YOUR 2025 Traditional Knife of the Year

Jack Black

Seize the Lambsfoot! Seize the Day!
Platinum Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2005
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Greeting Porchsters! :) It's that time of the year again, and for me it's come round quicker than ever. I can only apologise for my relative lack of engagement during the past year, I've been so busy I've rarely had time to post outside the Guardians thread. I miss posting in the EDC thread, with all the fun and camraderie there, and hope I can get back to posting there daily sometime in 2026.

You Old Hands will know what this thread is about, but here's a reminder! :D ;) Everyone else, please read on:

In 2025, if you’re lucky, you may have bought, found, or been given, an EXCEPTIONAL knife. Maybe it was a knife you didn’t think was going to be that special, but it has absolutely CHARMED you. Perhaps it was an inexpensive knife, which you picked up somewhere, slipped in your pocket, and then found you couldn’t stop carrying it. It must be a knife you have gotten on or since Christmas Day 2024. If you’ve come across a knife like that, perhaps you’d like to nominate it as YOUR knife of the year.

Now, it could be that you’ve been perfectly happy carrying the knife you bought or were given many years ago, a knife which has served you so well, why would you want to change? If that’s the case, good luck to you my friend, but that knife doesn’t qualify.

It could be that you’ve had lots of knives this year, and liked many of them, but none of them really stood out. Don’t worry, maybe something will come along next year, which will absolutely knock your socks off. You can tell us about that knife next year.

Also, and we always get a couple of these, you may be one of those indecisive folks who just can’t make your mind up. Maybe you have two, or three, or four knives you really like, and can’t decide which you like the best. If that applies to you, feel free to start another thread, because if ONE of those knives doesn’t stand out, it doesn’t deserve to be nominated for this one. By all means mention a number of knives, but in the end, YOU MUST CHOOSE ONE. If you can’t…on yer bike! ;)

So, we're not looking for the fanciest custom you picked up this year, we're looking for a knife that you've CARRIED, that has absolutely hogged your pocket in a way which may have taken you by surprise. Don't worry if you can't choose one, you're not being asked to choose your favourite child! Feel free to tell us about the knives that didn't quite make it as a KOTY, the ones you liked, but perhaps just didn't carry enough, or the knife you bought last week, which is so fancy you're saving it for Sunday carry, but if you nominate a KOTY, it better be a good 'un! ;) :thumbsup:

This is supposed to be fun, so have a good think, and enjoy posting :) I hope that 2025 has been a good year for you, and that 2026 is equally kind, and if you don't have a KOTY 2025, good luck in finding one in 2026 :thumbsup:

This year, there's a bonus giveaway. The Guardians thread, which has now been running for nearly 10 years recently passed 6000 pages. So, if you don't have a Lambsfoot, or you fancy another, I have a simple stainless-bladed Lambsfoot, made by Taylors Eye Witness of Sheffield to give away. Please feel free to enter, just post in this thread, and include the words 'I'm in' in your post. If you can give a good case for your KOTY, I'll enter your name twice. One more thing, if you use IMGUR to host your pics, I may not see them :( Good luck everyone :thumbsup:

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And remember:

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I finally succeeded in the resolution I've made several New Year's in a row, to buy less knives! Almost all the ones I've bought, I've given away. I'm lucky to have some generous friends with great taste, and if I had carried it more than some of my other knives, this wonderful Waynorth Lambsfoot, with Flat Cap Jigging, given to me by Charlie himself, would definitely be my Knife of the Year :)

Waynorth FCB Lambsfoot 4-9.JPG

Second runner-up is a knife I won in a giveaway hosted by Âchillepattada Âchillepattada :cool:

Benoit Salesse (Maker) Saint Amans (Pattern) Stabilized Heated Beech & XC75 Carbon 1-3.JPG

However, no KOTY 2026, and no prize :( ;) :thumbsup:
 
I purchased a goodly number of knives (as usual) this year and no regrets on any of them. This one raised my temperature the most, I guess. I purchased a couple that are seeing good pocket time, but I don't have a big enough pocket for this one. But it is here to stay. Warm feelings emanate from that wood. And those lines! Miss America 1947 through 2025!. I don't go back earlier than that.

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Northwoods Michigan

Over the last few weeks I have been going through nearly all of the vast collection left from the sad and sudden passing of your fellow American, Robert Cutting, here in UK, and sorting for sale on behalf of his widow.

In the process, I have developed a fondness for American slipjoints I wasn't expecting. During the earlier weeks of this process, a Michigan Jack popped up in the sales section of the knife forum I run in UK - nabbed it immediately.

I guess the initial allure was the Stag covers, just so much character. The blade is a pleasure, easy to open, and, there's a lot of blade for its size. Added to that, the blade itself is simply awesome........as many of you will know, a 1095 can take a wicked edge, this is no exception - like carrying a pocket laser.

Walk n talk is a delight, tension perfect - and a natural for good build quality, fit n finish.

The other thing of course, being in lil ol' England, it is UK legal to carry.

