What pattern would you like to see in 2016 as the Trad Forum Knife

[Jack Black]

For a stainless 4-blade Scout knife, I think a personalised Victorinox Pioneer would be a fraction of the price and a lot less hassle.

 

[Will Power]

It's an ambitious and admirable project!:thumbup:

However, I don't regard Scout knives as 'pocket' knives really, too thick and too heavy for my pocket anyway. OK in a pack or from a shackle on a belt but I have plenty of SAKs for such a thing and the 3 Scout knives I have from Schatt, RR never get used due to their bulk. So, sorry not for me anyway. But I'm sure there will be enough enthusiasts for the knife.

Still hanker after a small fixed, Hess Knifeworks make some very good small knives that are not costly. Other possibles would be a basic Jack i.e. 1 long blade and one short GEC have not offered their 66 pattern for a while, Clip and small Wharncliffe or Coping/Sheepfoot. Nor have they offered the 56 Jack or the 76 for a while so a Forum personal version could be worthy. Maybe Bill Howard would like to propose a pattern himself.... Queen's Railsplitter, their Utility Knife or Teardrop also could be considered in special Forum version?

Whatever the outcome, the future looks interesting-

 

[meako]

Maybe Bill Howard would like to propose a pattern himself...

I've got to say I like that line of thinking.

 

[zolthar]

If we're being offered a Scout Knife, my choice would be carbon steel, traditional 4-blade, with shield and bail :thumbup:

Exactly my thought [emoji106]

 

[jrawk]

hey if a scout pattern is providing the motivational juice for the men in charge, drink up!

 

[TsarBomba]

Call me boring, But I'd love a TL-29 reboot. That would be epic.

Not boring. A stylish linesman knife would go smashingly with my collection. The #1 barehead jack pattern I have is the Barlow, but not far behind is the TL-29.

I'd jump all over a BF version! :thumbup:

 

[TsarBomba]

Nonetheless, I have a proposal!!

Damn the Torpedoes, let's do a Scout!! A New-era, Old-school Scout knife!

3 5/8", safety Can opener, Caplifter/screwdriver, Awl/punch, and Spear main.
Back to our tradition of a new pattern (triple-P etch - Pertinux would approve!) for the Forum!
Many - a majority - of post-war Scouts had synthetic handles, and they are the least expensive, and ironically the toughest, so lets do Micarta! I can hear the gasps as I utter the M-word!!

We can decide;
A) the color - it would be jigged - more gasps!
B) a shield
C) bail (costly) or no bail

I am fully prepared to be shouted down, booed, or booted from the forum, especially when we go significantly over the past $100 limit I have aimed for in the past .

What Say You????

I've been avoiding the questions of logistics in lieu of fantasizing about patterns, but I'll take this opportunity to say: A traditional midsized scout in Micarta would totally be worth going north of a price limit for my first forum knife. I'd also be willing to "upsize" to that Texas-sized scout from that other thread, but either way a new forum scout knife would fill a major gap in my collection and let me concentrate my restoration efforts on harder to find knives (plus if GEC is involved it'll be built like a tank, and if YOU'RE involved, Charlie, it'll be a special knife -- bear in mind that I have zero Charlows at the moment ).

Just a couple of musings:

- Costwise, would the traditional 3-blade scout pattern help offset the cost of the bail, all told? I am a fan of both 3- and 4-blade scout patterns so I am good either way.

- I think I would dig an older-style can opener design, either the fleam-ish stumpy 'blade' or the naval clasp knife style, over the typical demo knife/SAK opener we see a lot these days.

- Some folks will probably want to replace the punch with a different kind of blade, or at least I've noticed that trend in scout-related threads in the past. If this comes up, how about a small Wharnie blade that takes up roughly the amount of breadth as the older "flanged" punches did, which increases utility but doesn't seem to use any more material?

Long and short: Make a BF scout and I am 100% in like Flynn. :thumbup:

Thanks for all of your efforts, Charlie and all others involved. If there's anything a rank amateur like myself can do to make this happen please let me know.

 

[TsarBomba]

Maybe even a fitting "Last Hurrah" use of the Acorn shield?

I didn't include this thought in my ponderings but damn if you didn't echo my thoughts on this one. An acorn shield would only add to the package.

As for the steel, in this case (not to echo Jack) my personal pref would be carbon but this is one I can go either way on. :thumbup:

I may need to buy some in bulk. This could end up being an heirloom piece, and I have lots of nephews/nieces.

However, I don't regard Scout knives as 'pocket' knives really, too thick and too heavy for my pocket anyway.

I have an older Kamp King at home that is actually thinner than some of my single-springs. It is not cheaply made at all but it definitely carries wonderfully. I'll take some photos as I find the time, maybe after a little polishing.

 

[matus]

Scout is an interesting idea. For me - scout is not a knife I would keep in my pocket (though I always have one in my shoulder bag). For me to be interested it should have some usably large main blade (so folded size of 4" rather than 3 5/8) and ... scissors. Yes - that is the most missing feature on my current scout. Ability to cleanly cut a piece of plaster when hiking is highly regarded and much easier to accomplish with scissors than with knife.

The main blade should be made of some good steel - either something like 1095 or, if carbon steel is not preferable, than cpm-154 or the like.

Just my opinion/wish.

 

[Ryouchijtx]

Not boring. A stylish linesman knife would go smashingly with my collection. The #1 barehead jack pattern I have is the Barlow, but not far behind is the TL-29.

