All About Pocket Knives

I read somewhere that the Trapper is the top selling slipjoint pattern (I thought it was the Barlow) and without a sheepsfoot blade I wondered how that could be.
I suppose the first Americans were trappers before they raised stock, and many Americans today still use Trappers for skinning game.
The only advantages I can see of a Trapper over a Stockman now is a longer blade for skinning and a lighter knife for those who have no use for a sheepsfoot blade.
Which do you prefer and why? Which means if you had to use only one or the other which would you choose as your only edc?
I choose the Stockman just because of the sheepsfoot blade. I could even do without the Spey blade or the skinning blade, but not the sheepsfoot.
Disclaimer: I have never trapped, skinned, spayed or raised stock in my life and don't intend to, and neither have the two knives in the picture. Their majesties live in a drawer. large Queen Trapper in Cocobolo, large German Eye Stockman in stag, both about 4 1/4", closed.

I'm with you on the Sheepsfoot thing. I pretty much have to have a Sheepsfoot or a Wharncliffe blade or I'm not happy. I rarely use a Spey blade but I've always been a Stockman fan because I like Clip and Spear blades too. The Spey blade is just kind of an extra blade that I don't really need.

When GEC recently released the #35 Churchill I was dancin' in the streets because it has everything I need and nothing that I don't.

I have only ever owned two Trappers. One full size and one Mini Trapper but I have never put either one of them in my pocket.

I like both the trapper and the stockman and usually have one or the other on me along with some sort of tactical in my bibs' breast pocket. I don't respect the tacticals but truth be known they get more use than the traditional folders. Right now I am carrying a Sog Flash II and a RR Trapper . (There is a reason for the Rough Rider trapper explained in another thread here on the forum.) Bottom line responding to your question which and why, I would go for the stockman for everyday use because of the 3 useful blades. The clip with its' point can start a skinning job, the spey blade will help remove a hide without damaging the hide if that's an issue. The sheep foot is a great blade for most every thing except skinning a deer.
My favorite stockman knives are the Queen 49s and the Case 75s. The 6275 Case and the #52 Queen are just like a 2 bladed trapper in use, just a different frame with a blade on each end. For some reason I like the Moose pattern. Maybe if we didn't have so many choices, life would be more simple.
The issue of weight of a pocket knife never has bothered me, 2 blades vs. 3 blades as most hunting seasons the one in the right front pocket will be changed to a folding hunter, either a Case 65 pattern or my old faithful #39 Queen.
Treefarmer

I hate Trappers. I'll go for the Stockman every time.

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Mike

I've carried and used both for years. I preferr the stockman. I dont hunt or trap much these days so dont really need a big spey blade. I do admit I've taken a liking to the GEC Improved Trapper with a Wharncliff blde.

I really like both patterns but stockman is my favorite. I use a sheepsfoot most of the time- it's an excellent blade style. I usually keep the spey on a stockman extra sharp so it's always ready just in case. So the way I use a stockman it's like a 2 blade knife with a 3rd blade as a backup.

For me it's really neither. Although I really like both patterns. If I had to pick one it would be the trapper, but the so called "improved" version with a sheepsfoot or wharncliff blade. I've always liked 2 bladed knives with 2 full sized blades over a 3 blade with 1 full blade and 2 secondary's. I find 2 blades just about perfect. If case or who ever (I know GEC just did a run) would drop a sheepsfoot or wharnie on there 54 pattern trapper CV they'd sell a ton I'm sure.

I like the stockman over the trapper. I like the sowbelly stockman over the square ones. They just seem to feel better in hand and ride better in the pocket.

I use both, why limit yourself.

ken98k wrote:I use both, why limit yourself.

Yep!!! John

I own both patterns; less than ten Trappers (I never carry one) and Lord only knows how many Stockman pocketknives I own - I EDC a Stockman virtually everyday. Been a hunter since I was eight and while I realize knife preferences are an individual thing and a somewhat regional thing too, but I have never seen a game animal skinned or cut up with a Trapper or Stockman knife. I see mostly fixed blade knives of small to large sizes and then Folding Hunters (mostly Buck 110 but also a few Schrade, Case, and Pakistan's) for deer, bear, turkey, waterfowl. I do see Bird Knives and Muskrats used on small birds like dove and quail. I carry a Stockman with me when I hunt, but that is for normal EDC stuff while out hunting (notching a tag, cutting a food package, etc.) I keep a Buck 110 and a Buck 118 (or something similar) for field dressing, skinning, and butchering of game. OH

XX Case XX wrote:I hate Trappers. I'll go for the Stockman every time.

