The *one*, lets talk about it

[rockgolfer]

I think its obvious I have fallen hard for the GEC #53 pattern. So much so that I cant bring myself to carry anything else. Part of it I guess is knowing I can tackle almost any cutting chore I can think of coming across. Heck the big clip blade could field dress game if needed. I pick up my other two GEC's and I just cant bring myself to leave the house with them. I have liked other knives A LOT but never like this. I know most of us are here for our love of steel. Who says it needs to be more than one? Guess im just looking to open some dialogue and give some like minded folks a place to chat and show pics of our *one* (at least for the foreseeable future). I would also like to add that if you do switch from the one, then come back and share why?

Thanks folks and ill edit in some pics in a bit when I get home.

Edit:

Everyone's "one" is different. You have some reason its your favorite, you dont have to carry it every day for it to have this status.

Some pics of mine.....
This first pic was the day I recieved it

 

[Vanguard41xx]

This guy is my "one". It is just about everything I've wanted in a knife. Too bad they are hard to find, because you better believe I'd buy a whole bucket of them.

 

[markpmc]

When I'm home I rotate through my stash of mostly GECs. However when I hit the road for a week or two I take only one. Large enough to do anything I need and rides fine in either my front or back pocket as required.

Walden Cattle Knife - GEC SFO for SMKW.

 

[ConBon]

I'd have to say it needs a shorter, fat clip with fine matchstick pulls, a nice wharncilffe blade, and a nice sheepsfoot blade with fine matchstick pulls as well. It would need to be on a bullet trapper frame or a tear drop frame if possible, with real bone in a nice and smooth jig. A pinned bomb shield on each side would be great, but I've never seen shields on both sides before. Carbon steel is a must, probably O1. Nice and smooth pull, like a 5/10, but with well machined blade fangs and springs so that it has really good snap without being a nail breaker. I'll probably have it made by someone when I come home after my tenure in the service after high school. That way I can carry it throughout my adult life.

Connor

 

[Modoc ED]

This is the knife I carry almost every day.

Jeff !!! Where's the picture of your #53 ????

Here's a picture of one of my #53s just to egg you on for a picture of yours.

Snakewood Covers - early knife manufactured in 2007.

 

[rockgolfer]

Thanks for the egging ED!! Always enjoy seeing your ebony #79 and what a stunning #53 in snakewood. Wood has become my handle of choice lately, hard to beat its raw beauty and hardcore durability.


Whats funny looking at the pic above with it sitting on the tri-hone. I use the coping blade the most but it has the least patina. Funny how that works.

 

[Rsmith_77]

i have been reflecting on my knives recently. we had a little extra money and the wife has given me permission to spend a little. My first thought was to pick up another knife and as i thought about it...it really hit me that I have more knives than i ever needed.

every grail knife i wanted, i picked up and found some reason to search for another. Sometimes i think I just "want"
more knives, more stuff..

But what do i need? something sharp, big enough handle for my hands and comfortable to use, small enough to comfortably carry. Something tough/durable enough to count on.
its easy to be seduced by things like carbon blades (but they do require more care), bone or stag handles (which, at least for me, i worry about dropping on my concrete floor at work) various blade shapes and sizes.

it all comes back to this for me. I would hate to pick just ONE knife, but i believe if i had to, i could
i believe it would be my buck 301. 3 blades is alot of blade for a package of just under 4 inches. Stainless steel for ease of maintenance. Easy enough to sharpen and keep sharp. Small enough to carry in my pocket but plenty big enough for my largish hands. Delrin handles and bucks saber grind blades means its extremely durable in use or even if accidentally dropped. I dunno, it may not be the prettiest knife out there, but it just might be the most practical.

perhaps i am just waxing philosophical here. but its actually been something i have thinking about lately

 

[black mamba]

Wood is good, here is a nice one in Mexican Bocote.

Or how about some Red Stag.

But this is the one I carry. Cracked Marble Acrylic.

 

[JAB]

I don't have a recent pic, but I've been carrying this one pretty much everyday for the last 7 months or so. It's big/substantial enough to handle any job I can reasonably expect a pocket knife to perform while still being light/unobtrusive enough to carry in most any type of clothing and I find the blade selection to be well suited to my day to day needs. Not to mention that it doesn't really raise any eyebrows when it's used at work or in most social settings - in fact, I even received a positive comment from a nice older female customer when I needed to use it while helping her the other day (she lamented the fact that one doesn't see many gentlemen* carrying pocket knives nowadays).

