alright, I'm really confused. I just got into collecting knives. now logic tells me that i shouldn't want a blade like a case stockman. i mean it collectsa bunch of lint in the tiny crevices, they usually have inferior steel, they don't lock so that obviates heavy use, so it should be a comprably poor choice compared to say something like a kershaw piston or a spyderco tenacious.
SO WHY DO I WANT ONE SO BAD!?
could anyone point out the potential advantages I'd have using one of these knives, and a reccomendation for a reasonably priced one, any help or advice you can offer would be helpful.
Okay rocker, lets cut to the chase. You want one because deep down on some level you know that it's a great edc pocket knife that will handle most anything you have to cut in the real world. Your grandpa and his grandpa before him somehow got a lot more work done way back then, than most of us modern office cubicle suburbanites. You'll have a choice of three different blades to keep for different uses. Maybe even three different type edges and angles. The sheepsfoot blade on a stockman is the real worker. It's capable of cutting sheetrock, stripping wire, and other hard use, while the long clip can be kept clean and sharp for general use. The spey blade can be kept scalpel sharp for any surgery you may have to do.
The lack of a blade lock does not rule out whatever you call hard work. These knives were used long before there were locking blade knives in common use, yet most of the old timers from way back then had all their fingers. They just knew how to use a knife. In fact springless and non locking 'penny knives' go back to the 1600's and were in common use among the working class, no matter if herdsmen or farm worker or laborer. And the old cowboys riding herd on half wild longhorns up the trail needed a good pocket knife. The modern premium stockman of the 1880's is evolved from the old cattle knife of the 1870's. I've always felt that the young knife users of today put way too much emphasis on the lock, and that trust makes for sloppy knife handling habits. In my life I've seen two very bad accidents where a lock failed because the user was trusting too much and putting too much pressure on the blade. In one case, only a tendon in the right index finger was severed and needed surgery to fix. The other case, a right index finger was totally severed when a Buck 110 failed when the young idiot tried boring through a sheet of thin plastic rather than go get a drill. I'd rather have a knife that I know will bite me if I act stupid, rather that rust a mechanical device with my fingers well being.
There's no single blade knife, no matter what steel of the month it's made out of, or flashy opening it has, that is going to give you the cutting versatility that the stockman will give you. Not to mention being able to take it out almost anywhere to cut something, and not have people make unwanted comments. The traditional slip joint has great social acceptance out there, which is no small thing these days. Having nice looking jigged bone or other natural materials is another plus. After using one for a while, you will notice it feels so much better in hand than the modern stuff. And you'll be surprised at how well it works. It may not have the latest trendy steel, but it's good enough to do whatever you have to, and then touch up the blade on the bottom of coffee mug or the top edge of your car window. Or even just stropped on a boot top or back of a belt.
Since we're not talking a lot of money here, just go buy it, and use it for a while. You'll be glad you did.
Carl.
