what is the best quality slip joint today?

navihawk

navihawk

Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Messages
4,677
What's everyones opinion on the quality(workmanship) on the following production? If you have one I don't have listed, please add it.

Case
Mooremaker
Canal Street
Queen
Shatt & Morgan (Is it made by queen)
Tree Brand
Eye brand
Schrade
Camillus
For years I have always thought you can't go wrong with a Case.The Eye brand I have in my pocket now seems to rust up and pit quicker than the Case CV.I'm not crazy for stainless.
 
I think Case is pretty high up on the list. The last couple of peanuts I've bought over the last couple of years have been so good in fit and finish they get classed as pocket jewlery. One of them, the bone stag, even got comments from the church ladies on what a pretty pocket knife it was when I used it at a box lunch social.

But I think over all, Victorinox is worth a mention. Considering the huge production numbers, the quality control is amazing. You have to go along way to find a bad Victorinox. There does not seem to be any variance in the knives, even on the foot pounds of torque to open the blades. Maybe being in buisness since 1890, and still having an Elsner at the helm has something to do with it. The factory in Switzerland is supposed to be the most up to date facility in pocket knife manufacture.
 
jackknife said:
I think Case is pretty high up on the list. The last couple of peanuts I've bought over the last couple of years have been so good in fit and finish they get classed as pocket jewlery. One of them, the bone stag, even got comments from the church ladies on what a pretty pocket knife it was when I used it at a box lunch social.

But I think over all, Victorinox is worth a mention. Considering the huge production numbers, the quality control is amazing. You have to go along way to find a bad Victorinox. There does not seem to be any variance in the knives, even on the foot pounds of torque to open the blades. Maybe being in buisness since 1890, and still having an Elsner at the helm has something to do with it. The factory in Switzerland is supposed to be the most up to date facility in pocket knife manufacture.
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I have the soldier in aluminum.You are right, there is nothing bad I can say about it, andI tend to find faults in every knife I get.
 
Case: In my opinion, very consistent above-average quality. I've never gotten a total 'stinker' from them.

Canal Street: Mixed results. The Ring Opener is absolute top-quality, but their Swing-Guard was sub-par, especially considering the premium price. I also think that for the prices, they should upgrade their standard blade steel.

Queen: Average. Very strong springs make their knives difficult to open, and the most recent Queen I bought has a bit of blade play.

Schrade and Camillus: Both of these companies are out of business. the Schrade corporation was dissolved in 2004; Taylor is currently importing reproductions from China and having knives subcontracted with the "Schrade" name. Camillus went bancrupt last year, and there are some ongoing developements with their potential future.

Talking about the genuine original Schrade and Camillus products, an absolute mixed bag. Some are top-notch and some are junk. And it seems you never know which until the product arrives in the mail.

-Bob
 
Just wanted to add a Shout Out to the AG Russell Swing Guard, made by Boker in Germany. The fit and finish is near perfect, and the smoothness of the action is second to none.

Regarding Victorinox, I find the same level of consistency and quality with the Wenger SAKs. They aren't as popular, but IMO they should be.

-Bob
 
Bob W said:
Case: In my opinion, very consistent above-average quality. I've never gotten a total 'stinker' from them.

Canal Street: Mixed results. The Ring Opener is absolute top-quality, but their Swing-Guard was sub-par, especially considering the premium price. I also think that for the prices, they should upgrade their standard blade steel.

Queen: Average. Very strong springs make their knives difficult to open, and the most recent Queen I bought has a bit of blade play.

Schrade and Camillus: Both of these companies are out of business. the Schrade corporation was dissolved in 2004; Taylor is currently importing reproductions from China and having knives subcontracted with the "Schrade" name. Camillus went bancrupt last year, and there are some ongoing developements with their potential future.
Talking about the genuine original Schrade and Camillus products, an absolute mixed bag. Some are top-notch and some are junk. And it seems you never know which until the product arrives in the mail.

-Bob
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Thanks for that tip about Queen. I was thinkin about them for carry.

What about MooreMaker. Anyone have good opinions of them?
 
Case is definitely up there. All of the Case knives I have have come with excellent fit and finish and very well sharpened blades. The 154-Cm series is particularly scary sharp!
 
Bob W said:
Just wanted to add a Shout Out to the AG Russell Swing Guard, made by Boker in Germany. The fit and finish is near perfect, and the smoothness of the action is second to none.


-Bob
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The AG Russell Barlow is also very good. I just got one and for $45.00 it is hard to find a better-made knife.
 
Bob W said:
Queen: Average. Very strong springs make their knives difficult to open, and the most recent Queen I bought has a bit of blade play.



-Bob
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Queen can be frustrating. They have some very, very nice designs but as you pointed out, they are very inconsistent. My biggest problem has been their factory edges. It wouldn't be such a problem if they just needed to be sharpened, but typically they need to be re-profiled. At the same time though, I have some of the Queen Classic Series in 1095 (two medium trappers, one canoe) and they are outstanding.
 
I've been most pleased with my Boker (tree brand) carbon steel slipjoints lately. Seems their fit and finish is very good compared to many other brands. Great edge out of the box with no re-profiling necessary. And best of all they are often considerably cheaper. My Russell Barlow made by Boker is very nice as well.

Horrible knives out of the box this year were a stag Bull Dog Brand sowbelly stockman and a yellow celluloid German Eye Brand Canoe. Blade rubbing, flat spots from blades hitting backsprings, poorly finished bolsters, poorly shaped blades, zero edge out of box, loose shield, etc.
 
navihawk said:
Thanks for that tip about Queen. I was thinkin about them for carry.

What about MooreMaker. Anyone have good opinions of them?
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The Mooremaker, black buffalo horn, 3-blade stockman made by Camillus is very nice. The fit and finish is good but mine required quite a bit of re-profiling in order to get shaving sharp edges on the blades.

5e_1.jpg
 
Probably a custom one. Take your pick of makers. The only two I know of off the top of my head are Tony and Reese Bose.
 
augustus88 said:
The Mooremaker, black buffalo horn, 3-blade stockman made by Camillus is very nice. The fit and finish is good but mine required quite a bit of re-profiling in order to get shaving sharp edges on the blades.

5e_1.jpg
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I like that one.I think the shield is pinned isn't it?
 
Schatt & Morgan is probably the premier production slipjoint available today.

Especially those with blades of ATS-34.
 
I think Buck's USA made knives deserve to be on the list for workmanship. I have not found a flaw in their recent models (besides the use of 420HC).
 
Mr.Turnip said:
I have yet to come across something better than my Spyderco DK Penknife:
(I know it's not a traditional folder, but since this thread has also been posted in the "General forum", I thought it was okay to mention it)

gmt-spyderco.jpg


Read mini review here:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=398467&highlight=dkpk
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It sure is a beauty, and a great pic there!

But as you say, I'm considering "traditional" slipjoints like those mentioned in the OP.

Schatt & Morgan is Queen's "premium" line; the fit, finish and snap are simply outstanding.
 
I'm with rifon...of the slippies I own, my Schatt&Morgan is the only one I feel is "way too pretty to use." (Love my Case Peanut. Love my Eye Brand MiniTrapper. Love my SAK Tinker.)

Time for me to stir up the pot....Great Eastern Cutlery.

Discuss.
 
Based on recent posts, Great Eastern seems to be a mixed bag - like Queen. In my experience (I have two of them), they have been great in terms of fit and finish, but the factory edges aren't too great. Luckily they are a bit easier to sharpen than Queen's D2.
 
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