What is your current “Grail” knife?

[traumkommode]

Although I'm fortunate enough to own a couple TC and Northfield Barlows, I'd really like to have a spearpoint example of each, ideally the saw-cut TC and the smooth autumn bone NF. Not that I expect I'll actually be able to acquire either of those (especially the saw-cut TC), but hey, a guy can dream!

You can have both, you just have to pay for them I passed on a sawcut TC this weekend because it was about a hundred dollars more than I wanted to pay for it, but man it was tempting...

If I can have a grail they done make then my current grail has to be a TC Barlow clip blade with Gabon Ebony covers.

Believe it or not, I've seen more ebonies and walnuts pass by on the exchange than I have sawcuts.

 

[mrknife]

hmm for me it is probably the ebony tc clip with long pull, been hunting that one for awhile

 

[eisman]

kamagong - Your Grail is obtainable. Mike still makes knives. And it's worth feeding our wants sometimes. That's why I have this similar blade:

 

[kamagong]

kamagong - Your Grail is obtainable. Mike still makes knives. And it's worth feeding our wants sometimes. That's why I have this similar blade:

Perhaps, but I doubt that even Mike could replicate the synergy of all the elements in that bowie. Everything came together beautifully. The fine ladder damascus, the hamon, the decorative yet not overdone fittings, the amber stag -- it all works. I think anything less than that knife would be a disappointment.

 

[eisman]

Then chase it. It's a heck of a lot more real than unicorns.

 

[AShearer]

Tom, I bought your Chestnut Bone Norfolk from you several years ago. The one in this pic is not the same one but I'm posting the pic to show that I'm still not too smart. I can't seem to get enough of them. The Ebony one below was my fifth Case/Bose Norfolk purchase. Maybe if I can just hang onto these two I'll be OK.

View attachment 785941

Rick; If you ever get dumb again That is my grail.

 

[AShearer]

Back when evidently I was not too smart I owned TWO Norfolks but ended up selling them. I really didn't need the $$ but the reason was my obsession over a Case CV Swayback Jack that I carried pretty much every day...... I should have kept at least one of the Norfolks

We all do dumb sometimes @tomsch . I sure have done my share.

 

[JD Bear]

I'm on board with the Case/Bose cattle knife as well....but my true grail right now is the Case/Bose Wilfred lockback hunter in ebony (any of the options actually). That single clip in 154cm with a lanyard hole is so perfect to me and I love the size. The only thing that could possibly make it better is if it had stag handles. I doubt I'll ever get the chance to own one, but it's nice to dream....

 

[nyrico]

It is funny that you wrote this thread as I was just pondering this same thing. For the longest time there were three knives that I was lusting over and just never saw for sale. I learned from this forum that I could go onto GECs website and look at the production totals and low and behold all three knives were produced in fairly low numbers. Over the course of the last 2 weeks a came across listings for my three grails. I first found a 792213 and had to jump on it. I was ecstatic, but, continued to search for more knives when I came upon a 531212 with a wharncliffe secondary, when will I ever see one for sale again, so I grabbed that one. Now I am on cloud nine, but do I stop looking? No, I then find my ultimate grail the TK Cuban and once again could not resist. Yesterday as I am awaiting a shipping notification for the TK I thought, What do I have to look forward to now, I have what I have been looking for. I then I run across a pic of the JBF Champlin Electric Barlow and wow what a (new) Grail. I am not quite sure what is wrong with me, but, I am glad that I am not the only one.

 

[pmek5]

It is funny that you wrote this thread as I was just pondering this same thing. For the longest time there were three knives that I was lusting over and just never saw for sale. I learned from this forum that I could go onto GECs website and look at the production totals and low and behold all three knives were produced in fairly low numbers. Over the course of the last 2 weeks a came across listings for my three grails. I first found a 792213 and had to jump on it. I was ecstatic, but, continued to search for more knives when I came upon a 531212 with a wharncliffe secondary, when will I ever see one for sale again, so I grabbed that one. Now I am on cloud nine, but do I stop looking? No, I then find my ultimate grail the TK Cuban and once again could not resist. Yesterday as I am awaiting a shipping notification for the TK I thought, What do I have to look forward to now, I have what I have been looking for. I then I run across a pic of the JBF Champlin Electric Barlow and wow what a (new) Grail. I am not quite sure what is wrong with me, but, I am glad that I am not the only one.

