Poll: Best Current Work Traditional between Case, GEC, and Queen

Best Current Work Traditional between Case, GEC, and Queen

  • Case Cutlery

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Great Eastern Cutlery

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Queen Cutlery

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
knifeswapper

knifeswapper

Knife Peddler
Joined
Sep 3, 2004
Messages
3,301
Nah, I like the idea. Version 2.0
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There is no doubt that the BF community includes knife lovers from every generation. We are one of many social hangouts, but one that I have been a member for a long time and respect the diversity of opinions. Those that have a lifetime of experience and those that have just discovered traditional pocket knives. Like Ford and Chevy, we don't always see eye to eye on things. But, as someone who genuinely likes to know what peers actually think, I want to take a poll. Like politics, many times we only see the opinions of the few and the silent majority stay silent.

Please don't comment with anything that could be construed as a preference or perceptions in this thread, just to keep it non-political.

Best Current Work Traditional - If this is not specific enough for you to vote, I understand.

PLEASE TAKE A FEW SECONDS TO CAST YOUR LOT. IT IS THE SILENT MAJORITY AS WELL AS THE FREQUENT POSTERS I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM.

To address a couple of concerns in the failed Version 1.0.

These are general perceptions from your experience. If we take the time to create the exact scenario in which the knife would be used and graded - it is no longer an opinion. My interest is general carry, work, opinions that YOU experience on a daily basis. If that is too broad for you, I understand.

If you feel dealers do not deserve to have your insight as a customer; I will not be offended by your abstention. This has nothing to do with me being a dealer - I look at the knives going out in the mail every day and have frequent discussions with other traditional dealers; and know exactly what the customer base is buying. The dealer side of me could care less what the poll says; because I know what sells. The knife nut side of me is simply interested in the current market perception.

Disclaimer: I understand it is not fair to many other makers to leave them off. Fact is, these are the ones that typically come up in conversations here.
 
I don't understand the difference when you say
"Please don't comment with anything that could be construed as a preference or perceptions in this thread, just to keep it non-political."
But then you ask what we prefer between those three brands.
I have handled all the brand some, but only owned case. I think I just never saw the others as being enough of an upgrade to justify the higher price.

Sent from my N9519 using Tapatalk
 
A GEC 47 Hayin Helper with sheepsfoot and pen secondary is the best hard use-work knife I've found.

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Hi All,
Case Stockman 2 ways as EDC
Medium Serpentine and Large Stockman, both in Yellow Delrin and CV
Take care
Graham
 
I voted for Queen because of their excellent D2 steel and larger patterns. My #49 stockman in D2 is my best work knife.
 
If I am to understand your intentions correctly, I've cast my vote. I've used all three brands, and currently have some of them all in my possession.

I think that the best "work knife" is dependent on the work to be done. My requirements for my daily-carry slipjoint are pretty lenient, usually opening packages, removing an occasional splinter, cutting a piece of string or rope.

For food-prep, boxcutting, wirestripping, etc I use a tool better tailored for the job at hand.

All three of the brands you've listed make fine slipjoints that are more than adequate for my needs. That being said, like most people I have a favorite. I'm certainly curious to see how this poll turns out, and thanks for taking the time to put it up.
 
bonky said:
If I am to understand your intentions correctly, I've cast my vote. I've used all three brands, and currently have some of them all in my possession.

I think that the best "work knife" is dependent on the work to be done. My requirements for my daily-carry slipjoint are pretty lenient, usually opening packages, removing an occasional splinter, cutting a piece of string or rope.

For food-prep, boxcutting, wirestripping, etc I use a tool better tailored for the job at hand.

