That traditional knife you purchased, but only really grew on your afterwards...

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

Joined
Aug 4, 2013
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We all have our reasons for buying our knives... We use them as tools, we like how they look, we collect them, we gift them out... but the common thread is that we buy traditional pattern knives. Well, today while rearranging some of my collection, I got to fondling my Camillus made Remington branded grandaddy barlow. I was admiring it's very nice overall construction. Looking at it, and finding it attractive. But... that really was not my original view on this knife.
While I visited a favorite local gun shop some months ago, I decided to check out some of their knives. There in their display case, was this new/old stock Remington branded knife made by the now defunct American Camillus firm. Well, what I liked about it was the following... Remington branded (which I had none of), Camillus made, barlow pattern (which I had none of), and nicely assembled.
But... I did not like the scales gaudy look. Not having any delrin at the time, and though I don't care for delrin, I wanted to add some to my collection. So, I purchased the ugly duckling. Got it home and wiped her down in preparation for adding it to my displayed collection. Well, many months have passed since I purchased it... and I gotta admit, I like her... her gaudy delrin handles and all :)
So... do any of you recall purchasing a knife, having some regret over it, but then it growing on you to the point that you were then glad you made that purchase? Show us those knives that gained your appreciation for them :)

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I bought this old Turner Naylor in a small bunch, a great old wreck that finds it's way into my pocket often. At 3 inches it's a perfect watch pocket knife.

Regards

Robin
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For me it was this Moore Maker #6301 stockman.

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I normally prefer round bolsters as they feel better in the pocket and in the hand, but this one has grown on me. Nice stag on both sides, good slender clip main, sheepfoot nick on the mark side, and the steel takes a wicked fine edge.

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Most of the knives that I bought, then regretted the purchase of, I still regret.

There have been several knives that weren't necessarily something I was highly interested in, but I bought just to have one of that style / pattern, that I ended up liking a lot and adding more like it.

Two off the top of my head are the 3-bladed Stockman pattern, specifically starting with the Case 63032 Medium Stockman, and the Victorinox Alox Cadet. Neither of those originally grabbed my attention, but once purchased and carried a while, have become among my most favorite and most carried knives.

There have been some others that I really thought I would like, but once owned and initially admired, have spent the rest of their time in the box or tube on the shelf.
 
Bought a big Case Hawkbill years ago because I'd always wanted one. Used it one time to replace carpet in a deer blind but that was about it. Then, about 8 years ago, I developed Rheumatoid Arthritis and all of a sudden, couldn't open a pocket knife. Digging out that forgotten Hawkbill and adding a lanyard, it became a knife I could open. The RA in my hands improved and I went back to trad style knives and the Case was forgotten again. After the fire in '06 took most of my knives, that old "Hawk" was found under my bed out in West Texas and boy, was I glad to have it again just when it was needed most (again)!

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I wouldn't take for it!
 
For me it's this GEC Cuban Stockman**. What I liked most about it was that the clip & sheepsfoot nail nicks were both on mark side and the sheepsfoot is low-riding when closed - very comfortable in hand. It's been my "next-to-the-easy-chair-knife" for quite a few months now, but never carried 'cause I (previously) thought it was too big to be comfortable in pocket.

A few days ago I slipped it into my pocket again for a "test run". Worked around the house, went into town for some errands, did a little Christmas shopping with my wife, etc. ….. I forgot the darn thing was there - literally. I couldn't believe it. It's always been one of the most comfortable in-hand knives I own, and now it's gonna get some well deserved carry time, too!

**Original purchase heavily influenced by two "Jeff's": black mamba & rock golfer. Thanks guys! ;)

P.S. Nice looking Moore Maker, Jeff! :thumbup:



 
Thanks, 'yote. I too have always been surprised by how easily the #53 stockman carries, but it really is quite slender from spine to spring for its size.
 
Some nice looking knives, guys! :)
I do have a Canal Street trapper (2 blade) that also grew on me. When I received it, I was not impressed with the smooth sunset bone... it just looked bland to me. But, every time I yanked her from the display case, I would admire the beautiful f&f. The 440c blades are both centered upon closing, great walk & talk, nickel silver pins and bolsters, stainless steel liners. Not even a bit of light shows through the frame when held up to light... nice flush springs on blades open or closed, and tight (no blade wobble). So, what I thought were lackluster bone scales (in appearance), somehow look sweet to me now. I am picky, and stubborn... but I can soften at times, lol! :)

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Yah!

