Why particular tradition knife pattern appeals to you

Rsmith_77

Rsmith_77

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Jun 4, 2010
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I was just curious,

I see folks that just love their stockmans, or perhaps its a muskrat or a peanut.

My first traditional knife was a case sodbuster, ever since i first saw one the blade shape just appealed to me (emotional purchase i suppose).

but why does other patterns appeal (practical reasons? perhaps just like the look of the style? or something else)

thanks
Ryan
 
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The TL-29 post got me misty...man I love that pattern. Just seems like what a knife should be. Also partial to old timers, especially the 1940T (just picked up a few scrimshawed) and sharpfingers. And I love all fishing knives. Went fishing tonight and got skunked. Think it was because I took my GD Kershaw Chive. :grumpy:
 
For me it's the pillbusters, pen knives, toothpix, and stiletto's. I don't know if it has to do with the type of boats I race, but long and narrow has always had an air of elegance to me. Besides the plain old heft you need sometimes there is nothing a thin blade can't do.


-Xander
 
It varies for me. Sometimes is just the way a particular knife looks, but what really gets me hooked on a pattern is when I have it in hand, and it feels right..

One that comes to mind is the Case Mini Trapper. I remember the first one I got some years back. Case yellow MT with CV blades. I bought it for the size, and the simplicity. I like 2 bladed knives.
When it arrived and I got to hold it, and found out to my surprise it had half stops, I was immediately hooked. I have owned quite a few of them, and I've yet to have one I didn't like.

When I first got started collecting, for some reason I really focused on Case Stockman knives. I'm not sure why though, because I really wasn't that fond of the pattern. Then I got my first bigger Stockman, a Case 6392, and I was hooked. The bigger size made all the difference for me. I just felt good in hand.

For the last few years, I focused less on pattern and mainly on particular scales. Early Case red bones were my infatuation, and still are. Although I have downsized my collection dramatically, it is still my favorite.
 
I am partial to the knives I find to be the best worker, or best purpose knife. For me, the Stockman patterns win hands down as work knives.
I like the larger models, although I do have a "gentleman's" stockman I am partial to these days.

Second favorite pattern is a large Coppelock, with a large blade and a small spear. I have an old CASE that I carried for years that worked hard every day for about ten years when I didn't have another heavy duty folder.

The Peanuts are good for everything those patterns don't handle.

All that being said, my newest love I just rediscovered is the Barlow. It covers the work knife tasks well, carries well, and is just about the perfect size to carry.

Robert
 
I like the scout knives most, mostly for their looks, but I also like to have multiple tools on my pocket knife. Here a SAK is considered a traditional knife and I've been using SAKs for most of my life. An other pattern I like a lot is the canoe pattern, also mainly for its looks.
 
trapper and similars, canoe are those I have and like most
trapper..I don't know why, maybe it's utility, 2 blades and history? the canoe has a "sak" style blade (drop point) and a small pen

I have a gex stockman and a sunfish, both great knives too

others I don't own yet but i like are copperhead, saddlehorn, soddie...
 
Slimline trappers. Smaller teardrop jacks and other smaller knives, 3 1/8" - 3 3/8" that fit very nicely in a pocket.
 
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My latest is pearl splitback whittlers and small pearl pens. I usually just fondle them but do a bit of whittling now and then. I have recently learned Not to drop them ;-((

Regards

Robin
 
I favor patterns that can cover all the bases, situation wise. That's why I love scouts, and easy open jacks with cap-lifter/screwdriver instead of pen blades. Stockmans and barlows find their way into my EDC rotation quite a bit based on the fact that they can just about handle any scenario during the day.
 
I seem to collect either a single blade trapper or Canoe.
The trapper is usually 3.5 to 4" and useful for those bigger tasks.

The Canoe, is one of the classics, it very sheepley friendly with the drop point and pen blades. It shape is smooth, and very easy to carry.
 
The swayback has become my favorite pattern. Some days it is the 2 bladed jack, others it's the single blade gents. I usually have a second slippie on me and lately that has been a Jerry Halfrich small rounder. I got lotsa pockets. :)

The two knives cover all the bases for me unless I'm in the woods and then I add a belt knife.

Figured I'd post a pic just for grins: :D
DSC01992.jpg
 
yeah pics are good :D

as i said, i liked the look and shape of the sodbuster. I suppose my knife needs are modest (cutting boxes, opening letters, opening presents maybe cutting open bags of dog food etc) so the sodbuster is more than enough for that (i still get a kick out of how much thinner, sharper and better it cuts than some of my more modern folders).

I suppose ideal knife would be a sodbuster that had a can opener on the other end (thinking of picking up a swiss alox bantam), although i suppose i could see the need for a 2nd blade. that would probably be the ideal for me (dont know what it would be called though)
 
LKJW said:
The TL-29 post got me misty...man I love that pattern. Just seems like what a knife should be. Also partial to old timers, especially the 1940T (just picked up a few scrimshawed) and sharpfingers. And I love all fishing knives. Went fishing tonight and got skunked. Think it was because I took my GD Kershaw Chive. :grumpy:
Click to expand...

Let Thomas W know. He may send you a new one that will help you catch fish. :D

I really love the looks, feel, curve, and blade of a swayback jack.

I also love swell center moose or swell center whittlers. They just look old school, as in 1900's old school.
 
I like Stockman's the best and I really like the Railsplitter frame design. The two combined make up my favorite pattern.

I have a few Railsplitters but so far the green one is the only one I have carried.

IMG_0743.jpg


IMG_0235.jpg
 
Splitback whittler and peanut guy here.

While I do love other patterns I am drawn to those two mainly because they just work well for me as EDC, especially if the whittler comes in around 3.5" closed. I tried larger patterns but were always too large for me considering my use for them.
 
I tend to go for smallish (Around 3 inches closed) two-bladed knives with a wharncliffe main and pen secondary-- swayback, mini copperhead, etc. When it comes to larger knives, I like wharncliffe trappers (See a pattern here?). In general, though, anything without a spey blade is good. They just aren't useful for things I end up using knives for. And more than 2 blades tends to be overkill, though I do occasionally carry a full Congress.
 
I favour single spring knives due to their slim build but also because they are a good test of the knife's quality. Getting those blades in there without weak snap or rub is an indicator of quality.

I also like the Teardop as it's not much seen compared with many other patterns, I associate it with old knife catalogues and it's one of the most comfortable knives, in my hand anyway.
 
cj65 said:
Let Thomas W know. He may send you a new one that will help you catch fish. :D

I really love the looks, feel, curve, and blade of a swayback jack.

I also love swell center moose or swell center whittlers. They just look old school, as in 1900's old school.
Click to expand...

Who is this Thomas W...he has a deal with the fish? I've been trying to agree to an arrangement for years...never works. :)
 
Rsmith_77 said:
I was just curious,

I see folks that just love their stockmans, or perhaps its a muskrat or a peanut.

My first traditional knife was a case peanut, ever since i first saw one the blade shape just appealed to me (emotional purchase i suppose).

but why does other patterns appeal (practical reasons? perhaps just like the look of the style? or something else)

thanks
Ryan
Click to expand...

I'd had other knives before, and Lord knows I've carried a potload since, but the one that etched itself into my brain was a Camillus-made Buck 303 stockman that I carried every day for years back in the 70's and 80's. No matter what job I held (ranging from truck driver to aerospace engineer and a bunch of others in between), that little knife cut anything I needed cut, everything from tie-down ropes to sheets of special material that we put on aircraft. I've had a weakness for the stockman pattern ever since.

When I hear the word "knife", the image that first pops into my head is that of a Buck stockman with black scales.
 
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