Definitely a candidate. Will add to the list.I have really been impressed with my Brother Cowfish. It runs about $40 if you look for it. Really nice usable blade shape, VG10 steel, steel liners, shield appears to be pinned, some sort of CF scale.
(Picture ripped off the net)
Walk a little slow, talk is a little mumbled, but it locks up tight with blade play comparable to what Case feels is acceptable.
It's made in China, if that matters. I bought one because I feel like Case quality is garbage these days. I like RR knives, but I wanted something a step in steel quality. I would pay GEC prices IF it meant I paid the inflated price and got the knife. I'm not putting effort into chasing down a traditional.
So for less than a fiddy-spot, I feel like I got a decent knife. I'll probably pick up another at some point.
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Worthy Slip Joint Under $70
- Thread starter Greggy
- Start date
ktataragasi
Gold Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2019
- Messages
- 1,855
The Artisan Biome is a surprisingly good little slipjoint.
Add another for the biome.
My latest traditional inspired knives. While the Brother is not a slip joint, it is old fashioned with nail nick two handed deployment and a lock back. I am pleasantly surprised with the fit and finish of this knife. I have not yet introduced its 440C to the whetstone. I will see how it behaves soon and the value of Brother's heat treat. The Maserin Plow Sodbuster arrived days ago. Another fine fit and finish, and a tradition-inspired slip joint design. Am very happy with the fit and finish and the walk and talk. Nice snap. Again, the blade steel (D2) has yet to meet my whetstones. Looking forward to that day, as I just love to sharpen D2 (not really, but I do enjoy the challenge). Here is a pic of the two Amigos:
chevyrulez1
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2007
- Messages
- 747
Take a look at Otter Messer, some nice slippies with either stainless or carbon steel. I have one of their 3 rivet knives with the smoked oak handles and it is awesome
I am still on the hunt for budget slip joints. Below is my latest acquisition. A Rough Ryder Red Bone Marlin Spike. I have owned a Sea Ray boat for almost a decade and often tie knots. The boat now belongs to my son, so I may gift him one of these. Used to undo knots with my fingernails. No fun.
My initial impressions. Action is not outstanding, but the knife is only $18. I oiled it and worked the action repeatedly. A lot of gunk appeared along the inner spring and liners. I worked the action and cleaned until the gunk all but went away. The spike locking mechanism and spring needed to be cleaned and lubed the most. Now it works as intended. Lockup is good, but with a slight amount of play (the spike, not the blade). Still feels safe. The sheepsfoot blade had a decent bevel, but I took it to my 1000 then 6000 grit stones for some improvement. Did not spend too much time on this and I would rate the current sharpness at 7.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Overall impression: well worth $18, I am a happy camper. Pics:
My initial impressions. Action is not outstanding, but the knife is only $18. I oiled it and worked the action repeatedly. A lot of gunk appeared along the inner spring and liners. I worked the action and cleaned until the gunk all but went away. The spike locking mechanism and spring needed to be cleaned and lubed the most. Now it works as intended. Lockup is good, but with a slight amount of play (the spike, not the blade). Still feels safe. The sheepsfoot blade had a decent bevel, but I took it to my 1000 then 6000 grit stones for some improvement. Did not spend too much time on this and I would rate the current sharpness at 7.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Overall impression: well worth $18, I am a happy camper. Pics:
gentleman_edc
Basic Member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2021
- Messages
- 580
G
Greggy
I am interested to here how the Brother and Maserin sharpen. They are both pretty knives.
I have recently handled some nice lower cost knives (Rough Ryder, Marbles, Browning) and the Browning which retails a bit more was definitely nicer in my opinion. It "fit together" nicer. The Marbles and Rough Ryder were fine, but they are designed to be a bit thicker and more robust, and thus easier to make. I don't have anything againt them if you don't mind a heavy knife.
Case hits the budget, as do the "Boker Germany" knives. which are a good in-between Rough Ryder and the higher end Boker Solingen, nicer Case knives or GEC.
I have recently handled some nice lower cost knives (Rough Ryder, Marbles, Browning) and the Browning which retails a bit more was definitely nicer in my opinion. It "fit together" nicer. The Marbles and Rough Ryder were fine, but they are designed to be a bit thicker and more robust, and thus easier to make. I don't have anything againt them if you don't mind a heavy knife.
Case hits the budget, as do the "Boker Germany" knives. which are a good in-between Rough Ryder and the higher end Boker Solingen, nicer Case knives or GEC.
You don’t like the buck 55 or 503?Carbon Steel Rough Ryder (the "Reserve" line) is a really good brand, fit and finish is better than Case (I was ready to love Case!!!) and, the carbon steel line is even better F&F than stainless models, in my experience. Quality of the carbon steel is at least up to par wtih Euro brands like Opinel and Douk-Douk, it's C17 carbon I think. Cannot speak to the stainless. Do not recommend stainless over carbon, not just because carbon steel is objectively better (), but because they seem to take more care grinding and making those knives. Even the grind on the sheepsfoot, for the red one below (stainless) is wayyy more uneven than the carbon (yellow), and they were the same price! (Stainless RR still better than Case)
They are Chinese. I do not like this. But, I cannot justify spending $60 on a wobbly, weird-ground Case, when I can spend $25 on a quality finished and ground Rough Ryder. Look how sweet that Wharncliffe is. It's exponentially better than the Case, and I take NO pleasure in saying so, I'm just not going to fool myself and use an inferior product. Case, step your game up and I'll rejoin the club, but I feel like my little Toothpick is useless but for to look at the purple/blue corleon.
View attachment 1909047
I will buy a GEC new when I can. I would love to have one of those. Until then I will rely on other, mainly European countries, for quality, traditional slipjoints. Opinel, K55 Mercator, Douk-Douk, MAM, Higonokami, Peasant... a couple have locks, but they're nice, classic, mainly slipjoint.
Lee D
BANNED
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- May 27, 2013
- Messages
- 8,619
This …of the 14c28 I have experience with, this has impressed me very much. Cuts like the dickens, better than average heat treat ( in my experience) and a removal pocket clip if you choose to drop in the bitten of your pocket.
Great knife at an affordable price
