Thoughts on Winkler Knives?

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K kafolarbear I understand what you're saying and have felt a similar way in the past. Winkler's have such a loyal cult following that those who aren't particularly drawn to his design style kind of tend to think they're missing out on something, atleast I've felt like that. It's kind of like the Spyderco thing. A ton of people LOVE Spyderco and are so affectionate towards them that if you're one of the people who think they're kind of ugly, you might start to think that they have some sort of secret to them that makes them so great.
 
kafolarbear said:
How do you like it compared to your bravo 1? That has been my go to knife for a year now whenever I’m out expecting to build fires or to just do whatever shit out in the field, poor thing is all scratched up, lost its tip and had to be reground and used as a prybar, but it’s still my favorite knife I own.
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I like the feel of the handle better than the bark river bravo 1. The bravo 1 is a better slicer and better at carving notches in wood thanks to that thin convex edge. I think the winkler will definitely handle the harder tasks without any problems. I also enjoy my Bravo 1 in A2. I think you may also want to look into the LT Wright knives, GNS is my favorite tool for wood work and is the most comfortable knife I own. It also does a good job with food.
The winkler belt knife is a great option when you want a knife that can handle a great deal of tasks. I recommend watching some of the winkler knife videos which shows his design in work. Also watch some of the LT Wright knives videos ( several of the winners and contestants on the Alone TV show used them). Hope this helps.
 
Boru13 said:
For those not familiar with WK's... an interesting video from a week ago where Daniel explains how he got started making knives and the history of WK's, manufacturing process, etc.
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Thanks for sharing that - he does few interviews, so it was nice to hear things straight from the man himself. :thumbsup:
 
A thread like this needs more pictures!

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Also I guess I’m curious, how comfortable are the sculpted handles for actual use? I feel they would just create a load of hot spots in your hand with any serious work. I think I’m leaning towards the woodsman and could get one used for a decent amount less than I’d have to pay for a new one, but without the sculpted handles that I kind of want. Any thoughts on sculpted vs regular round handles?
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Case/Winkler knives! As I understand it, Winkler sends the blades to Case, and a few trained craftsmen finish them, well enough that they're guaranteed to be as good as any 'factory' Winkler II knife. You also get different blade designs, and different handle options. Just putting it out there.....
 
justjed said:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Case/Winkler knives! As I understand it, Winkler sends the blades to Case, and a few trained craftsmen finish them, well enough that they're guaranteed to be as good as any 'factory' Winkler II knife. You also get different blade designs, and different handle options. Just putting it out there.....
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You don't get the nice sheath.
 
Yeah, the Case sheath is not my favorite. The knives are worth having custom leather made, in my opinion....
 
kafolarbear said:
Also I guess I’m curious, how comfortable are the sculpted handles for actual use? I feel they would just create a load of hot spots in your hand with any serious work. I think I’m leaning towards the woodsman and could get one used for a decent amount less than I’d have to pay for a new one, but without the sculpted handles that I kind of want. Any thoughts on sculpted vs regular round handles?
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I like mine but I bought it with medium game/deer processing in mind in which case there generally isn’t a ton of pressure being applied to the knife and I want all the grip I can get. I won’t get to try it for that purpose until this fall (hopefully). If there are any hot spots I’ll take care of them with a little sandpaper and something to seal the wood when I’m done. If you have harder use in mind and, don’t want to have to “soften” the handle, the smooth one might be a better option. I must say though, I’m surprised at how comfortable the sculpted handles on mine are.
 
kafolarbear said:
Also I guess I’m curious, how comfortable are the sculpted handles for actual use? I feel they would just create a load of hot spots in your hand with any serious work. I think I’m leaning towards the woodsman and could get one used for a decent amount less than I’d have to pay for a new one, but without the sculpted handles that I kind of want. Any thoughts on sculpted vs regular round handles?
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I can see how they would look that way, but they are actually not sharp in the hand at all.
 
FullMetalJackass said:
K kafolarbear They are so much more than meet the eyes and the spec sheet... But you probably won't like them considering how you (over)think.
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Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate craftsmanship, quality and history Im my knives, but when I’m potentially going to drop $350+ on a knife, I really want to know what I’m getting myself into, and as a guy who goes out and will put his $350 knife through the paces, I want to be sure it will hold up and be good for more than just eye candy and a cool conversation piece because it will get scratched and banged up and dragged through mud and shit, so I want to be sure it will hold up.
 
kafolarbear said:
Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate craftsmanship, quality and history Im my knives, but when I’m potentially going to drop $350+ on a knife, I really want to know what I’m getting myself into, and as a guy who goes out and will put his $350 knife through the paces, I want to be sure it will hold up and be good for more than just eye candy and a cool conversation piece because it will get scratched and banged up and dragged through mud and shit, so I want to be sure it will hold up.
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You’ve had several members answer your questions, if you’re not convinced by now your not gonna be… I’d recommend you stick with Bark River.

Oh, apologies if I’m being defensive again 🙄
 
kafolarbear said:
Also I guess I’m curious, how comfortable are the sculpted handles for actual use?
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What I’ve found on the Operator at least is the handle texture just gives your fingertips some added grip. You don’t really notice them on the spine where your hand makes contact. They are more smooth than pictures might make you think.

Danke42 said:
You don't get the nice sheath.
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Good point. The Case does have a lined leather sheath, but it’s not quite as refined as the Winkler sheath.

The Case is actually noticeably thinner behind the edge though…using my highly tuned/calibrated pinch test. :) You can see the difference in the edge bevel width here:
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Boru13 said:
You’ve had several members answer your questions, if you’re not convinced by now your not gonna be… I’d recommend you stick with Bark River.

Oh, apologies if I’m being defensive again 🙄
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The most helpful mod right here

Everyone else, I appreciate all the pics, thoughts and feedback, I think I’m pretty sold on getting a winkler some time soon. Thanks again everyone!
 
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Boru13 said:
You’ve had several members answer your questions, if you’re not convinced by now your not gonna be… I’d recommend you stick with Bark River.

Oh, apologies if I’m being defensive again 🙄
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kafolarbear said:
The most helpful mod right here

Everyone else, I appreciate all the pics, thoughts and feedback, I think I’m pretty sold on getting a winkler some time soon. Thanks again everyone!
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And just like that...Carl, once again, saves the day. :cool: :thumbsup:

This one is done.
 
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