Your Traditional Knife of 2019

[Jack Black]

I've been posting this thread a good few years now, and it's that time again. So, quoting from previous threads (except for updating the year of course):

In 2019, 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 since the start of the year. 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!

It get worse, there’s no prize for this, and there’s no winner! We’re just talking knives, and telling each other which single knife has made all the difference to us this year. So let’s begin

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, just sit back and read the posts, and maybe you'll find a knife to nominate next year. I'm going to make a slight change this year, you may nominate a knife you received last Christmas, (and did not carry before Christmas Day), so long as it fulfills all the other criteria.

Looking forward to reading all your contributions folks, Happy Holidays, and may 2020 be kind to all of us

Jack

 

[Jack Black]

I've had lots of great knives this year, but for me, 2019 has definitely been THE YEAR OF THE LAMBSFOOT, and all the knives I have under consideration are of that pattern.

First of all, the 2019 Guardians Lambsfoot SFO in Desert Ironwood. I was hugely impressed by my sample, the wood had a character I'd never seen before.

Unfortunately, soon after I got the knife, some Butter-Fingered Oaf, asking to look at it, managed to throw it into the air, and the resultant fall onto textured concrete made a mess of the wood I eventually got it repaired, but the manufacturer took so long about it, that by the time I got it back, I had bonded with the other model I'd bought, which I named Lucy (Westenra) because of two 'puncture marks

A few months later, I got the chance to purchase some Lambsfoot blades in Damascus, and had 20 knives made up in 4 patterns.

I carried this one for a while, and it is certainly my fanciest Lambsfoot knife.

Strangely, for reasons which have been examined at length in the Guardians thread, the Lambsfoot pattern never crossed The Pond in the way that other blade patterns did. My friend Charlie @waynorth has spent years gently trying to poke GEC in the direction of producing the first US-made Lambsfoot, and we have been discussing his project for years. So, I was tremendously excited when Charlie told me, at the start of the year, that GEC had finally given the go-ahead to produce a Lambsfoot for him. The resultant historic knife is beautifully elegant, and Charlie generously gifted me an example in sublime jigged bone and another in dark-as-night ebony. Two wonderful knives I will treasure always

A month or so earlier in the year though, another project of my own finally came to fruition, my Hartshead Barlow, named for the small area in Sheffield where the world's first Barlow Knives were made. All steel construction, covers in Rosewood and vintage Sambar Stag, I didn't have anywhere near as long as Charlie did invested in his Lambsfoot project, but getting Sheffield cutlers to make anything 'different' (however traditional), and to a better standard than they have become accustomed to making, is always a lot of hard work

I've been very pleased with both models, but the stag model has taken hold of my pocket in a way that no other knife has come close to this year, or for a long time previously. I really struggle not to carry it! So, despite strong competition, my Traditional Knife of 2019 is my Hartshead Barlow

 

[dantzk8]

In 2019, if you’re lucky, you may have bought, found, or been given, an EXCEPTIONAL knife.

Yes, it has happened to me! It's been a great year, i had never bought so much knives in a year, 3 exactly... A 47 Hayn' Helper, i yet own a one but for my peace of mind i had to get a spare one. A 93 ram's foot which could have been the exceptional knife of the year since it's an exceptional knife, but the best is coming... A 77 Washington Street Jack! Thanks to a fellow member (thanks Andrew) who, very kindly, offered me to buy, at a very fair price the grail knife i wanted since years. He did it after reading one of my posts where i expressed my annoyance to see all these photos of the knife i coveted (happens a time where enough is enough). Perfect knife, flawless, like new and so beautiful. A great year.

It get worse, there’s no prize for this, and there’s no winner!

Great! Anyway i never win a game.

Happy Holidays, and may 2020 be kind to all of us

Thanks Jack, my best wishes to you.

Dan.

 

[AnW]

Great thread! I am excited to see what kind of year everyone else had. For me, 2019 was a turning point. In previous years, I collected a bunch of Case knives - stockmen, mini Trappers, etc. I still have each of them and do carry them from time to time, but none of them really grabbed my attention. At some point early this year, I came across GEC (and BladeForums) and haven't looked back.

I went cuckoo for the #92 pattern and was fortunate to collect all that were released this year ...

In fact, the OD Green Micarta does get a lot of pocket time. However, knife of the year for me isn't even close. One day, I was driving across Pennsylvania and came upon a construction zone. I came to a dead stop and was a bit aggravated to say the least. At that moment, my phone dinged and it was a notification about a knife drop. I quickly purchased these two beauties and somehow the annoyance became a shining moment ...

