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.
Uh-ohIs it OK to say that I can't narrow it down past two contenders? These two rank equally for me, and I will have to show both.
@lambertiana you're gonna get in trouble with
Jack Black
for that 
Exquisite knife. I had a small 2 blade with tortoise celluloid scales that was my grandfathers. It’s like why wouldn’t you put a button on a folder.This old Schrade is my knife of 2017. Not only a good find, but a good user as well. I bought it blind, it was in a "box of pocket knives" at an auction, and I was a thousand miles away from the sale. It was one of two push button knives in the box, and worth more than I paid for the lot. A little cleaning, some time with a stone, and it traveled to the mountains of New Mexico with me for a start. It's bigger than I usually carry, but the more I play with it the more I'm amazed at just how smart the design is. And, by extension, just how shortsighted lawmakers can be. There are times when being able to open a pocket knife without using both hands, without having to look down at it, and without fumbling around can be important. This 100 year old design allows all of that in a profile no different than most knives that don't. Beautiful.
) So, I have many to choose from, but for my top knife of 2017 I will have to pick my Case 6344 medium stockman. It is a "small" medium, slim and light and easy to carry, the blades are easy to open, it takes a good edge, and typical of the pattern it has just the right blade for every occasion (especially with the pen replacing the spey). And it's my favorite color. 
I don't have pictures of my others boys' knives, but two of my four boys got their first pocket knives for their birthdays (though one was Dec. 2016). I'm handing down one of my knives to the second oldest boy for Christmas, since he missed out on his birthday for something he wanted more, but the 4-year-old will be getting yet another wooden knife (JJ's Knife Kit!) this year, since he hasn't shown he can follow the rules of using sharps just yet.
OK cogitation time over
This year I was lucky enough to come across a number of Black Box knives, the Swell Centre Pen shown, a Coffin Jack, Stockman, 2 Swell Centre split back Whittlers and very generous presents from Al and Bob - Teardrop and Sowbelly. I really like this series of knives: unusual patterns, really beautiful bone, reasonable prices and knives I can use.
But it's not enough is it for KOY? I mean, you find them great, they please you but it's what you expect as the consistency is high. What's needed for a KOY is an element of shock & surprise, something to make you think again. No? Right. This autumn GEC released a new interpretation of the 35 pattern which had been a Forum Knife 2016 and an SFO from the illustrious Campagna stable, naming it Churchill. At first I was completely unmoved, bored frankly. I thought the naming a bit kitsch even lame, a big EE knife did not arouse any interest in me. I barely looked at GEC's website coverage, stifling my yawns. My complacency and prejudice got undermined when I had a look at the Churchill thread, I began to wonder. A single-spring knife with Clip and Sheepfoot? That's a change, and one for the better. Then I saw the Cougar Claw Bone and lost my mind
Churchill Cougar Clawed Bone shown with a GEC 56
THey seem to be a popular choice here Is it OK to say that I can't narrow it down past two contenders? These two rank equally for me, and I will have to show both. First is the Guardian Lambsfoot:
The second one is a NOS Puma stockman. I already have one that I bought in 1984, but it has significant sentimental value to me and I do not want to use it any more. I stumbled on this NOS and couldn't resist; buying it took me back to the excitement that I had for the original in 1984.
Uh-oh
You must choose 'The One Knife'
Come on guys, you're not being asked to choose which kid gets thrown out of the lifeboat! 
The one on the left was my 4-year-old's "knife of the year."
My knife of the year is on the right: Roland Lannier's debut knife after leaving Perceval to start his own company: the Why So Serious. I discovered Lannier from watching Stefan Schmalhaus's YouTube channel. I already received a Perceval L-08 in Gabon Ebony for Father's Day (thanks to my lovely wife!) in 2016, and I saved up to buy the Why So Serious back in January of this year. It is a bigger (longer) knife than I typically have carried, but I just love the lines and the tiny details that make it feel perfect in the hand and have the smoothest actions of any of my knives (it feels like it opens itself). It is made to be a folding steak/table knife so its a real slicer and that long slender blade makes for easy paring work in the kitchen.
As is your son's Knife of the Year It's pretty hard for me to pick just one knife to be " my knife of the year " But this one by John Lloyd,it'ds the small 3-3/4" version of Don Hanson's pattern just might be the one.
52100 carbon & Nguni ( a cattle from South Africa ) covers
The grind is amazing,the action is amazing ,the covers are just so fantastic and unique looking
It is just the right size for watch pocket carry,not too thick,not too thin.
It took me by surprise ,and that's saying a lot,not only can I be as picky ,but I see many per year.
That it took you, who handles so many beautiful custom knives, and so much of John's work, was taken by surprise, says a great deal There have been days when that would be an easier choice....
That would be a different thread. The purpose of this thread is to choose A KNIFE, as explained in my opening post
I don't think I've even looked in the Churchill thread yet! Perhaps I better hadn't!
No, sorry, same rule for everybody, ONE KNIFE ONLY PLEASE
Yep, that's the purpose of the thread
That's pretty special
That's pretty incredible Vince
I tried my best to choose a knife
You know what, the Grohmann surprised me more than any other knife has, so I guess that's what I choose.
The Grohmann looks like a really interesting knife, I have only ever heard good things about them
See, it wasn't THAT hard was it?!
My Churchill #35 Gabon Ebony would have to be my all around Favorite for 2017 since it falls into my pocket more then any other with my sambar stag 35 a close second but the black beauty has stole my heart .
My new Tuna Valley Carpenters Whittler almost knocked both off there pedestal because of its beauty but sometimes that’s just not enough . I have to stay loyal to my Ebony #35
