Wide, Narrow or In-Between?

[black mamba]

No, I am not talking about ladies hips, but rather pattern frames and blades. Above is a poll for you to vote on, with three selections. They are 1) a wide Case sowbelly, 2) an in-between Rough Rider sowbelly, and 3) a narrow Rough Rider stockman. I chose all in stag just to make them as close to the same as possible, except for their widths, although the RR stockman is about 1/8" shorter than the other two.

Vote entirely based on their shapes. Don't select the Case because you prefer Case, but vote on the one you'd prefer if all were made by the same cutler with the same materials. Feel free to post a response to clarify and augment your votes.

 

[stingray4540]

I don't see a poll or pics?

 

[black mamba]

Sorry, stingray, should be up right now. I vote for the middle (in-between) selection, even though it is the only one with the sheepfoot nick on the pile side, which I don't like. I just prefer the size and shape of the frame and the clip main on the RR sowbelly.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

I like bigger knives, but there are times when a smaller one is needed. Most of the time, I carry a wider knife.

 

[stingray4540]

Oh, sorry, just realized that you had JUST posted.

I gotta go with #3, although I wouldn't complain about #2.
Personally, I don't find any advantage to wide blades in a pocket knife, and the narrower they are, the better they ride in a pocket. I don't spread much butter with my pocket knife, and I don't ever recall thinking "I wish my blade was wider..."

I also prefer the aesthetics, but that's just personal preference.

 

[jackknife]

For the general use I would use it for, I like the narrower shape better. I'm not a real huge fan of the sowbelly shape if I can get the narrower Case/Buck301 shape.

 

[TLARbb]

I almost did not participate in this poll, because I am not a stockman person. But, I have owned stockman knives and still own a very few. So, I had to make my thoughts known. A couple thoughts, then my choice. A stockman is a knife pattern I think of as a workhorse pattern, chosen for the ability to do lots of things pretty well and thus needs to be fairly hefty. A thick stockman such as the two sowbellies would make great users for persons that favor this type knife. Second, I don't like the bunch of blades feeling I have with a three blade stockman or four blade congress pattern. That's why I don't have many of them.

So, I vote for the thin RR at the bottom because it looks like the three blades nest quite well together in the frame when closed and would minimize the "handful of blades" feel to the knife. The one downside, not particularly applicable in my case, is the long slender main clip might be more likely to be damaged in use that the main on the thicker knives. I think I might be able to carry that stockman as an EDC as I generally do not put my blades in much of a bind when using them. Those three knives make a great group shot, Jeff. I'm interested in how this turns out.

The sheepsfoot blade in the stockman pattern is my problem with the knives. Generally they sit very proud of the frame and are uncomfortable in my hand. But, the sheepsfoot is definitely a great blade to have in such a knife. My two blade Boker stockman shares this issue even though it has only two blades. As I mentioned in another thread recently, I'm not sure what I want to do with that knife.

The 2012 BF trapper shares some of the same problem with the long, tall wharncliffe blade. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with that knife either.

Ed J

 

[markpmc]

I voted 'wide', but would prefer the nick on the pile side (i know blasphemy) so the sheepsfoot could sit a bit lower.

 

[Gevonovich]

I voted for the wider shape. Although I like , and own a RR sowbelly, I have always admired the wider dimensions of the Rancher.

 

[C Ben Susrool]

Although the Case "looks betteer" to me, I voted the narrower knife as I dislike the proud sheepsfoot blades.
I don't mind my hand being filled when using a knife, I don't want it filled with a blade spine.

 

[Modoc ED]

I voted In-Between; however, to me the width of the knive/frame should be chosen along with the length of the knife. A 3 1/2" long, wide, stockman would have a rather stubby appearance while a 3 7/8" long stockman of the same width would look more sleek. Also, the shape of the bolsters would make a diffenence too. Round bolsters on a short stockman lends to a sleeker appearance while squared bolsters on a long stockman gives it a bolder look.

 

[comoha]

I like the double wide version. These knives were intended for cow-punchin', not fixing sandwiches in the park, and that takes a burly knife.

 

[Modoc ED]

Dang it Corey. Cowboys like sandwiches too!!!! And I might add that a calf being castrated could care less if the blade doing the castration is attached to a burly knife or slim knife - he just wants out of there.

 

[Modoc ED]

Although these are Case knives (6392, 3347, 3318, top to bottom) they illustrate what I was talking about above about the bolsters and frame width vs frame length.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[confucius37]

I like Wide for a single blade version

In between for everything else. I voted for in between because it seems you're focused on the stockman pattern.

 

[Ken44]

I'm a down the middle type of guy, so I went with it.

 

[qncygnnr]

I like the mid-size and concur that the sheepsfoot nick on the pile side would allow that blade to sit a bit lower. My EDC is a GEC #66 Calf Roper so it's safe to say I prefer a more robust frame and a clip versus a muskrat main blade.

 

[black mamba]

Ed, the red bone 92 pattern's proportions are near-perfect to my eye, although I prefer round bolsters in the pocket and the hand.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Dang it Corey. Cowboys like sandwiches too!!!! And I might add that a calf being castrated could care less if the blade doing the castration is attached to a burly knife or slim knife - he just wants out of there.

No, but a big knife gives the Cowboy something to hold on to while doing the deed.

 

[Modoc ED]

I can understand that Jeff but in the case of this particular 92's pattern, the bolsters are pinched which does make it easier on the pocket and hand than a non-pinched bolster would. Heck, no matter how you cut it, I like the stockman and cattle knives in all their versions.