As I mentioned earlier, this has been a strange year with a lot of antagonism surrounding my knife hobby. Despite me having acquired numerous knives this year, I really had to ponder what I would consider as my TKOTY or if I even had one. In the end, the choice was easy but I had not realized how much the angst and negativity from this past year had impacted my knife collecting.
Despite knowing this thread was coming up and the tradition it represents, I still had to sit down and apply some careful thought. I selected a handful of my favorite knives that I had acquired this year and I measured each one by the criteria that Jack set forth in his original post.
This is the group of contenders.
I will start with this one - it is one of the earlier acquisitions of the year. This is a vintage Empire large lockback swell-center folding hunter (otherwise a large coke bottle) with steel fittings and Ebony covers. I got this in a lot of similar knives from Charlie, who made them available to me for my collection of Coke Bottle patterns. It is a fine knife with good action, no wobble, and plenty of life left in the blade. I like that it is barehead, it makes such a large knife easier to carry due to its increased lightness. Large Coke Bottles are of great interest to me and this knife is a good and unique representation of the pattern - plus, it came from Charlie which makes it even more special.
Despite my love of the pattern though and the fact that I did indeed carry this here and there throughout the year, it wasn't a pocket hog and I had some trouble bringing myself to use it in some respects due to its antique nature. It gets a honorable mention but it is not my TKOTY.
Next up is a pattern that I have a lot of love for - the "Kephart" fixed blade. This example is one that I commissioned from a maker who painstakingly created a version that is based off of an original that was made by the folks who made ol' Horace's famed blade. If you want a Kephart that is as close as you can get to the original, made by the Colclesser Brothers, this version made by Mike McCarter is the one to get. Mine is made from O1 steel and Blackwood with a finely made leather sheath.
This knife is pretty much a dream come true and is very special to me but unfortunately, I've had little opportunity to put it to use and it is for that reason that it is not my TKOTY.
This next one is another fixed blade, one that caught my fancy. It is the one and only blade that I have from a maker who also happens to be here on BladeForums - Eric Brinkerhoff. This knife has gotten a lot of use from me - it is very well balanced, has a keen point, and is ground thin. Plus, it is just a real good lookin' knife, in my opinion. The only drawback is that the sheath is a very loose fit and that prevents me from carrying it every time I put my big boy pants on and venture away from home. It is for that reason that it cannot be my TKOTY.
Up next and in 3rd place is a special knife with some tremendous Stag. Back when GEC had done their run of #43 Oregon Trappers, I had only purchased one and being somewhat put off by the blade rap, I traded it away a short while later. It is something I had regretted ever since. As a bit of a long shot, I added the 43 to my WTB list and Jerome (
Lostball
) reached out and offered me his well loved, but no less exceptional, Stag #43. How could any sensible guy resist that?! I love this knife and have carried and used it so much over the months but it is a little bulky for my work-at-home uniform (gym shorts) so it is that reason (and that reason alone) that it did not end up as my TKOTY.
We're getting close the end, folks! The 2nd place candidate is a knife that I was not initially interested in (funny how that works out, isn't it?). I don't find the #38 pattern to be an unattractive pattern but I did not think I'd get much mileage out of a whittler version. That said, I soon saw the error in my thinking and somehow, in the midst of the volcanic flurry that is the GEC market, I managed to land not one, but two of them! I have
Jiki
to thank for this fine example in jigged bone and unusual (pleasantly so) shield and it has become a regular contributor to my daily cutting activities ever since. It is likely one of the finest knives that GEC has produced this year and if this thread was a "GEC Knife of the Year" discussion, this one would likely be my number one prize.
All said though, I use the main blade for just about everything and the two secondaries for not nearly as much. It is a paltry reason but a reason nonetheless as to why it cannot be my TKOTY. Plus, the knife that occupies the number one spot has become a veritable pocket hog since I got it so there is that too...
Drum roll, please! Keep 'em rolling! This knife did not really come as a surprise to me - I knew from the moment I set eyes on it that it and I were going to get along real good. The GEC #86 Angus Jack is one of the most classic looking knives that GEC has produced in a long while. In fact, if you were to artificially age one, I suspect it would be very difficult to distinguish between some authentic vintage jacks. My example is of the "well done" variety and though I would have been happy with either variant, I am not at all disappointed in this lustrous black Macassar Ebony. Pairing this beautiful cover material with one of my favorite shields, keeping it light with its barehead configuration, and an incredibly useful blade combo (sheep and pen) - this knife ticks pretty much all the boxes.
It has been difficult to find something that I would rather have in my pocket in these recent months - this knife simple gets the job done and I couldn't be happier with it. The GEC #86 Angus Jack "Well Done" is, without question, my 2021 TKOTY.
kamagong
's new dirk:
Jack Black
