Rufus1949
Gold Member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2021
- Messages
- 17,123
Welcome to the madhouse Rick. Your final choice is a good one.I'm new around here but I'll chime in.
I started off the year focused more on modern knives. I'll avoid those here. Somewhere along the way they started to all look the same. I started to want more soul and personality in my "accumulation". IDK, "Collection" just sounds a little formal. I decided to stop accumulation syndrome and take my time looking for things that really speak to me. To buy with more intent and try to find more special pieces.
I started to look at the modern traditionals at first. I like the idea of a mix of modern tech with more traditional feel. I ended up with a Lionsteel CK01 Roundhead. I like the simple barlows yet with a modern take. I also I wanted to try to make my own scales and screws just make sense. Here it is with some home made Dyed Jigged Bone with MOP Acorn Shield.
Another modern traditional I picked up and really like a lot is the Fox Knives Elite 271 OL Olive Wood. Great little knife but possibly not for everyone. No nail nick and requires care when closing. Fantastic to me though.
but ultimately the modern traditionals just don't have the same "life" to them. As a woodworker I tend to like wood. I tend to appreciate simple elegant designs. I started to gravitate naturally more towards traditionals and kept noticing Ebony for it's simple elegance and Desert Ironwood has been a long running attraction. So I started to look in more earnest for those directions.
As I was looking around nothing was really jumping out at me. Lots of likes but no "must haves". Then the GEC #47 were announced. I saw they had both the Ebony and Desert Ironwood and they looked fantastic. Not to mention they are highly valued suggesting they are good. I had yet to own one or handle one. I saw and REALLY like the blue bone ones. I decided that was the more unique one of the lot and my goal. I tried in 4 drops and became sick of the whole game. It's not my preferred way of living to fight in such feats of competition. It happens or it doesn't. I decided it wasn't in the cards and would moved on.
Talking to a friend @greesepiggy about it, and mentioned he had some GEC he might let go of. He showed me pics and this 2020 #62 Easy Pocket Congress Sambar Stag caught my eye was sent my way. I have a real fondness for small knives as well. I carried a case peanut for quite a while. This is a bigger but still on the smaller side IMO and wow is it cool. It has a lot of wow for me. It arrived shaving sharp with patina and I continue to maintain with the strop. I really love this thing and it gets regular pocket time. This one was a real contender for KOTY but didn't quite reach as high as the KOTY. Maybe over time opinions will swing back this way but right this year the title sits with another.
Next, just a few weeks later, I saw these beautifil TITUSVILLE CUTLERY -AMERICAN REDSMITH SERIES- Old Man Norman
Barlow - Buckeye Burl Wood Handless and Copper Bolster. I hemmed and hawed for a couple days about the cost. It was more than my "I don't like to spend that much" on a knife and just under my "no way" personal ceiling cutoff limit. Surprised they were still available and they just kept calling me. I decided to go with one of the more unique looking ones with a bit of a stem knot on the scale rather than one of the more uniform ones. I think it gives it a little something extra and makes it special. This thing also gets a lot of pocket time and is very appriciated but not enough for the title.
Just a couple days after spending at personal highs and already spent way too much that month yet another drop for the GEC #47's with more to offer was available. I almost did not participate but decided to give it another more try and let the fates decide but only as I promised myself not to get upset. I decided to try for the Ironwood since the blue never happened. Perhaps, lady luck would reward my original goal. I also changed tactics slightly and to my surpise I was able to score an Ironwood. When it arrived, my very first thought was a bare hint of disappointment that I did not get one of the super highly figured ones. But, that brief flash was taken over by how vibrant orange this one was. How it radiates and has clean elegant lines with gold accents really plays well with the colors. The feel of it is amazing and the fit and finish and walk and talk are great. This thing has sure wooed me into submission and forced me to name it KOTY. It has been getting the most regular pocket time of the "accumulation" lately.
So my most recent additions, since like october, have all been the best nominees and knives I will likely treasure for years to come. They are all wonderful but that ironwood tends to bat her eyes at me the most. Switching to searching for the gems and a more personal connection was the right thing to do for myself. Great year. Cheers.
I hope you join everyone on the other threads and share your collection.
Bob
Thanks for joining in the fun 
