Recommendation? Who is left?

Are there any quality traditional slipjoint knife production companies that still make their knives in England?
 
Not much for U.S. made pocket knives anymore. The future doesn't look bright.
I grew up looking at pocket knives in the local hardware and most of those brands are gone now. They were U.S. made. Because of that and other reasons, I can't look at a Chinese knockoff as traditional, so for me I'll rule those out.

Case - Case should try some new interesting patterns, instead of the same old poop in a new color. Rough Rider is making Case clones for a fraction of the price. Case will be in trouble very soon, if they don't do something ASAP.
Maybe upgrade their steel to 1095 and AUS-8 and for the first time in Case history a good heat treat. Instead of the very soft, under performing 420HC and CV mystery steel.

Bear and Sons – You don't hear to many positive reviews about them.

KutMaster is a division of Utica – You don't hear much about them anymore, good or bad.

Buck – Buck doesn't seem to care much about their traditional's, There's been nothing new from them in generations now. Except a line of Chinese cheapies. I haven't looked at a Buck since they went to the hollow ground blades.

GEC – GEC is a niche builder, very limited patterns and numbers every year. Lets say I want a #68 Buckaroo, It hasn't been run in several years now and you never know if it will be run again. That kind of marketing builds collector value but it does nothing to increase sales and make GEC a household name. 1095 is a good steel but if you want a specific pattern in stainless, you might as well look else where.
 
Marbles are nice knives (same maker as RR). Maserin makes nice traditionals. Of course Victorinox and Bear and Son. German made Bokers; French Opinels. I'm sure others will come to mind.
Rich
 
Böker, Enigma knives (to some extent), Robert Klaas, Otter, antonini, lots of french manufacturies, Fox makes some, coldsteel (brrr); i think that are all I know of
 
AmosPaul said:
Are there any quality traditional slipjoint knife production companies that still make their knives in England?
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A.Wright & Son.
Taylors Eye Witness.
Eggington (current owner of the Joseph Rodgers brand).

Also I think Mason Knives...? who I think posts on here sometimes.
There may be others but Jack Black and Chui-88 would be the best to ask.
 
Dean51 said:
Not much for U.S. made pocket knives anymore. The future doesn't look bright.
I grew up looking at pocket knives in the local hardware and most of those brands are gone now. They were U.S. made. Because of that and other reasons, I can't look at a Chinese knockoff as traditional, so for me I'll rule those out.

Case - Case should try some new interesting patterns, instead of the same old poop in a new color. Rough Rider is making Case clones for a fraction of the price. Case will be in trouble very soon, if they don't do something ASAP.
Maybe upgrade their steel to 1095 and AUS-8 and for the first time in Case history a good heat treat. Instead of the very soft, under performing 420HC and CV mystery steel.

Bear and Sons – You don't hear to many positive reviews about them.

KutMaster is a division of Utica – You don't hear much about them anymore, good or bad.

Buck – Buck doesn't seem to care much about their traditional's, There's been nothing new from them in generations now. Except a line of Chinese cheapies. I haven't looked at a Buck since they went to the hollow ground blades.

GEC – GEC is a niche builder, very limited patterns and numbers every year. Lets say I want a #68 Buckaroo, It hasn't been run in several years now and you never know if it will be run again. That kind of marketing builds collector value but it does nothing to increase sales and make GEC a household name. 1095 is a good steel but if you want a specific pattern in stainless, you might as well look else where.
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X2!

Very well said Dean51! I agree completely on your comments regarding Case, Buck, and GEC. I've no experience with Bear and Sons or Kutmaster.
 
Moore Maker is made by Bear & Sons.
 
Jolipapa said:
I thought the pattern n°s followed by a "U" are made by Utica as they have the same look. (not the same price :))
Who will replace Queen?
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Ah, thanks. I knew they have been made by various different cutlers, but didn't know how to tell.
 
Trout Hound said:
The trick with Böker is to buy the ones marked “SOLINGEN.” Those are good quality knives.

I, too, prefer to buy American when I can.
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Trout Hand, I agree wholeheartedly, or used to until I made a discovery that was new to ME but maybe not to others in the know. Bokers from Solingen are *NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME PROVEN KNIVES ANYMORE. * Boker while being EXTRAORDINARILY hit or miss (with the emphasis on MISS), even the knives "made in Solingen" are not what they seem and they don't tell you. I recently ordered a new gentleman's folder made in Solingen and the F&F was absolute crap. I expressed my displeasure to the seller and they told me that some models made in Solingen use Chinese made parts. They had no idea which models. (Shocker). So now you have to not only have to research the year of manufacture, whether a Boker is either a Boker Plus, A Boker Magnum, or a Boker Manufaktur-- and if it's a Boker Manufaktur made in Solingen, is it an Old Boker Manufaktur (ideal) or is it constructed with Chinese parts and not properly finished to mate with those parts! It's like a drunk, blind crap shoot with one arm and one foot tied behind your back. I personally have given up on Boker because it's too hard to know what you're getting, and that's with the extensive questions and research required to begin with and the description or seller's knowledge of the product might not be accurate in the first place. No thank you.
 
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The biggest name in traditionals is Taylor Brands. They spotted a massive opening in the traditional market and dove right in. Every shop I go into stocks their product and they are all over Ebay. Not sure if it is the same in the US, where they may actually have competition.
 
Reitwagen said:
Otter Messer.
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Otter makes several very nice traditionals indeed!

Beware the current knockoff version of the Mercator, which is not marked Solingen Germany on the blade nor on the back of the handle. When imported in the USA it is etched (not stamped) on the blade "Mercator" on one side, "400252" on the other side. The same knife has appeared etched with just the word "Sheffield" on the blade in Australia.
 
Also not to hijack the thread, I was looking at a Grohmann Knives (Canada) D.H. Russell Mini-lockback folder. Unique blade shape almost like a Case Tribal Lock but more pronounced. They come in Rosewood and Stag. Ray Mears uses one of their Slimline folders (another design) for fine cutting in some of his crafting videos. I've seen the same one in a YouTube review where the fit and finish seems to match GEC in close-up. I don't know if D.H. Russell is any relation to A.G. Russell... The steel is described as high carbon and similar to AUS6. They are within the $50-60 range. Anyone have any of their folders?
340s-mini-russell-lock-blade-detail
 
Sorry, I should have stated Schrade and perhaps a couple others.

Whether we like it or not.
 
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