All About Pocket Knives

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 9:16 pm Despite my dislike of the synthetic handle material, I picked up this little half-whittler recently because I like the slim two-blade, single spring pattern with with rounded bolsters. Nice tight and snappy knife, would make a decent EDC. No tang stamp, just the blade etch.

1961-1971 Swell-Center Whittler #47 Winterbottom Delrin

Sweet

treefarmer wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 9:33 pm Q, you've hit another homerun.!
Wow, that one doesn't appear to have ever been in someone's pocket!
My "go to" deer knife is from the same years and those imitation Winterbottom handles are as tough as nails. I've seen very few cracked or broken handles on Queens wearing those handles but sadly there seems to be a lot more cracked or missing pieces on the well used Queens with real Winterbottom bone.
Treefarmer

Mahalo, Philip I agree, it appears to be brand new...kind of unusual for a 50-60 yr old knife like this. In fact, I looked at about a half dozen
of this same model of similar age and this was the only unused one of the bunch. Since I wasn't planning on carrying it, I wanted a pristine example for my collection; but, like so many of the knives I buy to collect, once in hand it's awfully tempting to give it a little pocket time and test drive

Sharpnshinyknives wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 11:56 pm I’m betting you get this one transformed eventually too Q. It’s a nice looking knife, but I’m in agreement with you about how hard it is to warm up to Delrin. I’ve seen way too many of them crack over the years.
Still, I like that pattern a lot. Fiddleback whittlers are one of my favorites.

Mahalo, Mark You may be right about an eventual mod on this one...although I'm sure BIGHEAD must be getting pretty tired of the mailman wearing wagon ruts in the road to his door with my constant mod requests I really don't know what it is about Delrin that turns me off like it does. It's not necessarily the look or the feel so perhaps it's something more metaphysical, like just the knowledge that it's a synthetic that's trying to imitate genuine Winterbottom bone. Although they say imitation is the highest form of praise, I have little patience for phonies, fakes and knock-offs in general and I think Delrin Winterbottom strikes me as just that: phony.

doglegg wrote: ↑Mon Mar 24, 2025 1:29 am Sweet

Mahalo, Floyd If brevity is the soul of wit, as the saying goes, you are without a doubt the wittiest fellow on the forum Your succinct evaluations are always accurate and appreciated

1976 #1 Hawkbill, Joy Manufacturing Customer Training Center. From around this time until 2019, Joy had a huge facility in town (the very one advertised on the screwdriver) that was shut down not long after the P&H/Komatsu merger.

A guy who currently leases the land is into just about everything I am, and he took interest in a beater Case Barlow I had purchased a few months back to EDC, but never used. Since I collect knives related to the mining industry, he mentioned he'd trade me a knife with a Joy Manufacturing engraving, but I wasn't sure what it quite was--they made lots.

He brought the knife today, and it turned out to be an unused Queen in wood. As to be expected with Queen, it's a nice knife. I'd put it on par with my Case.

Going in the display case to never be used. That's where the myriad of Utica/Klein ones come in.

Congratulations, interesting trade!
Treefarmer

Very knife Knife.

Mahalo, Mark You may be right about an eventual mod on this one...although I'm sure BIGHEAD must be getting pretty tired of the mailman wearing wagon ruts in the road to his door with my constant mod requests

Not at all Q you have my address send it whenever you want

Hiking companions for me and my son

Green sorta day

sgteldridge wrote: ↑Thu Jun 26, 2025 3:21 pm Green sorta day

sgteldridge wrote: ↑Mon Jun 23, 2025 5:11 pm Hiking companions for me and my son

Those are some "sho-nuff" green Queens!
Need to show my wife, she loves green and she might try to find me a green Queen.
Treefarmer

1977-83 Queen TL-29

Just got it back from BIGHEAD's custom shop a few parts lighter and wearing some fancy new duds

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 18, 2025 2:56 amJust got it back from BIGHEAD's custom shop a few parts lighter and wearing some fancy new duds

beautiful blade and bail delete to create a unique piece that’s ready to serve. The simplicity of a single blade is underrated IMHO especially as we rely less on them as working tools and more as being prepared tools. Bravo to BIGHEAD & Q for the vision!

That's a beauty Q!!!!

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 18, 2025 2:56 am 1977-83 Queen TL-29
IMG_5970.jpeg



Just got it back from BIGHEAD's custom shop a few parts lighter and wearing some fancy new duds

Congratulations, Q!
That's quite a looker! What was the old saying, something about "turning sow's ear into a silk purse" ? Something similar to that, anyhow turning an old rugged electrician's knife into a real classy piece of cutlery, plus it's a Queen!
Treefarmer

QTCut5 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 18, 2025 2:56 am 1977-83 Queen TL-29
IMG_5970.jpeg



Just got it back from BIGHEAD's custom shop a few parts lighter and wearing some fancy new duds

'Q', you and BigHead are Master Collaborators! Vision together with superb craftsmanship. Many

My newest Queen

RedRaiderRick wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 12:11 pm My newest Queen
20250804_193704.jpg

That's way too nice to use on Bambi!
Treefarmer

RedRaiderRick wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 12:11 pm My newest Queen
20250804_193704.jpg

Look at those handles!

RedRaiderRick wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 12:11 pm My newest Queen

Clearly the ACSB bug has claimed another victim

Nice score, Rick

RedRaiderRick wrote: ↑Tue Aug 05, 2025 12:11 pm My newest Queen
20250804_193704.jpg

Beeeauty Rick!

Thanks guys! I do love me some ACSB.

New to me but 65 to 67 years old I reckon. She a nice looking lady for her age.

bighomer wrote: ↑Mon Aug 18, 2025 4:39 pm New to me but 65 to 67 years old I reckon. She a nice looking lady for her age.

Nice #28, bigh Unless I miss my guess, that vintage beauty's wearing genuine Winterbottom Bone

bighomer wrote: ↑Mon Aug 18, 2025 4:39 pm New to me but 65 to 67 years old I reckon. She a nice looking lady for her age.

Not much pocket time on that one!

Yes it the real deal Q. dog I'd dare say she spent most of her days in somebody's sock drawer.

bighomer wrote: ↑Mon Aug 18, 2025 4:39 pm New to me but 65 to 67 years old I reckon. She a nice looking lady for her age.

She is aging most beeeeautifully BH!