Stockman, Barlow, or Sodbuster?

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Bartleby

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Oct 28, 2005
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I find that I am rotating my EDC knife choice between my CV stockman, my old user Barlow (a Colonial Old Cutler with wood handles), and my Case Sodbuster jr. All of these are really user type knives, rather than collector's treasures. I was wondering, especially seeing that a lot of people are getting into carrying Barlows lately (judging from recent posts anyway), which of these types y'all prefer, and for what reasons?
 
Stockman. Nothing against Barlows, I just don't need a jack, usually. A sodbuster seems about useless to me, but that's me.
 
In order, stockman is my favorite because it's good at just about everything. next is the sodbuster because of it's size and for some reason I just like them, as long as they're cv. I've never carried a barlow very much, don't have anything against them just haven't had any good barlows. now just to muddy the waters a little you really need to throw in a case, full size, trapper with yellow scales and cv steel. trust me on this one, sex on a stick. later, ahgar
 
It's hard to beat a stockman (unless it's a canoe!). I find an old carbon steel Case 6347 or 6318 makes a great carry knife, 3 blades to choose from, and a good fit in the pocket. Barlows are great, but most feel a little too chunky in my pocket, except my old Robeson, which has semi-sunk joints, and a smooth profile.
I've never tried a sodbuster; maybe I will sometime.
All that said, some of the older slim canoes are the best carry knives around. I just picked up a 9-dot (1971) redbone Case at the Oregon show that's nice and slim and purty! As if I needed another one!
 
I guess I should include the full size trappers, just a bit too large for me to carry. The first really nice slipjoint I encountered as a working knife was a regular trapper carried by a man I worked with (he was at least 6'5" and so proportionally, the trapper was a good fit). I'm thinking it was a repro Remington, but can't remember.
 
I'll always go with stockman as first choice in a slippy. Running neck and neck for second are the barlow and scout knife. I still have the bone handle Imperial scout knife my dad gave me when I made 1st class.

But I have more stockmen in edc rotation than any other knife. Case, Hen and Rooster, Boker, Keen Kutter, Imperial, Schrade, Eye-brand.
 
guess i'd have to go with stockman, although i prefer the curve of a sowbelly.
 
I just bought my first Barlow about a week and a half ago, and it's been in my pocket everyday since. I normally got for Stockman and Congress patterns, but I am finding the Barlow to be a great EDC.
 
Like everyone else it would seem, stockman is my favorite and most often carried.

My next favorite pattern however is the Case 6292. It's got the same four inch frame as the Case Stockman but has a large clip and small spear (pen) in Jack configuration so is very similar to a barlow. What I like about it is the versatility of the two blade configuration combined with the fact that the blades lie pretty flat in the closed position. The only thing I don't like so much about stockmen is the fact that the sheepfoot sits up pretty high in the closed position and for me makes a less comfortable grip when using the clip or spey.

I guess that puts the sodbuster Jr. in third place, but I really like that pattern too. It's a great whittler/slicer and as one blade knives go it's very versatile. It's got plenty of belly for skinning/slicing, and has a decent point for punching holes etc. Ergonomically it's one of my very favorite slipjoint patterns.

Just to prove I am at least a little discriminating, I'm not too partial to canoes or trappers. No reason in particular, it's just a matter of taste I guess.

Good topic!
 
A Sodbuster is great at work... lots of useful things can be done with this little devil, opening things, like jammed cupboard doors, cutting string, cutting packaging and plastic sheet, etc. also great for jobs around the house and garden.

My favourite is still a Barlow....I just love the big shiny bolsters, always carry one, BUT.....

Stockmen are very useful and I collect them...../ so I am always attracted to a nice stockman knife, especially a Schrade or a Case or a Boker, or Buck Creek... just got an old Buck Creek last week and decided to use it, and it cuts very well, stainless Solingen, but nicely holds an edge.

I find the sheepsfoot the most useful blade, the spey is good for small delicate jobs, my Buck Creek has a small pen instead of a spey, which is very nice.
 
I think that a lot of personal preference for one style over another comes down to a balance of utility and ergonomics. I like the stockman for whittling. I too don't like the way that most manufacturers leave the sheepsfoot sitting high on a stockman, but I usually bring it lower by adjusting the kick with a file (I'm also partial to the mediums serpentine stockman like the old Uncle Henry 897-the turkish clip gets out of the way). I like my old barlow b/c the darn thing is so tough (it also started out pretty rough in terms of finish, so time has made the wood smoother and in my opinion more classy). The sodbuster has been growing on me of late because the handle is such a good fit to my hand.
 
When I'm toting a slippie, it's usually the Old Timer 2-blade jack that was my grandfathers.

I have two little kids so my knife-buying budget is pretty well zippo. But when I can, I'm aiming to buy a Boker stockman in carbon steel and a Case trapper in CV. I haven't had a trapper for years.
 
Right now my Yellow Handle CV Case Sod Buster Jr. is my EDC. I plan on getting a stockman in the same line. I'll just have to see then. So far I'm loving the sodbuster for EDC. I appreciate the extra blades on the stockman as I did when I carried one regularly years ago, but this knife just carries so sweetly and feels great in the hand.
 
mnblade, is your grandfather's jack the middleman? Those are great EDC knives. The world needs more regular jack knives. I'm in the same boat in terms of disposable income (it seems to have already been disposed of before I get to see it...), so I prefer the user type knives (generally delrin handles) b/c they are more within my means.
 
>>>>"mnblade, is your grandfather's jack the middleman?"

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That's the one. GREAT knife! I actually toted one like this for a great deal of my youth but some knuckle head stole it from my college dorm room my freshman year. Later, when my grandfather passed away, it was among the things of his that were passed on to me. He hadn't carried it at all (the knife was a gift to him -- but he didn't have much use for a folder like that since he left one arm back in Europe during WWII) so the only use it's seen has been at my hand. Even though it wasn't "handworn" by him, I still feel a strong connection to him every time I carry it. I'd never make it a shelf queen - that wasn't him. Me either. My knives are users.
 
I went and dug my old middleman (33OT) out after reading your post. Same idea as the barlow, just a lot easier to tote. But talk about a well thought out design! I've always liked how the pen blade is sunk down in the handle and out of the way when using the main blade. Too bad they aren't making them any longer. I think the closest user to it, still made in the USA, is the Case black handle jack. Now if Case made that knife in CV with yellow delrin, I would line up to get one....
 
Last trip to Oklahoma, I straightened out (recrinked), resharpened and cleaned up my father in law's 34 OT. He found it in his PU last winter after having had it slip out of his pocket several years ago (he told me he bought it in the late 60's or early 70's, I can't remember anything from that far back, with clarity, either). It is amazing how much abuse those things can take, and still work well. A true American classic.
 
>>>>"I went and dug my old middleman (33OT) out ... I think the closest user to it, still made in the USA, is the Case black handle jack."

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I can think of a couple that I'd recommend higher than the Case black handle jack (which I believe only comes in stainless :barf: ):

Queen makes a good-looking serpentine jack in D2 steel, with delrin handles and a price tag just over $30.

And Case's small Texas jack with CV steel is a little more, at around $40, but you get those nice amber bone handles.

Both of these strike me as good quality, made-in-the-USA knives.
 
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