Recommend me some classic slip joint knives

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DaveH1

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Mar 27, 2025
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I'm looking for a case knives or hen and rooster type knives (Slip joint with nice handles stag or something nice) but with much better steel than 420hc/440c,etc...do you know of any?

I am aware of Lionsteel bestman which uses m390

Rough rider knives cattleman - 1095

Boker trapper -D2 steel

Do you know of any other?

THanks
 
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I like the Tuna Valley line, which have CPM154 blades. Here is representation of some recent knives.
all-phoenix-01lo-jpg.2780289
 
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Any good leatherworkers that make a nice sheath for these type of knives? Under $200 preferably. With a snap closure, belt carry.

I already see sheaths on Amazon and eBay, but most of them look generic, boring and cheap.

I'd like to have something nice with nice tool work or maybe ray skin inlay or alligator hide, or just cow hide with nice tooling.
 
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DaveH1 said:
Any good leatherworkers that make a nice sheath for these type of knives? Under $200 preferably. With a snap closure, belt carry.

I already see sheaths on Amazon and eBay, but most of them look generic, boring and cheap.

I'd like to have something nice with nice tool work or maybe ray skin inlay or alligator hide, or just cow hide with nice tooling.
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There's tons of guys doing leather slips for pocket knives im sure there's even some on the forum here.
 
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Rosecraft makes a good knife in D2 if you're okay with them being made in china. If cost is no factor and you want a really well made knife (its in 1095 though) i think there's still 2024 forum knives available. Made by Great Eastern Cutlery
 
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Carboniferous said:
What does "much better than 420HC/440C mean?" 420HC has better edge retention than 1095 and better edge stability than D2 or ATS-34, no? So with 420HC properly hardened (Queen and Buck both did 420HC well, Queen used 420HC in the 90s and up through 2002 or so before switching to D2 as their standard steel and continued using it on some models thereafter), you can theoretically lower the edge angle further than you can with something like D2, and edge geometry matters more for edge retention than alloy does.

Sorry for the diversion lol, as far as your actual question goes I'd also suggest taking a look at AG Russell. They have some nice slipjoints, they use 8Cr etc. on their cheaper knives but use stuff like M390 on the more premium models, and lots of older models on the used market with ATS-34.
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I run my slipjoints and non folding sheath knives equipped with 440A/440C/425HC/10XX/T10/7CR17MoV/9CR18MoV/ whatever the carbon/carbone is used by Opinel, Mora, and A. Wright and Son, and other European countries is, and whatever Rosfree that Victorinox, MAM, and other Spanish, French, German, and other Euro countries quote-unquote "simple"/"obsolete" blade steels at 20° inclusive (10° per side) for 65 years and counting.

I know my Busk 110's equipped with their standard 425HC blades (after reprofiling to 20° inclusive) will field dress and peel three whitetail deer before needing stropped. I have not been hunting for a few decades, so I don't know how many deer my 110's with 5160, S30V, CPM154, and Magnacut will do before needing stropped. Larren told me his Mgnacut can hande my preferred 20° inclusive edge. However, I have not reprofiled it yet. I think Buck has it at a 30° inclusive edge. The others were reprofiled to a 25° inclusive edge.
My (US) Schrade+ and 1095 equipped Old Timer 6/7OT's (20°inclusive edge) can process roughly 2.5 deer before stropping.
I only use my knives for knife tasks; cutting, slicing, peeling, whittling, etc. I don't use them to split firewood, or to fell a tree.
The "gods" invented saws and axes to fell trees, and froes, and wedges to split firewood.

The more acute the edge, the better they slice, and, the longer the "working edge" lasts. (I know ... it sounds "backwards".)

Edge geometry and heat treat matters much more than what steel is used.