The Opinel. Got it on a whim on a trade for some bike parts.

Tried it. Got frustrated by it. When on a buying spree of knives from my past (Buck, Ulster) and then some Schrades. Heaped scorn on the Opinel, got feedback and tips from folks on this forum. Listened, and tweaked the Opinel and tried a few others....

Then, one by one, the Opinel started kicking other knives out of my EDC bowl. In the end, it won. I actually disliked it at first and worse, wanted to dislike it.

Odd.
 
Not a knife by itself ,but spear point blade on GEC 72,
as used to SAK spear points,paddle shaped blade seemed bit odd and suitable only for butter spreading :) but after some use(other than butter spreading) i found it very usable and often in my pocket.
 
I generally don't buy a knife unless it speaks to me. By that I mean it has to feel a certain way in the hand, look a certain way overall whether old or new. And it needs to have good steel and solid built.
 
Queen Muskrat.

Puzzled by the duplicate blades (still am on most Congresses and not changing my mind there either!) at first. I don't kill stuff so I don't skin animals, but it is such a really well made knife, elegant but also odd that after neglecting it I realized it is both useful for food prep and a very decent knife!

Moral: take another closer look in your knife drawer.
 
Glad to contribute to the enabling :D

I miss my 53 greatly, need to fix that situation pronto!

Thinking about it, I think it works in the opposite direction for me. I mostly start coming up with excuses and try to reason with myself as to why I need a different knife lol. I would say my 55 surprised me the most as far as how much I like it. I wasnt ready for the dog leg pattern to melt into my hand like it does.
 
Buck 301 in yellow Delrin, it was kinda lackluster to my eye when I got it, but after much use it grew on me.

 
The knife that gets the most feedback from members here actually sat on a friends desk for six months before I carried it. It took quite a while for me to bond with it. Now it's with me several times per week.

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Mark, that knife inspired me to pick up the same model (in bone, though... the ebony Tuna Valley is a little ways above my budget). I really like your ebony one. It looks like it would be at home in the 1890s, in the vest pocket of a well-heeled New Yorker.
Coincidentally, I had a similar experience with mine. When it arrived, I was less-than-fond of its blade geometry. Since the primary grind is only half as tall as the blade, it's not the best for thinly slicing apples, for instance. But, after carrying it for a while, I've really fallen for it. Long and slender, nice and pointy yet with a little bit of belly, great F&F as any other Schatt & Morgan I've had, gorgeous bone, lockback, Keystone shield... and it's from the one Keystone series that used ATS-34 steel! Turns out it's right up my alley.

So... Thanks, Mark! You helped me stumble upon a favorite! ;)

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I don't have a picture but i was surprised how fond I became of the Case russlock after a while.
 
Sort of along these lines I suppose. A few years ago I happened to come across an ebay listing that was about to end for what I thought was a Case Trapper in smooth chestnut bone. The price was right and I was in the mood for another trapper at a decent price. So I pounced on it at the last minute and won it.

Only after I'd won it and was paying for it did I realize I had just bought a Mini-Trapper. Crap! I'd never had one, had no desire for one, and just sort of hoped for the best. While I liked trappers just fine, the idea of a mini just bothered me.

Once I got it in hand though. I sort of liked the size of it. Big enough, but not too big. I figured, "Carry it a few days just to see how it carries." Suffice to say that it carried and carries exceptionally well in the pocket and is a fine EDC. So fine in fact that except for a few short periods, it is THE knife that lives in right, front pocket of my pants. Only two other knives come close and have spent periods in the same role. A delrin Winterbottom Queen single blade jack that was tossed in a package from a member here and a SAK camo Tinker. Both of which I like just fine, but somehow that Case XX Mini-Trapper always finds it's way back into my pocket where it has a permanent address.

Not bad considering my first reaction to realizing what I had actually bought by mistake was, "CRAP!"
 
. . . I bought this Bulldog cheap ten years ago thinking I was getting real pearl and assumed 440 stainless. Right away figured out that it's composite acrylic and left it sit in my knife roll. Broke it out this week and used it. Nice patina forming from apple and orange duty so it is actually carbon steel. I like it a lot now!
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