Strengths of the major manufacturers?

O

onebagnomad

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Sep 8, 2009
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I'm finally in a position to officially start my slipjoint collection but now I have a major decision to make: which manufacturer? I'm not the type to mix and match (OCD), so I need to decide on one maker to collect. The only one I've had experience with is Case. I'm interested to hear what you more experienced traditionalists think are the primary strengths of each major manufacturer (Case, Queen, GEC, etc...). Examples include: fit and finish, steels, patterns, handle materials, variety, warranty, etc... I don't want this to turn into a negative thread so if you would, kindly try to focus more on each maker's strengths rather than their weaknesses.
 
Case: variety, history, collectabilty, nice thin blades with great factory edges

Queen: fit and finish is awesome, very stout, bad factory edges (very obtuse), D2 is incredible for price point

GEC: carbon steel, very strong/hard to open springs, very well made, a little expensive, small business

Boker: history, nice bone, good prices, good carbon steel, weaker springs
 
A major strength of Case to me as a collectible is the long history of most of their patterns -- most of the patterns Case makes now began in the Case line 80 to 100 years or so ago. Though the details of a patterns construction and the variations available often changed over time, they're still quite recognizable compared to the old originals. And of course, Case is the most thoroughly documented of any of the major long time manufacturers.

Disadvantages: high demand and thus high cost for decent examples of the older knives; high cost means counterfeits and generally monkeyed with older Case knives are everywhere. Gotta know your stuff to avoid being taken.
 
There's different ways of collecting too like the same pattern or handle materials with different makers, old ones, they all have different ways of manufacture and degrees of quality. Schatt & Morgan is Queens flagship line. You may like those too. look at all the different companies and see if one particular draws you the most IMO.
 
You probably don't want to hear from me. I have a penchant for Delrin clad Imperial Frontier knives with the powder horn shields. They're cheap. The F&F is no better than a Old Timer and they top out at around $30 ea.

The key is, I like 'em and I use 'em.

I know they'll never make me rich and I'm fine with that. I enjoy the hunt more than the kill because they aren't as prevalent as the Schrade OT's or Case equivalents and there is no real collector base for them.

It comes down to collecting what I like. Take a good long look at the brands you like. Decide what it is that you like about them. Do other brands offer the same thing? If not, pick the one you like and roll with it.

Personally I thing GEC would be the cats pajamas but they are yet to offer a serpentine traditional (which I'm drawn to) and they seem a bit tall in the profile for my taste. Case would be my first choice when it comes to mail-order, high on the grin factor scale collector knives.

Chris
 
I personally love Case for a couple of different reasons.

One is the huge number of old patterns with very long history. What they make now is a shadow of their former line up, but still is the most of almost any other manufactorer. I remember as a kid, I used to stand and gawk at the Case display at the local hardware store, and it had models like the asea scout, a sheath knife and marlin spike, the whaler, looked like something from the 1800's ship chandler store, and other models that did not make it past the later 50's/early 60's.

And then there's the people. My first brush with Case personel was a very great lady named Shirley, and she was the definition of a class act.

And then there;s the fact that Case is pretty much the last of the old and great companies. Camillus, Hammer Brand, Keen cutter, Remington, Winchester, Schrade-Walden, and most of the oldies that made the cutlery industry in this country are gone. No, I don't consider the ones where the name was bought, and products are barely a pale shadow of their original products.

For old line real using pocket knives, it's going to be hard to beat Case. If I have only one minor complaint, it's that the amount of CV knives are not as easy to come by as the True Sharp. Not that there is anything wrong with True Sharp, it's a perfectly servicable steel. It's just I'm an old fart who likes blued firearms with nice checkered walnut stocks.

Just my own .02 cents.:)

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
I personally love Case for a couple of different reasons.

One is the huge number of old patterns with very long history. What they make now is a shadow of their former line up, but still is the most of almost any other manufactorer. I remember as a kid, I used to stand and gawk at the Case display at the local hardware store, and it had models like the asea scout, a sheath knife and marlin spike, the whaler, looked like something from the 1800's ship chandler store, and other models that did not make it past the later 50's/early 60's.

And then there's the people. My first brush with Case personel was a very great lady named Shirley, and she was the definition of a class act.

And then there;s the fact that Case is pretty much the last of the old and great companies. Camillus, Hammer Brand, Keen cutter, Remington, Winchester, Schrade-Walden, and most of the oldies that made the cutlery industry in this country are gone. No, I don't consider the ones where the name was bought, and products are barely a pale shadow of their original products.

For old line real using pocket knives, it's going to be hard to beat Case. If I have only one minor complaint, it's that the amount of CV knives are not as easy to come by as the True Sharp. Not that there is anything wrong with True Sharp, it's a perfectly servicable steel. It's just I'm an old fart who likes blued firearms with nice checkered walnut stocks.

Just my own .02 cents.:)

Carl.
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Carl,

I just stole your line for my signature. I am still pre fartdom, but you nailed it on the head. I am acquiring shotguns so my kids can hunt, and I keep going for Browning auto 5's Remington pumps, and Winchesters all manufactured in the 60-80's. I do not like the black plastic look, nor the camo. It just ain't right.

Now, to try and stay on topic......

I would suggest for a fun collection, would be to collect the Old Timer USA's and strive for the whole set, or as much as possible. They are relatively inexpensive, and they are still readily available on the auction sites.

For current, I would recommend Schatt and Morgan for over all, but I wish they went into other steel choices.

