Tough slippies.

E

ElCuchillo

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Carrying my Wenger SI lately has me thinking about tough knives. Now, toughness in a knife is hard to gauge, since knives are meant to cut, not pry or use as a screwdriver, so sharp should be more important then tough. However, the Wenger is built like a tank. It feels so substantial and tough in my hand that I feel like I can take on the world. My Soddie Jr in CV Feels the same. I went through a phase where I wanted to go small and inconspicuous, to see how far I could go with small. I think the Wenger has sent me into a different direction now. Anyone else carry a slippie because it feels so darn tough and reliable?
 
Yes, in the past I have carried a pocket knife that I was atracted to because of tough construction. My 301 Buck stockman, Wenger SI, and sodbuster are some that come to mind. The Buck stockmen was used very hard while I was in the service, on engineer construction sites. It's still in my rotation, badly worn but still a good using knife. In the mid 1980's I played around with a Gerber LST somebody gave me, and it was a tough little bastid. I used it hard in the machine shop, and at present it's one of Karen's purse knives.

I still carry my SI because of the comforting feel of the knife. The cadet series of sak's are similar in feel. Maybe its the alox scales and exposed rivits.
 
I have also been carrying a Wenger SI most of the time lately. It does feel very substantial - even more than other SAKs - and its scout pattern is just about the right balance for me in terms of minimalism and utility. I also wouldn't feel too bad about working it hard to the point of abuse, since it isn't pretty or expensive, or hard to replace. I got mine in a good trade with a forum member; it cost me a smooth red bone Boker copperhead.:thumbup:

Because I like the SI's array of implements, I'd like to get a scout knife with nice scale materials, but I'd be reluctant to work a pretty knife as hard as my SI.
 
I've always bought Victorinox, so I have basically the same knife, the soldier. I carry it every chance I get for the same reason as you guys. I feel like there's nothing I can't do with it. I would like it with 2 blades though. I also really like my Vic One Hand Trekker, not great for pocket carry, but it or my Vic farmer are always in the field with me when I'm hunting or fishing.
 
I always have my SI around. Although I don't have one, I think the douk douk should be on the list. Somebody who is more familiar with it may want to chime in on it.
 
I use a Victorinox Alox Pioneer Harvester as my everday work knife. It seems pretty danged tough to me, I do use it for a screwdriver, pry tool, saw, etc. I've tightened all kinds of screws, scraped and pried stuff, sawed some fairly substantial wood, pried opened paint cans, etc with it for over three years. Plus used the main blade and secondary hawkbill blade countless times cutting things. Been filled with dirt and mud, covered with paint, dropped from scaffolding, carried for hours in sweat soaked clothing, has never failed as of yet. :thumbup:
 
What is a Wenger SI ?? I wanted to see one, tried Googling, checked several web sites and came up empty. Please tell me what I'm missing!! LOL.
I know what Wenger is.
 
Other than those already mentioned, I would add the 125OT, though it has a lock, it's still a slippjoint. I'd like to add the buck 110/112 but I'm not sure if it qualifies.

Peter
 
ElCuchillo said:
Anyone else carry a slippie because it feels so darn tough and reliable?
Click to expand...

There are loads of tough-as-nails slippies I can think of: Buck 301 and 303, Case Sodbuster/Sodbuster Jr., anything 84mm and up from Victorinox, several models of old American made Schrade Old Timers, most any well made Barlow pattern and on and on and on. My go-to toughies are my Vic Soldier, and Case Sodbuster Jr. and Trapper (both yeller, cv).
 
stockman242 said:
I'd like to add the buck 110/112 but I'm not sure if it qualifies.
Click to expand...

The 110 is definitely a tough knife, and it was among the first I considered too. Part of the challenge for me in evaluating this is that I tend to equate size with strength. A Case 6375 seems "tougher" to me than a 6318, but mostly just because the 6375 is large and the blades are thicker.

The Old Timer folding hunter knives and those like them were always very tough. I have a 123OT Pioneer that saw about 10 years of pocket use and another 10+ years of tackle box use, and still is as tight as the day I bought it.
 
Case Barehead Slimline Trapper, yellow handle, CV blade will surprise folks as to how tough it is.

Light weight, easy to pocket carry, with a handle to give a great purchase using a blade with a clip point and geometry to handle a multitude of tasks.

This same pattern by Boker and Hen & Rooster I have used with excellent results as well in the past.
 
my toughest slippies are my Vic Farmer and my Case CV Peanut and Sodbuster Jr. The Peanut is like a small tank that should not be underestimated.
 
There are many tough Slippies out there. Check for blade-play and slap your cash down!
 
I have a couple of Queen gun stock patterns that are very tough. I've beat one pretty bad and it is still solid.
 
The SAK Alox Soldier and Farmer are the first knives that pop into my mind when I think of tough slippies.

As far as the Buck 110, it isn't a slippie - it's a lockback. And as far as the Sodbuster goes, the more I hear about it, the more I want one, despite the fact that I need another knife like I need a hole in the head but I suppose that's the price one must pay for hanging out around this blasted forum!
 
Case CV Yellow Trapper - tough!!! But, the other yellers hang with the big bro too, Peanut as the tough dress pant knife, and the Soddie as the tough mango/avocado/other pitty fruit destroyer (see stains and patina as proof):

P1030041.jpg
 
I just picked up a Wenger Soldier pattern this morning, been looking for one for a while and noticed the sign in the gunshop window so went in, not expecting to find one , turns out it was the first thing that I saw as I walked through the door. I like the bale which the Vic' model does not have.
 
I have always equated the Buck 301 and 303 with "tough traditional" knife. I carried a Camillus Buck 303 for a number of years. Used it as a truck driver. Used it more a few years later as an engineer to trim the edges of material that would later be formed into various items for aircraft. (sorry to be vague. Specifics are not an option on that usage.) Now you know I like fancy steels and I like locking blades, but to me that old 303 is what I think of when I think "knife". I recently got a 301, and I think I am going to like that just as much.
 
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