Trapper vs stockman vs congress

B

blade dude

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Nov 8, 2015
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So guys which do y'all prefer, a two blade trapper three blade stockman or a four blade congress style knife and why
 
I prefer the blade selection on a Stockman, especially if the Spey blade is replaced with a Pen blade or a Punch. I've never been much of a fan of the Trapper pattern because it usually has two large blades which doesn't suit my needs as well. Not a fan of the handle shape either.

I like the shape of a Congress pattern but they usually have redundant blades which I don't care for either.

I change up my EDC rotation from time to time but right now all four knives in my rotation have the Stockman blade arrangement. I own a couple of Trappers and a couple of Congress patterns but I don't carry those.
 
Of the three, I prefer a medium stockman for it's size, shape, and blade variety.
 
Interesting question. I like both the traditional trapper and the stockman pattern, but not a fan of the congress. If I had to choose I'd say the trapper, since I have large hands and the shape of the trapper handle fits very well. Also my grip is more comfortable since I don't feel the "bulge" of the blades as much as I do with a stockman. I carry a trapper quite a bit as part of my EDC. Handles a wide variety of chores and works well in the kitchen in a pinch and is a great "steak knife". I also carry stockman's, but I prefer the larger sizes, greater than 4". In terms of just plain versatility the stockman is a great choice. I don't have a single Congress style knife in my collection, just don't like the handle style and how it feels in my hand and, like Railsplitter said, the blade choices are redundant.
YMMV
 
I carried a Boker congress with 4 DIFFERENT blades all through the 70s and 80s until there was nothing left of it, and do not presently own a congress. I have carried many stockman knives, and like Railsplitter, I prefer a pen or punch to the spey as a third blade. I currently have been carrying a few different jacks, the most carried being a CASE/BOSE dogleg jack which appears to become a long-term edc. Although the trapper is actually a type of jack, it doesn't quite speak to me. When hunting I sometimes carry a folding hunter (Schrade 25 OT), which is also a jack, albeit very large and not usually thought of by that pattern name.
 
I still have not found my favorite combination of a main clip point, smaller sheepsfoot, and punch. I would like to see it in a medium-large Stockman pattern. As it is now, it's usually a Whittler, or stockman (clip, spey, punch) for me. I thinking I may modify an inexpensive Stockman to shorten the spey blade into a Sheepsfoot. Might try it with a Trapper too.
 
If there was a Congress with a long sheepsfoot, a long spear or spey, a pen, and a coping as secondaries, and it managed to be comfortable in the hand and not too ungainly looking, then I'd be all over it. Pipe dreams aside, I'd have to say stockman, because I have a couple and they manage to pack an amazing amount of cutting versatility into a package that's pretty comfortable and not bad looking either. The main clip blade gives you a blade that can do just about anything, with a fine point and plenty of belly. You have a Spey for scooping and scraping, and as a backup, and a sturdy short sheepsfoot that can slice with precision.

A trapper is perhaps the most beautiful of these patterns, but the blade combination really doesn't excite me, unless the Spey is replaced with a handier pen blade, and then the pen isn't too comfortable to use because the main blade tang is prone to gouge your finger.
 
Half Trapper / Trapper Jack for me. I like the frame and length of the clip blade but don't need a second blade that long. I like the pen blade but wouldn't mind a coping blade instead or low wharncliffe. I can't remember when I needed 3 blades where these 2 fell short. I have stockman knives and (half) congress knives that are users too but always go back to a jack like this.
 
GaiusJulius said:
If there was a Congress with a long sheepsfoot, a long spear or spey, a pen, and a coping as secondaries, and it managed to be comfortable in the hand and not too ungainly looking, then I'd be all over it. Pipe dreams aside, I'd have to say stockman, because I have a couple and they manage to pack an amazing amount of cutting versatility into a package that's pretty comfortable and not bad looking either. The main clip blade gives you a blade that can do just about anything, with a fine point and plenty of belly. You have a Spey for scooping and scraping, and as a backup, and a sturdy short sheepsfoot that can slice with precision.

A trapper is perhaps the most beautiful of these patterns, but the blade combination really doesn't excite me, unless the Spey is replaced with a handier pen blade, and then the pen isn't too comfortable to use because the main blade tang is prone to gouge your finger.
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Not the exact blade selection you listed but it sounds like the GEC made Tuna Valley 4 blade stockman on the #53 frame would work for you. Here's a pic of one I used to have.
 
Like others here I prefer a stockman. The combination of clip, sheepfoot and pen blades fulfill pretty much all my cutting needs. I have a med. Case Stockman in green jigged bone in my pocket right now.
 
