Perfect traditonal pocket knife??

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Hard to be any more traditional than a Barlow - invented 200-300 years ago!!
Blades under three inches, perfectly tempered carbon steel.
(usually) under $100. Hard to find, but worth the hunt!!

(But I AM prejudiced!):D
 
Here you go. The 66 jack or 66 Bullwinkle moose. Here's my newly acquired 66 in rotten banana bone:

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GEC makes some wonderful knives, with great quality. As has been said above, there is no ONE perfect knife.

In Case look for a 62032 or 6292 Texas jack or a whancliffe mini trapper:

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My favorite everyday carry is the Case mini copperhead. I like the photo of this blue bone covered model:

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It's a bit smaller knife than the other two I mentioned.

Ed J
 
Last year's traditional forum knife (GEC) borders on a perfect design for general use for me. I am still waffling between 4.25" overall length and 4.5" overall length. Guess I'll just have to buy a GEC #42 Missouri Trapper and give that one a try. Yeah, I'm thinking just a little bigger than the 2012 Forum knife. Maybe, but at least I'll have all the choices. :)
 
An ACSB Queen Cutlery D2 knife is hard to beat, very nice to own. Their knives in Maple and Zebrawood also hold an appeal!
 
some really tidy pocket knives there guys.. and I think I have a closer idea to what I'd like.

1-2 blades, preferabley 2, once of them being smaller like a whittler or wharncliffe. The main blade being like the sodbuster or slightly clipped.

metal bolsters, preferbaley brass and on the bottom also, with a lanyard hole or ring.

Dyed bone or burnt antler, kinda like the pickled gherkin green on the GEC's.

Still has to be under 3" blades, or i won't be able to carry it hastle free!

Now that pony jack is looking real good, how long are the blades dude?
 
waynorth said:
TCfirsttrad1_zpsef3a612f.jpg


Hard to be any more traditional than a Barlow - invented 200-300 years ago!!
Blades under three inches, perfectly tempered carbon steel.
(usually) under $100. Hard to find, but worth the hunt!!

(But I AM prejudiced!):D
Click to expand...

I think I might recognize that 2 Blade Macassar Ebony! :D

My current favorites are listed in my sig, but my top three favorites (that I would say are all near perfect) would be the #15 SFO TC Barlows, #85 SFO Easy Open Linerlocks, and the #68 Pony Jacks. You can't go wrong with any of those three.

If you want a 2 blade jack get either a #15 Boy's Knife/ TC Barlow or the Pony Jack. If you want a watch pocket rider, go with the Pony Jack because of it's rounded bolsters. If you want something a little bit more substantial blade-wise, get a #15 because the blades are a bit larger. I can't decide between the two myself so I carry both.

If you want a single blade, you can't go wrong with the Northfield SFO #85 Easy Open with a linerlock. Another one to consider would be the #73 single clip point blade which also comes in a linerlock version (although I have found the #73 Linerlock to be cumbersome in my hand while the #85 linerlock fits my hand like a glove when in use).
 
I posted an old 40s Remington in the traditional folders section. It's never been sharpened but has some rust spots. I'm probably going to sell it. I'm told it's worth about 175.00.
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Canal Street knives are nicely finished and........ unlike three GEC's that I bought and gave away.....come sharp out of the box.
 
The GEC white owl and the new Pony Jack are great choices, both the same #68 frame, the white owl has two blades on a single spring which keeps it very thin and the Pony Jack has two blades on a double spring. The pulls on the single spring version are quite a bit lighter than on the double spring models but still perfectly adequate to me.
Here is a picture of my White Owl...my Pony Jack has yet to arrive.
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The #15 TC Barlows and Boy's Knives area also great, the Barlows are pretty hard to find but the Boy's knives are still available with dealers.
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The #85 SFO knives are another favorite of mine and there are a few of those still available.
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Then there is the #66 Jack also great
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Could not go wrong with any of these IMHO
 
Samon,

You're from the east side of "the pond", no?

Maybe a British made 2 bladed jack from back in the day? Jack Black, any suggestions along that line?

"Perfect" differs from person to person. I get a different vibe from knives closer to my roots. For example, functionally, I love the Opinel but it's emotionally a bit distant. Sort of like dating the exchange student. My Schrades (made in teh northeast US were I'm from) are emotionally closer to me.
 
waynorth said:
Hard to be any more traditional than a Barlow - invented 200-300 years ago!!
Blades under three inches, perfectly tempered carbon steel.
(usually) under $100. Hard to find, but worth the hunt!!

(But I AM prejudiced!):D
Click to expand...

I agree. Nice looking Toms Choices, Waynorth. I wish the spearpoints were easier to find. All the distributors seem to be out.
 
pinnah said:
Samon,

You're from the east side of "the pond", no?

Maybe a British made 2 bladed jack from back in the day? Jack Black, any suggestions along that line?

"Perfect" differs from person to person. I get a different vibe from knives closer to my roots. For example, functionally, I love the Opinel but it's emotionally a bit distant. Sort of like dating the exchange student. My Schrades (made in teh northeast US were I'm from) are emotionally closer to me.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I hail from the island! :)

I did consider a British made one but tbh.. 'made in Sheffield' doesn't mean what it used to. I haven't heard overwhelmingly positive thoughts on the common production ones out there and I have no experience of them myself. I would consider Case but I've also heard a few quality control issues with them lately i.e blade play, poor colouring etc..

do any of the big names make a 'Lanny's clip'? That style has to be one of the best I've seen around, and the one I recall seeing was the single best looking pocket knife ever.. but it was a $700 custom. :(
 
Corso said:
had the same problem so i gave mine a trim

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Nice work and nice kit. Can you give us more information?

I have a strong urge to go cut down a .45-70 case, expand it, and pair it with another, so I can have a cool container like yours. :cool:
 
Samon, since the Pony Jack is based on the White Owl 68 frame, its blade must be under the 3" limit the White Owl's is 2.75 and even the 15 Barlow which has a long blade relative to its handle is under 3"

Time to get one!

Thanks, Will
 
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