Top Three Production Brands?

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cultivateitnow

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Aug 21, 2010
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Who are the top three production traditional knife makers in terms of quality and durability?

I'm looking to add a few traditional folders to my collection. I'm also looking for a good EDC knife in the sub $100 range.


Thanks.
ps
If there are any brands I should stay away from or a "bottom three" I wouldn't mind hearing about those too.
 
GEC
Queen
Schatt & Morgan
Not nessisarily in that order.The GEC's are just hearsay to me,because I don't own any, so I will say Case.
 
I'd like to be able to say Case, but I can't . From my experience with them, it depends on the knife. I have some that I would put right up there with any of the other brands, but I have some that definitely leave a little to be desired. I would agree with GEC and Schatt and Morgan, and would also put Northwoods in there. I'm sure there are other great brands, but these are the tops that I have had experience with.
 
my personal top 3 in no particular order....
case
buck
gec
another good one is queen.

things to look out for....

i heard schatt has some backspring issues. some people mention them snapping or breaking over time. i don't own any so i don't have any experience. just fyi :)

queen's d2 blade steel can be frustrating to sharpen if you don't have any diamond sharpeners.

some gec models have uber strong backsprings. could be a good or a bad thing.

in my experience there's no really bad brand as a whole. a few odd balls slip thru. but for the most part american trads. are well made. The only brand that comes to mind is bear and sons. i don't own any but i heard they're pretty shotty.
 
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My #1 choice is Queen.If anything just their style.You can look at 2 different brand patterns and tell them apart by their subtle differences. I just like the way Queens look I guess.Queen made MooreMakers are great knives too.
 
moonwilson said:
Case
GEC
Queen (and associated brands- Schatt & Morgan, Moore Maker etc.)
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Yep, these three. All three have their sore points as well as their good points. Case has the Tony Bose collection, but also the low end knives made for them by Frost. GEC is probably the best of the three for all around product reliability. Fit and finish, materials, sharp blades out of the tube. Queen and their companies have great fit and finish, D2 or 420HC on their blades, but they were being delivered to the consumer with grease on the blades, and dull, if nonexistent, edges. They have gotten much better though.

I am hot for a GEC 23 Pioneer after getting to see one on Saturday.
 
I have a D2 itch that needs scratched so I'll look at Queen. I have non-traditional D2 blades that I like so no issue there. I just wasn't sure about their quality. GEC is on my list. You can tell just by looking at them they they are well made.

I like Buck knives and have a few in my collection. I just wish they would add more patterns and more flavors. :)

I discovered a maker today that makes a couple of perfect slip joints right here in my state. It looks like he is getting 5 bills on everything he makes,so He'll have to wait a bit. He isn't production either and I want to add those first.

I'll give Case another try. I bought a couple years ago and they were not the best. I've heard things have improved.

I'll look up some of the others listed as I've not heard of them before. Anyone else to add to the list?
 
cultivateitnow said:
I'll look up some of the others listed as I've not heard of them before. Anyone else to add to the list?
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There are a lot of great used knives out there, from older companies that have gone out of business. You have to know where to look. Check out Knife World and the Blade Guide to Knives to familiarize yourself with the different brands. Anything from 1950 and newer should be easy to acquire. I am currently looking at Kutmaster brand folders, have a couple of Kutmaster stockmans that are great users. USA made Schrades, if you can find them, are great knives also. The fun thing about these slippies, is hunting for them.
 
If long term durability is one of the major factors, Buck and Victorinox has to be up there. I tried for 25 years to wear out a Buck 301 stockman, and it's still good to go. Looks pretty beat up though. The Buck 300 series pocket knives are the Brinks armored car of pocket knives.

I've pushed a sak pretty hard in some weird places, never had one get loose or let me down. The alox series of Victorinox pocket knives ain't pretty, but then neither is a Sherman tank. The Victorinox settler is an equel end two blade jack, and the alox solo is a single blade jack. Both will last till judgement day. Fit abd finish on sak's is usually close to flawless.

Factory support on both brands is second to none, with a bomb proof warrentee. Like in unconditional. As of a few years ago, both Buck and Vic had a service that they would for like a few dollars, reblade a worn out knife. I had a new main blade put in my 301 stockman for less than a few beers would cost me out in a bar.

