opinions on William Henry knives

I have a few and use to EDC a B-09 liner lock, but I would classify them as a light duty knife. Love them, but only for light use.
James
 
a true gentleman's knife.

i had a zdp189 titan, veeerrrry sharp!!! fit/finish are excellent.

definitely worth the price.
 
I have a carbon fiber lancet and am very impressed with it.
They are smaller that I thought, but impressive.

Ed T
 
I have a number of WH knives including one button lock. The button lock is the B10-IZD with the ZDP-189 Wave damascus blade and Ironwood. It's a great little knife.:thumbup:

If you are looking for a really nice, light EDC and have the money to spend, you won't be unhappy.
 
I just came from the mall and they have 80 or 90 william henrys in all price ranges(except low!) They are beautiful knives, but I just can't see my self carrying one as an EDC. I would think they are worth the money, I just have a hard time spending that much on something I'm going to just look at.
 
I want one of the fancy ones, but I'm afraid I WOULD carry it! I can't keep any safe queens, as they all have to see some pocket time. I will bite the bullet and get one, once tax return comes in. It will probably be a fancy damascus bladed one with premium handle materials, and cost between $500-1000.

Yes, they are worth it. If you can afford it.

Daniel
 
I've owned several over the past few years. Most of mine were the discontinued carbon fiber models. I think they are the perfect size for everyday in the pocket carry. You don't even know they are there!
Unfortunately, I would have to agree that the more money I spend on a knife the less likely that I am going to carry it often in fear of losing it or because I just don't want to scuff it up.
I think the button lock works well and seems to be what William Henry wants to manufacture these days. I sold my carbon fiber models when the prices began climbing a while back. Today I have a small ZDP blade version with titanium scales. It's a great knife but it still stays in the safe most of the time.
I'm going to make my Seki-Cut Bob Lum small Encounter folder and a Bradley Alias II my two carry knives for everyday use.
 
I have owned fifty to sixty William Henry's and currently have about a dozen. I've owned Collectors and Limited Editions and and a number of the earlier models and buy and sell them on eBay. I have an early engraved B07 and a T12 both with nickel-silver bolsters (early ones) I like very much and use for everyday carry. I really prefer the earlier models and with escalating pricing, I think unless you have a lot of disposable income and are into collecting, I would concentrate on finding some of the nicer, earlier mint WH knives which are still available on eBay from time to time.
 
All of the ones that I have handled were great. The only one that I have, and my favorite, is a style that they discontinued. The Matt Lock. It was a size, style, and lock that I really liked.
 
I really like the B30 GenTac. A real beauty.

B30.jpg


mike
 
I've had 3 WH's, all users for me. One is an older carbon-fiber model w/ 3.25" 154CM DLC-ed blade, CF scales, liner lock. I carry it always while running, and it's super light (1.45 oz.) yet plenty strong & functional. The gold coating on the pivot screw has worn off over the years.

The other 2 are both 'attache' models, one w/ 3.25" blade and one w/ about 2" blade. They are laminated zdp (420J2 outer layer, I believe) DLC, CF scales, button lock.

I love the cutting power of the zdp blade, but have come to dislike the button lock. Although it provides solid lockup, my problem is that under hard use I tend to accidentally unlock the blade when some part of my hand contacts the button. This doesn't happen for me w/ liner locks. Not very safe to be cutting away at something and suddenly realize that the blade has come unlocked.

I have never used the form fitting leather case w/ clip--too worried about losing a $500 knife. I just drop in my pocket (an otherwise empty pocket--to avoid exessive scratching).

I'd love one of the Gen-tacs with beautiful wave-damascus zdp and clip, but I won't spring for it with that button lock. If WH would make a gen-tac w/ liner lock I wouldn't be typing away right now--I'd be buying a new WH. This partly is also just because I don't want to have to switch back & forth between liner and button lock due to 'muscle memory.'

The tiny WH w/ 2" blade is perfect as a 2nd 'sheeple' knife. I carry 2 knives often. One is a medium to large size frame lock (currently kershaw ti-zdp mini cyclone). The other is the tiny WH for use when the squeamish are present and I need to open a package or clip a newspaper story. The muscle memory isn't an issue for such uses.

I understand why WH went to the button lock, and it does have it's pluses. I just wish they would offer the liner lock as an option, especially on the Gen-Tacs.
 
The buttonlock and the clipcase are the options what makes a difference!!!

The clipcase makes it possible to protect your knife from scrathes, makes it easily deployed and there is no clip in the way when you handle the knife.

The buttonlock let you manipulated the knife more effortlessly then even the axis-lock. Flipping it open and closed without beeing in the ouch-path of the blade. Lightning fast and easy. Especially for these little tasks, one moment it is there next its back in its sheath.

The thin ZDP blade makes it not a trenchdigging/pryingtool but is the best cutter/slicer! It takes a great edge.

After 10 years of carring a buck 500 i bought a WH 15 Titan, one of the first. That is 3 years ago, and I carried it almost everyday (beats my Caly 3, BM 690, BM 960) and I'm loving it. No lifethreatening situations but it will served me very very well.
But it has a little bladeplay after 3 years and the blade is not completely centered from the beginning. And the titanium handle is very easy to scratch.

I received a Sebernza 2 weeks ago and I have to admit that I think it a class of its own, FF beyond any comment. I'm curious witch knife gets the most pocket time eventually!

Gr.
Marthijn
 
Thanks for the post. Have you never even once had the knife come out of the clip case? Do you ever run or jump with it. I like the clipcase, but I'm afraid that if I use it eventually I'll lose the knife.
 
No never. Not even a bit higher in the clipcase.

I'm in roadconstruction/cicil engineering, so on site a lot of moving/climbing/jumping.

Rides nice in my right front pocket not in the way when reaching for my keys.

The knife is not sticking out very much and yet easy to retrieve with the lanyard.

The buttonlock never surprised me in a bad way.

gr
Marthijn
 
I have an old mattlock with a clipcase. It's a great knife ,very well finished with abalone scales ,titanium handle frame. this one is real light with a super sharp blade of 154cm. I've never been able to bring myself to carry though, just too purty.
 
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