The little 55 that could...

[Doug S]

I don't generally carry my 110 on a belt except when I'm hunting, and sometimes during my summer field schools. When I do, I wear it in the horizontal position in the nylon holster (Walmart model). Pretty much goes unnoticed in this position. That said, I think of the 110 as my hunting knife, and I've been using one for that purpose since the 1980s. Used one of my newer Walmart 110s to dress two deer a few weeks back, in fact. I also keep a 110 handy around the house, in case I need one. Just got the 112, because I like the 110 so much, but wanted something like the 110 that would fit in a pocket. I'm thinking about just pocket carrying the 112, instead of using the big leather pouch. Worse comes to worse, I have a 55 on the way.

I used to buy those little Old Timers much like the one pictured above at a local hardware store. If I remember correctly the scales on the ones I bought were more orange and brown in color. They no longer carry them, and I hear they moved to China, anyway. Somehow I've managed to lose them all through the years.

 

[LKJW]

Good call. That's my only complaint. I just got a small douk douk, too. Same length. The DD has almost half an inch more blade.

I picked up a 55 at BassPro a few month back for a couple of reasons. This first reason was that while I was showing my wife's grand kids my knife collection, including some of from my childhood, they took a liking to an old cheapo lockblade I remember buying at Wal-Mart well over 30 years ago that had brass bolsters and wooden scales (Pakistan). I explained to them that it was a cheap knife and not something I'd buy again these days. Well, they still thought it was kind of neat. SO... I wanted something similar of higher quality and the 55 was the obvious choice. The second reason I bought one was because I had some BassPro bucks to make it a real deal...

Overall, I think it's a really neat knife, and certainly one I would have killed for as a youngster, but I can't say it completely rekindled my interest in traditional lockblades vs similar quality slipjoints. My biggest critique of the 55 is the amount of usable blade wasted by the long tang and the construction in general.

 

[338375]

I don't generally carry my 110 on a belt except when I'm hunting, and sometimes during my summer field schools. When I do, I wear it in the horizontal position in the nylon holster (Walmart model). Pretty much goes unnoticed in this position. That said, I think of the 110 as my hunting knife, and I've been using one for that purpose since the 1980s. Used one of my newer Walmart 110s to dress two deer a few weeks back, in fact. I also keep a 110 handy around the house, in case I need one. Just got the 112, because I like the 110 so much, but wanted something like the 110 that would fit in a pocket. I'm thinking about just pocket carrying the 112, instead of using the big leather pouch. Worse comes to worse, I have a 55 on the way.

I used to buy those little Old Timers much like the one pictured above at a local hardware store. If I remember correctly the scales on the ones I bought were more orange and brown in color. They no longer carry them, and I hear they moved to China, anyway. Somehow I've managed to lose them all through the years.

Yep. They made them in the brown like the Old Timer slip joints were, and also an Uncle Henry that had the yellowish and tan coloring

 

[johnny twoshoes]

I got a Buck 55 to try last year, it was a great knife for pocket carry and it didn't back down from much. I used it as my small game knife for a couple weeks, but I wanted something a little bit bigger. I ended up giving it to my cousin on Christmas, he was really happy with it so I'm glad I did.

Here's an old pic.

I really enjoyed the bolsters on this one, just really appealing to my eye. The all brass was great too. :thumbup:

I ended up with a 501, I think an all around better choice for me.

 

[pinnah]

Johnny, could you say more about what tipped you towards the 501?

I have a love the look/don't like the use relationship with the classic clip point blade. I find I prefer spears and drop points for day to day use more. Still... that wood & brass combo is just so classic. I toy with the idea of taking a flat file to the blade of a 112 or 55 just to knock the top peak off of the blade, just above the nail nick. I moved my Opinel #8 to more of a drop point and like it a lot better.

"Sir. Put down the file and back away from the vice..."

 

[johnny twoshoes]

The 55 is 3 3/8'' closed, while the 501 is just a bit bigger at 3 3/4''. Most of the knives I carry are 3 3/4'' closed so I had a good idea that this knife would do well for my uses.
The arching frame of the 501 is much more comfortable in my palm then the more flat 55. I guess the blade had a lot to do with it as well, I desired a better blade my my uses and the extreme clip of the 55 wasn't it. I ended up loving the drop point so I really gained a better knife, for me. I would say that blade style is what did it ultimately, I love a clip blade, but the 55 wasn't doing it for me.

 

[TLARbb]

Johnny, could you say more about what tipped you towards the 501?

I have a love the look/don't like the use relationship with the classic clip point blade. I find I prefer spears and drop points for day to day use more. Still... that wood & brass combo is just so classic. I toy with the idea of taking a flat file to the blade of a 112 or 55 just to knock the top peak off of the blade, just above the nail nick. I moved my Opinel #8 to more of a drop point and like it a lot better.

"Sir. Put down the file and back away from the vice..."

No. belly up to that vise and post some photos of the finished mod.

Ed J