"Perfect Traditional...(opinions)"

C

cutchu

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I have had many different types / brands / quality levels of knives over my life. I recently was introduced to GEC / Northwoods knives. I seemed pretty interested so I got a couple. They showed up and I thought they were very nice. I really lusted after a blue camel bone Fremont Jack. So I got a couple more.

Nowhere to be found so I substituded. got a Blue bone Presidential, #66, Fremont Jack in Mammoth Ivory, Northwoods Norfok in green camel bone and Canal Street Amber Carved Stag Bone to tide me over.

I was VERY impressed with the Fremont Jack. I think my "perfect traditional knife" would have to be a blue camel bone Northwoods Fremont Jack. To me that just seems like the completely best looking knife I have ever seen. I have seen pics on the Knives ship free site. WOW, those look stunning... maybe one day.

Sorry... just rambling here. Maybe other have a "Grail"

I will have to post pics of my humble collection. Still pretty nice if I do say so myself.
 
I've never been as captivated with a knife (any knife) like I am with my long pull Clip/Pen ebony TC Barlow. The one that ranks right up there with it is a special EO Scout:thumbup:

Two of the best everyday working knives for me anyways;)

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Sometimes you just kind of fall into it without realising it. I bought this one a while ago to try out the pattern. Over time I found myself reaching for it more than any other.

I would imagine that most who know me here would associate me with this half congress;

 
Yes I do Paul. I have seen your posts of this knife often enough to gain a real appreciation for that beauty myself. I associate this knife with you like I do the green #66 with Andi, and increasingly, the ebony Radio Jack with Jack.

For me, it's the #85 Cocobolo, partially because I had one..... sold it, and almost immediately regretted the decision. HAD to find another. I was fortunate. Classic design that just feels soooooo right in my hand. Don't get me wrong.... there are a couple of others that are in the running everyday for carry, but the #85 is the alpha in my pack.

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Peter
 
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I have two :) This oh so sweet lil' GEC 25EO, and...


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The Powderhorn by GEC. I can't explain why these two grabbed me so strongly, I just like them. I think that is just how it is for any individual "grail" knife. Something about a particular pattern, materials, blade selection, or even provenance / sentimentality draw one to become attached to a cutting implement.
 
Pjake said:
I associate this knife with you like I do the green #66 with Andi, and increasingly, the ebony Radio Jack with Jack.
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That knife has kinda claimed me I must confess Peter :o

sitflyer said:
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That's you Duane! :D :thumbup:

Does anyone remember Vanguard and that Marbles EZO he always used to post? I don't think I could even look at that knife without thinking of him! :D :)
 
I've only owned this Case 6380 (big serpentine whittler) a month, but I can't stand not to have it with me - might just be "the one". OH

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Over time my preferences have developed with use and in experimenting with various patterns. It's come to where I have a few different "favorites", but the Stockman and TC Barlow just "fit" me is all I can say. The 3-blades of the Stockman right there on tap are very useful for my needs. The feel in hand, the bone or ebony covers... :)
 
Nothing "does it" for me quite like an ebony jack.

This old Schrade in particular, but to me, nothing says "traditional" like this pattern, with this handle, by any maker.

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For me, the perfect traditional has been a few different knives at a few different stages of my life. My old Buck 301 was my perfect knife for a few decades. It did everything I needed, gave me a good selection of blades in a compact package. Then in my later life my peanut was THE knife. It was small, compact, and a great cutter, and it had MOJO, as one of our forum brothers put it. If I hadn't had a problem with arthritis, the peanut would still be my knife.

Now I find that another knife has taken the place of the perfect pocket knife. It has a very good amount of MOJO, and it feels soooo darn good inland. I find myself carrying it all the time. I have other knives I like a lot, but if I don't have my 'special' knife' with me, I feel the universe is slightly out of kilter. Like there's a small rip in the space-time continuum.

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For whatever resin, this is the knife that is my perfect choice for edc. I've always been a multi blade knife guy, and I have carried single blade style knives in the past. I love my little Sardinian resolza, and my zuava, and my respect for sodbusters is way up there. But in the end, I fear that I am a creature of a lifetime of habit. I started out with a 4 blade/tool scout knife, used a three blade stockman for a huge chunck of my middle years, and now I am back to a stockman. But it's a very slim trim stockman that carries good, feels great, and looks so good I sometimes find myself just admiring it in the same way I used to admire my damascus peanut. I still miss my peanut, but this knife is doing a good job of being the perfect pocket knife for me at this stage of my life. Beauty and versatility in one package. As much as it shocks me to say it, this and a SAK could see me the rest of my days.
 
This is the one that does it for me. Combines my favorite things into one perfectly sized and easy to carry package. Took me a bit to get over how nice it was and put it in the pocket but I've been carrying it for a couple weeks now and have never been happier.

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If I have to pick one manufactured (not custom) traditional knife, it's this one. It just pushes all my knife buttons.
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Taken from another knife forum site, but probably has a lot of merit.

"The #72* pattern has got to be pretty close to the perfect knife."
--T.J. Murphy 2012

*72 whittler, not GEC 72
 
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The GEC 15 is the one I'm drawn to, jigged bone, single clip blade with crescent nick. Carries easy, simple, gets it done.

 
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