So, in one swift movement, I'm taken in by American slippies..........now on the hunt for more, particularly this week having clocked another GEC...

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Going through this years pics, it looks like I only bought three knives this year, and two of them were traditionals. Both are users, but one's a heavyweight, while the other is super lightweight.
The Buck 111 in Magnacut is my KOTY.
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Runner up is the Case Crossroads Barlow.
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Count me in for the TEW lamb!

For me there is no long deliberation required. My KOTY is the 2024 forum knife that was gifted so generously by Modoc ED Modoc ED

He suggested that it would be handy on my regular trips to the Sierra, and he was right. Its official name is Modoc Sierra Special, or MSS for short. Here are a few pictures taken in its natural habitat.
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No doubt that my knife of the year is the BF #91 stockman. It has filled my pockets more than any other knife in the last year and has always come in handy. It's just about the perfect traditional slipjoint.

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Second runner up is the Okapi.1000018223.jpg

*Edit: I am NOT in for the giveaway. It is extremely generous, but the knife should go to someone deserving. A lambfoot would be wasted on me.*
 
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I bought this Case Barlow at the beginning of the year and I have probably carried it the most out of the 4 ( I think 4 ) knives that I purchased this year.
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With that being said I also bought this NOS early Schrade LB1 this year, and I have carried it quite a bit.
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It excites me most out of everything I bought this year because I love little knives more than anything.
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I didn't receive this LB1 until the end of August though so it's not really fair, ultimately I think the Carbon steel etc etc bone Barlow is probably my 2025 knife of the year.
Maybe the Schrade LB1 will be my 2026 knife of the year.

20251209_115617.jpg
 
I got back into Traditional knives around mid 2025 after about 3 or 4 years of a modern knife preference.

When I first “came back” I found that Scout knives were best suited for my needs. Primarily because most of them have a Punch/Awl and I use that tool every workday in my semi-retirement. I was also fascinated by the nostalgia of them.

Then I thought I would try a Swiss Army Knife because many of them have a Punch and other similar tools as a Scout knife. I already had two Super Tinkers so I carried those for a couple weeks but I found that they were a little too thick for me. I only used the scissors once in a blue moon and even when I did, a knife blade would have sufficed. And they carried more like a multi-tool than a pocketknife.

So I bought a Tinker which is basically a Super Tinker minus the scissors and parcel hook.

The Tinker has 10 tools that a standard pocketknife doesn’t have yet it carries like a standard two spring pocketknife. I am not posting a picture because I have acquired three Tinkers this year and I can’t decide which one is my favorite. Let’s just say that the Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker in general is my 2025 KOTY.
 
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I will participate, and when this thread came up one specific knife INSTANTLY came to mind… no question, my knife of 2025 was

IMG_8276.jpeg

My GEC 39 three blade jack! 2025 year was not my first year modifying knives, but it was my busiest modding year so far. This one started as a joke for me, I thought I’d slap the pieces together for fun and then set them aside for use elsewhere. However, having it in hand, the heft was perfect, all three blades were accessible, nothing felt off, and the whole thing just felt RIGHT. So I finished it up and put it right into the user rotation. It’s a fun one.
 
Acquired in December (I think) of 2024 I carried this knife more than even my Flat Cap Lambfoot, which I dearly love!!!
This City slicker loves his City Stock, after years of begging GEC to make it!!!
Definitely my KOTY for 2025! I'm carrying my Bison Belly, as promised and it is working out well, but I will return to the City Stock in the New Year!!
I find a single-spring two-blade is almost magical, and I feel it calling me back!! 😁 Dental pic 1.jpgFall EDC 1.jpg
 
I purchased a goodly number of knives (as usual) this year and no regrets on any of them. This one raised my temperature the most, I guess. I purchased a couple that are seeing good pocket time, but I don't have a big enough pocket for this one. But it is here to stay. Warm feelings emanate from that wood. And those lines! Miss America 1947 through 2025!. I don't go back earlier than that.

View attachment 3049240View attachment 3049241View attachment 3049242View attachment 3049243View attachment 3049244View attachment 3049245View attachment 3049246
Wonderful (as is your prose) :) :thumbsup:
Northwoods Michigan

Over the last few weeks I have been going through nearly all of the vast collection left from the sad and sudden passing of your fellow American, Robert Cutting, here in UK, and sorting for sale on behalf of his widow.

In the process, I have developed a fondness for American slipjoints I wasn't expecting. During the earlier weeks of this process, a Michigan Jack popped up in the sales section of the knife forum I run in UK - nabbed it immediately.

I guess the initial allure was the Stag covers, just so much character. The blade is a pleasure, easy to open, and, there's a lot of blade for its size. Added to that, the blade itself is simply awesome........as many of you will know, a 1095 can take a wicked edge, this is no exception - like carrying a pocket laser.

Walk n talk is a delight, tension perfect - and a natural for good build quality, fit n finish.

The other thing of course, being in lil ol' England, it is UK legal to carry.

