The Knife of 2015

[waynorth]

So old Creaky (or is it Old Faithful?) has done its job.
Here are the three that have ridden around with me over the year, sometimes two at a time! To-mah-to, Old Boiley, and the '14 BF.
Pictured with a couple of my "familiars";

Old Boiley, has the most miles with me for 2015, by far!
Portrayed with some wonderful Manx coins sent by our good friend Jack!
I can honestly say I have been coined!! Jack sent another disc - a DVD with Smith's Key in PDFs. I am tempted to print some posters from the "Key"! Thanks Jack!!:thumbup:
I think Old Boiley gets the nod!!

This Barlow is imbued with magic, I swear. The last time it was sharpened was at the April Oregon Knife Club show! I just stropped it for this scan, and can gaze fondly at the clean, bald patch on the back of my hairy paw!! This, after scraping the annual sticker off of my truck's license plate! (bad Charlie!!)

 

[rinos]

BF knife is first,Capuchadou close second

 

[5K Qs]

Thought-provoking thread, Jack, and I remember how much I enjoyed reading about everyone's choices a year ago.

I'll have a difficult time choosing between 2 "candidates". One option is actually several knives that I bought in various Spanish cities when I went to visit my daughter in Spain over the holidays a year ago. It was a marvelous, unforgettable trip for me, and the souvenir knives help bring back all kinds of memories. Here's a group shot of the knives I brought back from Spain last January.

My other option for Knife of 2015 is a chestnut jigged bone Case CV Sodbuster Jr that I won in the GAW sponsored by BigBiscuit in January before he went in for surgery. The GAW was when I first became aware of Bob's health challenges, and the way he has courageously faced adversity throughout 2015 has been truly inspirational. I've carried that Sodbuster every day since it arrived in January, and it gives me a daily reminder of Bob's battle.

- GT

 

[Jack Black]

My pleasure Charlie Looking forward to seeing what your scanner comes up with my friend! :thumbup:

 

[RDaneel]

The Knife of 2015...oh my. So hard to choose just one for that honor.

Second runner up (and the newest of my favorites) is my Presidential. I bonded quicker with this one than any other knife I bought this year. And my contentment with it is growing daily; however, it is a recent love and hardly deserves the title of The One.



First runner up (and the knife that rekindled my love of Barlows) is my first TC Barlow and the one knife I have carried more than any other this year. But it has languished at home of late and can no longer be considered The One.



Finally, my Knife of 2015 is this the so handy, comfortable and well made Orchard Gem. It is with me all the time when I am at home and often goes on forays out the door and on the trail. It is the one I CE and CF more than any other (and it has bit me more and deeper than any other). It is The One.

 

[chrisbfu]

I am also new to the traditional knife world. I see all these beautiful customs, so it seems like it's time to save up! My knife of 2015 would have to be my GEC 25 Easy Open in red linen micarta.

 

[Jack Black]

My pleasure Charlie Looking forward to seeing what your scanner comes up with my friend! :thumbup:

Oops! Think I must have missed a page when I posted this!

So old Creaky (or is it Old Faithful?) has done its job....

I think Old Boiley gets the nod!!

LOL! Always a pleasure to see Old Boiley Charlie, definitely a magic knife I'm glad the package made it my friend :thumbup:

The Knife of 2015...

Nicely done Dean, I enjoyed the build-up there! :thumbup:

Great to see all your thoughtful posts folks, thanks for playing :thumbup:

 

[MerryMadMonk]

My knife of 2015 is the BFC 2014 Forum Knife.

Carried almost every day

Dressed out a few catfish along the way

Worked hard and looked good wherever it lay

Especially resting on a bale of hay

Alas, it may not keep these '16 contenders at bay

 

[waynorth]

And you are a poet, all the long day!!

 

[fishcakes]

Gotta be my cv yellow peanut. Sure my girl gave me a beautiful gec 68 for my birthday, but the peanut showed me how little knife i really need. Was quite the eye opener

 

[Whetstone39]

Does a specific model, or pattern work, and not an individual knife? If so it would be the Bark River City Knife for me. Although I paired different SAKs and Scouts with one, I have had a City Knife onboard for the vast majority of 2015.

