What traditional should I buy?

BMCGear

BMCGear

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Jan 4, 2014
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Hey gang,

I've been carrying a Small Sebenza but recently I started carrying my Case Slimline trapper to work. I'm tired of pocket clips tearing up my khakis/dress pants. I really like carrying the knife in my pocket vs clipped to my side. I like the Case and love the company but I'm wanting something with a bit better quality. Fit & finish and no blade play like many of my Case knives possess. I know GEC is the front runner in traditionals. I plan on buying their full size Bull Buster when it comes out to tote in my blue jeans.

Here's what I generally prefer:

4 inch handle
Clip point blade (generally)
Single blade (maybe two)
Fairly Slim

Also are there any traditionals that are built with screws vs. rivets?
 
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I don't recall having a Case knife with blade play or at least noticeable. On the other hand I've had several with blade play or knives that devolved blade play from GEC.
How about a Case Back Pocket?
My latest purchase was a Queen stockman and my next purchase will probably be a queen. I don't know their line well enough to give a model though.
 
Not a clip point but it's hard to go past a sodbuster for single-blade hard-working excellence. The GEC bullnose is around that size I think.
 
hunterjrg said:
I don't recall having a Case knife with blade play or at least noticeable. On the other hand I've had several with blade play or knives that devolved blade play from GEC.
How about a Case Back Pocket?
My latest purchase was a Queen stockman and my next purchase will probably be a queen. I don't know their line well enough to give a model though.
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The two that I currently have that have blade play are a sodbuster and a slimline trapper. The slimline is only slight and maybe that is to be expected. Both are from the American workman line; Maybe that has something to do with it.
 
The big three are going to be GEC, Queen and Canal Street Cutlery. There are other brands such as Northwoods, Moore Maker, Tuna Valley and Bulldog as well as others, but these are all having their knives made by GEC, Queen and CSC nowadays. The reason that GEC is suggested so much is because they seem to have the best consistency in their fit and finish.

If I was looking for a single blade, I'd be heading to knivesshipfree.com and looking at the Northwoods lines. They have several single blade knives around 4" with a clip point. They are made by GEC. I haven't heard many complaints about them, and I've heard many positive reviews. Their handle materials are beautiful, and the owner of the site supports and frequents these forums.
 
I never owned a sodbuster. I don't find them very appealing but my slimline trapper is very nice. It's used quite often. I wouldn't be put off with another Case purchase.
 
GEC 72 or 73 are the Standard for single blades. Just a tad under 4'' at 3 7/8 and 3 3/4 respectively.
 
You'll rarely see traditional built that way unless it's a custom. For example, search the maker name Pena, and you may find one of
his concepts here. I think Boker has one or two lockbacks with screws, also.
 
You might like the EKA 38. Comes in swedish carbon or stainless, clip point, screwed construction, plastic or wood handles, 4 inches.


Since its screwed together it would be pretty easy to make your own slimmer scales too.
 
Can't go wrong with a #73 although they have drop point blades. I really like a #48 but it might just seem like a smaller slimline to you compared to the Case you already have and use. You can get a clip point #72 or #42 that is smaller or over 4" but both are lock backs (in general). You could look at the #53 Cuban Pen that feels like a single clip bladed knife but you have a bonus pen blade on it too. Another option might be a #89 Gambler. It's 4" closed and has a skinny clip blade but you also get a skinny pen blade. It kinda feels like a pen in your hand. If you got in on the forum knife then you'll have a clip blade #77 (simliar to #78) soon enough.

For a high F&F Case, have you looked at the Case/Bose Lanny's Clip collaboration knife? That's listed as 4" closed and based off of a pattern by Tony Bose.

Queen's #11 is 4 1/8" and skinny, similar to your Case Slimline I think but with a slightly longer blade in D2.

Canal Street's Half Moon Trapper and Pinch are 3 3/4" closed and the newer ones have great F&F too in my experience (some old ones had a weaker snap). But again, simliar to the Slimline. Both the HMT and the GEC #48 are shorter but I think the handles are a little thicker/wider for their length.
 
bluemetalchurch said:
The two that I currently have that have blade play are a sodbuster and a slimline trapper. The slimline is only slight and maybe that is to be expected. Both are from the American workman line; Maybe that has something to do with it.
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Though it annoying that case knives often come with a bit of play especially in their sodbusters, I've found, they are also the easiest to tune back to tight. I find any single blade is easier to tighten up with a few tape with a hammer on an anvil or hunk of steel. Just got a Case Chestnut CV Sodbuster and it had dismal play. There were pretty wide gaps at the pivot. Squeezed the knife in a vise and then laid the pivot pin over a small anvil and tapped the play right out. Its totally solid with no gaps now. Now why couldn't Case have just done that before they sent it out? You'd think that they'd want to get the F & F as near to spot on as possible, especially considering the market for their CV knives are typically going to be more along the lines of the connoisseur, who is gonna swear to high heaven about gaps and blade play.
 
I see a few good suggestions already posted and others have mentioned the Northwoods knives and I would agree with that. I just got this Northwoods Madison Barlow and I love it! It has a great blade with a nice slim handle, outstanding fit and finish, and I believe that it meets most of your criteria. If lock backs are more your thing the Tidioute (GEC) underneath would also be a good choice.
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GEC 48 single blade would be a great choice. Maybe the most under-rated GEC model.

-- Mark
 
If you want something super high quality, you might want to go with a Custom or Semi-Custom (Case/Bose Tribal Spear or Lanny's Clip).... even then you aren't going to get something with the "perfection" of a Sebenza. Traditionals are kinda about something different than being perfect.
 
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Check out Canal Street's Half Moon Trappers. Both of these had to be sent back for repairs, but what I got back was two very near perfect knives (Thanks again, Eric!), The one on the left is from 2012 and the one on the right is from 2008. The blade shape has changed in recent years, a bit. All stainless construction, if that's what you like. Available in a large variety of cover options, if you look around..
 
Woodrow F Call said:
If you want something super high quality, you might want to go with a Custom or Semi-Custom (Case/Bose Tribal Spear or Lanny's Clip).... even then you aren't going to get something with the "perfection" of a Sebenza. Traditionals are kinda about something different than being perfect.
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Good point; I'm not necessarily looking for perfection. Just something really solid.
 
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