Pocketknives/Kitchen Knives/Fixed Blades
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That's actually stag.
Deer shed the outer bark of their antlers (stag) as they get older. It's incredibly hard and figured by the time it falls off.
Stag is probably my favorite handle material, for a traditional knife or otherwise. It has a tremendous amount of character, and feels great in the hand. Every piece is different, since other than fitting the back and sides for the handle, nature decides how it looks. Nobody really carves stag, because it has so much natural beauty
Also, because it's a material that's shed off the animal and then harvested by hand off the ground, no deer have to die. It wouldn't keep me up at night, but it's an added nice feeling.
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Current carry:
The larger blade has turned grey/blue from cutting steak/pork tenderloin/chicken/lamb chops/mangoes/whatever other food that needs to be smaller
Small pen blade has stayed shiney because it's only used to open boxes/envelopes/other things that might be dirty that I don't want touching my food
Both blades have been hand sharpened on a belt sander and can/has split a hair in half lengthwise. I can do the same sharpening on a stone
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I carry a standard Swiss Amy PK in my bag, and this little Boker in my jeans:
http://www.heinnie.com/Knives/Böker-Knives/Boker-Mother-of-Pearl-Pen-Knife/p-92-116-3063/
I'm thinking of getting one of these though:
http://www.heinnie.com/Knives/-UK-Legal-Carry-Knives/Taylor
s-Eye-Witness/Taylors-Eye-Witness-Knives-PC100-Buffalo/p-92-641-828-5893/I did get the Spyderco UKPK knife a few months ago, but I can't bring myself to carry it around in the UK, even though it's legal. I can't imagine any situation over here where, if stopped by a police officer, they wouldn't arrest you for carrying it, or at least confiscate, even though they shouldn't.
By the way, the little Boker is fun, although quite expensive. I bought two though, as they were on sale a while ago for under £20. I still have the spare and will gladly send it on gratis to a deserving home if anyone wants it, so long as you're sure it's legal to send penknives through the post where you are. PM me if you want it, first come first served!
Oh, new IH denim does give the Mother of Pearl a blueish tint though!
Michael
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I did get the Spyderco UKPK knife a few months ago, but I can't bring myself to carry it around in the UK, even though it's legal. I can't imagine any situation over here where, if stopped by a police officer, they wouldn't arrest you for carrying it, or at least confiscate, even though they shouldn't.
For same reason my UKPK don’t see much use is well. I’m not really worry about being stopped on street (as it never happened before) but random mobile knives arches in underground and train stations in London really hard to avoid.
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I did get the Spyderco UKPK knife a few months ago, but I can't bring myself to carry it around in the UK, even though it's legal. I can't imagine any situation over here where, if stopped by a police officer, they wouldn't arrest you for carrying it, or at least confiscate, even though they shouldn't.
For same reason my UKPK don’t see much use is well. I’m not really worry about being stopped on street (as it never happened before) but random mobile knives arches in underground and train stations in London really hard to avoid.
I agree, I'm in London nearly every week at the moment for work, on public transport, and it's just not worth it. The rest of the time I'm working in Manchester City centre, and it's the same there. Hell, I've even seen the mobile metal detector gates in Bury, Lancashire where I live. The UKPK is great, but I'd arrest some for carrying it if I was a copper. Somone on The British Blades forum said of the UKPK, that it's within the letter of the law, if not the spirit.
M.
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this is my pocket knife.. not super tech or crazy but i like it.
its hand made in Germany, and its pretty sharp. i dont need anything super intense i mostly just open boxes and stuff at work plus i love the way it looks, super simple wood handle with the brass anchor inlay.
here is a little video i found on youtube of the handle being made.
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it is an Otto-Messer German sailors knife… you can find it here
http://www.worldknives.com/products/ottermesser-german-nautical-sailors-anchor-knife-m35k-1464.html
or here.
http://www.garrettwade.com/hand-made-german-knives/p/02B04.01/
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I'm kind of surprised that more people on this board aren't more into traditional knives
- a lot of the clothes that are favored here are workwear inspired from the 40's and 50's. Tactical, locking, one hand openers didn't exist back then
- traditional knives develop patina and character like denim. The carbon steel forms a grey patina that is your own with use (this is not rust, it's an oxidized layer that protects the steel eventually). The bone/wood handles wear away slowly from your pocket. Over time, it's YOUR knife. I have a Cattle Rancher that has a really dark main blade from cutting my food, a sheepsfoot blade that has scratches all over it from cutting boxes, and a spey blade that's blue from dressing tenderloin (a favorite in my house)
- This one might just be me, but you really have to know how to treat a traditional knife. It's almost a lost art. You have to know how to sharpen by hand to get that perfect convex edge. You have to keep your blade clean and well maintained or it will rust. You have to keep your bone/wood handle oiled during the dry winters. Is it more of a pain in the ass? Yes, but so are jeans you don't necessarily want to toss into a washing machine week after week.
Just some random thoughts about knives at WAY too early in the morning
Doug, let me be the counterpoint to your debate about tactical vs. traditional folders:
1. Tactical folders are easier and faster to use, thanks to their one-handed opening.
2. Tactical folders can be used harder if needed, thanks to the fact that their blades lock open.
3. The scratches and scuffs that you put on a tactical folder still make it yours, just like fades on a pair of jeans.
4. Your point about traditional folders needing more care is part of the reason why tactical folders have become more popular. As much as I love knives and caring for them, there are simply many situations where it is extremely inconvenient to give a knife immediate care and maintenance if it is still functioning properly.
5. Tactical folders are not restricted to ugly knives with black blades. Many of them are available in nicer, natural handle materials, and most handmade tacticals have shiny, handrubbed blade finishes that look as nice as what you would see on a traditional folder. There's a picture below of my carry knife, a Charles Marlowe A5. It would be considered tactical, but it certainly doesn't have a black blade.
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That Marlowe looks fantastic! I don't think it'd be legal here in the UK though (for EDC that is).
I want one though…
Michael
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Hey Ken,
All valid points, which is why I have both a selection of tactical knives and traditional folders. That being said, my carry 95% of the time is a traditional knife. I use my knife to cut my food, open and break down boxes, and some simple DIY fix ups around the house.
Anything more complicated around the house goes to my SOG Powerassist
And there were times when I wanted a knife that could handle more, in the event that more might be tossed at me. I found out while on inspections, it was handier to keep a knife available that could be opened with one hand. More importantly, I've found, is that I can put the knife away one handed as well. Slipjoints require two hands, or pressing it against your body which isn't always the safest thing to do, and a fixed blade being resheathed when you're in a rush or doing six things at once is risky business
That being said, 95% of the time, I get by with a slipjoint. The most "hard use" I put my knife through is breaking down boxes. Even when I carried a tactical folder daily, I never needed a locking blade, except for the occasion I thought it would be fun to use my knife to do something it wasn't designed for, and that was always for fun, never for anything I needed to do
And you really can't compare the patina formed on carbon steel to the scratches formed on stainless…one is a reflection of a lot of use...the other is just...scratches...but that's just my opinion
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At my job, a knife that can be opened with one hand is a necessity… Hence why I went with auto's at first - til I was sick and tired of the springs breaking... The Sebenza is the perfect knife for me... Open and close with one hand, easily to clip on your jeans; all in all my perfect workbuddy...