The Ebony model gets more pocket time and gives me more good vibes than any other, so is by far my knife of the year ...

Well done Charlie (@waynorth) and GEC. I have a feeling this knife will show up a bunch in this thread

 

[Railsplitter]

It's easy again for me this year. This Lion Steel Best Man is hands down my favorite knife of 2019. I got it in early July and although I can't say that I've carried it every day since then, it is my most carried knife. There isn't anything about it that I don't like.

I did not expect to like the knife as much as I do. In fact, I thought they were butt ugly when I first saw them. Didn't think I would even buy one but I sure am glad I did. I ended up buying another one "just in case".

 

[jakemex]

My Case Bose chestnut bone teardrop single blade wharnie in CV gets the vote. Super knife. Love the pointy blade.

 

[JohnDF]

This was an AMAZING year for Knife Knuts!!!
This year saw the "Lambsfoot Man" design us a Barlow, and the "Barlow Man" design us a Lambsfoot. Thank you, Jack and Charlie.
I knew this day would come... Jack would post his Knife of the Year thread and I would be forced to choose between them for a winner. In the end it was easier than I thought. Once I read the criteria for my selection, It had to be the one that was hogging my pocket. Truthfully, Jack's Hartshead Barlow is not being used at all because I think it is just too special and I know I will never see its like again. Meanwhile the Waynorth Lambsfoot gets carried even more than my beloved Rosewood Lamb. So in the end, there was no contest, it is the Waynorth Cutlery Lambsfoot we refer to as the "Charlie Lamb". Thanks again to @Modoc ED for gifting me this wonderful knife.

 

[afishhunter]

Fixed blade:
Mora No. 1.
Sipjoints:
I dunno ... all that I bought are great ... I can't choose just one.
(I'd hurt the feelings of them not picked, and give a bad ego to the one that was.)
"Modern" folding knives:
Nope. Ain't got none; don't want none.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I bought this Case tribal lock this summer at a Case Knife event, got to meet Tony Bose, and got him to autograph the box. I have a yellow Delrin SS version from last year and found it to be a very handy knife, large enough to carry in a sheath but slim enough to slip in a pocket. When they came out with the whiskey bone CV version I knew it was what I "needed". I really like small (even tiny) knives, so the fact that I enjoy this one so much says a lot about the quality of the design in my humble opinion. Solid lockup, easy to get quite sharp, and the CV takes a great patina. The "Zulu" spear is a very practical blade shape and the handle is quite comfortable. I think the "bare head" design adds to the charm.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks a lot for playing guys, I'm sure I'm not alone in really enjoying seeing the knives my fellow Porch members have taken to their hearts

Thanks Jack, my best wishes to you.

Dan.

Thanks Dan, and mine to you

The Ebony model gets more pocket time and gives me more good vibes than any other, so is by far my knife of the year ...

Well done Charlie (@waynorth) and GEC. I have a feeling this knife will show up a bunch in this thread

Nice choice

This was an AMAZING year for Knife Knuts!!!
This year saw the "Lambsfoot Man" design us a Barlow, and the "Barlow Man" design us a Lambsfoot. Thank you, Jack and Charlie.
I knew this day would come... Jack would post his Knife of the Year thread and I would be forced to choose between them for a winner. In the end it was easier than I thought. Once I read the criteria for my selection, It had to be the one that was hogging my pocket. Truthfully, Jack's Hartshead Barlow is not being used at all because I think it is just too special and I know I will never see its like again. Meanwhile the Waynorth Lambsfoot gets carried even more than my beloved Rosewood Lamb. So in the end, there was no contest, it is the Waynorth Cutlery Lambsfoot we refer to as the "Charlie Lamb". Thanks again to @Modoc ED for gifting me this wonderful knife.

Thanks John, the ebony WCLF is definitely your traditional knife of the year, and a very worthy choice it is If it hadn't been for that darn Hartshead Barlow, it'd have been mine too

 

[Old Engineer]

Edited to add some notes at 5:35 Chicago time on 12-16-2019 :
I received a few knives this year . Some of them , I have looked for for a few years .



And some different TEWs



But I had waited for the Waynorth Cutlery Lambfoot for a long time too .
The top one is the Jigged Bone version and there was also the Ebony version and then at the 2019 Rendezvous there were 27 more presented in Smooth White Bone .
My choice for the Top 2019 Knife is the Jigged Bone .





