Recommend a slipjoint that isn't too hard to open......for a 94 year old WWII vet

jonnymac44

jonnymac44

Joined
Sep 27, 2007
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Hey guys, haven't been around much lately due to crazy new work schedule but wanted to ask this group for a bit of advice...

Most of my blades are a bit more modern with the exception of a few Case slipjoints here and there so I'm no expert on traditional folders and I need some input for my wife's grandfather Leonard, who is a 94 year old WWII combat vet and ex POW, still going strong and still loves to carry a pocket knife to open his mail or cut an apple, etc.

He lost his old favorite recently and my mother in law picked him up a small Buck three blade. Can't remember the model number but the spring is tight as heck and he's having trouble with it. Any suggestions for a decent small slipjoint that has a lighter spring for easier opening with his old hands?

Thanks for the help!
 
Well, for starters, can you end out what his old favorite pocket knife was? Could make all the difference in the world to him. IMagine if you could find the make and model still in production, and getting him one?
 
The Otter-Messer Sailor knife has quite a bit of blade above the handle and would be easy to open, pinching the blade. products-1464-1-large_Otter-Messer-German-Nautical-Sailor-s-Anchor-Knife---M35K.jpg
 
I don't think I would look for a specific manufacturer. What I would look for is a specific knife, one that you might want to hand pick yourself for its ability to open with little effort. Quality is off and on, and while some here like the nail breaking bear traps, others like softer pulls. Sadly, even examples of the same model of knife from a manufacturer might have distinctly different pulls.

As a start, I would look for something like an easy open model, or a knife like EdT showed with a blade you can pinch. If you have an idea of what type of knife you want to get (single blade, stockman, barlow, sodbuster, etc.) then you could call one of the fine vendors that frequent this sub forum and I would bet with a bit of explanation one of them would pick one out for you.

Good on ya' for getting him rigged back up.

Before my Dad passed, he had so many problems grasping things that my Mom and sisters took his knives away from him for carry, and wouldn't even let him have one for fear of cutting himself if he tried to use it. THAT really depressed him, more than I can describe.

In an act of mutiny and much to the complete anger of my family members I went out and bought him a new knife with pretty light pulls. But even with a light/medium pull, it would take him some minutes to get it open. When he did, he was pretty doggone pleased with himself. After a while, he couldn't get it open at will, so he left it open on his table by his chair, ready for use. It was always within easy reach, "just in case" he needed it.

Sometime later, he confessed that he had dropped it a couple of times in his lap. Since I had sharpened it for him and it had quite a nice edge, he told me he thought he might lose some of his equipment package if he fumbled around too much. With that in mind he decided he would carry it, and only open up the blades as needed. He carried that knife until his last trip to the hospital, and he never had it open for the last 6+ months he was here. But he never, ever, went anywhere without it. It made him happy just to have it in his pocket.

I understand. Sounds like you do too, jonnymac. (I recognize you from the old Kershaw gang!)

Robert
 
Wow midnight flyer, you just brought tears to my eyes. Sounds like your old man was a hell of a guy.

And jonnymac, you're doing a really awesome thing trying to get him a new knife to carry. Props to you.
 
jackknife said:
Well, for starters, can you end out what his old favorite pocket knife was? Could make all the difference in the world to him. IMagine if you could find the make and model still in production, and getting him one?
Click to expand...

Good start :)

You did good Robert :thumbup:
 
For older hands, I'm a big fan of the 2 blade utility knife that was issued during WWII. The most common ones seem to have been made by Imperial, but Camillus and Pal made them too. Springs tend to be on the soft side, and the main (spear) blade can usually be pinched open. I've got a similar Pal I've been meaning to convert to E-O for a friend with arthritis.
 
Maybe try giving him a steel thumb nail . I know that is what AG Russell calls them and GEC has one called the top popper. (or is it tube popper?)Basically it is a piece of steel that you insert into the nail nick to help leverage the blade open. Here is a pic that I saved off the web a long time ago. Sorry I can't remember who's pic it is to give credit. Also here is the LINK to AG Russell DSCN0061.jpg
 
Opinel.

No spring

Plus easier to grip than a flatter knife, also it would be fairly easy to carve out an easy open cutout to make it even easier to open
 
I have the perfect solution for opening mail and slicing and peeling fruit, the Case Doctor's knife. Unlike most Case slip joints, this baby opens very easily, and is perfectly sized for this distinguished gentleman....

 
I would grab a nice Easy Opener with some neat Bone scales - I think he would relate to that knife well.
 
My reccomendation would be an easy open knife as well. GEC for example makes these still. However I noted that my mother at her tender age of 65 has problems opening my #85 EO, not because she can`t hold onto the blade but because of the stiffness of the spring up to the halfstop.

I also would suggest a Opinel modded for EO.
 
Canal St. Half Moon trapper, single blade very mild spring on these.

How about a CASE Mini Copperlock? Very EZ-Open on this and the lock is easy to shut unlike some LBs.
 
buck slip joints are built like tanks but yes, the action is kinda tough. same with GEC slippies. i'll recommend the big GECs last for your gramps. i do believe we come to one strong point for case knives: their action is soft and buttery smooth, thanks to brass liners and modest spring tension. get him a single blade case in stainless steel so he won't have to worry about rust. i would recommend the tiny toothpick but he might fumble at the small size. get a medium size toothpick therefore.
 
What about a lockback like a Buck 501 squire? Not a slipjoint, but easier to open.

501w.jpg
 
The AG Russell Cowboy and Ranch knives are easy to open.
Light springs and there's a lot of exposed blade , makes them easy to pinch.
 
jonnymac44 said:
I need some input for my wife's grandfather Leonard, who is a 94 year old WWII combat vet and ex POW, still going strong and still loves to carry a pocket knife to open his mail or cut an apple, etc.

He lost his old favorite recently and my mother in law picked him up a small Buck three blade. Can't remember the model number but the spring is tight as heck and he's having trouble with it. Any suggestions for a decent small slipjoint that has a lighter spring for easier opening with his old hands?
Click to expand...

That's surprising to hear about the Buck as they usually have quite a light pull. As to what to buy him, I highly recommend you seek out a U.S.-made Schrade Old Timer 12OT single-blade peanut. Super, little knife with great carbon steel and, being a single blader, it's quite easy to pull open. Since the modern "Schrade" knives are made in China by someone who bought that trademark when the original company went out of business, you'll likely have to go to that big auction site to find one. But they're pretty common there, and not all that expensive.

Ed T said:
The Otter-Messer Sailor knife has quite a bit of blade above the handle and would be easy to open, pinching the blade. View attachment 406428
Click to expand...

Not so sure I'd buy a German sailor's knife for a 94-year-old WWII vet.

-- Mark
 
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What about a small fixed blade that he can carry in his pocket? That should be okay in Cali right? Something with a blade of about 2.5" or less? If you can find an older EO jack, with a lighter pull after years of use, he might go for that. Find out if used knives are okay with him, some people are funny about that. He might be fine with it, or might not want someone elses knife and its memories.

I've always thought the Buck folders to have light springs, at least compared to some of the earlier nail breakers from GEC.

Also, I think the pull on my 15 Charlows and barehead jack knife to be about perfect. My father says they're too tight.
 
If you can't replace what he had before, I second the Canal Street Half Moon Trapper. I sampled a bunch of them at their open house. All had very light pulls. At 3-1/4" it shouldn't be small and fumbly, but as a single bladed knife it is light and thin.

Also, you can file the corners of most knives with half stops to make the action softer.
 
The Northwoods Norfolk (GEC made) is a great small carry with a light pull.

Regards


Robin
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