Recommendation? What's the most beloved double blade traditional in your collection?

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kurtsea

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I'm fixated on getting a double blade tradition. I want to get some opinions on your favorite patterns and maker for canoes, muskrats, etc.
 
Most of my knives are no longer made.

For 2 blade knives currently in production and readily available today, I like the Case Texas Jack and the Case Barlow.
If I'm going to carry a knife with 2 blades one has to be smaller than the other, so I don't really like the trapper or muskrat.

Everybody should try a 2 blade Barlow at some point, and the Case is a good one.
Everybody should probably also try a Trapper at some point, and the Case 54 pattern is probably the most sold trapper ever.
 
I carried a Case 6235 1/2 for years and still really like a double blade jack of that size. However, my most carried two blade these days is this one. It is a great all around knife and the single spring makes is slim in the pocket.
RIMG3447.JPG
 
This is like choosing your favorite child but I will just choose these 2 . The top one is a great knife but certainly not readily available . a Northfield 38 Lick Creek Farmers Jack made in 2015 . Price , if you can find one , is not cheap .
The bottom one is a Case full sized Wharncliffe Trapper made in 2024 . The Mini Trapper is a good choice for persons who want a smaller knife . Mine is very well made . The Full Sized Wharncliffe Trapper is not always available but the Mini seems to always be available . The price of the Case was reasonable .
vvUSpJS.jpg


Harry
 
Since you ask about canoes and muskrats, my favorite is this Buck 308 canoe, now discontinued, it was available with stag or black-lipped pearl scales. There was a build-out made with ivory scales. Three and a half inches long with an S30V Wharncliffe blade signed by Chuck Buck and a 154 CM drop-point that's signed by A. G. Russel. It is thin and carries well in the pocket. Not easily found or inexpensive,
OrYy4TZ.jpg
 
Cannot choose just one.
My favorite dual blades, largest to smallest are:
1) Two blade slipjoint folding hunter. Though TBH, at over 5" closed, I consider it more of a belt knife (Like a Buck 110/Old Timer 6/7/OT, and similar knives are folding belt knives.) This is my most carried two blade. A western 062 has been on my belt everyday since July or Aug., 2024.
Currently made by Case (x265); Offshore Schrade, Rough Rider, and I believe, Boker Tree Brand. (Personally I don't care for the RR; two pulls on the clip point blade. To me that is ugly.)
Available on the used market by Case, Imperial-Schrade(US), Western, and many others.

2) Full size Moose (4.125 - 4.25" closed)

3) "English Jack" (2 blade same end jack knife that is a minimum 4" closed.)

4) Full Size (3.625" closed) Canoe.

5) 2 blade Barlow and Jack Knife, between 3.0625 and 3.5" closed.

Buck, (I think) currently has a 2 blade 301 double end "stockman" available, based on the 2018 "Traditional" Forum Knife.
Tere are several discontinued Buck 300 series 2 blades, that are smaller than I will carry.

5) Peanut (2 7/8" closed) Case and several others make the Peanut pattern. Case also has a "Texas Jack" that is just over 3" closed.

The "Muskrat" pattern is similar to the Moose, but is equipped with (usually) two "Turkish"/"California" clip point blades, and is around 3 7/8" closed.
The Trapper is another option. The full Size trapper is 4.125 to 4.25" closed. Smaller ones are made
.
I had a RR Tiny Trapper, around 3" closed. (Best I can tell, the poltergeist in the expedited box truck I drove "borrowed" it, and never returned it. (I know there was a poltergeist in that truck. A couple of the pocket knives it borrowed, I later found in the mini-feidge's freezer. I have NEVER put a knife in the freezer. Nor have I ever needed a knife to get something out of a freezer. 🤨 So, no way I "accidentally" left it in there. I was asolo driver when that tiny trapper went missing, eliminating the possibility of a co-driver "borrowing" it without saying anything ... darn poltergeist ... 😠)
 
Hickory n steel said:
Most of my knives are no longer made.

For 2 blade knives currently in production and readily available today, I like the Case Texas Jack and the Case Barlow.
If I'm going to carry a knife with 2 blades one has to be smaller than the other, so I don't really like the trapper or muskrat.

