Show Us Your Boys Knife

[Will Power]

It’s interesting to see the cross section of bone, and how the dye moves through it. Thanks for sharing Will!

Hadn't thought of it like that, but you're right It was a great present from the great Charlie C and with wear it offers much character.

 

[Gonzalo]

Lots of nice GECs and Albers and CSCs knives here that are current descendants of boys' knives, but as a couple of posters have pointed out, their cost (and availability) tend to render them unsuitable for a kid's budget!

So, the vintage models that John mentions are the examples that appeal most to me. I really like the ones posted by @Rich S and G Gonzalo and @Just Tom. and @ea42 .










I also like this serious question about defining the term "boy's knife". I've quoted a post from an old thread on Boys' Knives that lists some characteristics of the pattern(s) in the past. The old thread is very interesting, but unfortunately, most of its photos have disappeared since I first read it 6 or 7 years ago.




- GT

Thank you 5K Qs.

 

[Matt_WY]

Good idea for a thread John.

Here's a highly favored (on many levels) Boys Knife.

sparerow​

redsparrow great looking knife. Was this handle material called barbwire or something to that effect? And is it actually a micarta and wire composite?

 

[redsparrow]

redsparrow great looking knife. Was this handle material called barbwire or something to that effect? And is it actually a micarta and wire composite?

Thanks Matt. A wire composite was my thought upon seeing it for the first time. I don't know how it's formed but it's all micarta, I believe. Eric (maker) and Rich (seller) both called it snakeskin micarta. I found it interesting due to it's uniqueness and a good fit for the theme of a boys knife.

 

[BrotherJim]

I've always thought of a Barlow as a good boys knife.
Maybe Mark Twain and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer had something to do with it.

 

[Matt_WY]

Thanks Matt. A wire composite was my thought upon seeing it for the first time. I don't know how it's formed but it's all micarta, I believe. Eric (maker) and Rich (seller) both called it snakeskin micarta. I found it interesting due to it's uniqueness and a good fit for the theme of a boys knife.

Thanks for the clarification, really an interesting looking material.

 

[Sacto]

Great thread, John. That Case in your first post is awesome. Does it have a pattern number?

The 15 pattern is probably my favorite pattern and I really like boys knives. Unfortunately looking through my handful of 15s I don’t have 1 proper boys knife. I do have a 14 if we’re counting those. Here it is with some “boy’s” stuff (which happens to be my Mom’s old comic book).

 

[JohnDF]

Does it have a pattern number?

Case #31024 1/2

 

[mbkr]

I was going to take a new group shot, but I can't get the weather to cooperate, so I'm going to recycle some more old pics

Red Trouts

Teal Green G-10


Brown Micarta


Maple


Ironwood. I no longer have this one. Traded it on the exchange for the Albers


The aforementioned Albers in Katalox


Canal Street made Moore Makers

Osage


White Ash

 

[JohnDF]

I've been thinking this through for a couple of days now.
We obviously have a pattern for a Boys Knife, but it doesn't really fit the "criteria" for a Boys Knife any more.
Most Boys Knife Patterns produced today carry a hefty price tag, and that kind of excludes it for a child's firs knife purchase these days.
So given the "criteria" of cheap, easy to obtain, smaller size, and easy to open... I keep thinking the Case Sodbuster Jr fits the bill quite nicely.

 

[mbkr]

I've been thinking this through for a couple of days now.
We obviously have a pattern for a Boys Knife, but it doesn't really fit the "criteria" for a Boys Knife any more.
Most Boys Knife Patterns produced today carry a hefty price tag, and that kind of excludes it for a child's firs knife purchase these days.
So given the "criteria" of cheap, easy to obtain, smaller size, and easy to open... I keep thinking the Case Sodbuster Jr fits the bill quite nicely.

I think someone else mentioned it above: any of a number of SAK's are great Boys - I feel I must comment that the term "Boys Knife" is inherently exclusetory (if that's not a word, it should be). What about the Girls? They need first knives too Youth's knife? Youngster's knife? Maybe just "First knife"? - anyway the Saks are great Boys Knives

 

[abbydaddy]

I've been thinking this through for a couple of days now.
We obviously have a pattern for a Boys Knife, but it doesn't really fit the "criteria" for a Boys Knife any more.
Most Boys Knife Patterns produced today carry a hefty price tag, and that kind of excludes it for a child's firs knife purchase these days.
So given the "criteria" of cheap, easy to obtain, smaller size, and easy to open... I keep thinking the Case Sodbuster Jr fits the bill quite nicely.

Well then in that case, here is my boy's knife

 

[JohnDF]

Saks are great FIRST Knives

Fixed it for you.
I guess the Vic #1 Solo would fit the "criteria" of simple single blade.

 

[BrotherJim]

 

[Misplaced Hillbilly]

Colonial, Voos, Boker
I guess the Voos qualifies, I figured boys knives would be budget friendly. I don't know if it would have been when new.

 

[Sacto]

On the subject of Boys’ Knives, my family and I went to the Red Wing boots headquarters a couple years ago and saw these in the museum - not something you would ever see made now.

How cool would that be as a kid?

 

[JoKr]

 

[JohnDF]

How cool would that be as a kid?

That would be so cool.

 

[Snoopy1]

My only boys knife was the 2nd Gec I got and it has seen a good deal of pocket time. If I remember correctly I only paid $40 for it. (good times)
Lefty so took the dremel to it right away to make it pinchable. This was before I found out how gloriously pinchable the clip point TC Barlow is!


Before: 2013

After: 2019

today:

 

[Augie]

An original old Imperial metal handled boys knife with it's original chain which is harder to find than the knife.