The $100 Traditional Knife Collection—2019 Edition

[WhittlinAway]

Almost three years ago I posted The $100 Traditional Knife Collection thread. I had a lot of fun with it and I think other folks did, too. Since then we've added many new members, new knives have come into production, and, saddly, at least one knife manufacturer that was represented there has closed its doors. I think it's time for another round!

Here is the motivation from the original thread:

A couple of weeks ago I started pondering what a $100 traditional knife starter set might look like. Along the way, I came to the conclusion that it need not be a starter set. I believe with $100 you can build a complete collection that offers a rich and satisfying experience. In fact, I believe that many such collections are possible.

I really enjoyed thinking through what my $100 collection would be. It made me think hard about my tastes and what I value in a knife. I'll share my collection [in the next post] and invite you to do the same.

The idea is that anyone with $100 to spare should be able to recreate your collection. In that spirit:

- The entire collection must cost 100 USD (or equivalent) or less. No budget stretching. No exceptions.
- Please use realistic retail prices when calculating the cost of your collection. Ignore shipping, sales tax, and similar fees.
- Limit your choices to knives that are readily available for purchase in new condition from a retailer. No relying on finding one NOS on an auction site or purchasing from someone's private collection.
- Any traditional knife is welcome: slipjoints, friction folders, fixed blades, whatever you like that fits in here. You do not need to currently own the knives you select.
- Feel free to itemize the prices of the knives in your collection, but please keep in mind the forum rules regarding mentioning specific dealers. To keep things simple, I ask that your posts in this thread focus on the collections themselves and that any discussion of dealers or other purchasing details be kept to PM or other messaging outside of this thread.

I thoroughly enjoyed putting together my updated collection. I hope those who participate do, too, and I look forward to seeing y'all's collections!

 

[WhittlinAway]

Here is my $100 collection, updated for 2019.

The first two are the workhorse patterns that tackle the vast majority of the non-whittling, non-food-prep tasks I have for a knife. In a pinch, though, both can be pressed into service for either of those duties.

A. Wright & Son Rosewood Lambsfoot (£28 ≈ $34)

This is the least expensive example of A. Wright's interpretation of this classic hard-working Sheffield pattern. Everyone should own one.

NOTE: This is a special version of the Rosewood with a polished blade, but the stock ones are also worthy of your attention. The next time I gift a lambsfoot, it will be one of them.

Marttiini Lynx Lumberjack Carbon (€30 ≈ $33)

I have @Will Power and his post in the original thread to thank for introducing me to this one. An inexpensive example of a puukko, this is a workhorse in my backyard and garage.

NOTE: I've slightly reshaped the handle to better fit my hand and refinished it. The factory model has a rougher finish which is supposed to improve grip.

The other two are for whittling and other miscellaneous tasks. I don't have pictures of these handy, but I'll edit them in later.

Rough Rider RR106 (~ $14)
A whittler pattern with clip main and small clip and pen secondaries. A small clip is my favorite blade for whittling and I'm not aware of any other example that is readily available. I'll probably eventually convert the pen on my example to a coping blade.

Victorinox Swiss Army Recruit ($18)
With a spear blade, a pen blade, a cap lifter and a can opener, this classic packs a lot of punch into a small package. For whittling, I'd remove the key ring and perhaps convert the pen to a straight edge blade.

So, there you have it, my $100 collection ringing up at $99. With two work horses, two whittling knives, and a cap lifter and can opener, these four could keep me busy and satisfied for a long time.

 

[JohnDF]

This sounds like fun.
I'm going to have to put some thought into this...

 

[JohnDF]

You do realize that now I'm going to have to go buy the knives that I don't actually own.

This was a fun experiment, and really made me think of what others should consider in their collections and not just me. I wanted this collection to be representative of our whole knife community. I tried to think outside my comfort zone and include knives from the different categories that I see here on the forum. Here we go...

There should be a heavy-duty folder that you could use on the farm or out in the garden. For the price, it had to be a Rosewood Lambsfoot by A. Wright. ~$45.00 (Mine)


There should be some kind of Scout knife for camping and outdoor adventures. I think the Vic Tinker would do very well for such activities. ~$25.00 (I need one now).


Office drones and old men will appreciate a watch pocket knife. What better knife for this than a Peanut? Because of price restrictions, I went with a Rough Ryder. ~$12.00 (I own a Case version)


Lastly, you would need a good little fixed blade for hunting and skinning duties. Also handy where you need something more durable than a folder. Sharpfinger! ~$18.00 (I need one of these now too)


I estimated a little high on most prices so there still may be a few dollars left over to pay the tax.

 

[black mamba]

To get the most out of my $100 I would stock up on multi-bladed knives.