That reinforces the theory of things happen in three's. I guess I shouldn't focus on a single grail, but three

 

[glocktenman]

See my signature.

 

[Spencergarden]

I don't think I have a grail knife. I'm still new enough to this hobby that there are so many handle materials and patterns that I'd like to try out, that no one knife in particular is chewing me up inside to own. Instead there are many, and that's fun.

That said, though it doesn't qualify as a "grail" to me, there is one knife I want more than any other, and someone else in this thread wants one too:

...a Sunbrite Beer Scout.

Good luck Danke42, I hope we both find one.

 

[Danke42]

I don't think I have a grail knife. I'm still new enough to this hobby that there are so many handle materials and patterns that I'd like to try out, that no one knife in particular is chewing me up inside to own. Instead there are many, and that's fun.

That said, though it doesn't qualify as a "grail" to me, there is one knife I want more than any other, and someone else in this thread wants one too:



Good luck Danke42, I hope we both find one.

For sure good luck to you.

It really just looks perfectly like a knife that would come out of a drawer in the old farmhouse.

 

[MCar]

I've actually never used the "g" word before. I think some over-use it. Some people take it to mean the knife they currently "really want." Well, I've had lots of those...I just call them "a knife I really want."

No..."grail" should be reserved for something truly special; I always felt it should be reserved for that ONE knife (maybe two) in your life which, after you get it, something deep in you is somewhat satiated--a knife you'd never let go of. Some talk of a half dozen "grail" knives each year and, to me, it sort of voids the term of its deserved special meaning.

All that said, for the first time in years of collecting, I'm calling a "grail knife."

#38 Whittler in Neptune Acrylic. At one point I had the chance to buy one for (what I then thought was) an INSANE price.

I passed. I really regret that and I'd gladly pay such a price today!

(note: this is not my picture, but I have permission from its generous owner to use it in my search )

 

[Emspop]

I've actually never used the "g" word before. I think some over-use it. Some people take it to mean the knife they currently "really want." I always felt it should be reserved for that ONE knife (maybe two) which, after you get it, something deep in you is somewhat satiated--a knife you'd never let go of. Some talk of a half dozen "grail" knives each year and, to me, it sort of voids the term of its deserved special meaning.

All that said, for the first time in years of collecting, I'm calling a "grail knife."

#38 Whittler in Neptune Acrylic. At one point I had the chance to buy one at (what I then thought was an INSANE) price.

I passed. I really regret that and I'd gladly pay it today!

(note: this is not my picture, but I have permission from its generous owner to use it in my search )

Well said!

 

[Will Power]

I agree, I think a Grail knife has to be some kind of a sea-change, a decisive impact on your knife buying habits and or outlook on knives.

 

[Mike Robuck]

That bowie is superb! This qualifies as my grail knife, although I wouldn't turn down the chance to own a Tony Bose lockback whittler in ivory or stag, or a Henckels springer in stag. I had the same pattern without the gold leaf and damascus blade but sold it after getting this one.

 

[MCar]

I agree, I think a Grail knife has to be some kind of a sea-change, a decisive impact on your knife buying habits and or outlook on knives.

I've also noticed that for most, "grail knives" somehow cease to be grail knives after they procure them. What's up with that?

After you get it, it should remain really special. You can show someone and say, "this is my grail knife" (not was!). We should be good Stoics that way, .

 

[Emspop]

That bowie is superb! This qualifies as my grail knife, although I wouldn't turn down the chance to own a Tony Bose lockback whittler in ivory or stag, or a Henckels springer in stag. I had the same pattern without the gold leaf and damascus blade but sold it after getting this one.

Holy ****(heck) what is that? Please tell me!

 

[Mike Robuck]

It's a Henckels "jagmesser" or hunting knife. Henckels made various patterns of hunting knives, a lot of them with corkscrews. The fulcrum lock flips over and has a point that creates a break between the blade and back spring. While that seems like a bad idea, the lock is pretty solid. The damascus is rather coarse compared to what we see today. I had only seen pictures of one with very little gold leaf left before I came across this one.