Who makes a good whittler?

Frankki

Frankki

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Oct 26, 2007
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Been thinking, I need some traditional in my knife drawer, something with more than one blade and practical.

The whittler pattern has begun to interest me a lot, good combination of blades in a compact package and usually quite good-looking.

What I'd like to get is a good quality working tool that would stand up well in use for many years. Carbon steel blades preferred, not too small (size maybe around 4") and if it might even come with stag handles it would really be good. And I'd like it to have that divided or split backspring setup, that intrigues me for some reason.

Price range up to about 150 $. Might such a knife exist? Ideas and suggestions welcome.
 
A little smaller at 3 3/4", but how about this German Eye whittler in carbon steel?:

GESC%5Blarge%5D.jpg


Apparently it's also available in stag. (See Google for listings of vendors that may ship to Finland...)

Case also has one in carbon damascus (stag scales) and Queen offers a whittler with D2 (bone scales).

The choice (outside of customs) is going to be somewhat limited...
 
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The Queen made Schatt & Morgan brand includes some beauties which I would recommend without a second thought. I particularly like the Wharncliffe ones. Here's a couple. The first is 4" in Wormgroove Bone and the second is a 3" in jigged bone. Both 420HC.

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Cheers

David
 
Obviously a nice knife with bone handles would be good too. Finding one with stag would be just icing on the cake, so to speak.

I've seen some attractive ones that I think were Schatt & Morgans. Good aesthetics in their line although the Wharncliffe blades don't really "check my boxes".
 
Ilta!

Take a look at the Great Eastern Cutlery range, the No.54 Whittler comes in bone or stag and one with some very nice looking slanted bolsters too. Check www.greateasterncutlery.com for dealers and pix .You may e-mail me for details of dealers who ship to Finland.
 
I've found that Northwoods makes a real nice whittler, with the specs you want.
 
Hi,

I've got a Queen Whittler that I really like. It has D2 steel blades. Queen has just about the best bone stag around too. Very nice for not too much money.

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dalee
 
willgoy said:
Ilta!

Take a look at the Great Eastern Cutlery range, the No.54 Whittler comes in bone or stag and one with some very nice looking slanted bolsters too. Check www.greateasterncutlery.com for dealers and pix .You may e-mail me for details of dealers who ship to Finland.
Click to expand...

The GEC #54 is not a true whittler. It is a "three spring whittler." The main blade rides on it's own spring, not on both of the pen blade springs- as in a true whittler.
 
Blues, niiiice find on the German Eye Brand whittler. I really like the swell center pattern--it's a nice touch. Eye Brand seems to have great carbon steel. I have an Eye Brand Sodbuster in carbon steel and it takes and keeps a very sharp edge--it really lasts a long time. I use it for all my gardening. It seems like the more stakes I cut, the better the steel gets. It's significantly better steel than even my Case CV knives.

On the other hand, I have a recent, German made Hen & Rooster Whittler in carbon. The blades seem soft though, and I've heard in general German stainless might outperform their carbon steel in terms of edge retention. I don't know if that's true, but it is my experience that it is, except for Eye Brand.

Do you know if all Eye Brand carbon is as good as my experience with it indicates? If so, I'd pick up that Whittler you posted in a heartbeat. Thanks for showing me something I had overlooked.
 
Robb, I don't own a single German Eye so I'm the wrong one to ask, unfortunately. I've been tempted by a few but haven't pulled the trigger, at least up until now. (I'd probably opt for a stockman if the itch ever gets unbearable.)

I found the one above while trying to come up with some ideas for the OP. Eye Brand came immediately to mind.
 
As above:
I have a Queen Whittler, which has a very thick main clip blade.
It is a good knife

The S&M Wharncliff, I find the main blade to be too long for easy use.
S&M make a whittler with a clip blade like above

I have a Case Seahorse on its way.
The main warncliff blade is much shorter
It is availiable in Stag, but only in Case's stainless steel
 
Blues, I bought the Eye Brand sodbuster on jackknife's recommendation. The steel is on par with the best carbon steel I've ever used. The F&F is a bit below the Case sodbuster, but not bad. I will definitely buy Eye Brand again if the 1095 is always that good.

BTW, I love the match-strike long-pull on the Whittler you referenced. It looks to be an all-around winner.
 
hlee said:
The GEC #54 is not a true whittler. It is a "three spring whittler." The main blade rides on it's own spring, not on both of the pen blade springs- as in a true whittler.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are correct as it uses the same Stockman frame,apologies.

But, it still looks like a nice large carbon knife with those slant bolsters:thumbup:
 
Good suggestions, thank you all. Need to do look up a few models and ponder.

Schlieper and Queen are looking good. Schatt&Morgans look great but the 420 stainless does not move me too much. I didn't yet find a Northwoods whittler, they have really nice knives otherwise, their Congress actually started to interest me a lot too. Hard to go wrong with 1095 blades I imagine.

Case, it seems, have made a large whittler in the past. Of course by the time I'd like one there's none to be had, durrr. They seem to have a new Classic model with stag and everything but those cost some serious money.
 
navihawk posted a picture of a damn fine Norfolk Whittler in stag on the current Hen&Rooster thread, really nice:thumbup:
 
Yep, there are some really great looking whittlers to be found at these pages. :thumbup:

I have something on the way actually, found something pretty close to my search criteria. Will show and tell when it arrives. :)
 
the whittler is hardest pattern to manuf.try boker will probably have to go with bone. the eyes from 70s had tapered back springs.
like the steel in g.e.c. but a whittler has to be graceful.
if you could afford it schrade would be a winner
afraid that older pattern would be 350 or 400$
 
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