Your Traditional Knife of the Year 2022 (Easy Tiger! Read the rules first! ;) )

[Misplaced Hillbilly]

Of course!!

 

[Coyja]

My son was born in the Spring of 2018 and the only knife I was able to get that year from a drop was a Mudbug just prior and then I was a bit busy after that for awhile, lol. So, been trying to chase down certain 2018 models and top among them was a clip 15 micarta. I consistently either missed the boat by minutes or wouldn't pay an outrageous price, so I've been looking for a long time. But this year the stars aligned and I came across a posting for both for basically cost.
So these are my KOTY with an honorable mention to the 36 coco, which I don't carry much but I think is a triumph for this pattern.

 

[rishma]

After years of enjoying this thread, I don’t recall if I ever posted in it. I don’t acquire knives very often but I did in 2022!

I was the lucky winner #14 GEC Barlow GAW from Fixall . I have long admired the GEC TC barlows, I am very fond of small knives and the GEC clip with a long pull is my favorite blade shape by far. As my first and only TC Barlow this knife was a serious contender. It’s lovely, fits nicely in my #5 pocket and makes me smile every time I see it, but it didn’t win my knife of the year.


Since the first release in 2011 I have wanted a GEC 33. My favorite patterns are single springs two blade. I purchased one off the exchange this year in stag and it hasn’t left my pocket since. 3-3/8” closed length is my perfect size. The narrower GEC clip with long pull is even better for me than the heftier #14 and #15 clip. The blade stock is thin and screaming sharp on both blades. The long clip is very substantial for the handle size, punches well above its weight class. This knife was meant to be used, has imperfections like slight blade rub, which made it easier for me to just use it and not fret over it. The only thing I’d change is seconadary blade would be even better if it was a straight edged coping blade.

I tend to carry the same knife over long periods, and I imagine this one will be in my pocket most of 2023.

Attached some pics from this cool, rainy morning.


Happy new year all!

 

[cbr1000]

I've used this 65 the most this year. Great knife, good springs, snaps shut, feel good in the hand and centered. Thin blade stock for the length of blade makes it a great slicer.

Happy New Year!

 

[pmek5]

This knife got a lot of carry this year. I think the #29 has the best combo of blades IMHO.
Perfect even stag on this one makes it even better. The #39 BF Ebony will be a strong contender for 2023. Not enough time this year to qualify.

 

[danno50]

I acquired 9 knives in 2022: the AAPK forum knife, the BF forum Bunny Knife, 2 older Sheffield made pen knives, two German made 4 blade senators, and the 3 fixed blades pictured below (Bob Dozier, Rick Menefee, and Joe Calton).



The only knife that saw any carry time was the Joe Calton. I carried it in my hunting pack and processed a white tail deer with it. Joe Calton is a member of the High Endurance Performance Knife Association (HEPK), which was founded by Ed Fowler. It was forged from 52100 steel and somewhat resembles the style of an Ed Fowler Pronghorn (which is one of my grail knives). It performed very well and is my new favorite hunting knife. However, it does not meet the qualifications to be my knife of the year.

 

[bigfish64]

I acquired many very nice knives this year so it’s hard to pick one. Some of the best knives were incredibly generous gifts from porch members. All those knives have been carried, some extensively, and picking one of those gifted knives as my favorite would be like picking one of my kids as my favorite. I can’t do that. So, while those knives are very special, I will pick my KOTY from knives I purchased, and like last year, my KOTY goes to a Boker. Last year it was my Micarta Club knife and this year it’s Copper Top. Love carrying this little knife and watching it change as the copper develops patina.
Here’s some new and current photos.
New: back in May

Current:

Really enjoy reading through this thread and seeing all the fantastic knives. Here’s wishing all of you happiness and health in the coming new year!

 

[celticrogues]

Trestle Pine Superior is my traditional knife of 2022. I'm not sure what it is about the knife, but like Jack Black said, its a knife that just has absolutely charmed me. I love the story of the brand, and the fact that they use old growth wood (mine is old growth oak). I love the easily pinchable blade. I love the way it vanishes in my pocket and yet has plenty of blade to do anything I want. I love the look of the knife - reminds me of a classic Buck knife but in slipjoint form.

Very rare are the times when I'll go out with only one knife in my pocket - I like backups and redundancy. That said, I've spent several days with only this knife in my pocket, and felt great about it.

-Mike

 

[fishin1635]

This Maher & Grosh has been is in my pocket more than any other’s this year. I’ve found I prefer the old fat halft style covers simply for the feel in the hand for cutting and especially while watching tv or walking around the block or just pondering about the day. 3 3/4” closed

 

[Sacto]

Bart, If I was a betting man, I'd have bet that the Eureka Jack would be your favorite for 2022! It was my favorite last year, and still by far my favorite to carry!

Finally getting some time to catch up on this thread. Great choices folks! Thanks for the fun Jack Jack Black !

Yeah, it was probably predictable for anyone that follows the “what traditional knife are you toting” thread. It was an easy choice for me, such a nice knife.

