Which productio folder, in your opinion, is most suitable as a future family heirloom

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NetshadeX

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Oct 17, 2013
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Let's get something out of the way right now: I fully realize that any pocket knife that goes from father to son is special by default. What I'm looking for is a blade that, with proper care will physically stand the test of time. Something that won't wear out easily.

Seems to me anything with a wooden handle, a G10 handle or a rivetted construction is out of the picture. How does titanium hold up over time?

Any suggestions on a good choice ? Thanx !
 
I don't have any children and won't, but I would think my Wilson Combat CRK Umnumzaan would be a nice one as would a Sebenza. The spa treatments are really cheap and they make the knives practically new again. They are timeless designs as well IMO
 
I have my dad's 110. It has held up fine. It seems to be disqualified by your rules, but it shouldn't be IMHO. Don't get me wrong, a CRK or a well-built custom will certainly be worth more in time. The 110 as an "heirloom" is just about ideal, and I have three reasons.

They hold up, they just do. There are a metric ton of old 110's out there that have been passed through generations.

They're inexpensive which means they won't be worth much, so when your kid faces financial hardship (as most of us do at some point in our lives) he/she will be reluctant to sell that heirloom to bail themselves out. Who wants to sell dad's old knife, the one with all the memories, for $10 at a flea market?

And the third and final reason, again because they are relatively inexpensive you will be inclined to USE the knife more. That will give the knife stories. Scratches in the blade, pits, reprofiled tip perhaps. All things that scream "This was my dad's, he used this knife all the time".

Those are just my thoughts. My kids will have a ton of knives to weed through. In the event they aren't "Into" knives themselves, they can sell off the high-end customs and productions, as well as the rare pieces, but they'll have the 110 that was once my father's, and is now mine, to cherish as an heirloom.

Just my .02 on the matter.
 
I don't know how much you are willing to spend, but I think William Henry makes a lot of knives that are heirloom worthy.
 
If you had to pick one you want to last for the next 500+ years, I would say a Sebenza. For added cosmetics, a wood inlay is a classy touch, and their Annuals are beautiful.

Titanium as the primary structure has numerous advantages. It's a great material for longevity as well. Many people have Sebenzas that they have used for a quarter of a century on a daily basis and yet the knife is still 100% functional and 100% within factory specifications. The corrosion resistance of CPM-S35VN steel is also a plus, in the event the knife is stored for extended periods in conditions that could cause knife blades without corrosion resistance to oxidize and eventually pit.


And I certainly agree with the 110 as well. It's a classic that so many people can relate to that it has heirloom status that is unquestionable. Especially if you look at the fancier engraved limited models. They have done some gorgeous LE 110s over the years.
 
One day my son will have my knives. I'm sure my Benchmades, ZT's and Spydies will last even with me using them.
 
imo, Al Mar and Fallkniven both offer heirloom quality production folders
 
You buy knives to use. Heirloom? From my point of view, when you eventually die, your heirs get what you have and I wouldn't worry about it. If knives are special to them, unless it's a cheap $10 folder, the special aspect is not in the price or even so much the construction, but in the fact that it was your favorite folder.

So, I would purchase what you like and not worry about it. It is only a knife.
 
NetshadeX said:
What I'm looking for is a blade that, with proper care will physically stand the test of time. Something that won't wear out easily. !
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Whatever model you like from a quality manufature.
 
i don't know about heirloom but if i ever see a CRK with a born on date the same as either of my sons i'm going to have a hard time not buying it and storing it away as a gift for later on.
 
Honestly? Something that you've carried, gotten dirty, and abused over all these years. I'd rather have that, than some production folder I could buy on Ebay (or whatever's around in 20 years).

My Dad has many thousands of dollars worth of knives in his collection. But the one that he uses every day is some no-name mystery steel little folder that has his name engraved on it, that my sister gave him ten years ago. He carries that little knife every day, and I couldn't ever imagine him without it. One day, that will be mine. It instantly puts a lump in my throat just thinking about it.
 
I have the 110 and while it just oozes nostalgia and quality I'm a bit sceptic of the 420 steel holding up over time and eventhough mine is still 100% I can see these things developing noticeable play overtime without an option to remedy that. But it's certainly a (for the lack of a better word) romantic knife. An interesting thought is that it's a nostalgic model for our generation. Maybe our kids will have the same feeling towards a different model which is now a modern blade to us.

I have a couple of blades that hold great value for me concidering the history I have with them. One is the Recon 1 tanto. But that has some serious wear on it now and I don't see it holding up for a long time to come. The other is my ZT0550. That's holding up great though. Thanks for your suggestions guys. Keep m coming. Maybe it's about that time to start looking at those CRKs :D
 
Get a northfield GEC. If you don't believe in the longevity of a slippy just go to your local antique store and look at all of the ones that, when cleaned up, could be put back into service.
 
I think I would echo the posters have said the knife that you use. That would be an heirloom piece, if your more of a collector type, and you want to identify one of your pieces that will be earmarked for an heir, then I would look at more specific knives as recommended. I would tend to choose something that is described around here as a 'midtech', just look around. I personally like modern folders with symmetrical scales, the ZT 801 is a favorite, which is timeless, and will surely last many lifetimes. I also like classic knives with slightly exotic materials, this barlow from KSF is awesome: http://www.knivesshipfree.com/mammoth-ivory/?sort=alphaasc all in all I think if you pick something you like a lot, it will fit the bill.
 
The Madison Barlow is really a nice knife. I have it in ivory and jigged bone.

The ZT's seem to be pretty good knives. I know that I like my ZT 0770CF a lot. Heirloom? I have no idea. Don't really care one way or the other. I don't plan my future based on what I hope will be important to one of my heirs.
 
My ZT301 would hold up without question. Plus my son could watch re-runs of NCIS to see it in action. Seriously though the heirloom knives my Father & Uncle left us were all WW2 and Korean war related. I think whatever your child finds in your footlocker when you pass away will be an heirloom to them. The hard part will be keeping them from running to the closest Pawn shop with it.
 
22-rimfire said:
It is only a knife.
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NetshadeX, the truth hurts sometimes. :D

To probably over generalizing, but kids today...., hard to figure what's important to them sometimes unless it's worth a lot of money. I would like something to remember me by same as I remember my Father. 420HC is not that bad a steel for a slipjoint. My Dad had a number of folders and most of the blades were so worn down, I wouldn't consider using one. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate the knife. I just wouldn't use it myself.
 
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GEC Traditional folders are well built for production knives - something with a bone, horn, or stag scale would be a good choice for an heirloom.
 
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