That perfect knife

Hickory n steel

Hickory n steel

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Feb 11, 2016
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No I'm not talking about that mythical " perfect knife ".
I'm talking the one you have absolutely zero complaints about, there's nothing you would change or even need to tweak before you can really carry and use it.
Do you have one ?

For me there's almost always something.
Needs a sharpening choil, would prefer a different blade finish, different handle material, different color, need to make a lefty sheath, or I wish It was carbon steel.
Whatever the minor complaint is it won't keep me from enjoying the knife ( especially if I can remedy the situation ) but there's almost always something a knife needs or I'd prefer different.

Then there's the drop point GEC H20 Wurrwulf sent me.
It's such a simple little utilitarian fixed blade and in it's simplicity it happens to be a perfect knife. Not the perfect knife for me and not my favorite knife as I can't really have one favorite as a knife nut, but it's just a perfect knife.

There are no aesthetic issues, the blade is 1095 so I I'm not settling for a stainless steel, it feels great in hand, there's a sharpening notch, I like the handle material, like the handle color, feels perfectly fine in hand, cuts well, and the CK clip sheath as great for Lefty's and rightys.

There's absolutely nothing I would change about it, all I had to do was give it a nice edge and put it on my belt.
 
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I have a few in contention ...
The RR Stroke of Luck (large) stockman that arrived the other day (and it's sister Old Yella handled stockman and "Stoneworx" Stockman the same size that I've had for a spell now)
a standard production Buck 301 (the 2018 Forum knife comes close, but I sure do miss that budding/spey blade)
A few inexpensive RR and Old Timer Trappers, (might be a inexpensive Böker Magnum or whatever they call it trapper, too) and a RR moose with carbon steel blade ... Mora Number 1 and a Western L66.
The standard production brass 'n wood Buck 110, of course ...
The "Demo" knife and 4 blade Scout knives ...
 
My first thought was that I didn't own a perfect knife, but then I realized that my Viper EZ Open is perfect in that I wouldn't change a thing about it. I often carry other knives because I like bigger knives with multiple blades, but I'm always impressed when I pick that one up. For an in-town EDC, for me, it can't be improved upon.
 
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For the last few weeks I’ve been feeling like I have found the perfect knife. My aluminum framed, paperstone scaled Buck 110 is really checking all of the boxes for me. Let’s see how long this feeling lasts. ;)
 
There is always something I'd want to change...
Blade shape: I like the spear but wish it was a clip, or I like the clip but wish it was a Lamb, etc.
Handle: I like the Micarta handle but wish it was wood, or I like the wood but wish it was barehead, etc.
As a knife knut, we are constantly critical of our knives. We love the one we have but wish we had another that was just a little different.
The only knife I own that just never bugs me when it comes to size, shape, blade configuration, color, fit-n-finish, etc. is my Case Medium Stockman. It's just a solid do-everything knife that I never stress over. It's not my favorite knife, it's just the one I never try to imagine differently, it just works for me exactly as-is... and no annoying spey blade!

 
I have been all over the place for years - 15s, 56s, 77s, 78s, etc - but always liked whittlers - a perfect knife? Not certain about that but in the long run really like the 92 - this years run (and older) is a good example...
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nemrac72k said:
rdave those are beauties.
I’ve really been enjoying the lionsteel roundnose. I don’t really consider it a traditional but more of just a slipjoint.
Click to expand...

The only thing that might make it non-traditional to some are the torx screw heads. Slotted screw construction is traditional, so it's darned close. As an engineer, I get to say "Close enough" ;)
 
Man, I must be a nitpicky old bastard. There's always something I wish I could change with my knives. Every single one. It could be blade steel, grind, cover material, whatever... There's always something.

The closest thing I have is this puukko. Even then, there are a couple of things that keep it from being perfect. First is the belt loop. I know it's traditional for the Tommi, but I wish Inkeroinen had deviated just a little bit and used a more durable design. Second, is the maker's mark. It's purely aesthetic, it doesn't affect things one whit, but why didn't he take that extra moment to make sure everything was lined up before he stamped the blade? :(

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This Camillus #27 electrician is another I wouldn't change.

I almost wanna put the #99 scout on here, but can't.
As a scout it's perfect, but in general it's got a caplifter I wish wasn't there.
They just had to put one in the flat blade driver.
 
Kind of suspicious about that word 'perfect' ;)

But in the spirit of the thread, THIS was a knife that arrived with no reservations, as it were. Other knives have arrived that are more meaningful, valuable etc or might not get used because of scarcity etc. But this one, there was no question- all i had to do was let the patina roll - and it did. No nit picking, no wanting it different even though I generally prefer non rust steels;) not on this 'un. CASE Swayback Gent, cv. Gets a lot of carry & use. The Jack counterpart didn't and the Damascus version still doesn't.

On arrival, and far from dead :D

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