 

[mrknife]

having gone through and evaluated all of my purchases and accumulations for the year of 2021 id have to say the 86 might take the cake. Like you, it was one of the first knives to come my way in 2021, the smooth white bone was the first to join my collection. I had tried to cut back on purchases this year but was very happy to find out when they announced 14s and 77s in 2021 and was lucky enough to score the whole runs. Also making the rendezvous this year allowed me a chance to finish the runs of 2021 barlow 86s and the 2022 14s as it was one of the sfos. Picking up some spares also allowed the completion of this. These were a part of on going projects with waynorth blades I had been working on during the pandemic years. J jsdistin put it all together for me. A sterling silver scaled 86 and a slimmer 86 with the error blade from slimming down to match the spring. Sharpened that one right up for the pocket. Terrible job but still

 

[Quiet]

My Traditional Knife of 2022 has been a toss-up between the two of these:

The #35 Johnny on the Spot was everything I love about GEC and their ability to make knives that bring back smiles and memories of childhood days long gone by that were spent kicking around in the woods, and while the Case/Bose Stockman was a relatively late year addition, it has rapidly become one of my favorite Traditionals because I now see the quality level for myself. Just amazing knives, and I'm grateful to have the both of these.

A strong, and I do mean strong runner up would be the GEC #88 knives, as they brought the same feeling as the #86s did from 2019 and I love these dearly:

Here's to 2023!!!

 

[r8shell]

Looking over the past year's knife acquisitions:

There was the white bone 86 Barlow, of course, as well as a lovely little Boker "radium" penknife in mother of pearl that waynorth included in the package as a birthday gift. Thanks, Charlie!

r8shell's Home For Old And Worn Out Knives admitted a few new residents. A Jonathan Crookes (one of the oldest knives in my collection) and a VOOS arrow Jack Knife that's been on my list to pick up if I ever found one at a decent price. I'm very pleased to own these.

...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...

Going by the parameters of the KOTY thread there are two that have really charmed and surprised me.

The first is a knife that doesn't actually qualify (I'll edit it out if you wish, Jack) since Jack sent it to me a few years ago, but I'm mentioning it because it has only recently gotten much pocket time. I'd used it in the garden from time to time, but never thought of a folding pruner as a practical blade shape for everyday use. Well, for some reason, I put it in my pocket this holiday season and have used it daily to open packages and slice up cardboard. I just love this thing.

Which leaves us with the 2022 Knife Of The Year.
It's Johnny On The Spot! When these were announced I thought "Why would I buy a fancy new expensive version of the cheap scout/camper knives we had as kids? I even have a few Camillus and Imperial ones in a drawer around here somewhere." Then I realized I really wanted one because it is a fancy new expensive version of the cheap scout/camper knives we had as kids! It's gotten a lot of pocket time this year.

 

[Jack Black]

My Traditional Knife of 2022 has been a toss-up between the two of these:

The #35 Johnny on the Spot was everything I love about GEC and their ability to make knives that bring back smiles and memories of childhood days long gone by that were spent kicking around in the woods, and while the Case/Bose Stockman was a relatively late year addition, it has rapidly become one of my favorite Traditionals because I now see the quality level for myself. Just amazing knives, and I'm grateful to have the both of these.

A strong, and I do mean strong runner up would be the GEC #88 knives, as they brought the same feeling as the #86s did from 2019 and I love these dearly:

Here's to 2023!!!

So which one did you choose in the end?

 

[Quiet]

So which one did you choose in the end?

Ultimately my friend, it was the #35 that won out. I feel it meets the requirements, because truthfully, I was sure the Cattle Knife #35 was going to be my knife of the year when I got it, but I was fortunate enough that my dealer "called my name" so to speak, and the Johnny knife showed up, and I just fell in love with it. No bail, synthetic scales, on paper, it's not really mindblowing, but in hand, use, and pocket, it's been fantastic. Knife of the year for me.

 

[waynorth]

Well, for some reason, I put it in my pocket this holiday season and have used it daily to open packages and slice up cardboard. I just love this thing.

Happy Texas New Year!!
That's a high quality pruner, Rachell!! Heavy liners, that extend into the tang area, and convex handles make it stout where it counts!! Nice lifetime working knife!!
What is the make?

 

[r8shell]

Happy Texas New Year!!
That's a high quality pruner, Rachell!! Heavy liners, that extend into the tang area, and convex handles make it stout where it counts!! Nice lifetime working knife!!
What is the make?

Thanks, Happy New Year to you, too.
The stamp is hard to read, but I believe it says "C K Italy" Jack Black has its twin.

 

[Matt_WY]

2022 was a pretty solid years for traditional knives. Some of my favorites were the 77 yankee barlow, Mike had some incredible stag to throw in that run. The 88 Bayou trapper, 35 cattle knife/camp tool knife, 59 Shaffer farm whittler, and the 39 bunny/old Sheffield jack were all fantastic runs with some diverse handle materials. But in the end it comes down to what found it’s way into my pocket. Last years KOTY, my trusty Buck 301 easily logged the most pocket time. Great to carry in the field while at work, someone needs a knife, no problem, it’s an affordable workhorse. If I lost it I would replace it asap. But for KOTY it’s easily the Case/Bose stockman. This is my in the office/out on the town knife. It’s a large stockman with some heft, decent steel, nice swedges on the blades, and solid pulls and snap on the blades. To me this is a stockman done right and my KOTY.

 

[Nature Boy]

I look forward to reading through this thread every year (haven’t had a chance to do that yet), and I wanted to add my nomination before it got too late into 2023…

Without much ado, my knife of 2022 is one that arrived on January 3rd, 2022 from seas165 ‘s GAW - a small daado fixed blade that has made me appreciative of the regular, fixed blade carry. It has been more fun to use than any folder I have gotten this year.

I don’t have any recent pics as I write this evening, but here is one from when I took ownership:

Thanks again seas165 for the knife and Jack Black for continuing the tradition! Looking forward to reading what everyone else chose.

 

[Frank.K]

My knife of the year is this 48 made in 2010. Here it is with some wild blueberries up in the Sierra Nevada range.