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Mike

Same here - I just hate spey blades, particularly the oversize spey on the trapper. I do like the mini-trapper with the wharncliffe option though. For me, stockman all the way (sheepsfoot blade gets the most game time). I think I have had just about every (modern) version of the stockman Case makes - my fave's are the 63090, 6347 and 63032 - the 32 doesn't have the spey blade, so is prolly my all time fave EDC.

It always surprises me how many full size trappers are listed on eBay (I know there's not that many guys running muskrat trap lines any more) ... it must still be pretty close to their best selling knife

Keeping in mind that I haven't hunted for more than 50 years, please educate me. Why won't a fixed blade or a large folding hunter do the jobs you carry the stockman for? I'm thinking there must be a reason or you wouldn't be carrying the stockman. Or is my logic clear out of kilter? Because I can is a valid response here.

For me it's the stockman. Not a fan of the trapper, but that's me.
My first pocket knife was a Kutmaster stockman given to me by my grandfather back when I was about 10. Guess sentimental reasons have me favoring the stockman.
To be fair, I do have two trappers and two jacks. I prefer the three blade options.

I like the trapper. I like the spay and clip. I carry a 4 1/4 R4353 moose, the spay is my go to blade.

For me it's a stockman over a Trapper I just can't get use to a trapper as for Jerry's question and once again for me,I field dress a deer with a 3-3.5" pocket knife cause I don't want to ponch the internals and it's easier to cut the wind pipe and clear the anal canal.After guting a deer I like a fixed blade to skin and split the pelvic bone

I think the Trapper is the perfect knife.

I carried a Case 6347 stockman for 15-20 years and really loved it. I still carry a stockman from time to time. I never carried a trapper until just recently. I decided to give one a try, and to be honest, I like it a lot more than I ever thought I would. I thought it would be too big for my pocket, but it isn't. I thought the blade configuration would not suit me, but it does. I've got a half dozen or more stockman knives in my EDC pile, but only one Trapper, but I have to say, it's a very capable knife to have in my pocket.

I am definitely a Trapper fan. I prefer a large knife with just one or two blades at the most.
I have a couple dozen of them but I have three favorites. Two that I carry, and one that I do not.
all of these are just above five inches, and slim enought that they do not bother me in the pocket.
There is an Imperial/Frontier, the Ka-Bar, and a beautiful smooth bone/two tone Boker.

I haven't photographed these yet so I'm using the seller's pictures...

Though I prefer a stockman I'm very fond of these style of trappers. GEC 73, copied after the remington 1173. I'd like to have a remington 1173 someday, but especially an 1123.

I carry the ebony 73 in my backpack everywhere I go, from which I can easily switch it to my pocket whenever I feel like. That knife will go to the grave with me, if there's anything left after years of use
Of course I also love all the schrade 3 7/8" trappers, but that's probably no surprise.

Great looking bunch of kids you have there.
The Ebony is talking to me...

Stockman
Then Barlows!

Let me add something most here seem to be missing, "Trapper" is just a name given to a certain style of a jack knife. (Yes the trapper is a jackknife) You dont need to be a fur trapper to use one. The Same applies to the "Stockman". I'll bet there's lest than 1% of the people that carry stockman knives actually own any livestock, beyond a cat & dog.

americanedgetech wrote:Great looking bunch of kids you have there.
The Ebony is talking to me...

Good point! You can't beat the old traditional jackknife pattern for looks, and like Ken just said, the Trapper is just a name given to a certain type of jackknife, and looks are important nowadays for knife enthusiasts. But.....
I still think that long skinning blade looks a bit shapeless, like a Popsicle stick or doctors palette, (with apologies to trapper lovers) and that ease of skinning is the only advantage the trapper has over the stockman. I'm assuming that we agree on my first post picture as the typical trapper pattern.
The best looking slipjoint pattern can be for another thread.

I don't have much use for a spey or sheepsfoot, I carry a Case Trapperlock yellow handle and I find it suits my everyday use just fine. I also have a Case Trapper in Yellow handle but don't carry it. ftd