Tried and liked: 2013

[pinnah]

This is a year end tradition on a cycling list I'm on.

What did you try and like this year?

I'll start.


SIMPLIFYING MY PILE - It started when a Buck 500 pocket ejected on me. Realized I was spending too much time thinking about the day's carry. Several knives went out to loving adoptive homes.


OPINEL'S INOX - Carbone is still my daily choice but I'm liking the Inox.

SCHRADE 51OT BIG TIMER - Got it to replace the lost Buck 500. Too big for EDC carry (unless I'm in a mood) but wow, I love it in the kitchen.

LANSKY MOD FOR CONVEXED APEX - Paper fears me now. Wood falls in pieces at the sight of my Opinel.

 

[slide13]

GEC #15 Boys knife in single spear blade with ebony scales - I have bigger knives, I have smaller knives, I have much higher end custom knives...yet each day this thing finds its way in my pocket. It's easy to carry being super slim, feels solid, and has just the right amount of blade for my needs. I can also open it by pinching the blade which is handy because I seem to have weak nails. Never thought it would still be in my pocket at this point.

 

[knarfeng]

I tried three new patterns that I liked very much:
Canoe
Two-blade Congress
Whittler

 

[jc57]

This is almost impossible for me to answer succinctly. 2013 was the year I really got into traditional knives for the first time, so there's really way too many things in the list. I guess I'll just hit the highlights of things that surprised me by how much I liked them.

- Slipjoints in general. Previously I was only buying more modern folders.
- Carbon Steel. I still like and and perhaps prefer stainless but I'm happy with my CV and 1095 knives as well.
- Several Case patterns, but especially the Small Texas Jack and several incarnations of the Medium Stockman. Honorable mention to the Case Russlock. Funny looking thing at first but once you get the hang of it, it's really very useful.
- Victorinox Alox handled knives - specifically the Cadet and Electrician. One of these two is *always* with me.
- Buck 30x knives. I didn't even know Buck made traditional slipjoints. What great quality for the money!
- GEC knives. Never would have believed I'd spend that much for a pocket knife, or that they'd actually be worth the price.

So yeah pretty much everything.

 

[singin50]

I have always collected a lot of different knives from tacticals to traditional folders but this year I have gotten into the single blade Jacks for the first time and find myself using them all the time now.

 

[SAK Guy]

Liked very much: :thumbup:

A beautiful GEC #85 gifted by a gracious member here! (Thank you again!!!!!!)

Used Case CV Soddie Jr.

A Schrade USA Old Timer 51OT "Big Timer"

A couple of Opinels (Slim Bubinga and Coghlans camp #9)

 

[HuntBomb]

The TC Barlow clip pt in ebony is definitely my most prized posession of 2013
The runners up for favorite would be:
GEC #81 Abilene in African blackwood
GEC #48 Improved Trapper in African blackwood
And I rediscovered my love for the GEC #73 Scout in ebony.
After owning so many perfect GEC's, only vintage (pre 80's) Case knives can compete for pocket time.

 

[JulianHayes]

I know I am small time around here, but at the beginning of the year I grabbed a yellow delrin/cv Case Peanut. I LOVE my med. stockman (bone, CV) and it had not left my pocket for about 4 years. Now I am LOVING the peanut. and it is about as people friendly as anything. have yet to really need anything bigger for everyday chores.

 

[black mamba]

I tried Wharncliffe trappers for the first time this year, and really like them. 2 Case (one mini and one copperhead), and 5 GECs (three #74 saddle trappers and two #48s). A clip main with a Wharncliffe is a beautiful and practical combination.

I tried more small knives this year, and found them both useful and endearing. Especially this Rochester Robeson ShurEdge from between the world wars.

And finally I tried my hand at blade regrinding/reprofiling, and found it not too difficult and greatly satisfying.

This:

To this:

And this:

To this:

A couple more firsts for me were my first Mora fixed blade (very impressed for the money!) and my first SAK, an Alox Electrician (unfortunately backordered for a couple weeks). I bought fewer knives this year than last, but had greater focus and enjoyment in the ones I did buy.

All in all, a great year knife-wise.

 

[burnside]

There wasn't anything I tried and did not like this year, but the knives I like the most are the Northfield SFO #85 EO African Blackwood Linerlock, the TC Barlow with single spearpoint in saw cut marrow bone, and #85 EO 2011 Traditional BladeForums (wish I never sold it). I'm looking forward to the GEC Viper, but it looks like that is going to be a 2014 knife. I might also have to pick up another GEC F&F Bullnose knife next year as I like it quite a bit as well.

