All About Pocket Knives

I don't know about you, but from the first time I saw a pocket chopper I wanted one. SMKW has Marbles and Rough Rider pocket choppers, both Chinese made; because of this I elected to make my own. Sundog and I have a communal box of POS knives that contains everything that we receive from the exchanges as well as other things we pick up over the course of the year. Recently I was looking in the box for a parts knife that may have had a blade that I could use when I came upon a Case folding hunter that has been residing there for several years. After looking it over, I decided to go with a rebuild with possibly making a new blade to replace the original clip blade. Someone had modified the clip blade which was heavily resharpened, and ground an edge on the backside to make it into a double edge folding dagger. Only one problem with this, with both edges sharpened, even when the blade is folded shut, there is a sharp edge exposed that can cut you when trying to reach into a pocket or sheath for use. Then it was like one of those deals where a light bulb appears over your head. I was going to make the replacement blade a chopper. 1095 bar stock was used for the blank which was cut out and then the edge put on it with the file jig. The heat treating was done as usual for 1095 steel and the blade fit into the Case XX USA 65 frame. I know what you are saying, "that is not a real practical thing". Does not matter, I think they are cool and I always wanted one. That over rides everything. Also some of you may be saying, "how can you carry such a monstrosity?" It fits real nice into the plier pocket on the brand of carpenters jeans I have. There also may be a segment that thinks this is blasphemy to turn a Case knife into a pocket chopper. I can only remind that it only takes a few minutes to remove the chopper blade and install a clip blade if I find one. I had some suitable stag in the handle material box, so that was what I went with. The end result is outrageous looking, but I like it. Maybe this will start a craze among you knife mechanics. lol

Looks really cool! I can see a lot of stuff it would be practical for.


I have a little Utica hatchet from one of those boy's hunting knife sets (unfortunately, not the knife or sheath--as the hatchet was found together with "full-size axes almost a decade ago), and for smaller cutting jobs and removing limbs from smaller branches, it does a great job. And did I mention it fits great in my pliers pocket as well? I need to rehandle it, as the plastic handle is broken, and grind a thinner edge on it, as it's somewhat blunt. It's surprising these existed long before the trend of tiny pocket-size hatchets caught on in more recent years.

Really cool. It is amazing what you mechanics do with a knife.

Bob

OC you are both creative and imaginative . And well executed.

I love it!

Olde Cutler, that looks fantastic! Can’t wait to see it in person. When you mentioned at the shop you were going for a customized pocket chopper I thought what the heck is that?! Turned out great, nice choice for stag handles.

royal0014 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 26, 2021 10:47 am Well, that's different . . .

One small critique though; you needed a little less curvature in the cutting edge,
so that that outside corner would have tucked into the handle when closed.
JMHO

It's a compromise, if the cutting edge was straighter, then the inside corner would hit the spring first. As it is the outer corner just makes it into the handle and is not exposed. It's a different geometry than with a conventional blade, and some experimentation was done with a cardboard blade to reach the final shape. See close up below.

Most excellent work, OC!

OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:00 pm It's a compromise,

I'm impressed! This is something that, evidently, was well thought out and properly executed. What a handy camping tool! All it needs is a properly dyed sheath and snap! Excelsior!

What's not to like?

I love your imagination! I would have never thought of doing something like that. Very cool, and looks good too!

Thanks to all for your comments. Now on to the next big thing, maybe a Barlow meat cleaver. lol

I stopped in to see Sundog this morning and handed him the pocket chopper for him to examine. He coonfingered, chickeneyed, drooled on it and spoke 3 words. "I want one"! lol

Actually four words: “Is this for sale?”

Upon hearing OC’s response in the negative: “I WANT ONE!!”

OC- if we send you a -65 SAB, what would you charge for this custom work? Or is it even something you would consider doing? Thanks!

John

WOW.... what an amazing transformation!

Great work!

You all read Sundogs comments above about the Pocket Chopper shown above, "I want one". So just to put a stop to his incessant pleading (lol) I had to go ahead and make him one too. I took a look in our communal POS knife box and came up with this Boker 5 1/4" folding hunter that Sundog received in the POS exchange a couple of years ago. The frame was sound, but the blades were another story. So I made the chopper blade and spring from 1/8" thick 1095 high carbon steel. The skinner blade and spring were worn very badly, with no snap at all, so I had to do a rehab on both of them. I ended up drilling the blade pivot pin hole out to 1/4" and pressing in a piece of steel rod which got drilled off center to make a bushing. The spring was built up with the wire feed to replace a lot of worn off material. End result is the blade and spring are usable again and the snap is good. The old plastic handle material was replaced with stag. He seemed to like the end result.

LOL.... OK, now you done flung a cravin' on me!

Beautiful work... That is a great job on that knife! I LIKE!!

NOW, I am gonna have to make myself one....
(Unless you want to make me one and surprise me with it for my birthday....LOL)

Another great job OC.

OC, you know how to satisfy a "knife crave"!
We all love it, but between you and Lanski1's knife mods, you two will drive future knife collectors crazy trying to identify these patterns!!!!!!

Reverand wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:45 am OC, you know how to satisfy a "knife crave"!
We all love it, but between you and Lanski1's knife mods, you two will drive future knife collectors crazy trying to identify these patterns!!!!!!

Not really. The pocket choppers parent knives are clearly seen to be a Case 65 folding hunter and a Boker folding hunter. The chopper blades I added always have my mark engraved deeply on the pile side. Anyone will recognize a Frankenknife when they see one. Then I am not going to flood the market either, these two will probably be all there is.

Olde Cutler, I’m in agreement with all the compliments of your skills!
I have a question, was there actually a use for such a combination? Is there a history that goes with these pieces when sold by RR and Marbles?
With the chopper blade closed, it appears using the knife blade would be rather uncomfortable.
Treefarmer

treefarmer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:15 am Olde Cutler, I’m in agreement with all the compliments of your skills!
I have a question, was there actually a use for such a combination? Is there a history that goes with these pieces when sold by RR and Marbles?
With the chopper blade closed, it appears using the knife blade would be rather uncomfortable.
Treefarmer

Yes, there was an ancestor of these which were made by Union/ Kabar and possibly others. There are some old threads on AAPK. As far as uses, I use it for the sharpened edge as a slicer rather than a chopper. With a nickle silver pivot pin, I think the impact of chopping may be an issue. With the knife blade open and the chopper closed, it is possible to grip and use, although it is a different "feel".
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=40586&p=396911&hil ... er#p396911

10-4, thanks for the extra info.
Treefarmer