Who makes the best knives?

[54knife_nut]

Ive always loved knives but am fairly new to knife colecting. I have a few older Case knives and am thinking of buying a few newer ones. Who is known for having the best quality knife out now. I cary an older Case pen knife that I love dearly. I've heard that Schatt & Morgan are hard to beat. Someone stear me in the right direction please.

[Bryan]

I'm not touching that one

Well, o.k., I guess I will. As far as new factory manufactured knives go, I am very impressed with Queen / Schatt & Morgan. I don't have anything real bad to say about the stuff that Case is making either, but I would say that Queen made knives are my favorite right now. That is just my opinion of course. Cumberland Knife Works has a good selection of Case and Queen / S&M.

Bryan

[longbeachbum]

I'm not knowlegable at all, but I love old folders and have purchased about half a dozen.

What is the conventional wisdom on old Browning knives, like the Browning Sportsman's Knives? I own one, and have looked at several, and they seem extremely well made and feel good in the hand. My amateur opinion. I'd be interested in an informed one.

[steve]

well, to chime in....im fairly new to knife collecting but i have had several. i mostly buy and resell or trade and i currently have a hen and rooster genuine deer stag canoe, a boker genuine stag canoe, and some other boker canoes, a case black diamond jigged canoe and a couple of older cases that are in mint condition and i would have to say that i am most pleased with the case knives. i really enjoy finding an older one that is in mint condition or one that has something unusual about it, such as limited edition, or very rare. anyway, not to drag on, but my point is that case is my preference.

[longbeachbum]

I just picked up a mint Case stag handled, blue scroll canoe on E-bay. Steve, I hope I like it as much as you like yours. I can't call myself a collector, but I've definitely been bitten by the knife bug. This one obviously I'll keep for it's collectors value, and not use it.

[steve]

hey, thats great. i am wanting to get a genuine deer stag canoe to add to my collection, but havent seen the right one yet. i did just buy a mint 1989 case xx buffalo horn canoe the other day. im still waiting to get it, but im eager about it, i think ill be really pleased with it. its solid black and the back tang reads horn2131. i paid alot for it, but i plan to keep it.
i dont have that many knives yet, but enjoy the ones i do have and im sure you will like yours.

[longbeachbum]

I've just discovered Moore Maker pocketknives, and I think I've been converted. No fancy blade etching, limited releases or other features to attract collecters. Just an extremely well made, handsome pocketknife, with fit an finish to rival anything I've seen. Blade is 1095 carbon, not stainless.

It seems to me to be a knife which has the user in mind, not the collector, in other words a purists pocketknife.

I just bought two -- one in delrin to use, and one with buffalo horn to go into my collection.

[El Lobo]

Re: MooreMaker
I believe that the stag and the bone models are made for them by Queen. The Delrin and the horn models are made by Camillus. They are very nice knives, and you're right about being good users.....even though you are putting the horn model in your collection....

Bill

[longbeachbum]

I had no idea. Burst my bubble...

Is that why the stag models are so much more expensive than the horn? I was wondering about that, and this would explain it.

Can you tell any difference in the workmanship between the Queen and Camillus made models?

I'd buy another one and see for myself, but you've made me feel foolish for even owning two.

[El Lobo]

It was not my intention to burst your bubble. Just trying to add a little information to the discussion. Sorry...

No need to feel foolish, as they are good knives. Nice enough to own Moore ( ) than two.

There has been an embargo on Sambar stag since the late '90s, so the price has risen substantially. That's the main reason....that and the fact that Queen's QC is USUALLY a bit higher than Camillus. But, I think Mr. Moore demands a high standard from both companies, and therefore gets "the pick of the litter" in most instances.

Bill

[longbeachbum]

Thanks Bill. I think I misunderstood your jest at first. I appreciate the info.

While on the subject of Queen, does anyone own a Schatt and Morgan Mountainman Lockback Hunter?

I just received mine and it seems, well I hate to say it, a little wimpy. There is blade wiggle in the open position (my personal pet peeve) and the spring doesn't seem very strong. Not much snap in other words. I ordered this direct from Queen Cutlery Co.