Harry

 

[AnW]

I bought this Case tribal lock this summer at a Case Knife event, got to meet Tony Bose, and got him autograph the box. I have a yellow Delrin SS version from last year and found it to be a very handy knife, large enough to carry in a sheath but slim enough to slip in a pocket. When they came out with the whiskey bone CV version I knew it was what I "needed". I really like small (even tiny) knives, so the fact that I enjoy this one so much says a lot about the quality of the design in my humble opinion. Solid lockup, easy to get quite sharp, and the CV takes a great patina. The "Zulu" spear is a very practical blade shape and the handle is quite comfortable. I think the "bare head" design adds to the charm.

Very nice! I believe one of these will be in my collection soon.

 

[22-rimfire]

For me, it is the Bark River Mini Kephart even though I purchased a custom Kephart. I just love the Mini Kephart. The Case Barlow comes in as honorable mention. It was purchased at a knife show in March and circa '79 vintage.

 

[Jack Black]

Waynorth Cutlery Lambfoot and you can take your choice of which one .

You can take your choice Harry, that's the point of the thread

 

[Jack Black]

For me, it is the Bark River Mini Kephart even though I purchased a custom Kephart. I just love the Mini Kephart. The Case Barlow comes in as honorable mention. View attachment 1250210 View attachment 1250212

Interesting choice

 

[Norcaldude]

The Waynorth Lambfoot with the CC Harness Jack in second place.

 

[gaj999]

The one knife that not only surprised me, but blew me away and stole pocket time shamelessly was the Cold Steel Ranch Boss. My expectations were low, but after I thinned the grinds, reprofiled the bevels, and shortened the main, it was just right. Shown with the 2018 forum knife.
https://i.imgur.com/W8etgol.jpg

 

[315]

Some really good looking knives so far for various reasons. The 2019 knife for me is an older one. It was a gift by a forum member, but that’s not the reason I choose it. I can’t say I really carry it more than some others, but it does get a significant amount of pocket time. It’s very slender for a 3 bladed knife and just feels really good in the hand. I have some newer models of the same knife, that I really like, but they are different. The blades on the older one are thinner by just a smidge. I’m not sure if it makes the older one cut smoother, faster or cleaner, but it sure feels like it. It’s the kind of knife a young man would receive as a gift for graduating High School back in the day before parents bought cars, or expensive trips. It was meant to be used as a tool, but not abused. Not sure of the history this knife has seen. Perhaps farm work, construction, some hunting and fishing? Regardless, an old peach seed Schrade 881 is my knife of the year.

 

[Jack Black]

The Waynorth Lambfoot with the CC Harness Jack in second place.

Great pic!

The one knife that not only surprised me, but blew me away and stole pocket time shamelessly was the Cold Steel Ranch Boss. My expectations were low, but after I thinned the grinds, reprofiled the bevels, and shortened the main, it was just right. Shown with the 2018 forum knife.
https://i.imgur.com/W8etgol.jpg

That's very interesting, nice choice

Some really good looking knives so far for various reasons. The 2019 knife for me is an older one. It was a gift by a forum member, but that’s not the reason I choose it. I can’t say I really carry it more than some others, but it does get a significant amount of pocket time. It’s very slender for a 3 bladed knife and just feels really good in the hand. I have some newer models of the same knife, that I really like, but they are different. The blades on the older one are thinner by just a smidge. I’m not sure if it makes the older one cut smoother, faster or cleaner, but it sure feels like it. It’s the kind of knife a young man would receive as a gift for graduating High School back in the day before parents bought cars, or expensive trips. It was meant to be used as a tool, but not abused. Not sure of the history this knife has seen. Perhaps farm work, construction, some hunting and fishing? Regardless, an old peach seed Schrade 881 is my knife of the year.

Great write-up

 

[black mamba]

No single knife of mine gets a ton of pocket time because I like too many different knives. Even the alox Cadet that I carry every day changes from one color alox to another at regular intervals, and I don't think I bought any new ones that I've carried in 2019. The knife of mine that comes closest to Jack's concept is this 1970s Boker 7588 medium stockman. With Solingen quality throughout, some truly gorgeous jigged bone, and a 3⅜" size that allows it to be carried comfortably even in light house pants, it has seen an inordinate amount of pocket time.