What company makes quality carbon steel slipjoints?

Mitchell Knives

Mitchell Knives

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I'm looking for a quality traditional slipjoint with carbon steel blades. What are some good companies to check out? Which ones tend to have the best fit and finish?
 
Schatt & Morgan, GEC, Queen are off the top of my head, some of the quality carbon steel slipjoint makers. I also like Case carbon blades on New old stock 70s knives, Robeson also. Actually, I like mostly new old stock 70s knives in carbon. As far as best fit and finish, I will let a more knowledgeable BF member call that one. Some of the custom slipjoint makers just turn out some drool inducing knives that are higher quality fit and finish than production slippies. It depends on how big your wallet is really, or how good your credit is....
 
To my knowledge, Queen produces knives in 420HC and D2. I don't count D2 as even close to Carbon steel. I have only seen Schatt and Morgan knives in 420HC and ATS34. I have not seen any Schatt and Morgan Carbon steel offerings

Not sure if that makes a difference to you as I am not sure exactly what your wanting. But Case CV is not actually plain Carbon Steel. The CV stands for Chrome Vanadium (probably on the order of a percent or so of each. They are not stainless but they are not plain Carbon Steel either.

Great Eastern has a couple of product lines in 1095 Carbon Steel:
Northfield is one.
Tidioute is the other.

Both lines have received rave reviews.

I have read mixed reviews on Moore Maker Knives.
Consensus seems to be that you pay a lot for what you get.
 
knarfeng said:
I have only seen Schatt and Morgan knives in 420HC and ATS34. I have not seen any Schatt and Morgan Carbon steel offerings
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Not a lot of Schatt and Morgan in Carbon steel, but they do exist. They made a limited run of carbon steel Harness Jacks a couple of years ago. I think there were about 50 each of four different handle materials. Some are still available at Cumberland Knife Works. Not sure if they make any others in non stainless.

My Crimson Bone harness Jack is 1 of 50.
Harness.jpg
 
German Eye Brand are high carbon and darn good knives. A shame they don't get mentioned more than they do in the forum.
Greg
 
mckgreg said:
German Eye Brand are high carbon and darn good knives. A shame they don't get mentioned more than they do in the forum.
Greg
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+1 on that Greg!

Really fine cutters that seemed to be overlooked all to often.

Anthony
 
Thanks guys. Carbon steel would be nice, but I'd be ok with D2 or ATS34 also. My main concern is fit and finish. Most slipjoints that I have handled had considerable blade play. I'll take a look at Case and others the next time I plan a trip to the knife shop.
 
ElectricZombie said:
Thanks guys. Carbon steel would be nice, but I'd be ok with D2 or ATS34 also. My main concern is fit and finish. Most slipjoints that I have handled had considerable blade play. I'll take a look at Case and others the next time I plan a trip to the knife shop.
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Oh. That's a somewhat different question than the original one.
Case
Queen (Who I now know occasionally makes carbon steel but mostly D2)
Schatt & Morgan (mostly 420HS, but File & Wire series is ATS-34)
Great Eastern (1095 and 440C offerings.)
​
These were already mentioned as making good folders with non-stainless blades. To these I would add:
Canal Street makes all stainless bladed knives. Fit and finish on mine is quite good. They mostly use 420HC, but also use 440C and 14-4Cr Mo, which is Latrobe Steel's equivalent to 154CM/ATS34.​
 
AG Russell has an upcoming series of "Working Man's" knives, starting with a Barlow. 1095 steel, bone handles, made in Germany. Something to watch for in the upcoming catalogs; I first saw it today in the KCC mailing.
 
Most slipjoints that I have handled had considerable blade play. I'll take a look at Case and others the next time I plan a trip to the knife shop.
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The last few Case knives I've purchased have been nice, with no blade play. The latest, a CV Middle Stockman with bone handles that I bought for my son for Christmas, is one of the nicest traditional knives I've handled.

Happy shopping!
 
Blue Grass Winchesters made by Queen are 1095. Fit and finish is very good and prices are reasonable. Larry
 
AG russell had a at least one Ka-Bar slip joint in 1095 but it was very pricey. Some type of limited anniversary edition.
 
Thank you Knarfeng. I guess I showed my ignorance about blade steel :foot: I assumed that if it was not "stainless", it was some form of "carbon". :confused: Thanks for the edumacation! :o. I see I have a lot to learn about blade steel. Which is why I am here!
CJ65
 
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Lets not forget about the german loewen messer.

Linkie

Up here north loewen messer ( loewen=lion & messer=knife is often used as a synonym for pocketknife. and is the most issued knife at work places. Its been my knife at work....Well ever since I started working. At work they are given to you for free as part of your work outfit and nobody, not even LEO's will question you having one. ( And our knife laws are stricter then in england)
All the men in my family that carries a knife, carries a loewen messer.

In my opinion its at the top of the best slip joints even :thumbup:
 
Those Lowen-Messer blades are cool. Quite a variety. Thanks for showing those! Are the fixed blades carbon steel or just the folders?
 
cj65 said:
Thank you Knarfeng. I guess I showed my ignorance about blade steel :foot: I assumed that if it was not "stainless", it was some form of "carbon". :confused: Thanks for the edumacation! :o. I see I have a lot to learn about blade steel. Which is why I am here!
CJ65
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CJ, I owe you an apology, which I have PMed.
 
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