I'd jump all over a BF version! :thumbup:

We actually already had a TL-29 reboot designed by STR from BF. It came in long-pull spear and sheepsfoot. Definitely worth the search or hunt but I don't think another 'new' iteration is needed.

scout scout scout scout scout :I

 

[TsarBomba]

We actually already had a TL-29 reboot designed by STR from BF. It came in long-pull spear and sheepsfoot. Definitely worth the search or hunt but I don't think another 'new' iteration is needed.

scout scout scout scout scout :I

Come to think of it, I have seen that graphic before. That is a stunner of a linesman's knife for sure. I will have to start watching the exchange more closely.

That green Micarta seems to be a winner, at any rate, if this year's scout goes ahead. :thumbup:

 

[SA Condor]

That graphic of the electricians knife affirms that I would be perfectly fine with a lanyard hole instead of a bail if we went that route

 

[TsarBomba]

That graphic of the electricians knife affirms that I would be perfectly fine with a lanyard hole instead of a bail if we went that route

For sure, if the tipping point of any potential forum scout knife was the cost of the bail vs. a lanyard hole like so, I could easily go bail-less. The eventual leather lanyard will go through the hole just as easily as around the bail.

Are you folks letting yourselves get a little excited? I am.

Charlie, again, if there's anything the rank amateurs among us can do to help out, let me know. I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one willing to volunteer some time and effort. :thumbup:

 

[neal70]

if you're thinking about a tl-29 reboot, i'd like to see the STREK's saw blade on it. that would probably make me drool, espc. with the correct frame covers-whatever those would be it's a work knife, so maybe something man-made(g-10, etc.). still like the gun-punch and the punch-nut tho'. just something about the name punch-nut makes me smile. don't know why.

 

[Tdhurl1103]

That SRT-EK certainly is a winner. I'd go for that fer sure. Love the linesman knives, it's my fav.

 

[afishhunter]

Nonetheless, I have a proposal!!

Damn the Torpedoes, let's do a Scout!! A New-era, Old-school Scout knife!

3 5/8", safety Can opener, Caplifter/screwdriver, Awl/punch, and Spear main.
Back to our tradition of a new pattern (triple-P etch - Pertinux would approve!) for the Forum!
Many - a majority - of post-war Scouts had synthetic handles, and they are the least expensive, and ironically the toughest, so lets do Micarta! I can hear the gasps as I utter the M-word!!

We can decide;
A) the color - it would be jigged - more gasps!
B) a shield
C) bail (costly) or no bail

I am fully prepared to be shouted down, booed, or booted from the forum, especially when we go significantly over the past $100 limit I have aimed for in the past .

What Say You????

I say with a bail, so a leash can be used to prevent loss.
For color, how about the classic yellow? (jigged or smooth)
4 blade.
I'll start saving for one.

 

[Jsega51]

I'm joining the fire at the bail-less camp. Where's the beer!

 

[SadSappySucker]

All this talk of bail less with a lanyard hole got me thinking. Can you put a lanyard tube on a double ended knife?

Personally I probably wouldn't be in for a scout knife. My leatherman is pretty much glued to my belt 24/7, so I have zero need for another multi tool. However, one of those tl-29 knives might be an exception to that rule. I would prefer to see it in the 77 frame too. The extra length would be nice.

But then again, a coffin jack would be a dream come true.

 

[eisman]

OK, I'll toss in my $0.02 worth...once again.

If you want a pattern that's readily available (Stockman, Sowbelly, Swayback, etc) then buy one. The Forum knife should be a pattern that's not currently available. Not just a scale material. There are lot's of knives that used to be made by companies that are no longer made. For example, Case makes tens of thousands of knifes every year, but they haven't run the 6245 in over 50 years. That would be a nice Forum knife.

The advantage of doing a Forum knife that's not readily available is that often the company will then put out other runs of the same pattern. At that point we have directly influenced both the return of a hard to find pattern, and collectors (on and off this Forum). That's one of the reasons Tony Bose's yearly patterns are so popular. A good example of this is the GEC 73, which started as a Forum knife and has been produced in dozens of variations since then. Think of it as giving something back to the hobby.

Unusual, or uncommon, or special, knives have a collect-ability all their own. That's why SFO's are worthwhile, the Beer-Scout, or the Washington Jack, or the Canittler, are hard to find, but they are out there, and that's why they call it collecting. And that's part of what makes a BF knife special. Be honest, wouldn't you rather have one of the first Slim Jacks (old Remington pattern) made in 50 years, or maybe a Lock Punch Jack (have you ever seen one), or another Sodbuster? Putting the BF logo on something that's not special just cheapens it.

And that brings me to my last point, we cheapen the whole process by trying to limit the cost. I'm not saying it should be unlimited, but trying to keep it under $100 for what's essentially a short run custom limits the final product. I'd rather see 100 made at $150 than 300 made at $75. We should be happy to pay for better materials, better fit and finish, and some exclusivity, and most of the SFO's I'm seeing these days are much closer to $150 than $75.

Having ruffled everyone's feathers, I'll throw in the knife I'd like to see used a pattern for this year (if we can get one done up).

 

[eisman]

Having just seen Charlie's Scout proposal, I say, yes. Pearl acrylic scales please. I'll take three.

(I'll take three in Micarta too, can we get Denim?)

Last, do we really need a can opener? I'd rather have the pen or sheepsfoot some old patterns have. Don't open many cans these days.