Stockman roundup.. Lets see 'em...

Blues said:
...custom and production:

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Elliott, who made the one that's second from the bottom in the far right column?
 
GregFL said:
All I can say is I am in awe! What a collection. I'm looking a picking up a stockman and right now I'm torn between the Eye Brand Stag and the Queen amber stag bone. Can you make any recommendations?
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Thank you very much, Greg. With all the fantastic stock knives I've seen in this thread I'm kind of surprised that anyone is singling out the image I took out on the deck this morning.
I see many knives I'd love to own.

Greg, as far as those two stock knives go, they're somewhat different animals.

The Queen is smaller, has D2 blades and has more pocket friendly bolsters for EDC.

The Eye Brand is 1095, has very nice stag and a bit more pocket filling.

The Queen weighs in at 3 oz. The Eye Brand weighs 3 7/8 oz.

It really depends on what you like. I got lucky with both these knives. The dealer generously hand picked the "Eye" for me based upon my email describing what I was looking for. The Queen had been hand picked by the original owner who provided images here in the "for sale" forums when I purchased it.

I know I'm not being much help here because I like both knives so much...So you know my recommendation is to bite the bullet and get 'em both. If you speak to a dealer you trust (as I did), ask him to compare what he has and pick the better one. Then make sure you reward him (or her) by going back to complete the second purchase when you are able.

Sorry if I wasn't much help.
 
wagglebee said:
Elliott, who made the one that's second from the bottom in the far right column?
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Rob,

That's by Bill Ruple. It's a stag sowbelly with standard stockman blades but in a whittler configuration. It was love at first sight:

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Greg the Eye Brand has rivets that stick out. Not a quality thing, but just how they're made. You should also try to request thin stag, as stag can be a virtual crap shoot. The older Eye Brands had choice stag, but I can't say about the new ones. Either way,you can't go wrong.1095 rusts easier than D2.
 
Stockmen and pen knives, the foundation of Knife-dom...First the NON-Buck knives,,,,yes, I have a couple.

The light scale bone is not readable on tang, ???, it is suppose to be my Grandfathers but I have doubts. The dark bone is rusted blind but the springs,scales and bolster look great, whatever its lineage. If someone had good blades, I got the rest.....the bottom knife is an Imperial, Ireland that on a whim I had rescaled with Axis deer antler. Why I don't know.
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the next photo is of Bucks, but special ones. At least to me. The stag with rivets is a old and uncommon Camillus made Buck 301, the Elk scale is a Buck made knife from the late eighties. I am partial to elk scales, for the way the color can change as it ages.
A finally just to throw sand in the gear, is the first model of China made knives imported by Buck for a major marketer. There is nothing wrong with the knife the fit and finish is perfect. If it was 420HC or even 440c certified in writing I would say, find me another. However in this case I only bought one.
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300Bucks/Craig H.
 
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navihawk said:
Greg the Eye Brand has rivets that stick out. Not a quality thing, but just how they're made. You should also try to request thin stag, as stag can be a virtual crap shoot. The older Eye Brands had choice stag, but I can't say about the new ones. Either way,you can't go wrong.1095 rusts easier than D2.
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I'll just speak to the one "Eye" in stag that Greg asked about...

The pins are not proud but are recessed quite well within the flow and figure of the stag.

The stag, while retaining the figure is cut closely to the liners allowing a nice shape. Approaching (but not quite as svelte as) the dimensions of a similarly well made bone handled knife.

Oxidation, well...it's a carbon blade. D2 has its own issues in regard to pitting etc.

Bottom line, Greg, is that you can get a really good one if you speak with the dealer up front and make your wishes known.

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338375 said:
There is one knife in there you can't have.... :D
Elliott knows which one it is.

Just kidding :D. Great thread and lots of outstanding pics.
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Yeah, I know the one. :cool:

If John includes it in his list I'll advise him of your prior standing. :p
 
Blues said:
Rob,

That's by Bill Ruple. It's a stag sowbelly with standard stockman blades but in a whittler configuration. It was love at first sight:

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Thanks Elliott. I typically don't care all that much for filework, but it looks magnificent here (actually, I like the filework on all of Bill Ruple's knives)! :thumbup:
 
wagglebee said:
Thanks Elliott. I typically don't care all that much for filework, but it looks magnificent here (actually, I like the filework on all of Bill Ruple's knives)! :thumbup:
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Thanks, Rob. I actually feel the same way and generally avoid it where I can. It's the most "ornate" of any file work I own. However, it's only on the liners and not the springs. Any others I own by Bill or other makers have very simple, clean file work (again, only on the liners).

The other sowbelly by Bill in the image (right above the one you asked about) has no file work at all. Rare for Bill. :cool:
 
Those are really interesting knives. It is nice to see Sheffields. I no experience with them was the filework on top of the blades common among makers?


wellington said:
Three 1970s Sheffield made stockman's from the 1970s (a Wosty and two Ibberson's) and a large five inch Shaw stockman from the late 1980s.

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Mick
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Ellliot, you guys don't play fair, I'm takin' my Stockmans and goin' home. :( :)

BTW you guys do have some knice Stockmans. :)
 
navihawk said:
Greg the Eye Brand has rivets that stick out. Not a quality thing, but just how they're made. You should also try to request thin stag, as stag can be a virtual crap shoot. The older Eye Brands had choice stag, but I can't say about the new ones. Either way,you can't go wrong.1095 rusts easier than D2.
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Blues said:
I'll just speak to the one "Eye" in stag that Greg asked about...

The pins are not proud but are recessed quite well within the flow and figure of the stag.

The stag, while retaining the figure is cut closely to the liners allowing a nice shape. Approaching (but not quite as svelte as) the dimensions of a similarly well made bone handled knife.

Oxidation, well...it's a carbon blade. D2 has its own issues in regard to pitting etc.

Bottom line, Greg, is that you can get a really good one if you speak with the dealer up front and make your wishes known.

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Thanks for all the replies! The stockman pattern is one of my favorites ... my first was Buck stockman that I bought over 35 years ago. Had it for around 20 and it went missing one day. I've been buying other patterns lately because I cannot decide which stockman I want. I've got a Queen amber stag bone trapper and gunstock, and I really like D2.

I just picked up my first Eye Brand in the Whittler pattern and although the stag isn't quite as nice as Blues, I think it looks great. The stag on Blues' Eye Brand stockman is about as nice as I've ever seen on a production knife. As far as 1095 is concerned, I like it just as much as D2 (if not more).

Luckily, I've got a great dealer that will "hand pick" my knives on request (he's done it on my Queens and Eye Brand). For some reason I prefer the slender "bumpy" stag look like Blues' stockman. When I told my dealer this he laughed and told me he didn't care for that look, then said he would pick me out some skinny "ugly" stag. I might just call him and see if he has any more on a stockman.
 
Blues said:
Sure, John.

Just send me an email with the ones you call dibs on. ;)
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Wait!!! We can do this? I call dibs on your Ruple!!! Anyone who wants to fight me on this...well come on. I'm too poor to ever get one like that! Give the "kid" a chance.
 
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