Whats your favorite traditional knife brands?

Just Tom. said:
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Drop $18 on a #8 in carbon steel to experience a true classic.

It may seem very strange at first, coming from the world of American slipjoints - I will be honest and admit I hated the first one I got in 1988, and immediately broke the tip off opening a can with it (I know, I knowā€¦). Iā€™m not 100% sure what became of that knife, but a few years ago I got another one and found it to be far more robust than I had remembered.

The very comfortable handle and slicey blade make it excellent for removing lots of material when roughing-in a carving project, stripping bark, etc.

If you donā€™t like it, throw it in a toolbox or kitchen drawer and use it for things you wouldnā€™t want to use your EDC for.

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Can't say better!

JM2 JM2 you should try one! If you wouldn't like it, it still be a decent cutting tool in your possession.
 
One active company that has a very special place in my heart is Muela, from Spain. They make (locally!) very good and handsome stainless steel knives in a wide variety of models, and they're not expensive at all. My very first fixed-blade knife was a Muela, in the late 90s or early 2000s; I believe it was a Rebeco, like this one:
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I don't know where that knife could be right now, but since I've also gotten a Bear (basically a huge pigsticker) and a Sarrio (a rubber-handle Bowie, somewhat similar to the Cold Steel Trail Master). Nothing but good experiences with all of them.
 
I've got several of dad's and granddad's old Case and Schrades.
I'll buy vintage if the price is right.

Big fan of Buck 110s

But my favorite current offering is the Rough Ryder Carbon II series. Under $15 so if they get lost of damaged I don't cry as much.
 
JohnDF said:
Case Cutlery. Although I wish they'd bring out newer stuff more often.
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Amen to that! Every time I get a new catalog or email from the big Case dealer I have high hopes, but the "new" stuff always seems to be the same six patterns in a different color and jigging, or maybe a new synthetic cover material.

To answer the OP: Case, Buck, Victorinox, and Schrade USA.
 
Grew up with Schrade, Case, & Victorinox and I more fondly remember Victorinox for its utility with many tools and all I remember of case was how quickly mine would dull.

I miss Queen they were a favored at least their older knives were. I currently have a couple knives by Buck, Maserin, Viper, & LionSteel that I really like.

I would say my current top brands of interest are Buck & the Italian makers(Maserin, Viper, LionSteel, & Fox)
 
I always likes Schrade ( Both Old Timer and Uncle Henry) Some Case and Buck. As for Buck I much prefer the older 1970's folders with the flat grind; the newer with the hollow grind on the lower half of the blade is NOT to my liking at all. I also had my share of Gerbers. Nowdays I have mostly GEC and Victorinox knives in my pocket.
 
I appreciate any well made knife and when GEC's were readily available at reasonable prices, they were probably my favorite.
But I've been a fan of Case knives for almost 50 years and just in numbers, I own more Case knives than any other brand.

My first quality knife was the Case Shark Tooth in the picture. It was given to me by my parents in the 1970's and so I always considered Case knives to be special.

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Favorite new Pocket Knives in order of preference : GEC Northfields , Case , Taylor Eye Witness
Vintage Pocket Knives : Cattaraugus , Taylor Eye Witness
Fixed Blade User : Case
Other Fixed Blade : Arno Bernard
Favorite User Pocket Knives : Taylor Eye Witness and GEC Northfields equally

Harry
 
Camillus isnā€™t a knife Iā€™d ever heard of until I was grown.

Iā€™d had a sak electrician at about 13. Man that thing would cut a finger like nothing else....
 
Hickory n steel said:
Ichiro Hattori H109 , imported by Kmart as their model 1000s in the 1980's.
View attachment 1955365
It was probably a poor picture choice, the Camillus Monroe HDW pen knife was the sole subject of my post.
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I thought it could have been that but I couldnā€™t remember the model number. Iā€™ve seen them before, they are a real sleeper.
 
JM2 said:
I thought it could have been that but I couldnā€™t remember the model number. Iā€™ve seen them before, they are a real sleeper.
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The Sharp model 1000s ( identical except for the tang stamp) which I believe came after Kmart introduced the SHARPtm brand is much more common and tends to command less if you really want one.
I ended up with an excellent deal on this one.

They are an excellent quality knife, mine came with the absolute sharpest factory edge I've ever experienced.
 
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Hickory n steel said:
The Sharp model 1000s ( identical except for the tang stamp) which I believe came after Kmart introduced the SHARPtm brand is much more common and tends to command less if you really want one.
I ended up with an excellent deal on this one.

They are an excellent quality knife, mine came with the absolute sharpest factory edge I've ever experienced.
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I have a sharp 4ā€ fillet knife DF-40 that I researched some and thatā€™s how I know of the model.
 
JM2 said:
I have a sharp 4ā€ fillet knife DF-40 that I researched some and thatā€™s how I know of the model.
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It would be so much easier if they had put the model numbers on the knives instead of just on the boxes.
Finding a picture of the box is how I figured out Kmart literally just sold these as the " Kmart model 1000s ", it was known they were sold by Kmart but I wanted to uncover the story behind the Tang stamp seemingly has nothing to do with Kmart.

I have yet to uncover that story, but my guess is the knives came from a cancelled order that Kmart acquired as a trial before introducing the SHARPtm brand.
 
Based on actual usage and carry, Case followed by Victorinox. I dislike ranking things by "favorite" because different brands have their own individual charm.

I love the GEC knives I own, but the overall BRAND is not my favorite because quite a lot of their offerings have not interested me. The ones I have, though, interested me quite a lot :D
 
USA made Schrade was all I had growing up in the 70's and 80's. Then went to Buck and Case. USA made Schrades in unused condition can still be found at reasonable prices. There are what I grew up using and have never let me down. Why change something that is not broken?IMG_20221012_071103690.jpg
 
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