So, in one swift movement, I'm taken in by American slippies..........now on the hunt for more, particularly this week having clocked another GEC...

View attachment 3049293
That's a great-looking slipjoint buddy :thumbsup:
What a knife! :cool: Charlie never misses :cool: :thumbsup:
Going through this years pics, it looks like I only bought three knives this year, and two of them were traditionals. Both are users, but one's a heavyweight, while the other is super lightweight.
The Buck 111 in Magnacut is my KOTY.
View attachment 3049313
Runner up is the Case Crossroads Barlow.
Wow! That's a KNIFE! :cool: :thumbsup:
Cool pic :thumbsup:
Count me in for the TEW lamb!

For me there is no long deliberation required. My KOTY is the 2024 forum knife that was gifted so generously by Modoc ED Modoc ED

He suggested that it would be handy on my regular trips to the Sierra, and he was right. Its official name is Modoc Sierra Special, or MSS for short. Here are a few pictures taken in its natural habitat.
View attachment 3049319
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Incredible photos of a generous gift :) :thumbsup:
Well, not hard this year. I already had a red jigged bone sowbelly in stainless, but when I saw this yellow carbon one, I had to have it. I carried it constantly for a long time, and will again.
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Great KOTY Jer :) :thumbsup:
Has to be this older Case with Rodgers jigged bone covers (per Steve - knifeaholic). After cleaning it up some, it has become a definite favorite.

dR6MzOU.jpg
I love the lines on that one, beautiful :cool: :thumbsup:
Do you want to change this?:
Dagnabbit! 😖 😂 Thanks for letting me know Jer! 🫣🤣👍
No doubt that my knife of the year is the BF #91 stockman. It has filled my pockets more than any other knife in the last year and has always come in handy. It's just about the perfect traditional slipjoint.

View attachment 3049364
View attachment 3049365

Second runner up is the Okapi.View attachment 3049366
Fantastic :) :thumbsup:
I bought this Case Barlow at the beginning of the year and I have probably carried it the most out of the 4 ( I think 4 ) knives that I purchased this year.
View attachment 3049416
View attachment 3049417
With that being said I also bought this NOS early Schrade LB1 this year, and I have carried it quite a bit.
View attachment 3049418
View attachment 3049419
It excites me most out of everything I bought this year because I love little knives more than anything.
View attachment 3049420

I didn't receive this LB1 until the end of August though so it's not really fair, ultimately I think the Carbon steel etc etc bone Barlow is probably my 2025 knife of the year.
Maybe the Schrade LB1 will be my 2026 knife of the year.

View attachment 3049422
Handsome choice :) :thumbsup:
I got back into Traditional knives around mid 2025 after about 3 or 4 years of a modern knife preference.

When I first “came back” I found that Scout knives were best suited for my needs. Primarily because most of them have a Punch/Awl and I use that tool every workday in my semi-retirement. I was also fascinated by the nostalgia of them.

Then I thought I would try a Swiss Army Knife because many of them have a Punch and other similar tools as a Scout knife. I already had two Super Tinkers so I carried those for a couple weeks but I found that they were a little too thick for me. I only used the scissors once in a blue moon and even when I did, a knife blade would have sufficed. And they carried more like a multi-tool than a pocketknife.

So I bought a Tinker which is basically a Super Tinker minus the scissors and parcel hook.

The Tinker has 10 tools that a standard pocketknife doesn’t have yet it carries like a standard two spring pocketknife. I am not posting a picture because I have acquired three Tinkers this year and I can’t decide which one is my favorite. Let’s just say that the Victorinox Swiss Army Tinker in general is my 2025 KOTY.
Tinker looks like a good set-up :thumbsup:
I will participate, and when this thread came up one specific knife INSTANTLY came to mind… no question, my knife of 2025 was

View attachment 3049519

My GEC 39 three blade jack! 2025 year was not my first year modifying knives, but it was my busiest modding year so far. This one started as a joke for me, I thought I’d slap the pieces together for fun and then set them aside for use elsewhere. However, having it in hand, the heft was perfect, all three blades were accessible, nothing felt off, and the whole thing just felt RIGHT. So I finished it up and put it right into the user rotation. It’s a fun one.
Wow, well done Hoff :cool: Looks incredible :) :thumbsup:
Acquired in December (I think) of 2024 I carried this knife more than even my Flat Cap Lambfoot, which I dearly love!!!
This City slicker loves his City Stock, after years of begging GEC to make it!!!
Definitely my KOTY for 2025! I'm carrying my Bison Belly, as promised and it is working out well, but I will return to the City Stock in the New Year!!
I find a single-spring two-blade is almost magical, and I feel it calling me back!! 😁 View attachment 3049529View attachment 3049530
I remember you speaking highly of it before Charlie :cool: :) :thumbsup:
 
ZGPlPPW.jpeg


This knife came to me at the start of 2015. It lived in its box until the spring of 2024 seeing only occasional carry during that year. In ‘25 it became my everyday knife and has completely bumped its multi-year predecessor. Count me in.
 
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