Fixed Blade - - - - - - - - Morakniv Companion MG, $15

Large Stockman - - - - - Rough Rider #521, $15

Medium Stockman - - - - Rough Rider #890, $10

Large Scout - - - - - - - - Victorinox Alox Pioneer, $35

Small Pocket Tool - - - - - Victorinox Alox Cadet, $25

 

[315]

Well, here goes...

Buck 110-$45

Victorinox camper-$25.50

Schrade 34OT-$15.50

And last but not least, Victorinox Classic SD-$13.95
For a grand total of $99.95, leaves me a nickel for the gum-ball machine

 

[Just Tom.]

Got these prices off a major knife retailer’s website. Tried to combine variety with tradition and authenticity:
-Buck 301 USA $45 or
Case amber bone medium stockman CV $50
-Opinel #8 carbone $15
-Morakniv classic utility carbon $15
-Victorinox Recruit $20
(Sorry no pictures)

 

[redsparrow]

FIXED BLADE
Morakniv Companion - all purpose knife ........................................................ $13
EDC
Victorinox Small Tinker - uber useful pocket cutlery ............................... ......... $21
GENTLEMAN'S CARRY
Victorinox Cadet - great in dress slacks and Alox should be in every collection ....... $28
COLLECTOR KNIFE
Case mini-trapper - makes this a true collection and I had $100 budget ................ $38

Total .............................................................................................. $100 **

** All located today at two popular on-line retailers. Prices rounded up to nearest dollar.

 

[Prester John]

This is easy. If I only had $100, these two for sure:

The trapper cost me $48.99 (the sticker is on the box). That only leaves me $51.01 for the second knife. I could get two SAKs, such as a Tinker and a Spartan, but I dislike Cellidor and key chain attachments. I'd much rather have a jigged bone stockman. As I recall, the medium stockman pictured cost me just under $50 (no sticker on the box, so I don't remember exactly, but it was closer to $50 than $40). If I can get a bigger stockman (3 7/8") for $51.01 or less, I might go for that one.

 

[Henry Beige]

Well, this is interesting. I can see the selections will be rich in Opinels, Moras, SAKs, and Rough Riders. I really like the OP’s choice of the Marttiini Lynx Lumberjack. Mine was in my pocket or around my neck quite a bit for the first couple of years I owned it, a great knife that is easy to overlook.

 

[kamagong]

- Limit your choices to knives that are readily available for purchase in new condition from a retailer. No relying on finding one NOS on an auction site or purchasing from someone's private collection.

Pity. That knocks out vintage knives right out of the bat. For many the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction in finding that great deal is what draws them to the hobby.

 

[abcdef]

To make this interesting, you need to move the limit to $75 with a four knife minimum. Just kidding. Good thread.

 

[WhittlinAway]

You do realize that now I'm going to have to go buy the knives that I don't actually own.

This was a fun experiment, and really made me think of what others should consider in their collections and not just me. I wanted this collection to be representative of our whole knife community. I tried to think outside my comfort zone and include knives from the different categories that I see here on the forum. Here we go...

There should be a heavy-duty folder that you could use on the farm or out in the garden. For the price, it had to be a Rosewood Lambsfoot by A. Wright. ~$45.00 (Mine)


There should be some kind of Scout knife for camping and outdoor adventures. I think the Vic Tinker would do very well for such activities. ~$25.00 (I need one now).


Office drones and old men will appreciate a watch pocket knife. What better knife for this than a Peanut? Because of price restrictions, I went with a Rough Ryder. ~$12.00 (I own a Case version)


Lastly, you would need a good little fixed blade for hunting and skinning duties. Also handy where you need something more durable than a folder. Sharpfinger! ~$18.00 (I need one of these now too)


I estimated a little high on most prices so there still may be a few dollars left over to pay the tax.

Thanks for kicking things off, John. That’s a nice selection of knives.

I originally planned to use the Tinker in mine, but had to go with the Recruit to stay within budget.

To get the most out of my $100 I would stock up on multi-bladed knives.

Fixed Blade - - - - - - - - Morakniv Companion MG, $15

Large Stockman - - - - - Rough Rider #521, $15

Medium Stockman - - - - Rough Rider #890, $10

Large Scout - - - - - - - - Victorinox Alox Pioneer, $35

Small Pocket Tool - - - - - Victorinox Alox Cadet, $25

Nice, Jeff. I like how you offered size options.

And thanks for opening my eyes to the Victorinox Alox Pioneer. I’m sure I’ve seen it countless times here, but it didn’t sink in that it has a punch at the end of the frame (as opposed to in the middle of the back like a lot of SAKs) until I saw it here. It just went on my someday list.

Well, here goes...

Buck 110-$45

Victorinox camper-$25.50

Schrade 34OT-$15.50

And last but not least, Victorinox Classic SD-$13.95
For a grand total of $99.95, leaves me a nickel for the gum-ball machine

Excellent. And, we have our first Buck.