All three of the brands you've listed make fine slipjoints that are more than adequate for my needs. That being said, like most people I have a favorite. I'm certainly curious to see how this poll turns out, and thanks for taking the time to put it up.
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At one time or another, each has been my favorite brand and a favorite edc. I can argue advantages to specific patterns from each convincingly. Just to make it easier, my presumption was leaving without foreknowledge of the days work ahead.
 
knifeswapper said:
At one time or another, each has been my favorite brand and a favorite edc. I can argue advantages to specific patterns from each convincingly. Just to make it easier, my presumption was leaving without foreknowledge of the days work ahead.
Click to expand...
I agree, and think much the same in my personal experience. Although I've tried many patterns and brands over the years, I keep coming back to a cattle-knife or a stockman pattern as my go-to.

I'll keep my personal favorite to myself (hoping I understood your intentions in the OP correctly) but all three brands make fine examples that are more than adequate for my needs.

-Russell-
 
W.M.B. said:
I don't understand the difference when you say
"Please don't comment with anything that could be construed as a preference or perceptions in this thread, just to keep it non-political."
But then you ask what we prefer between those three brands.
I have handled all the brand some, but only owned case. I think I just never saw the others as being enough of an upgrade to justify the higher price.

Sent from my N9519 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Speaking for myself only, I had to sign into BladeForums to take the poll, as it was not available on tap a talk.

Regarding the poll, I really find this interesting, and am glad it's being done. I wonder if someone did this 5-10 years ago how it would look.

I also will not share my opinions, but my choice in the poll is representative of my collection and users mostly made over the past 20 years. I have some (to many) of each brand. They are all very good knives, but one brand has been much more consistent with their quality- within that timeframe anyway.

Any pattern can make a good work knife depending on individual need, but production quality is the common factor that you rely on when choosing that knife.

Thanks for doing this Mike!
 
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I voted Case because the SBJ is available with stainless steel. I get that people love carbon steel and the way it sharpens. BUT to me, a work knife ought to have stainless, because if I need to rely on a tool, and rust is a potential threat to the tool, then I'll take the stainless. GEC is a little stingy releasing 440C knives. Never had a Queen Country Cousin, so I couldn't factor that in, really.

Edit - if you feel this is too preference-y, then let me know. But I thought that, given the nature of this particular poll, a little more insight might be helpful since I didn't vote with brand loyalty in mind, but instead with the idea of a "work knife".
 
For a working knife, I think GEC is the king with the Farm and Field line.
 
In for Queen based on a lockback Mountain Man in D2 (after re-ground / convexed), that I once owned.
 
I've tried, but cannot come up with comments that wouldn't be construed as political!
Simply put, I love the people that make them, and the knives, at GEC!
 
traumkommode said:
I voted Case because the SBJ is available with stainless steel. I get that people love carbon steel and the way it sharpens. BUT to me, a work knife ought to have stainless, because if I need to rely on a tool, and rust is a potential threat to the tool, then I'll take the stainless. GEC is a little stingy releasing 440C knives. Never had a Queen Country Cousin, so I couldn't factor that in, really.
Click to expand...

Hey, I get it. I live in the desert, and people think the desert is dry. And it is, most of the time. But then there's monsoon season. About mid-July storms roll in and for a few months it's humid like down in GA (well, maybe not quite that humid) and we get random thunderstorms that range from downpours to practically hurricanes. During that time I typically oil up my carbon steel knives and only carry stainless. That narrows it down to Case or Camillus for me.
 
tomsch said:
That's exactly what I was thinking when I voted.
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I've got nothing against the Case yellow CV line, but I think that, at least for guys like us that know how to maintain a knife, the GEC F&F line is a far better value.

That said, and not on this poll, the Opinel is a fantastic working man's knife. A 6, 7, or 8 (or whatever size you prefer) is an amazing bargain for $15, give or take a few bucks. Use it, sharpen it, use it, sharpen it, you don't have to worry about chipping the bone, gouging the wood, scratching the blade, who cares about some rust, etc. Use it until it's used up and get another one. No worries, no regret, no sense of loss. It's like those retractable utility knifes except it doesn't suck.
 
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