Working Man's Knife?

T

thatarrowheadguy

Joined
Jan 6, 2024
Messages
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This is my first post here, so let me introduce myself.
I'm a 28 year old husband, a proud father of 3, we grow a nice garden, have chickens, can our own food, are an active part of our parish church, and I work as a self-employed carpenter in rural South Carolina.
A few weeks ago, a laborer picked up my Case '18 to "just skin that wire real quick"... I heard a pop, came around the corner, and found a very surprised 17 year old holding a knife with a nice new hole in the sheepfoot. "Sorry" came out of his mouth FAST!
I've been a dumb 17 year old on a jobsite, so no hard feelings. I tried filing out the scorch, but it took off more metal than I intended (seems to have made the metal softer than it should be), so I threw it in a cigar box. Maybe it'll go to one of my boys in a few more years.
I dug out a 1977 Case 6292 I used to carry, and carried for a week. Then I remembered why it went into the box in the first place. That pen-blade is sprung like a bear trap! If you've got wet fingernails, they'll break right off; if your hands are cold and fumbling, you may just cut your thumb down to the bone; heaven hero you if you lend it to your wife to trim some twine! Back in the box it goes.

I'm back in the market for a knife, and if y'all have some suggestions, I'm all ears. I only carry one at a time (sparing my Sunday-go-to-meeting knives), wear it out, lose it, or give it away before going to the next one. I've had a dickens of a time finding something that actually fits my needs/wants! Fairly affordable, carbon steel, at least 2 blades, 3.5-4" handle, and sprung neither too tight not too loose. I've had some trouble with Case in the past few years, GEC is WAY above my paygrade, and it seems that a lot of the brands I used to see are falling away.
 
I’m partial to Case 75’s large and three blades. Look around and you can get them for short money. Buck 301’s will also do. They can be found in the Big stores.
Or if you look around the big bay you can find some Ulsters. They sharpen up real nice
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Maybe make a pilgrimage to a Case dealer where you can feel what you're buying.
Bucks aren't carbon, and neither are most of the Chinese-made knives.

And save the ruined one for lending to people who don't have their own.
 
I was going to suggest attending a knife show for a large selection of old and new knives but I can’t find one anytime this year in South Carolina.

Take a look on eBay. I see quite a few Camillus knives in like new condition but only some of them have carbon steel blades. They made some good quality affordable knives.
 
A Bear & Son carbon steel large stockman knife might fit the bill IF you can inspect it in person first. The yellow one has a bent liner that doesn’t interfere with the action, and one handle cover much thinner than the other, with a crack at the pin, otherwise it’s fine. The wood one has funky grinds, pitting on the blades, and a lazy action on the spey blade. Neither are nail-breakers, though, and they sharpen up nice and are comfortable in the pocket. They go for around $45, which would be reasonable if the chances weren’t so high of getting a dud.

 
For a tough working stockman I have used both Case and Buck along with a few other brands. My favorite is the Buck 301 about 3 7/8 folded , my first one was in 1989 and I still have it and use it. It has outlasted and outperformed all my case knives and others as well. It has been in some real nasty stuff and used hard and just kept working. It has 425m steel blades but Bucks 420hc with bos heat treatment is ledgendary and plenty tough and it holds an edge for a good while. I have a few of the newer 301 and they are just as good.
 
Lesknife said:
For a tough working stockman I have used both Case and Buck along with a few other brands. My favorite is the Buck 301 about 3 7/8 folded , my first one was in 1989 and I still have it and use it. It has outlasted and outperformed all my case knives and others as well. It has been in some real nasty stuff and used hard and just kept working. It has 425m steel blades but Bucks 420hc with bos heat treatment is ledgendary and plenty tough and it holds an edge for a good while. I have a few of the newer 301 and they are just as good.
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I second the Buck 301. Pretty hard to go wrong with that.
 
You could always poke around on the Exchange to see what comes up, there's usually several carbon steel traditional folders up for grabs. There is another forum/sales site called All About Pocketknives that usually hosts a good selection of traditional folders from Case, Schrade, Camillus, Western, Colonial, and more. You could probably find something there. I'd suggest you seek a vintage 8OT by Schrade, it's a personal favorite of mine and should fit your needs.
 
If you are worried about a heavy nail breaker pull, I suggest a Buck 301 if you like a large stockman (3 7/8" closed) or 303 if you prefer a "medium" stockman, like the Case 18.
The Buck 301and 303 are known for a "light" pull. I rate it at a "3.5" to "4". (A 91/93mm Victorinox is considered a "5")
The offshore Buck 371 and 373 have a pull of "5" to "5.25" in my opinion.

I have 12 Rough Rider stockmans, ranging from 3 7/8 to 4 1/4 inch closed. They all have a "5" pull on all blades (one of them is a 5 blade stockman)
Rough Rider wins "Bang for The Buck"
Their 440a stainless amd T10 carbon steel both have a great heat treat, and hold a keen edge. Honestly, they are also the sharpest knives out of the box I have ever bought.
They also have a lifetine guarantee, and they stand behind it.

The off shore Old Tiner 858OT (Delrin covers, "440a equivalent" blades, and 858OTB (bone covers, "440c equivalent blades) have a "5" pull. The 858 is 4 5/8 inches closed. I personally do not find it "too big" to carry loose in the bottom of a pocket.
The OT holds an edge just as well as my 1978-1984 US made 858 (no "OT" on the tang stamp) Oh, the offshore 858 has pinned construction. The vintage ones have Swindon Keys. I prefer the pinned construction.

The Case x375 (4 1/4 inch) is also a good choice. Though if possible, you should buy after inspecting. Ditto if you decide on another 18.

The local Farm And Fleet/Blanes Farm And Fleet (I don't know if they all added "Blanes" to the name.) store probably carries Case knives.

Another option you might like is a Victorinox Swiss Army knife.
I've paired my Buck 110 or Old Timer 7OT, and (usually) a large stockman, or a Barlow, Moose, or other 2 blade jackknife with a Victorinox Huntsman every day for 25 or 26 years. I keep it on a small carabiner, clipped to a belt loop.
The Huntsman has the multi purpose "corkscrew" in the back tools. The "Fieldmaster" replaces the corkscrew with a #2 phillips screwdriver. The rest of the blades/tools are the same.
The wood/bone saw, and scissors come in quite handy.

You can find most Vic SAK's in like new condition on the big auction site for a LOT less than a new one.
I paid $18 shipped for a like new "used" standatd production Huntsman, so I could semi-retire a fancy 2021 'Year Of The Ox' Huntsman I inherited.
If you get one with "PLUS" scales, you get the standard toothpick, tweezers side tools, plus a straight pin, and a ballpoint pen (blue ink) side tools.
I upgraded my regular Huntsman to Plus Scales, for the pen.

EDITDon't let the light pilull of the Buck 301/303 bother you.
The backspring's only job is to prevent the blade from partly opening in the pocket, and flopping partly closed between cuts.
Buck's back springs do their job just fine.
I like light pulls. I know I will never have to fight the knife to open it if/when my hands are cold and/or wet.
 
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