Carl.
 
cultivateitnow said:
I have a D2 itch that needs scratched so I'll look at Queen. I have non-traditional D2 blades that I like so no issue there. I just wasn't sure about their quality. GEC is on my list. You can tell just by looking at them they they are well made.

I like Buck knives and have a few in my collection. I just wish they would add more patterns and more flavors. :)

I discovered a maker today that makes a couple of perfect slip joints right here in my state. It looks like he is getting 5 bills on everything he makes,so He'll have to wait a bit. He isn't production either and I want to add those first.

I'll give Case another try. I bought a couple years ago and they were not the best. I've heard things have improved.

I'll look up some of the others listed as I've not heard of them before. Anyone else to add to the list?
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What pattern are you looking to get?
 
All of them, at some point. :)

Right now I'm looking for a slim line trapper with liner lock from as many different manufactures as I can find. I also need a few sod busters and both large and small hunters. I would really like to find a large Hunter with a 4" drop point slim line but I haven't found any. If a company offers them I'll get a large and small dual blade and slim line hunters models.

I need a few canoes, coperheads too. There is a store in the area that has Stockmans, and toothpicks so I think I can get a few of those local.

I bought two trappers this last weekend, a slim and regular. I'll likely buy 4" blades first, if I can find them. Anything with a 3 7/8" to 4 1/2" blade traditional pattern will get purchased first, then I'll go mid size, and lastly small. I've learned to use 4" blades for darn near everything and I just like them. If I find time to get into carving I'll likely want a coupel smaller stockmans for detail work.

I'd say this order:

4" Slimline trapper with lock
4: Slim line Trapper without Lock
large Hunter
Small hunter
Sod Buster
Trapper
Canoe
Tooth pick
Stockman
Then anything that grabs my eye
 
The canoes great. I'm waiting for a #9 stockman right now. I have a small Mooremaker stockman made by Queen in 1095 that is a great knife. I also have a large and small trapper. the small one has half stops. Both are rock solid.The only Queen I had problems with was the mountaiman.For some reason they have blade wobble. I'm sure they will work it out, if they haven't already, unless I was just unlucky.
 
I have had some rough times with Queen (the Canoe troubles) both honey amber stag bone were horrible and I still haven't managed to send yet the Canoe on fixing (its bit more troubelsome) but the Dan Burke Barlows (the two I have) are one heck of an great knives. so I say: Great Eastern, Queen on good day
Some Case's are really nice I have so I'll add 'em on my list too.

I don't have experience on Schatt&Morgan nor Canal Street, so I can't comment on them. However GEC is safe bet.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Yep, these three. All three have their sore points as well as their good points. Case has the Tony Bose collection, but also the low end knives made for them by Frost. GEC is probably the best of the three for all around product reliability. Fit and finish, materials, sharp blades out of the tube. Queen and their companies have great fit and finish, D2 or 420HC on their blades, but they were being delivered to the consumer with grease on the blades, and dull, if nonexistent, edges. They have gotten much better though.

I am hot for a GEC 23 Pioneer after getting to see one on Saturday.
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"low end" Case knives "made for them by Frost" ???????

I'm sure that Case would be surprised to hear that Frost makes knives for them.
 
knifeaholic said:
"low end" Case knives "made for them by Frost" ???????

I'm sure that Case would be surprised to hear that Frost makes knives for them.
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Frost is making several patterns for Case with Corelon handles, search for "Case Corelon Frost" and a well known knife retailer comes up. A buddy of mine got a couple of them.
 
In terms of Cutleries, rather than individual brand names, I would say:

Great Eastern Cutlery
Queen/Schatt & Morgan
Canal Street

By individual brand names, I would go for:

Northfield UN-X-LD (I'm a sucker for good swedges and 1095)
S&M File & Wire (beautifully made with premium ATS-34 stainless)
GEC (Same quality as Northfield, with excellent 440C stainless)
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Frost is making several patterns for Case with Corelon handles, search for "Case Corelon Frost" and a well known knife retailer comes up. A buddy of mine got a couple of them.
Click to expand...

Case sells the knife to Frost and he puts the Corelon on them. The retailer references them by where they were finished. Frost is one of Case's largest reseller.
 
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