Bulldog is kind of fun to see what they have in carbon, but they collaborate with Queen, so you may as well collect Queen. Next would be Case.

I find it hard to collect only one manufacturer. If I were you, and my goal was collections, I would collect a pattern, say stockman, peanut, or toenail. Then collect that pattern from any and all slipjoint manufacturers. Then you can decide on who you like best. Worst case scenario is that you will have alot of knives.
 
Hi,

I'd agree with Chris. For me it's more about a pattern than a specific maker. I find it interesting to compare the differences between makers of the same pattern.

In any case, collect what you like and how you like. That's what makes you collection special.

Dale
 
I am pretty new to this traditional thing but if i were to do it over again I think that I would start by collecting a less expensive brand and trying to find a pattern that I really like. Why spend $80.00 on a knife pattern you don't like when you can buy 6 or 7 Rough Riders and try a bunch all out at once. I have learned this from experience! For me the knives I like to use are not my favorite look at.

Paul
 
Paul 883215 said:
I am pretty new to this traditional thing but if i were to do it over again I think that I would start by collecting a less expensive brand and trying to find a pattern that I really like. Why spend $80.00 on a knife pattern you don't like when you can buy 6 or 7 Rough Riders and try a bunch all out at once. I have learned this from experience! For me the knives I like to use are not my favorite look at.

Paul
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+1 or give the man a cigar or whatever it is you kids say. :D
 
Good approach. The large stockman pattern did not have much appeal to me. Once I picked up an inexpensive Schrade USA it really grew on me. I am testing the pattern waters with Rough Riders these days too.


Paul 883215 said:
I am pretty new to this traditional thing but if i were to do it over again I think that I would start by collecting a less expensive brand and trying to find a pattern that I really like. Why spend $80.00 on a knife pattern you don't like when you can buy 6 or 7 Rough Riders and try a bunch all out at once. I have learned this from experience! For me the knives I like to use are not my favorite look at.

Paul
Click to expand...
 
After you have experimented in the market, your tastes will change, your knowledge will grow, and the gestalt will just look different to you in a year and in five years. Don't get too rigid just yet. Have some fun with it and hang loose. Just my opinion. BTW, Carl gives his two hundredths of a cent on this subject, but I would like to say I value his opinion on several subjects a lot more than that! :)
 
Don't collect Bucks, I am already training a "grasshopper", we don't need the additional competition........ha

300/ch
 
if i started collecting i would go for case. they seem to hold their value well, even non-collector knives. an interesting thing about case that i noticed, the old well-worn knives are the same price or more than the new ones of the same model. so you can buy a case knife, use it for like 40 yrs., then throw it up on ebay(if they have that sorta thing in 40 yrs) and make your money back, if not a small profit. since case makes so many different scale colors/materials you could have a decent sized collection just by sticking to one pattern if you'd like.

GEC may be anther good one if you want to spend a bit more. its pretty easy to get serialized knives. if i remember right they serialize the first 50 or 100 knives of that kind they make. the price difference from serialize vs non-serialized is usually only $10-$15 or so. but of course you could buy ~2 case knives for one GEC. it's really all up to you where you want to put your money.
 
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I favor strongly Queen.

When I started here, my first post was which medium stockman in delrin to buy.
It was between a Queen, a yellow Case and a Camilius MooreMaker.
I took the noble Bladeforums solution and purchased all three!

I was very impressed by the Queen.
The F&F, the same blade length in a smaller knife, the accurate crinking of the blade, the sharp swedging, the springs being square and true. And the blades in D2.

I knew nothing about D2, so I read threads on D2 on the Knife Makers forum here.
The heated discussions on the pros and cons lead me to understand that D2 should be an excellent steel for slipjoints. This further impressed me

So I started going with more Queen knives.

I found my old stones were too soft to deal with D2, so I purchased a DMT Aligner jig.
This sharpened the D2 with ease.
The factory edge is not the best, from aweful to good, but I accept that if I buy Queen.
And the DMT Aligner with the full range of diamond stones fix it up well.


Queen has a wide range of patterns, all very classic, and the current Amber Stagbone is an excellent jigging and dyeing.
I was lucky enough to be on the cusp of the transition between the now discontinued Cocobolo and White Carved Stagbone, also picking up some of the even older delrin.
But now their choice of scales is limited to Amber bone, Maple and Zebrawood.

I find the pricing of Queen (once you find good dealers) to be very reasonable for the quality. I use them as a touchstone to evaluate the Price to Quality ratio of a knife.
A Queen will cost between $40 to $60 depending on the knife pattern, what can I get for that price from a different maker.

Then there is the Queen Dan Burke collaberations. Very high quality

Then I found Schatt & Morgan, these are even better F&F and they have their yearly series of 6 knives.
There is a very wide range of older patterns.
Also dealers have SFOs
The steel is 420HC which they heat treat very well, and hold a very good edge
They have their top File & Wire in ATS 34, and these tend to be bigger knives 4 1/4" and more

Queen does not market well, and have not gone successfully the Collector route
They are in internal compertion between Queen, and S&M brands
They have not updated thier Website in years
And are know for poor factory grinds

If you want to be maker specific in your collection, the Queen is well worth a serious consideration
 
As much as I'd like to have a complete collection I like so many that I can't seem to settle on a single brand or pattern.
 
Fight'n Rooster were great - and the fun was finding the plain jane ones

Really well made - well, I liked them a lot
 
I like Case, and I don't even know why. I've even been spanked a few times for buying a Case sight unseen. But for whatever reason, they always draw me in. I guess I'm just a sucker for them.
 
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