Slipjoint quality control

B

beef

Joined
Feb 15, 2004
Messages
680
Hi All,
I'm interested in picking up a stockman pattern slipjoint. The problem is that living in Australia, I have to buy all my knives sight unseen. which can be be a game of risk.

Which brands have the most consistent quality control in terms of walk and talk?
I have a great gunstock trapper from Schrade (pre takeover) but two of their other knives I own are very difficult to open.
I ordered two case knives, a peanut and a stockman. The peanut is perfect (I love the yellow handles) but the stockman has very weak "snap".
All my victorinox are great, but they don't do traditional patterns unfortunately.

I like carbon but would be willing to try stainless. Any price range (barring high end custom work).
If you had to take a gamble on a knife company, which would be most likely to impress?

Thanks in advance.
 
beef said:
If you had to take a gamble on a knife company, which would be most likely to impress?
Click to expand...

GEC, higher-end Queen or Northwoods. The knives I've received from all three have yet to disappoint.
 
Go for a GEC mate, I have the same sight unseen issue as you. Kris
 
I'll offer what little experience I have, and it is little. Victorinox are the pinnacle of consistency. All three I have bought have been perfect and the two classics were so identical I wouldn't be able to tell them apart had it not been for different scales (and btw I would consider them traditional by now). Cognet (douk douk) couldn't care less about fit and finnish, but the powerful spring makes it all click nicely once it' worn in a bit (I edc a squirrel :) ). Grohmann R360S is a fantastic little knife, and the one I have came in perfect and the people over there are very nice, but it's only stainless.

hope that's of any help

edit: missed the part about stockman... oh well, check them out anyway if you want. R360S is a serpentine stockman (I think)
 
GEC by a country mile in my experience. (GEC, Tideoute and Northfield).

I have had real hit or miss with Case, Queen, and Schatt & Morgan File and Wire, though the S&M is probably one of my favorite knives).
 
I have a Buck Stockman that I've carried for 15+ years to work and for EDC. I'm not sure how much of a hassle it is to get one in Australia but Bucks are good reliable knives.

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You'll notice that I lost the tip off one blade using it as screwdriver/pry bar/whatever was needed at work, LOL.

By the way the other non-traditional knife is a light weight Buck I carry with it now.
 
Great Eastern (GEC) makes wonderful knives. Their fit and finish is exceptional, in my opinion.
 
I personally was very disappointed in Northfield/GEC. Only A sample size of one, but it was one of the worst somewhat expensive knives I have ever handled.
 
GEC for sure, and I've owned and handled hundreds. Even better, try and find one in our "For Sale Traditionals" subforum that's used, where the owner can describe any faults the knife may have. You pay less, and get a reasonably sure thing.
 
I would have thought that Australia would have a large slipjoint market with all the big names representing and some we dont see here in the US? Im wondering too if South Africa has a slipjoint pattern that is common there. Sorry to tangent.
 
akadave2 said:
I would have thought that Australia would have a large slipjoint market with all the big names representing and some we dont see here in the US? Im wondering too if South Africa has a slipjoint pattern that is common there. Sorry to tangent.
Click to expand...
I think the internet has taken care of any knife business in this country.With the exception of low end junk beaters from disposal(surplus) stores and camping shops to high end customs. You might get an Opinel or SAK and that (and please correct me if I'm wrong) is that.
So Beef- go for GEC if you simply HAVE to have a new knife. I have several and they are faultless and beautiful. OR I have another option for you if you are game to PM me your mailing address.....no wukkers.
 
Never been disappointed with Gec, but I also would recommend German made Boker traditionals if you are looking at a lower price point, great value for a really well made, well finished knife, with nice carbon blades.

Pete
 
I've had quite a few GEC's pass through my hands, and I've never had a blaring quality issue. Very consistent.
Queen and Schatt & Morgan have been hit or miss with blade grind problems and blade wiggle.
 
Apart from GEC, (I've only had limited experience, but only 1 of 7 knives I've bought from them was a mild disappointment - which is a pretty good average for slipjoints), a g russell also has excellent and reliable quality.
 
The only issue I've ever had with GEC is the occasional proud blade tip, which one minute with a coarse stone on the kick solves the problem. With a couple Queen and 1 Schatt I've had thick blade grinds, all my other Schatt & Morgan's have been perfect. Case can be off sometimes but their CS has always taken care of it. It seems like Buck and Victorinox/Wenger are the most consistent, and I guess this is so because of the high level of machine processes compared to the others' hand made steps.
 
The GECs I have owned have been great.... I think this would be your best bet in a production knife.

Case is generally good, but they have a few slip out. I'll order online, but I don't have to ship to or from Australia, so I might think twice.

Buck makes a solid knife, but the one I recently got wasn't finished all that well. Mechanically, it was solid and right, but they got a little happy cleaning up the bolsters, so one is a little lopsided.

I've only had one queen, but it was solid.
 
The stockman I had from GEC was a five blade stockman, and it was a nail breaker. I really liked the design, but not worth the hassle. I have not tried the calf ropers, most of my new GEC's have all had smooth pulls. I have to give them another chance, but I have not seen a stockman/cattle knife from GEC that I like. They are my favorite brand, they need to make a premium stockman, and soon.

I have four stockmen made by Queen. A cattleman, a Northwoods large stockman, a 2012 Heritage premium stockman made under the Schatt and Morgan brand and an Ontario RAT large stockman with punch. The Queen, Northwoods and RAT have been very consistent in quality, one was brand new to me, the cattleman. It came out of the box pretty sharp. I had a small stockman in the past, from Queen, and it's edges were poor. The Heritage 2012 has exhibited some fit and finish issues since I got it, and the edge was serviceable, but not as sharp as the others.

The Case Bose sowbelly stockmans are a good choice, but I would recommend CV. Any of the CV stockmans from Case, from small to extra large, would be a good choice as well.
 
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