GaiusJulius said:
If there was a Congress with a long sheepsfoot, a long spear or spey, a pen, and a coping as secondaries, and it managed to be comfortable in the hand and not too ungainly looking, then I'd be all over it. Pipe dreams aside, I'd have to say stockman, because I have a couple and they manage to pack an amazing amount of cutting versatility into a package that's pretty comfortable and not bad looking either. The main clip blade gives you a blade that can do just about anything, with a fine point and plenty of belly. You have a Spey for scooping and scraping, and as a backup, and a sturdy short sheepsfoot that can slice with precision.

A trapper is perhaps the most beautiful of these patterns, but the blade combination really doesn't excite me, unless the Spey is replaced with a handier pen blade, and then the pen isn't too comfortable to use because the main blade tang is prone to gouge your finger.
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I don't have a photo with the blades open but this Case 64052 has exactly the blade pattern you describe. Long Sheepsfoot, long Spear, Pen, and Coping blades.

 
GaiusJulius said:
If there was a Congress with a long sheepsfoot, a long spear or spey, a pen, and a coping as secondaries, and it managed to be comfortable in the hand and not too ungainly looking, then I'd be all over it.
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This Case CV 4 1/8" 6488 Congress ought to pretty much meet your requirements.

rJKV7xV.jpg


To the OP's question, I prefer a Stockman but find myself carrying a single blade Bull Noaw lately.
 
I'm NOT a trapper fan. A full-size trapper is bigger than I like to carry, and for any size trapper, the two equal-sized blades lack versatility, in my opinion. I'd prefer a large and a small blade, and would probably prefer them in a pen (opposite ends) rather than jack (same end) configuration.

I like a stockman, especially if it has rounded bolsters, low-riding sheepsfoot and slender clip, and nearly sunk joints. In general, I prefer a sowbelly stockman to a "regular" stockman. Also, generally speaking, I prefer a spear over a clip blade, which is my main criticism of a stockman that meets all my aforementioned criteria. (I have NO objection to the spey blade on a stockman, by the way.)

GaiusJulius said:
If there was a Congress with a long sheepsfoot, a long spear or spey, a pen, and a coping as secondaries, and it managed to be comfortable in the hand and not too ungainly looking, then I'd be all over it. ...
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Mr. Caesar, have you seen the Boker Carver Congress? It could be your "pipe dream" come true! :D http://www.knifecenter.com/item/BO1...ongress-whittler-with-rosewood-handles-115465

I haven't carried a congress pattern very much; the only one I have (a Rough Rider) does suffer from "blade redundancy" (or, you could say it gives you your 2 favorite blades that stay sharp twice as long ;)). But I do like the way it feels in my hand, and having 4 different blade shapes and at least 2 different blade sizes would have a lot of potential, I think.

- GT
 
5K Qs said:
I like a stockman, especially if it has rounded bolsters, low-riding sheepsfoot and slender clip, and nearly sunk joints. In general, I prefer a sowbelly stockman to a "regular" stockman. Also, generally speaking, I prefer a spear over a clip blade, which is my main criticism of a stockman that meets all my aforementioned criteria. (I have NO objection to the spey blade on a stockman, by the way.)- GT
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GT, have you seen the Case Humpback Stockman? It sports a Spear main blade, has rounded bolsters, and sunken joints. The Sheepsoot rides about as low as they come, generally speaking. Comes in some nice cover materials too. I've been thinking about getting a Harvest Orange version myself.



 
Large stockman for me, something between 3¾ and 4¼ inches, especially if it's the only knife I'm carrying. If I carry two, then sometimes I'll pair a trapper or other two-blade jack with an alox Cadet. Blade selection is the main criterion.
 
I'm not a trapper fan. I always here they are the most collected pattern, but they've never appealed to me. I like the look of the congress, with it's arch design. But as far as a user, having the same blades on both ends seems redundant, and the handle doesn't fit the hand perfectly. So of your 3 choices, i would take the stockman.
 
Railsplitter said:
GT, have you seen the Case Humpback Stockman? It sports a Spear main blade, has rounded bolsters, and sunken joints. The Sheepsoot rides about as low as they come, generally speaking. Comes in some nice cover materials too. I've been thinking about getting a Harvest Orange version myself.
...
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Rick, I don't recall seeing that before; thanks for the "referral" and pics. It sure looks interesting! :cool:
Is it on a serpentine frame, or is that a straight equal-end frame?
Edit: And now I see it's available in chestnut bone (deep canyon or smooth)! Even more interesting!

- GT
 
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