OK. I actually didn't mind the Spey blade, but like having a Coping blade to use, so it's typically not my 1st choice.

The Congress is a good choice, IMHO, depending on the combo of blades. I prefer a 50/50 combo of Coping/Pen blades.

As to brands, I'd suggest Queen with their D2 blades & their relatively reasonable. GEC's aren't bad, either, but can be more $. Their 1095 steel is very good & their Whittler/Congress patterns are a good size.

Another thought would be a FB. I picked up a nice Wharncliffe in 1095 steel in the Makers Knives F/S section. Mine's a DP Knives one with wood handles (Forget what wood) & the blade on this one is only 1/16" thick. He also makes them 1/8" thick, too, IIRC & they're very reasonable.

Good luck on whatever you get.
 
I've got one of these on the way. Should be here Wednesday.

GEC NF 3 Back Spring Whittler; Smooth Banana Peel Handles 4 1/8" OAL; 3 1/8" Clip Blade; 2 3/4" Long Penn and Long Spey Blades
gecnfwhittlerwithbanana.jpg

When I get it, I'll let you know how it performs. Looks like the handle should be comfortable to hold and work with.

EDIT: This knife has 1095 steel but the type steel shouldn't matter to you too much in my opinion as you should be looking how the blades perfom not necessarily what they are made of. My .02¢ I have also found that 1095 holds and edge for a long time -- another .02¢
 
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I would have to suggest you look at queens line of congress/whittler/stockman. It is made in D2, with excellent fit and finish. The knives come in a few different sizes so I am sure you will find one that fits your hands. The D2 holds its edge for a long time. That is my suggestion.
 
Here's what i wrote in the earlier thread i mentioned:
(In my eyes, 440C is the lowest grade i'm willing to go, as i want it to keep a pretty good edge without having to sharpen it every 10 minutes. Better would be, 154CM, ATS34 or S30V.)
Click to expand...
You can read the entire thread here, if you want to: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=678068

I have a few Boker slipjoints in their carbon steel, which holds an edge for a long time, and are for all purposes excellent whittlers. I just prefer stainless steel better. Now, i know this is to some considered blasphemy, but i'll full out admit it. I am a bit of a steel snob, with good reason. The modern higher-end stainless steels are excellent in all uses. Carbon steel is very good, but i like the apparent cleanliness of the stainless blade.
Now, i may be a sweaty slob, but when i pocket a knife, which i do to all knives that i carry, non-stainless develops patina and rustspots very quickly. (I know the difference between patina and rust, and i enjoy the look of a patina on a blade. But it also means that the edge will deteriorate only by being in my pocket.)

Well, i hope that explains things a bit, and help you in helping me.


(Edited to add: I also have a few Queen knives, and i think they're great! But.. Still not what i'm looking for.)
 
I'm not an expert on whittlers, but for the size you are looking for, plus a premium steel, I would look to a custom maker. There are a couple members on here that do absolutely incredible work.
The only draw back is the wait time. On the plus side of waiting, it will give a decent amount of time to save up if money is a little tight.
 
Have a look at the recent thread A Congress for All to Enjoy where jivedady shows off a very decent Congress made by Ken Erickson. It could be just what you are looking for.

I was going to suggest Böker as I recently got one of their Congress, it's a super knife,very well made but carbon...Can't think of any manufacturers making high end stainless Congress, CASE and RR and Hen&Rooster make stainless but it's all run of the mill . It looks like it will have to be a made to order job.
 
D2 doesn't fall into the category of a high-end stainless, but that's the only steel I can think of that would come close to meeting your criteria. AFIK, that would narrow your choices down to Queen (whittler or stockman pattern) or Canal Street (Canittler). You could also take a look at the Oar Carver, which is a Queen Canoe with cut down blades.
 
If you want the perfect whittler. Ken Erickson is your man. I think Blues has a pic of it. Perhaps he could show you. It's the best whittler out there.

God Bless
 
i have that GEC 3 spring posted earlier with stag handles. Very comfortable but i think the blades are too big for what you are looking for. The main clip is nice but the pen and spey are both almost 3" themselves.
 
Finding the 'best' whittler on the first try would be a fluke. My guess is that you will end up with a handful of nice whittlers that do one or two things better than another and then you will pick a favorite from among them.
 
Schatt & Morgan has used ATS-34 premium stainless in their File & Wire series. Several suitable (4" plus) stockman and whittler patterns have been made over the last 10-12 years. They will be a little harder to find, being not currently made, but they should be half the price of a custom, even at inflated collector prices.
 
I've got a Schatt&Morgan File&Wire Congress in ATS-34 on its way from Clarence Risner, so hopefully it'll work well for what i want it for. I doubt it'll be my last slipjoint though. There's something about the feel of it in your hand, that just speaks to me.
I do wish more manufacturers used higher-end stainless steel though. But then, i guess the steel works well for those who don't demand much, and it's well suited for collectors.
 
I got my GEC NF 3 Back Spring Whittler; Smooth Banana Peel Handles 4 1/8" OAL; 3 1/8" Clip Blade; 2 3/4" Long Penn and Long Spey Blades knife yesterday and I must say it is bigger than I'd imagined. I think it will be great for an EDC knife and for some whittling chores but for fine whittling tasks, I'd say a smaller knife would be better.
 
I like many different kinds of pocket knives, especially the multi purpose folders, such as congress, whittlers, cattle knives and stockmans. None of these, not even the true whittler was ever designed for whittling or carving. They are all multipurpose knives, each slanted toward a different customer. People who are serious carvers and whittlers use fixed blade knives with big handles and little blades, usually several of them of different shapes. They talk about their knives on whittling and carving forums, not knife forums. I strongly suspect you are a bit like me, a knife freak with a passing weak interest in whittling. If that is the case, you can safely choose not one but several knives that take your fancy and have loads of fun with them. Good luck in your search! Oh, by the way, that GEC could not even be remotely called a whittler. It is an odd hybrid between a cattle knife and a stockman, with an atypical blade arrangement, and three springs. I have several different ones, and I think they are great!
 
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