*Her words, not mine.

 

[black mamba]

Sometimes I'm in the mood for a slightly smaller 4" stockman, like one of these two.

Queen #9 in Curly Zebrawood

Canal Street #315529 in Caramel Aberdeen Bone

Except for a few trappers, jacks and lockbacks, I almost always carry a stockman. But I do love to switch 'em up!

 

[rockgolfer]

RSmith, we have been thinking alike lately. Thats a great lookin buck ya got there. I dropped my 53 twice in a row the other day(cringe). It has two scuffs on the bolsters, nothing major and it still functions flawlessly. I would hate to see what bone could look like after those falls.


The 53 is becoming a Jeff thing but I think its safe to say your just a stockman fan at heart Sir! Cant tell you how much I love looking at that cracked marble, stunner.

JAB, great story. Whats the length on that guy? Looks well loved :thumbup:

 

[JAB]

Thanks Jeff, it's about 3 3/8" (087HE). Hmm, it's kind of interesting how most of the knives pictured so far are of the 3 blade variety.

 

[Modoc ED]

Thanks for the egging ED!! Always enjoy seeing your ebony #79 and what a stunning #53 in snakewood. Wood has become my handle of choice lately, hard to beat its raw beauty and hardcore durability.


Whats funny looking at the pic above with it sitting on the tri-hone. I use the coping blade the most but it has the least patina. Funny how that works.

Maybe the lack of patina on that blade is because you thouroughy wipe it off after use thus leaving less material on it to cause a patina on the blade. I know I do that with some knives/blades - wipe em off (pull the blade between thumb and forefinger) every time I use them.

Thanks for the comment on the snakewood. It has much more figuring that the snakewood GEC is using today.

 

[TLARbb]

I think, being a two blade fellow, and not a stockman type, that I'd prefer a "Furtaker Trapper" on this (53) frame or on a 66 frame. Or more likely a 66 jack. My current favorite, if I had to pick just one knife for every situation would be the Case wharncliffe mini trapper with two blades. I could easily be satisfied with this one:

Edit: I've been reading this thread again and thinking about it. I have to say that I probably have other knives that could be "the one". I actually started a thread a year or so ago loosely based on this idea. Needless to say, I did not come down to the one.

Some other possibilities for "the one":

This BF barlow has everything to qualify:

or this pair of Case single blades might be "the one":

Or the Texas jack:

Ed J

 

[timberweasel]

If I wasn't such a knife-crazed lunatic, the Vic Pioneer would be all the knife I'd ever need...

-Brett

 

[Dr. Pepper]

I MUCH prefer two blades trappers, jacks, and hunter types for looks and comfort and I HATE crinked blades. That said, for a real using knife I would have to pick a case cv 47 sized stockman as being what I would pick for my one and only that is big enough to use and small enough to actually take with you. No GEC because I can almost double up on the 47 pattern for what one GEC would cost and never be underknifed. That's not my actual personal preference or what i actually carry, i am just looking at it like a one and only tool that gets used for more than apples and walking sticks.

 

[comoha]

This guy is my "one". It is just about everything I've wanted in a knife. Too bad they are hard to find, because you better believe I'd buy a whole bucket of them.

You are spot on with this one. They are a bit more upsized in length and thickness the your usual easy-opens, and thats fine with me. I don't have a bucket of them, but I do have three.

 

[rockgolfer]

Your welcome JAB.

Interesting observation ED, I think I do wipe it down without even thinking about it. The spey blade cuts sheetrock usually once a day and gets dirty tasks, I usually wipe the sheetrock gunk off of it every other day or so. Big one gets food work. Still amazed at how easy it is to get a razor edge back on these blades after I use them all week. The coping was very dull, struggled through some cardboard yesterday and needed some touching up. I gave it 10 swipes per side on the fine arkansas stone and it can scroll cut receipt paper. Just adds to why I cant put this one down.

 

[rockgolfer]

But this is the one I carry. Cracked Marble Acrylic.

I keep coming back to look at this one Jeff. I am very close to adding one of these to rotate with my ebony. Never handled acrylic and hesitate because I am worried about dropping it and its durability. Also worried about traction with sweaty hands or if my hands are wet. Regardless your example looks well loved and I enjoy seeing it :thumbup:

 

[Doug Add]

I honestly don't think I could ever get down to just one, but if I had to it would certainly come from this group of three. There are very few days that one of these is not in my pocket.

Case 6332 stockman

Schrade 832 stockman

Case 6220 peanut