For updated steels, (offshore) Marbles has (or had, I'm not sure if they still do) a line with D2 blades and black G10 covers.
I have one of the sowbelly stockmans from that series. (reprofiled to 30° inclusive.)
IMG_20231016_214454.jpg

I used this Rough Rider Sunfish (440A, 20° inclusive edges) to whittle the inlet for a sliding shelf lock, in a piece of seasoned oak.
It did not need sharpened or even stropped when I was finished.
IMG_20241209_193132.jpg
IMG_20240229_063306.jpg
 
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afishhunter said:
I run my slipjoints and non folding sheath knives equipped with 440A/440C/425HC/10XX/T10/7CR17MoV/9CR18MoV/ whatever the carbon/carbone is used by Opinel, Mora, and A. Wright and Son, and other European countries is, and whatever Rosfree that Victorinox, MAM, and other Spanish, French, German, and other Euro countries quote-unquote "simple"/"obsolete" blade steels at 20° inclusive (10° per side) for 65 years and counting.

I know my Busk 110's equipped with their standard 425HC blades (after reprofiling to 20° inclusive) will field dress and peel three whitetail deer before needing stropped. I have not been hunting for a few decades, so I don't know how many deer my 110's with 5160, S30V, CPM154, and Magnacut will do before needing stropped. Larren told me his Mgnacut can hande my preferred 20° inclusive edge. However, I have not reprofiled it yet. I think Buck has it at a 30° inclusive edge. The others were reprofiled to a 25° inclusive edge.
My (US) Schrade+ and 1095 equipped Old Timer 6/7OT's (20°inclusive edge) can process roughly 2.5 deer before stropping.
I only use my knives for knife tasks; cutting, slicing, peeling, whittling, etc. I don't use them to split firewood, or to fell a tree.
The "gods" invented saws and axes to fell trees, and froes, and wedges to split firewood.

The more acute the edge, the better they slice, and, the longer the "working edge" lasts. (I know ... it sounds "backwards".)

Edge geometry and heat treat matters much more than what steel is used.

For updated steels, (offshore) Marbles has (or had, I'm not sure if they still do) a line with D2 blades and black G10 covers.
I have one of the sowbelly stockmans from that series. (reprofiled to 30° inclusive.)
View attachment 2838129

I used this Rough Rider Sunfish (440A, 10° inclusive edges) to whittle the inlet for a sliding shelf lock, in a piece of seasoned oak.
It did not need sharpened or even stropped when I was finished.
View attachment 2838127
View attachment 2838128
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I think you're right about Buck aiming for 30 inclusive, 20 inclusive is lower than I've ever tried going but that's a perfect example. 420HC should hold up to that just fine, it's really really tough, but I wouldn't want to take K390 or D2 below 30 inclusive.

I know there are equations to estimate it but I forget the coefficients and am lazy, I'd be curious to see how 420HC at 20 inclusive and 57-59 HRC would compare to 440C or even D2 at 30 degrees and 57-59 HRC.
 
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DaveH1 said:
I'm looking for a case knives or hen and rooster type knives (Slip joint with nice handles stag or something nice) but with much better steel than 420hc/440c,etc...do you know of any?

I am aware of Lionsteel bestman which uses m390

Rough rider knives cattleman - 1095

Boker trapper -D2 steel

Do you know of any other?

THanks
Click to expand...

You mention the Lionsteel Bestman. There are a number of Italian slipjoints with M390 blades from Lionsteel, Viper, and Fox. I'm not sure if Mike Latham is still a paid dealer so I can't link his site here. But you can PM me for info.
 
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B3I9wsU.jpeg

Here is a Cooper cutlery in D2. Pull about a 9, I lightened to 7. If you want more-modern slip joints... Jack Wolf w/ fat carbon, James brand Wayland? Of course the custom builders cosimo, kroo, and others on the site have awesome examples if you can afford em they are a great option. Searching for sites with traditional knives and filtering by steel did me well. That's how I found lionsteel roundhead. Google search by image for forum knives on "the porch" has found me quite a few. Good luck
 
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JTR357 said:
I'm not sure what your username is referring to but you sure ain't no rookie knife collector. Beautiful collection. Very impressive! 👍🏼
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Thank you. I was a rookie at one time. As a little kid I used to hang out at the knife shows with my grandpa and all the old men who were each a wealth of knowledge, while I was more interested in baseball cards and cartoons.
 
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Katz Knives makes some slipjoints out of Japan with XT-80 stainless steel (appears to be a slight improvement over AUS-8). I haven't bought one yet, but I recall several members posting positive opinions about the stockman models.
 
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