Why so little chat about william henry???

I look at them on the net and dream, then take the same money and buy a big indestructable Busse Combat chopper.:D Bsf I 'd love to own one.:thumbup:
 
They're way out of the "user" or "edc" range for the average person.

I'm sure there are people who use and enjoy them, but at the price points they come at, they seem to be mostly aimed at collectors.
 
Had 2 traded one off, thinking of trading the other one off. They are really well built and look sweet, but you really would not want to EDC them. Pretty much safe queens. But in all honesty they are very hard to part with once you have one.
 
My local shop has a whole showcase full of them. All of them are like jewelry except for their base models which are $400-$500. I have a base model. I think they are more for collecting/ investment rather than general use even though they are fully capable of being used fairly hard. They have a niche. Im not sure how long they will be around in todays economy though.
 
William Henrys are nice knives. I have a Spire, an older discontinued model. It's a great knife, but it was priced much more affordably than the stuff they sell today. I agree with those who have already said that while WHs are nice, I'd much rather get a true custom.
 
I quite like some of the knives but they are generally way to busy for me. It just seems as though they cram
as many over the top materials as they can on to a tiny wee knife.
I have nearly bought the Persian a few times but didnt because I couldnt get one that looked plain enough.
I do have one friction folder in carbon fiber and a laminate blade and that is a really nice, well made knife.

I also heard of Kiku Matsuda because of William Henry knives and I have come to
quite like and own a few of his blades so I can at least thank them for that. :):thumbup:
 
i have had a couple WH's thru the yrs, they are really pretty and have good F&F but most are smaller than what i usually like (less than 3.5" or so) and they are pretty high dollar, for that kinda dollar theres other stuff i would rather have.

nothing really wrong with 'em though.
 
I have a WH BF 15 for 5 years. It was my edc for 3 years, working in road-construction. It stood up very well. But I used it for cutting things, no prying or digging. It is still in the same great condition. I can get the ZDP very very sharp at a low angle. This low angle didn't cause me any problem. The buttonlock is great. One hand opening and closing with a flick of the wrist. The Clipcase is great for edc. The only thing I dislike is that the blade is not centred, never been, that is not what you espect from a high end knife.

This is not a whimpy butterknife, it can take all the everyday cutting tasks. I don't nderstand why it is the standard reaction on this forum when we talk about WH. I take the same care as with my mnandi or Sebenza when using.

That said, I bought a Sebenza and an Mnandi and they get the most pockettime now!

Marthijn
 
There are some for around $500 or even less, but at that price you don't get the interesting materials that WH wants to be known for. Therefore, they don't get the entry level buyer. They seem nice though, but I've never seen one in person. Small for the price.
 
I have a couple of limited T-12's, that are smoother and better finished than any Handmade, or production folder I have ever had. Beautifull knives as well.

Alot tougher than they look, but when Mine shot up in price from around $500 when bought to near $1000 on one, and a bit more on the other, theres no way I could use one of them now.

I've often wondered why you never hear much about them here, but like a few have said, most people here just like a tough no frills knife.

I also never dress up, so my sebbies match my attire much better anyway:p
 
I don't discus them, because I've never seen one so anything I'd have to say about them would be useless information.
 
i've learned so much from the people on this forum that i can live without a WH. too many great custom makers out there. 3 customs or 1 WH????? no brainer.
 
I've had a couple of T-12's (my favorite pattern) for many years. One in carbon fiber and one in redwood burl. I was lucky to get them when they sold in the $250 range. Fabulous fit and finish and very smooth operation.

Jeff
 
A lot interesting feedback in this thread. I've owned my share of WH's over the years, and still have quite a few. They have typically ranged from $500-$1,500 and they get used in my EDC rotation on a regular basis. Their fit and finish is excellent, as has been said before. In fact, perhaps it's just me, but the F&F I've experienced from WH (and CRK) has been better than comparably priced knives from some very well known custom folder makers. At least it's certainly more consistent.

I find that their size is perfect for office use, where most of my "gentleman's knives" see their use. They are very sheeple friendly and have held up quite well, even when I've shoehorned them into duties they weren't designed for (e.g., prying :eek:). As has been stated, the materials they use are top notch.

For the downsides, I believe that they have become overpriced in the past year or so. The market has been bidding them up beyond what I consider reasonable for what you're getting. You can still find good deals, but you have to search. I also agree that some of their higher priced models seem to now have the, "throw all the bling we have in the shop on the knife" syndrome. That really doesn't appeal to me.

To the OP's question, I agree that the relative number of WH owners on BF probably contributes to the lack of discussion somewhat. Also, it's not as interesting to start a thread with, "Look at the vicious package I opened with my WH today!" than it is, "Look at the Redwood tree I chopped down with my Busse." :D

- Mark
 
They are too whimpy for my taste they don't make left hand versions. I had a small one with the button openning. I still have it. It just didn't do much for me. For a gentlemens folder I prefer Mnandi
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I agree with Scott Dog. I had an older WH liner lock which I traded. It had a 3" blade. The folder was so light in weight that it "felt" like it would break with any hard use. It was very well made and most likely it would stand up to some hard use. I now have a WH button lock also 3" blade with a titanium handle. I think its the Westcliff model (?). It feels much more sturdy than the liner lock model I had.
 
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