The "Stockman" Pattern?

TAH

TAH

Joined
Jul 3, 2001
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As many of you know from my other thread, I recently purchased a 319 Rancher and couldn't be happier. However, I'm starting to wonder if I need a Stockman pattern too. :D But I'm trying to rationalize and understand the need for three blades. What do you guys do with the sheepsfoot blade that the clip and spey couldn't perform just as well? Is having a third blade (sheepsfoot) more handy than an awl? Personally, I use the awl quite a bit. To me, the Stockman doesn't seem as versatile, but that doesn't mean the Rancher/Cattleman is better.

Thanks for your thoughts! :)
 
The sheepsfoot blade is handy for scoring or cutting a line, especially when using a straightedge.
 
I had never seen the 319 until recently. After you posted about it, I looked at it and find it to be a well thought out tool for the target of ranchers and that type. I use an awl tool a lot with my swiss tool. I'm going to keep my eye out for a 319. I prefer the 307 to the 301, but that has gone the way of the 319.
 
The sheepsfoot blade makes a good straight line cutter. Honestly I find myself using it more that the clip or spey blades.
 
I'm with Bear Claw, I use the sheepsfoot blade the most of any on a stockman knife. I use the spey blade the least. OH
 
TAH may not remember but some of you will, when I had a couple of Buck stockmen made into 2 blades with only a clip and modified sheepsfoot. I was promoting a new version to be made by dropping the spey blade as unwanted by most folks. I was hoping for the sheepsfoot to turn into a long warcliff blade but I got the sheepsfoot blades just ground down a little. I may yet take a 301 or 303 and have someone put in a real warcliff blade that is longer than the supplied sheepsfoot. Here are the photos from the past.......I even sent Joe Houser one to show around the factory........300Bucks

TwoBladeCompare.jpg


TwoBladeFront301.jpg


TwoBladeSheepsfoot.jpg


TwoBladeSidebySide.jpg
 
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Wow 300Bucks, those are sweet. I would be all over that pattern if Buck made them. How did you have the mods done?
 
300,

I'm thinking a Rancher with a sheepsfoot in place of the spey would be just about perfect...at least for me.

So, outside of peeling an apple, has anyone found other good uses for the spey?
 
Oh boy, a whole thread for my favorite pattern! I'm never caught without my stockman. I think it's the perfect combination of blades that can handle any task, but doesn't have any unnecessary redundancy.

I use the clip blade most often, as it is perfect for general utility. Not much to say about it other than that, just that it can do just about anything satisfactorily.

The sheepsfoot blade is useful for the obvious reason that it cuts with a leading point. I use mine when I need to score and/or cut a tough material.

Last but not least, I use the spey blade when I need to avoid penetration. The first uses that come to mind are cutting open the pockets on new clothes, opening delicate packages, and cutting off bandages.
 
"So, outside of peeling an apple, has anyone found other good uses for the spey?"

Many years ago, I used the spey blade for opening tin cans. A word of warning though, keep fingers clear in case the knife closes when making the initial punch through the top of the can.
 
I had these done by Triple R knives. But, other knife builders who can drive out bolster pins and re-pin new blades without damaging bolsters or leaving gaps could do about the same. BUT, pay attention here, you should use only the sawcut black scale version, because then all they have to do is to knock out the bolster pins, grind off a spring pin head and drive the pin out the other side, remove the spey and spring and replace the three pins and your done. You still have your black sawcut scales in place. With the Dymondwoods and smooth yellow scale versions you have to remove the scales to do the modifications because the spring pin is HIDDEN. If you still want to go to two blades with those versions I would plan to put on some new fancy bone, stag, burl wood, jigged bone or horn scales while they are off. Paying someone to put the old scales back on and redo four pins seems counterpoint to me.

Yes, the spey is a fancy and precise slicer and if you like to have one then you are already set. I can get by with the clip doing that work and would find a strong full length warcliff blade a helpful addition, while making for a slightly slimmer in width knife.

The ideal 319 Rancher version for me would be one with the smooth stainless awl, a sheepsfoot or warcliff blade along with the traditional clip blade. That would be a darn good knife. Toward the rear of the awl, I might add a couple of small notches that would not mess with the awl working for stripping copper wire. 300
 
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300Bucks said:
The ideal 319 Rancher version for me would be one with the smooth stainless awl...
Click to expand...

I have knives with both smooth and spiral awls. I prefer spiral awls for heavy leather. Once the awl is pushed through and turned to create the hole, I then run the awl back through a few times and the spiraling "files" out the hole nicely. Not sure if that is the intended purpose of the spiraling, but it works well on saddle girths.
 
The smooth awl is meant to be twisted round and round, with the sharper edge of the cupped side scraping away small amounts of leather. 300
 
TAH said:
300,

I'm thinking a Rancher with a sheepsfoot in place of the spey would be just about perfect...at least for me.

So, outside of peeling an apple, has anyone found other good uses for the spey?
Click to expand...

The backside of the Spey can be ground down to turn it into a pen blade, I have done this on several Stockman pattern knives. That's my use for a Spey...

Example of a 703 with a ground Pen blade...



IMG_3144_zpsa73cff3e.jpg
 
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Sitflyer, I like that - good idea. I recently bought a Case brand Stockman which had a pen blade substituted for the spey blade (factory built) - the pen in lieu of the spey blade was why I bought the knife. OH
 
sitflyer, that looks great. Looks like it came from the factory that way. :thumbup:
 
Thanx guys, personally, I find a small pen blade to be very useful for delicate tasks, and with the improved point of the re-grinds, they seem to be my go to blade for opening packages and plastic bags etc.
 
Personally I like a good spey blade, but not the way it is formed on my new 303. I like it a bit thinner with more belly.
 
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