Thinking of a 26 little carver, anyone have one?

[Pipeman]

Looks like a great little knife for what I do. Does anyone have a pic of one in hand?
Any comments are welcome.

Thanks

Best regards

Robin

 

[pertinux]

Robin,

I don't have a Little Carver by name, but I do have this gaudy little bit of nonsense that shares the exact same specifications and blade configuration:

For the purposes of comparison (which may not help you at all!), I've decided to take pictures of it alongside my #25 Jack with wharncliffe main, to maybe give you some idea of its strengths and weaknesses in a knife this size (3"). The Jack's blades both open at the small end of the sleeveboard, while the Carver's blades open from opposite ends with the main blade positioned in the wide end of the frame.

The wharncliffe main of the Carver is shorter, an oonch thicker, and feels (is?) stronger due to both.

(I wear a Man's small [Woman's medium] gloves, if that helps with the following in-hand pictures.)

In-hand main blades

Secondary blades

Note how tiny the coping blade is on the Carver (very useful for small spaces) yet also its relative redundancy vs. the bellied clip blade of the Jack.

In-hand secondaries

-- When using the secondary blade, the handle of the Jack is more comfortable due to the lower profile of its main blade and its position at the same, smaller end of the "sleeveboard." The Carver's main blade is rounder, and its arced spine falls near then into the small end of the sleeveboard frame, right about where you'd normally bear down with your index finger when using the smaller blade. Choking up on the blade and/or adjusting one's grip helps.

Width

Surprisingly, the Carver doesn't give away much in width, ie, the Jack certainly isn't twice as wide(!). Still, the extra width of the Jack feels good in a knife of this relatively short length. A stag Carver would perhaps offset the difference.

I am unclear about what you specifically "do," but while I really, really like the #26 for a number of reasons, comfort in-hand during an extended carving session would not be one of them.

However, its very maneuverable tiny coping blade plus the proportional strength of its main blade are definite pluses. The Carver's wharncliffe, thicker and centered in its frame the way it is, is a little powerhouse.

I hope this helps.

~ P.

 

[zippofan]

I certainly can't add to ~P's commentary as she nailed the way this knife handles.

I can only add this pic to the discussion, and say it's a sweet little watch pocket knife :thumbup:

 

[rma100]

How are the blade pulls on your Carver's? I have seen several of these with an 8 or 9 on the 1 to 10 scale(10 being heaviest). I think it has to do with basic mechanics,ie. short thick blade=short thick backspring x small opening radius= very hard pull.

 

[pertinux]

How are the blade pulls on your Carver's? I have seen several of these with an 8 or 9 on the 1 to 10 scale(10 being heaviest). I think it has to do with basic mechanics,ie. short thick blade=short thick backspring x small opening radius= very hard pull.

The mechanics/construction are as you say, with the resulting "very hard pull" a definite concern when I bought the knife.

However, I was fortunate to purchase mine at the GEC factory while in the company of Bill Howard, who had just eased the pull on the secondary clip blade of my #25 Jack.

(I've mentioned this before, but it was both revelatory and challenging to watch how easily he and Chris Tucker opened blades that completely thwarted me. I believe I may have gained some insight into GEC's characteristically "stiff pulls" that day: to the pure, all things are pure; to those who can easily open the stiffest blade, all pulls are "easy"...? )

As I wrote of my #26 purchase at the time:

Unlike with the small blade on the Jack, the coping blade on the 26 sits on the same spring as the main blade.

[Bill Howard] explained that anything he did (to the spring) to ease the small blade would affect the main blade as well, and since its action was right where one would want it to be, he was hesitant to do anything to the knife-- especially since he was able to open both blades seemingly effortlessly!

In addition to oiling and working the joints (the former of which he did for me), he recommended leaving the blades partway open overnight and/or when not in use to keep tension on the spring.

Even after expressing his hesitation, he was still willing to work at the pivot/spring if I wanted him to. I decided to go with his recommendation instead (what say). So, I'm going to give it time, elbow grease, and partially-open overnights, and see what comes of it.

... Watching him open both blades so easily was both eye-opening and frustrating! It was worth it, though, to see my new knife in its creator's hands, and how expertly he handled it.

So yes, the knife threatened to thwart me from the beginning, but I knew what I was getting into and had watched others open it with no problem-- I knew it could be done, with no minor helping of, "... Is it me?!" Heh.

After leaving its blades opened as advised (hint: open both blades all the way first, then back each of them down to the point of most tension on the spring; don't try to open them each to that point!) and also improving my own hand and nail strength and technique, the knife is entirely accessible to me now. I'd actually put more weight on technique and hand strength (or muscle memory) than on the lessening of spring tension, but the latter most definitely helped. It's all so subjective, who knows?

I understand that not many would accept (let alone embrace) those initial challenges, however, and have wondered if the hard pulls are a primary factor in so many #26s (Carvers and "Watchpocket Sunfish" alike) remaining in dealers' inventories.

~ P.

 

[Pipeman]

Pertinux
Thanks very much for the detailed information on the 26 . I make many pieces from old timey knives like Nessies to Drums to mainly leather work. I use Wharncliffe, sheepsfoot and coping blades for cutting heavy leather so this little knife fits my needs to a T. Thanks again for taking the time to do an encyclopedic description.

Very best regards

Robin

 

[pertinux]

Pertinux
Thanks very much for the detailed information on the 26 . I make many pieces from old timey knives like Nessies to Drums to mainly leather work. I use Wharncliffe, sheepsfoot and coping blades for cutting heavy leather so this little knife fits my needs to a T. Thanks again for taking the time to do an encyclopedic description.

Very best regards

Robin

Robin,

Sounds like a Little Carver with its straight blades would serve you well, better even than if you were a (bigger) carver.

... Glad if I could (over)help.

If you do end up getting one, I look forward to your impressions, and to seeing more of your creations either way. :thumbup:

~ P.

 

[knarfeng]

I believe I may have gained some insight into GEC's characteristically "stiff pulls" that day: to the pure, all things are pure; to those who can easily open the stiffest blade, all pulls are "easy"...? )

Quoted because that is a great comment.

 

[Pipeman]

Robin,

Sounds like a Little Carver with its straight blades would serve you well, better even than if you were a (bigger) carver.

... Glad if I could (over)help.

If you do end up getting one, I look forward to your impressions, and to seeing more of your creations either way. :thumbup:

~ P.

One can never "over help" P. ;-))

Very best regards

Robin