Everybody should try a 2 blade Barlow at some point, and the Case is a good one.
Everybody should probably also try a Trapper at some point, and the Case 54 pattern is probably the most sold trapper ever.
Click to expand...
Oh! I'm with you and having different blade sizes. I have a Case trapper but it never seems to be something I grab. Might be the blade sizes 🤷‍♂️. I'll have to work it in again and see if it fixes this 2 blade itch.
 
afishhunter said:
Cannot choose just one.
My favorite dual blades, largest to smallest are:
1) Two blade slipjoint folding hunter. Though TBH, at over 5" closed, I consider it more of a belt knife (Like a Buck 110/Old Timer 6/7/OT, and similar knives are folding belt knives.) This is my most carried two blade. A western 062 has been on my belt everyday since July or Aug., 2024.
Currently made by Case (x265); Offshore Schrade, Rough Rider, and I believe, Boker Tree Brand. (Personally I don't care for the RR; two pulls on the clip point blade. To me that is ugly.)
Available on the used market by Case, Imperial-Schrade(US), Western, and many others.

2) Full size Moose (4.125 - 4.25" closed)

3) "English Jack" (2 blade same end jack knife that is a minimum 4" closed.)

4) Full Size (3.625" closed) Canoe.

5) 2 blade Barlow and Jack Knife, between 3.0625 and 3.5" closed.

Buck, (I think) currently has a 2 blade 301 double end "stockman" available, based on the 2018 "Traditional" Forum Knife.
Tere are several discontinued Buck 300 series 2 blades, that are smaller than I will carry.

5) Peanut (2 7/8" closed) Case and several others make the Peanut pattern. Case also has a "Texas Jack" that is just over 3" closed.

The "Muskrat" pattern is similar to the Moose, but is equipped with (usually) two "Turkish"/"California" clip point blades, and is around 3 7/8" closed.
The Trapper is another option. The full Size trapper is 4.125 to 4.25" closed. Smaller ones are made
.
I had a RR Tiny Trapper, around 3" closed. (Best I can tell, the poltergeist in the expedited box truck I drove "borrowed" it, and never returned it. (I know there was a poltergeist in that truck. A couple of the pocket knives it borrowed, I later found in the mini-feidge's freezer. I have NEVER put a knife in the freezer. Nor have I ever needed a knife to get something out of a freezer. 🤨 So, no way I "accidentally" left it in there. I was asolo driver when that tiny trapper went missing, eliminating the possibility of a co-driver "borrowing" it without saying anything ... darn poltergeist ... 😠)
Click to expand...
I really do like having a knife about 4" or bigger when possible. My Case Large Stockman CS has been with me all week. I'm hunting for a Moose or English Jack!
 
black mamba said:
I like the combination of a clip main and a straight-edged secondary.
Click to expand...
I agree with Jeff's statement. If I'm carrying a 2-blade traditional, I like a primary blade with some belly and a straight-edge secondary blade. Here's another example, a Case-Bose Eureka Jack. GEC made one also, I believe. They both would be harder to find and likely a bit pricey, but it's a nice pattern.
WKLAnx7.jpeg
 
kurtsea said:
I'm hunting for a Moose
Click to expand...
Check out the RR "Sow Belly" mooses. The "Spey" blade has a LOT of belly.
IMG_20260113_072230.jpg
(knife shown is the black G-10 with Ti coated T10 carbon steel blades. Blades are 1/8" thick at the spine; like the matching Colt (discontinued) and RR Canoe of the same series, I consider them a "heavy duty" knife. Yes, this RR was formerly a Colt knife. When Colt exited the cutlery market in c.2015, SMKW who held the Colt license, moved severa of the Colt models over to Rough Rider. The only differences are the shields and tang stamps)

I am not sure if RR currently has a standard equal end cigar Moose in production. I think the sow belly is still in production, depending on series, with either T10 carbon steel, or 440a stain less blades. I "think" the Blue Jean Micarta model has 1/16" thick at the spine un-coated T10 blades.
 
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My favorite 2-blade pattern is the canoe. I like having a blade at each end, and I love the smooth symmetrical profile of a closed canoe. Here are photos of a couple of my personal favorite examples of canoes, one with stag covers and one whose white bone has scrimshaw of a "composite scene" from our annual vacations.
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EKx52FZ.jpeg

X4tRgGB.jpeg


- GT
 
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