 

[afishhunter]

I haven't kept track of which of my knives got the most carry time this year. I think I would have to say my Marbles rendition of the Camillus Scout/Army Utility. It has been in my pocket most of the time since last Christmas. A close second would be my Buck 301 Stockman.

 

[MerryMadMonk]

And you are a poet, all the long day!!

There's a country song in there somewhere

 

[cbr1000]

There's a country song in there somewhere

I was thinking of Christmas tunes

 

[Wurrwulf]

I've got to say that my Knife of 2015 would have to be my Case Texas Toothpick in Bermuda Green that I bought on my honeymoon from Smokey Mountain Knife Works. I haven't carried it much, but it was my first Case, first trip to Smokey Mountain, and obviously, my honeymoon.

 

[Jack Black]

There's a country song in there somewhere

Great post Al! :thumbup:

 

[Campbellclanman]

Brilliant Jack - and to everyone who have posted their STUNNERS!!! WOW...just WOW!!! There are some very nice knives out on display...
I have thought hard about this, I have many knives gifted to me by my good friends - to choose one of the gifted ones would actually trouble me - as the knives AS WELL AS the sentimental meaning is so terrific - so I can only answer in a production knife - and one that was made in the year, and so with that I choose this...



Simply stunning, breathtaking knives that in the words of their maker - "as close to a custom as you can get" of which I totally agree.

 

[Jack Black]

Very nicely photographed Duncan, those covers look stunning :thumbup:

 

[btb01]

2015 has been an exciting year for me where traditional knives are concerned. I've always casually "collected" pocket knives, but before this year my collection consisted of a handful of Benchmades, a few other modern folders, some SAKs, a couple Opinels, one Case and an assortment of old knives that belonged to my grandpa (which I never gave much thought to other than I was glad to have them because they were his).

Earlier this year I started carrying an old Camillus that was my grandpa's, and I was enamored with the beauty and simplicity of the old thing, so I started researching traditional pocket knives a little. Somewhere I came across a picture of one of Charlie's TC Barlows and I fell in love. Of course, the particular TC I fell in love with happened to be an early model -- spear point with sawcut bone handles -- that I doubt I'll ever acquire, but the discovery of that TC led me here, and introduced me to GEC, and to all of you fine folks here on the porch. And the rest, as they say, is history. My collection of traditionals, which included zero GEC knives before this year, now includes all of these beauties…

I think there are a few others that aren't pictured there (and I know there are a couple wrapped and waiting for me under the tree right now ), but that's the last group shot I took. I've also acquired more Case knives, a couple Rough Riders, and a few older knives, too. I've easily doubled my total knife collection, and probably quadrupled (or more) my collection of traditionals this year, and I've really enjoyed the process.

Now when it comes to my "collection," my intention is never for any knife to sit in a drawer in pristine condition and just "be collected." Like a lot of y'all, I buy knives to be carried and used, and I think choosing a favorite -- "my knife" for 2015 -- has to be based on which one finds its way into my pocket most often. That's a close call between two. First runner up is this OD Green Linen Micarta Bull Nose. I was very excited when I preordered this knife, and I loved it even more when I finally got my hands on it. Just a great knife, and the linen micarta is absolutely beautiful.

But my knife of the year for 2015, the one that's seen more pocket time than any other, has to be my #15 Farm Boy. I bought it as a sort of substitute for the fact that I couldn't get my hands on the TC I really wanted, and compared to the rest of my GEC collection it's fairly plain and basic, but I absolutely love this knife. Not much else to say about it. For me, it's just about perfect.

(Honorable mention has to go to the Chestnut Sawcut Bone Beer Scout pictured above with the Farm Boy. That was another one that really drew me to GEC. I mailed off the tortoise shell Beer Scout that I bought for my Uncle for Christmas last week and I can't wait for him to get it. I think he's going to love it!)

Anyways, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting into this hobby of ours more this year, and a big part of that has been all y'all here on the porch. Here's looking forward to 2016!

 

[Rockon75]

Pattern of the year for me is the 38. Particular favorite of that pattern-gabon whittler. Can't post pic right now.