Got these prices off a major knife retailer’s website. Tried to combine variety with tradition and authenticity:
-Buck 301 USA $45 or
Case amber bone medium stockman CV $50
-Opinel #8 carbone $15
-Morakniv classic utility carbon $15
-Victorinox Recruit $20
(Sorry no pictures)

Nice job! Also, first mention of Case and Opinel.

FIXED BLADE
Morakniv Companion - all purpose knife ........................................................ $13
EDC
Victorinox Small Tinker - uber useful pocket cutlery ............................... ......... $21
GENTLEMAN'S CARRY
Victorinox Cadet - great in dress slacks and Alox should be in every collection ....... $28
COLLECTOR KNIFE
Case mini-trapper - makes this a true collection and I had $100 budget ................ $38

Total .............................................................................................. $100 **

** All located today at two popular on-line retailers. Prices rounded up to nearest dollar.

Well done. I like that you made the distinction of a “collector knife”. I was using “collection” loosely to mean an accumulation of objects, but it’s cool that you were able to bring in something you consider to be for the collector.

This is easy. If I only had $100, these two for sure:

The trapper cost me $48.99 (the sticker is on the box). That only leaves me $51.01 for the second knife. I could get two SAKs, such as a Tinker and a Spartan, but I dislike Cellidor and key chain attachments. I'd much rather have a jigged bone stockman. As I recall, the medium stockman pictured cost me just under $50 (no sticker on the box, so I don't remember exactly, but it was closer to $50 than $40). If I can get a bigger stockman (3 7/8") for $51.01 or less, I might go for that one.

Nice, Vince. I like the simplicity.

 

[WhittlinAway]

Well, this is interesting. I can see the selections will be rich in Opinels, Moras, SAKs, and Rough Riders. I really like the OP’s choice of the Marttiini Lynx Lumberjack. Mine was in my pocket or around my neck quite a bit for the first couple of years I owned it, a great knife that is easy to overlook.

I am enjoying seeing how folks allocate their budget. I like that some use half the budget on one knife and others try to spread it out more. We’ve already had quite a variety of approaches to the exercise.

I’m glad you appreciated the inclusion of the Lynx Lumberjack. I really like mine and it wasn’t even on my radar until the first time we did this exercise.

Pity. That knocks out vintage knives right out of the bat. For many the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction in finding that great deal is what draws them to the hobby.

I also enjoy that hunt and have many vintage knives. But that’s a different thread.

The issue with including vintage knives here is that there are no standard prices.

To make this interesting, you need to move the limit to $75 with a four knife minimum. Just kidding. Good thread.

You’re free to work with those additional constraints for your collection. Glad you’re enjoying the thread.

 

[gaj999]

OK, I'll play. I like guidelines, so I include those along with my personal choice, along with the price range if other models are chosen.
First, you've got to get some work done, so I'll continue the Mora trend. My favorite is a Frosts in 0.1" carbon steel. $10-20
Next up is a Vnox SAK. This should be chosen to include whatever tools you need in the size you need. My pick is the Electrician. $20-70
Now that the minimum set of users is complete, we can spend however much is left of our budget on Rough Riders. Choose whichever models appeal, for whatever reason. Until your money is gone. I like this Elephant Toe for $16 delivered.

https://imgur.com/a/eeannvC

 

[Prester John]

Nice, Vince. I like the simplicity.

Thanks, Greg. Those were the first two knives I bought early last year when I decided I wanted something a little larger and nicer than the Victorinox Classic I had been carrying for years. I've got some very nice knives since then, but with the budget constraints, would be limited to just one of those. And one of them I couldn't afford. Anyway, the trapper is a must, leaving me about $50. Perfect amount to get another Case. The only other knife besides the stockman I would consider is a canoe, for the blade diversity, since two of the three blades on a stockman are the same as the two on a trapper, albeit smaller.

 

[Misplaced Hillbilly]

315
You could go with the 110 light, save 20 bucks and squeeze in a couple more Rough Riders

 

[JohnDF]

I was doing some more thinking on this subject, and I really like Vince's minimalist aproach.
If I went minimalist, just knives that would be needed for carry and use, day in and day out, I could get a couple of nice ones...

Case Medium Stockman, offers blade variety and ease of pocket carry, and is acceptable/useful in most every environment... ~$50.00


And a nice Fixed Blade knife for heavier tasks, hunting, etc. Might even ride in the pickup glove box for such emergencies... ~$50.00


I'd say a Knife Person could get by just fine with these two examples.

 

[gaj999]

315
You could go with the 110 light, save 20 bucks and squeeze in a couple more Rough Riders

Smoke Jumper

 

[Misplaced Hillbilly]

Smoke Jumper

Is that the red one? I got mine at Walmart, but remember someone posting a red one. I liked the looks of the red,one in blaze orange be pretty cool too.