 

[Jack Black]

I liked a number of patterns that were new to me this year, but out of them all, I'd say that the humble Aitor Castor Pequena impressed me most of all. It's a very simple knife, with what looked to be a slightly odd blade shape, but what a great little work knife. As some of you will have noticed, I've used it a lot in the kitchen

 

[davek14]

Svord peasant L6 steel


Case CV


I used to be quite unimpressed with Case. Saw them as doing lots of slightly different knives to rope in the "CASE COLLECTOR". Their stainless is alrighty I guess.

Now that I've tried the CV I see them more like I see, let's say, Bonnie Rait. Yes she changed a bit to be more commercial, but she also continued to do a lot of good old stuff.

 

[HFinn]

This is almost impossible for me to answer succinctly. 2013 was the year I really got into traditional knives for the first time, so there's really way too many things in the list.

It's the same with me, so I list only the absolute favourites and trends/patterns.

For me, the Case trapper was a real treat. The beauty of the bone handle and the fact that the different blades (spey and clip) really have different usess made me see the light. A keeper for sure.

Sardinian pattern FOX Pattada. The simplicity and lightness of the pattern got me really interested in friction folders. I regularly carry this one in my pocket or bag, alternating with an Opinel, another great knife.

Blind Horse knives bushbaby. My first real high-end knife. I have yet not put it to use in it's environment, but no doupt it will serve well.

In the end of the year I started to get interested in small fixed blades. Since I carry my knives mostly in my bag, the size is of no consern this way. Of course, when carried in pocket it is another matter. The Brisa.fi brand Enzo has great products that I will look into in the future.

Also I started to make knife handles with my cord and epoxy - method, that is of course used before by several makers, but it is still nice to imagine that I have made something really mine

Returning to puukko has also been like coming home.

 

[arizonaranchman]

Gosh, 2012 was sort of a fixed blade year for me, but 2013 is definitely the year of the traditional folder. I "discovered" GEC's magnificent knives and the obsession has been non-stop ever since.

I'm really not a collector and don't look to accumulate numerous knives, but I have assembled an assortment that have been a pleasure to own and carry. I appreciate their simple beauty and usefulness in my daily life. The ones I'd name as favorites would be the #55, #06 Pemberton, #15 single spey TC Barlow in african blackwood, #92 Eureka Jack and #85 EO in african blackwood.

It's been a great year and I look forward to '14 and what lies ahead. The traditional forum here has become a part of my daily routine and I've learned alot here from all of you. It's a close group and the knowledge and expertice here is impressive.

Thanks to all of you here, including our moderators who keep it all flowing smoothly. This is a fantastic forum.

A few of my absolute fav's... The #06, 55 and 92

 

[NATive-ii]

Tried and quite liked the Gerber mini paraframe serrated knife. Quite small but was handy to have as an EDC.

 

[zippofan]

The Muskrat pattern. I tried a few from Schlieper Eye Brand, Case, AG Russell found an older GEC 66, and I like 'em. Two clips, clip and a Wharncliffe, clip and a spey, doesn't matter, they're slim, disappear in my pocket and are wicked slicers when fishing, at camp or anywhere else.

 

[pinnah]

Oops, I forgot to mention...

LANYARDS - After loosing both a nice Buck 500 and my small multi tool to pocket ejects, I added lanyard to both. The Opinel is now wearing green but the red makes things easier to find. The lanyard itself almost eliminates ejects and makes it easy to fish the knife/tool out of my pocket.


EDC Pair by Pinnah, on Flickr

 

[Thalestin]

This year has really not been much of a knife year for me. Money has been really tight and finishing up my masters degree took away a lot of opportunity to be in the woods where I like to use my knives. That being said, I did invest in a couple knives and did enjoy them:

1) the inox gardener Opinal has been great. Fun knife that functions great. Fantastic slicer and cheap to buy. If I had to be on a very tight budget I would probably just use this knife. I have come very close to having to sell all my knives just to pay the bills but was able to squeeze by the last couple months. This guy was close to becoming my only knife
2) fell back in love with my scagel fruit port. Just a great all-round knife. Its been through a lot with me so I seem to like to have it in my pocket when life is giving lemons.

Buck slip joints. I was lucky enough to win one and have to say they are great little knives and for sure could be a 1 one kind of knife.

Bit of a rant post but sometimes everyone needs a little rant

 

[sitflyer]

The Puukko, something that had intrigued me for years and I just never pulled the trigger on. This year I finally took the plunge and now am finding myself a little obsessed with them.

 

[MerryMadMonk]

At the top of my list for 2013 is this Darrin Sanders beauty

I use it a lot... and love it!

This one is with me most days

And this one is in the queue to be carried and used in the coming year