Traditional Slip Joints...What Brand?

Like most things, everyone has their favorite for one reason or another.
All the companies already mentioned make great knives, and there are a lot of choices.
If you have a desire to carry a Case, by all means try one. I'm partial to the older ones, but thats just me. A lot of folks here have gotten current production Case knives and been very happy with the quality. If you do happen to get one that has issues, they are still in business and have great customer service.


One thing about it, when you get your first one, and if its not really what you wanted, you can always try to trade it for something else. Its all part of the learning curve, and most of us here have done it. We also know, there is no such thing as the perfect slip joint:D
 
A lot of great advice here. Thanks everyone. I think I'll purchase a Case trapper and a GEC when the time is right. I'm happy to talk and learn from yall. Learning of GEC is just what I was looking for....
 
All I can add is that today I carried my CASE cv Large Stockman Amber Bone around the garden. Spring is slowly underway here in Scandinavia, I found some Primroses breaking into flower on the river bank around the house, I found too some weeds surging and about to choke them up. Out comes the spey blade to clear an area around these spring beauties. A bit of tree pruning, opening some feed bags for the hungry migrant birds,bit of fiddling around and whittling, nothing major but this knife performs so well.

It is not an old knife, just over a year, didn't cost much 45USD but it is one knife I would never,trade or sell. The Amberbone is like a deep peachseed jig,the stainless backspring a nice contrast (practical too)to the grey patina of the carbon blades.It sharpens just like that and although big is not clumsy or over-weight,just right. I'm not an American so I don't have a connexion via heritage or ancestors to the knife, but it is a great joy to own and use. Nearly all my CASE knives are very good knives and a few of them are like this one, exceptional,authentic pocket-knives. I have a high regard for Queen and other non American makes too, but for me CASE is lynchpin of American Traditional knives.
 
willgoy said:
All I can add is that today I carried my CASE cv Large Stockman Amber Bone around the garden. Spring is slowly underway here in Scandinavia, I found some Primroses breaking into flower on the river bank around the house, I found too some weeds surging and about to choke them up. Out comes the spey blade to clear an area around these spring beauties. A bit of tree pruning, opening some feed bags for the hungry migrant birds,bit of fiddling around and whittling, nothing major but this knife performs so well.

It is not an old knife, just over a year, didn't cost much 45USD but it is one knife I would never,trade or sell. The Amberbone is like a deep peachseed jig,the stainless backspring a nice contrast (practical too)to the grey patina of the carbon blades.It sharpens just like that and although big is not clumsy or over-weight,just right. I'm not an American so I don't have a connexion via heritage or ancestors to the knife, but it is a great joy to own and use. Nearly all my CASE knives are very good knives and a few of them are like this one, exceptional,authentic pocket-knives. I have a high regard for Queen and other non American makes too, but for me CASE is lynchpin of American Traditional knives.
Click to expand...

Willgoy,
You are now an American by proxy. I just voted you in.:D
 
I still buy a few factory knives now and then. The guys here "twisted my arm" and I picked up a couple of GEC Northfields last year. Great knives.

I am also sold on Queen, Schatt & Morgan and Canal Street. I have to say for quality combined with a small to medium sized easy in on pocket the best 50 bucks I have spent over the last few years is the Case CV swayback. I guess it has been a long time since I have seen flush 1/2 stops on a factory knife done well.
 
I love me Bucks, old ones, current ones, or the Limited Editions. The Comfort line now is real nice. Plus, to get a horn or older bone one is sweet if you like that model.

Their imported line is also good (I hate that!) but you need to know it's out there so that you don't buy one and expect it to be US made. They are great for the money though!
 
Ohen,
You beat me to the punch, I was looking for a photo and was going to say.
Bleev,
"I enjoy seeing all the knives on the traditional forum, I enjoy handling those really finely made knives spoken of here. But when you need a humvee to go where the Corvettes and Caddies might get dented, USA, Lifetime warranty, Buck is waiting. 300Bucks
 
These are all good
The price range does reflect the general quality, but some of the price is marketing.

I use Queen as my personal benchmark for price and quality


Boker/ Henckels
Carbon and SS
Bone $30 to $40

Buck
SS
Delrin and wood $30 to $40

Case
Carbon and SS
Yellow Delrin $30
Bone $40 to $55

Queen
D2
Bone and Wood $40 to $55

Schatt & Morgan
SS and ATS 34
Bone SS $60 to $80
Bone ATS 35 $80 to $95

Canal
a selection of steels
Bone and some wood $60 to $85

GEC
Mainly carbon
Bone, Stag and wood $65 to $120
 
I, in the last years ors so, finally rediscovered the German made slippies from Boker - their Tree Brand. The 'classic' slippies still come in carbon steel with bone or stag scales - and from Solingen, Germany. Nicely made - and sharp.

Stainz
 
I've been buying Case for over 30 years, ands thats the only factory slip joint I will buy.
There are some great American companys out there though, I just prefer Case.
 
It is hard to go wrong with a Queen knife, especially if one is inclined to do the necessary after-purchase sharpening. Purchasing a Queen from a seller like Cumberland Knife Works will do a lot to eliminate problems from the rare "Monday Morning Knife", too.
 
OK you guys got me going. I have a few Bucks that are well over 30 years old and they still remain as some of my favorites by even now seeing good use. Dag nab it, now I have to check out some of the newer offerings. :D.
 
I own a number of Case knives...but not many newer ones. Most are from the 80's, 70's, and earlier. The same can be said for my Fight'n Roosters and Bulldogs as well as other brands. The 2009 Forum Knife will be the most modern slippie I own.

I would say it is going to depend some on the pattern you choose as well, different companies tend to make certain patterns better than others. I think if you ask about a specific pattern then folks here could help a bit more. For example some recently asked about whittler pattern knives and the answers were great because they were able to discuss blade thickness, steels, etc.

No manufacturer is going to make perfect knives 100% of the time. In general I would say Case is going to be great 95% of the time, same with Queen, GEC, and others.
 
Great Eastern Cutlery/Northfield/UNXLD/Tidioute; Queen/Schatt and Morgan; Case; Boker.

I've been picking up well used/well patina'd slipjoints at junk shops, flea markets, knife shows etc. Gotten a few for about ten bucks, in great shape with great snap, but a lot of patina, for about ten or fifteen bucks.
 
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