Recommendations: Grandpa knives

Lots of options for traditional knives. I would check out Case, they have everything under the sun to pick from and they make a good knife with a good warranty. Their standard trappers are always a good choice.

Come check out the Traditional sub forum aka “The Porch” here, it’s great.
 
For a single blade for just cutting stuff, I really like the Boker Gentlemans knife. It's a nice little lock back with decent D2 steel and is reasonably priced. Honestly, of all the "readily available" brands (excluding GEC and the like that are like hunting unicorns), I think Boker may be my favorite traditional marker currently. I do need to give Case another try, though. I have heard they have gotten a lot better.

I do like traditional that work a tool or two into the mix. I mean I really love SAKs and the like, but the simplicity of the GEC Beer Scout makes for a wonderful little weekend carry knife. Cut stuff, open bottle, pry a little, turn a screw, etc.
 
Terrain 365 make a "younger" alternative to the Grandpa Knife, James Brand has a few different and interesting types as well.
 
I like a Boker copperhead (110823ST, 110863)

www.bokerusa.com

Traditional Series 2.0 Copperhead Stag

The highly successful Traditional Series has been taken to a new level. Not only have we added a wide variety of patterns and handle materials, we've also upgraded the blade steel to rugged D2 . True classics with modern...
www.bokerusa.com www.bokerusa.com

or a 2 blade trapper (lockback - 110869)

www.bokerusa.com

TS 2.0 Double Lock Trapper Jigged Brown Bone

Our mission: Tradition! The Boker Traditional Series 2.0 takes the ephemeral out of time and is the answer to yesterday for tomorrow. Equipped with a drop-point and a sheepsfoot blade, the Boker Double Lock Trapper is more flexible in...
www.bokerusa.com www.bokerusa.com
 
Maybe A G Russell's modern traditional Barlow pattern.

Grandpa Russell.JPG


Rough Ryder made a couple modern traditional patterns. These are my electrician and whittler. My sunfish is busted (back spring cracked while in my pocket!), so it's MIA.

Grandpa Mod_Trads.JPG


If you want something made in the States, there are a variety of electrician pattern knives from names your grandpa would also recognize.

Grandpa Electrician.JPG


Top to bottom, a Camillus, new old stock. I guess they made thousands of these that were never sold, so now people find boxes of them in original packaging and put them up on the auction site for very reasonable prices.

Ka-Bar electrician pattern. You can't see it in this photo, but the Ka-Bar is the widest one in the picture.

Case, Case. The one has obviously seen some enthusiastic maintenance. All four purchased off the 'bay, for less than $150. Three of them are probably older than I am, and have stories to tell, if they could. You would likely have to wait until after The Work was done, and offer them some good whiskey in exchange.
 
I like the Chris Reve line of pocvket folders.

How about a Small Sebenza 31?

There are other models that are slimmer.

All are finely made from quality materials. Any of them would be great as a real worl, genuine, every-day-carry knife.
 
I'm a grandpa and most of the time I carry a Case large stockman, or trapper.

You really can't go wrong with either, I find the sheepsfoot blade on the large stockman the most useful and I like having three blades.
Both are good size knives; Case seems to be consistent on the QC and "spring pull" with those patterns.

On the other hand, I bought a single blade Rosecraft knife in D2 steel, it disappears in the pocket and the blade shape is very useful for most cutting.

case_group.jpg
 
Stringjam7 said:
I've carried a SAK Adventurer longer than I've carried most of the modern folders in my collection. The long-blade locking SAKs are really underrated, IMO. I can't think of anything I ever do with a folder that couldn't be done well with a Sentinel.

s7cVwY3.jpeg
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I carried an adventurer for a long time. Lost it in a hospital in Greenville SC. They wouldn’t let me enter the hospital with it and I forgot to get it out of security until I was many miles down the road. They DID let us bring our 110lb American Bulldog into emergency and then up to the room overnight because they didn’t want her to have to spend the night in a car (with me)! Real nice folks!
I do have a Sentinel now, great knife that’ll do any reasonable pocket knife task reasonably well!
 
YetAnotherKnifeEnthusiast said:
I love my autos and my Spydercos and such, but sometimes I find myself wishing I had a "daily driver" pocket knife to do some dirty work. I find myself gravitating towards knives like the Boker mini trapper, case, old timer, etc. I REALLY liked the looks of the Boker, it looked very clean.

Two blades is nice, easy to open, nice and shiny, doesn't have to be too big.

So I just wanted to see what you all had to recommend!
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I am a grandpa several times over and 75. I would prefer CRK sebenza's, in large, wood scales. Thanks
 
Idk What a "grandpa" knife is...?








But when I started making this pattern. The Actual name is No Love, but behind the scenes I affectionately call it my Old Man Knife.

It just feels right in these beat up, sore, aging hands.... Large, ergo grip for that sort of thing.
Ole timey D2 Ingot steel. Large carbides, stays sharp and Toothy for a long time.
 
YetAnotherKnifeEnthusiast said:
Thank you all SO MUCH for the great insight!! I'm afraid you've all made my decision even worse 😂😂😂😂
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Understanding how much there is to learn is an important step on the way to mastery, and knife collecting.

If you really get lost in this hobby, you'll find yourself developing Opinions about subjects you would never have believed could be important!
 
I'm a grandpa and I grew up with those type of knives. Schrade Old Timer 1095, Remington green box 1095, and my favorites the old Imperial Jackmaster knives circa 1980. In fact I have a complete store display with intact NOS knives in the storage section inside.
https://www.collectors-of-schrades-r.us/FLYERS/IMPERIALS/knives/1980-2004/pages/JM-80.htm ( Note: Not for sale, it's a collection thing"

Those old carbon steel knives can be sharpened about as easy as any knife I have ever sharpened and considering I have a bunch of them from from the 60's through the 90's vintage that haven't really much if any maintenance and are still going strong.

There are still plenty of decent examples of the 3 brands above for very low prices some of which are still NOS in original packaging. Old Queen cutlery D2 knives make pretty good carry knives once thinned and sharpened well but they for sure aren't as easy to put edges on as any of the ones I listed.

Good luck
 
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