All About Pocket Knives

All you kind folks in knife land,

What makes you like a knife? Is it the color, the scales, the blade shape, the number of blades, the rarity, the mundanity (if that's a word)?

I know some of you are name brand sensitive, others are shape freaks, and some of you...well, you like Toothpicks - enough said about that.

I'll get the ball rolling.

I like knives of all shapes (as long as they are skinny), but something about serpentine handles appeals to me on a childhood level. A Schrade, 3 blade junior stockman (895?) was the first knife my father gave me. Still seem to like them.

And you?

I'm 57ish. and as long as I can remember, my granddad and dad always carrried a redbone CASE STOCKMAN. I guess thats why I have a cabinet full. Maybe its inherited, I don't know, but it sure is addictive, huh?

Interesting thread. I've always had a thing for drop-point blades. I also like black handles; guess that's why I have so many Al Mar knives.

Of course, none of that explains why my current EDC is a white-bone handled mini-Copperlock w/ the standard clip-point blade...

I like knives.
But I like some better than others. I like slipjoints, but have a lot of lockbacks & fixed blades. I like old knives, but have a lot of new ones. I like Wharncliffe blades, but don't have many of them. I like carbon steel, but have many that are stainless. I like some of the newer stainless like ATS-34, AM6, AUS8A, BG-42, and probably others that I don't have an example of.

I like Schrade and the companies associated with them, Ulster, Kingston, Schrade Cut Co, Schrade Walden, Camillus, etc. But I also like the early Al Mar knives, but haven't bought any Al Mar's since Al died. He was a nice guy & a good friend. I have several that are #43 of 200. 43 was my number when I was in the cutlery business in the 1980s.

I also buy knives that I like, just cause I like them.........but mainly I like older, US made, carbon steel slipjoints & fixed blades. I think one thing that makes or breaks a knife for me is, Is it functional? If a knife is not functional I am usually not interested. There is a lot to be said about the beauty & art of a knife, but to be believable to me, it must be functional. If it is functional, it has my attention. If it is well made it gets more of my attention. If I could see myself using it, then I am interested.

Not sure if I answered your question or not. Sorry for the ramble. I have several interruptions while trying to get this post in.

Dale

orvet I think you have the same problem I do. YOU LIKE THEM ALL

James

Orvet, that was not rambling. That was a description of the kind of affliction that I suffer from. Function is the primary concern to me as well. I'm not rich, so the purchase of a knife has to make sense to me. Otherwise it seems frivolous. Don't get me wrong, I'd buy just for fun if I could afford it. Good thread.

I think I'll have to agree with Orvet and jfarmer,I LIKE KNIVES!!
But the Congress pattern is my favorite!!

I guess I tend to lean towards fit, finish and weight. But my favs are Schatts, Case Classics Moose patterns and some customs, too numerous to
mention.

Singin46

EVERY COLLECTOR HAS THEIR OWN FAVORITE PATTERN, HANDLE MATERIAL ETC. FOR ME THE KNIVES THAT CATCH MY ATTENTION ARE THE STOCKMEN AND THE WHITTLERS.
I ESPECIALLY LIKE THE SMALL STOCKMAN AND THE SMALL WHITTLER AND STAG AND BONE HANDLE ARE MY FAVORITES. I LOVE PEARL HANDLES, BUT IF YOU DROP PLASTIC HANDLES DO NOT APPEAL TO ME, BUT I LOVE THOSE WOODEN HANDLES.

orvet wrote:
I also buy knives that I like, just cause I like them.........but mainly I like older, US made, carbon steel slipjoints & fixed blades. I think one thing that makes or breaks a knife for me is, Is it functional? If a knife is not functional I am usually not interested. There is a lot to be said about the beauty & art of a knife, but to be believable to me, it must be functional. If it is functional, it has my attention. If it is well made it gets more of my attention. If I could see myself using it, then I am interested.


Dale

thats what my answer to this question is. You hit the nail right on the head Dale

What makes a "Good looking knife"? I suppose it's kinda' like women....some guys think some are foxes, other think otherwise. Personally, I don't like knives with square edges, be it bolsters or whatever. It has to "feel good" in the hand. It has to have "eye appeal", it has to have that certain look that only true knife affectionado's understand, and that's as hard to describe as answering this question. To me, some knives don't have to have a definite "purpose" other than beauty. I have a black lipped pearl Schatt & Morgan tiny toothpick that isn't good for much other that showing off, or possibly slipping into my pocket when going out to dinner at some fancy place when I'm "all dressed up" in suit and tie (Which ain't very often, trust me!)

As far as functionallity AND design, I have an old Western Cutlery fixed blade knife that's my absolute favorite. Holds an edge extremely well, has a great look to it and could tell tales of many a hunting trip on which it's hung on my belt.

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder, eh?

This thread certainly can make you re-think your collection. I started out collecting Case Saddlehorn patterns both large and small a few years back. I thought "that's what a knife should look like." My wife decided to give me a Schatt & Morgan Mountain Man for Christmas back in 2004 which ruined my whole thought process about what I liked to collect. The Schatt purchase began my collection of knives instead of a single pattern, as I found that all of the Schatt's knives make you appreciate what a well made knife should look like.

I have collected a dozen or so Bob Cargill's Cripple Creek knives, and one in particular might be the best knife I ever purchased. It is a Stag handle Daddy Barlow by Cripple Creek named "Sachem" I have included a few pictures of my favorite Cripple Creek knives. It seems that Bob had a great feel for what a knife should be. They didn't have the mirror finished blades, but instead a very good brushed satin finish, fantastic workmanship, great bone or stag handles, and deep etched engraved blades and bolsters. His knives felt right in your hand no matter the pattern he made.

Hey those Cripple Creeks are nice.

James

I like em all...

But I prefer natural type handles: Bone Stag, horn etc...

Easy Open Patterns catch my eye quite a bit, and I enjoy picking up the commemorative, and limited run knives.

A good looking knife.....I suppose I define it like the Supreme Court defines obscenity......I can't describe it but I know it when I look at it