I'm new to this whole knife thing -- am I missing something? On AG Russell's website he says something like "There are lockbacks and then there are lockbacks" and compares this knife to "any $995 custom".

I know there are lots of Schatt and Morgan fans out there. This is my third Schatt (I own two "Railsplitter" stockmen) and the first one that's given me doubts. Can anyone provide some insight? Should I return it, or this how they are made, for some purpose?

Thanks,

Jim

[Mint Set Man]

Jim,

The Mt. Man should not have any loose blades or wobble. Who did you purchase this knife from ?? Was it me...?? With all the different screen names , it gets confusing. I can help with the exchange .

All knives should be inspected before shipping to a customer but we are only human, as are the guys building these knives.

Queen / Schatt-Morgan has the highest of QC requirements . These knives are still made one at a time with the same equipment used 100 years ago.

[Mint Set Man]

Jim,

I should have read the entire post , then I would have known where you got it.

You have no worry here , Queen will make the exchange or adjustment. Let me know if I can help.

The Mt. Man does not have a " bear trap " snap when closing. The large blade prohibits this. Wobble is a definite no-no.

[edb]

I just received a Case Seahorse whittler in trade (my second). It's the stainless steel that seems to be quite disliked by many. I can understand that if one uses a knife daily, for many cuts, the stainless just doesn't hold an edge as well as higher carbon steel or CV. But I have to say, having had a Case with CV, it's easier for me to have stainless. No worries about rust, easy to sharpen, and since I only use a pocket knife once or twice a day (open a box, food prep at lunch, etc.), it works for me. A quick touch up on a Sharpmaker once a week and it shaves once again (as if I need to actually shave with it). And for the couple times a year that I whittle roosters, it works great.

So, another Case fan here. I've had Hen & Rooster, Boker, and some others, but I just don't like them as much...(traded them).

[longbeachbum]

Bill, thanks so much, I've sent an e-mail to Queen letting them know about this and I await a response.

You know though, I've noticed my two "Railsplitter" stockmen by S&M also have this side to side wobble with the master blades. The sheep's foot and speys are completely tight.

Like the previous poster, I'm becoming more and more of a Case fan myself. I've never had a dissappointment with a Case.

[pickup man]

I don't have any trouble with the Case knives produced today, but I don't have any older ones to compare them to. The German knives such as Eye Brand are top quality but I prefer to buy USA. I am very impressed by the knives made by Mooremaker and they are a great outfit to do business with.

[mediccoin]

I'm new here as well. And I have been a collector and user of a variety of knives. I am currently putting together a Case xx peanut collection. 10 down and many to go, but that is the thrill of the hunt.

[PA Knives]

I don't have any brand in particular that I favorover another. My collection contains quite a variety and I find that the construction of pocket knives made in the early to mid 1900's are all for the most part quality knives. I am sure that this has to do with the pride of craftmanship that was so high during this period. I am sold on the old knives way before I would purchase something new. I visited the Smokey Mountian Knife works and much to the amazement of my wife, I walked out without buying a single thing. I looked an the limited amount of older knives but found nothing that I "HAD" to have and my interest in the 1,000's of new knives was very low. I saw nothing among them and screamed "buy me" either. Maybe I getting old, but I just think the knives of yesterday year have the modern stuff beat hands done. Just my thoughts 30 years of digging through flea markets and barns has taught me to love them all.

[straybulletbmc]

TO EACH HIS OWN, MOST KNIFE COMPANIES NOW CATHER TO THE COLLECTOR, CASE, QUEEN, BOKER, BULLDOG, THE WORLD IS OPEN TO THE COLLECTOR, THE KNIFE MAKERS ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO SELL YA A FEW

[LC]

Well this opened a can of worms didn't it. I collect mostly Case Knives but I do not limit myself just to Case, I have a few Schrades and Henckels in my collection and I very pleased with the craftsmenship of these makers so far. Some things I go by when buying a knife are, the company that produces these knives is it well known, like the above companys, past use of product, were I buy my knives is a real biggy for me (gotta have a lot of trust in the people you buy from esp. on the net.) I have not been disappointed in my collecting so far, and I hope and pray the day will never come. Well enough dragging on, just have fun with you collecting pass it on