Traditional knives

Case XX 6332 Stockman (circa 1940-1964)

I came home feeling I should write about something yet I haven't been out fishing since my last trip a few weeks ago. We have thankfully been getting rain almost every other day so I am sort of excited to see what the rivers will look like soon. Maybe I can finally get out to target some wily carp! But until then I think I can talk about another favorite subject of mine, pocket knives.

Much in the same way that some time ago I gravitated from conventional tackle to fly tackle, in recent years I have gravitated from the one-handed "tactical" knives to the more traditional type; slipjoint knives to be more exact.

Case XX U.S.A. 6318 stockman (circa 1965-1969)

Nothing wrong with one-handed knives but just like there is a indescribable satisfaction to casting a fly and then some close quarter combat with a fish that just ate it, there is a satisfying feeling in using a traditional multi-bladed carbon steel slipjoint to, let's say, handle a mundane task such as slicing up an apple. The patina that develops on those blades along with the natural handle materials such as jigged bone also gives the knife a sense of "soul".

When I was 10 or 11 years old my dad got me my first pocket knife, a small Buck stockman. I loved that knife and one day I broke the main blade in half trying to use it to dig out some dirt clods.

Several years ago when we moved my dad into a retirement home, I ended up with the last pocket knife he carried which was an Schrade Old Timer 8OT stockman he purchased in the late 1980s. I cleaned the old knife up being careful not to remove the dark gray patina, sharpened and oiled it and placed it in a knife box for safe keeping though I have carried a couple of times for nostalgia sake.

I have several production traditional slipjoints from makers such as Queen, Case, Schrade and Great Eastern Cutlery. Most are three bladed stockman knives and some other patterns like trappers and canoes in carbon steel and one or two in stainless steel. All are users. I am also on the waiting list of a custom knifemaker now to get my first custom slipjoint made. I can't wait!

Charles May FireAnT fixed blade knife

Being outdoors when I can, I have also seen the need for a good fixed blade knife. I have had a couple of them but I recently received my first custom from a great knifemaker by the name of Charles May from Mississippi. I was looking for a small, high quality pocket sized fixed blade knife for every day use as well as for attaching to my lanyard. He had a model called the FireAnT that was perfect. I communicated some of my requirements (such as S30V stainless steel for when around saltwater) and waited over a year for my turn to come up. Besides being a great knifemaker, Mr. May is known to be a great outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman. I highly recommend his well thought out knives.

My hope is that one day I will pass on some of my well loved traditional slipjoints to my kids or grandkids and hope they experience the satisfaction of carrying and using a lovely old tool.

A new blade by my side

About two months ago, I purchased a new knife from Aeromedix.com. It is model based on design improvements done by survival expert Doug Ritter to the standard Benchmade Griptilian which I have a couple of. I am a big fan of the mini griptilian and found Doug's blade geometry, high flat ground blade and S30V steel choice to be worth the try. So far I have been very, very pleased with the choice I made and have carried the knife almost daily. The model is the Mini RSK Mk1 and is sold exclusively through Aeromedix.com which donates some of the proceeds to support the non-profit Equipped To Survive Foundation which seems like a good thing.

Lately, I have been considering a new choice for a fixed blade knife to take along with me while fishing and camping. I've considered the Benchmade Nimravus (too tactical), Ontario RAT-5 (too tactical), Striders (way too expensive and again too tactical) and a few other production choices. I then realized that Doug Ritter created a great medium sized fixed blade based on the same blade geometry of the Mk1 that would be an ideal choice. It has a blade length of 4.5" which is just enough for my needs. So as soon as I gather the funds, I will be back to Aeromedix.com to order one. I just wish the Mk3 came with yellow or orange G-10 handles but alas it doesn't yet.

Thoughts on new carry knives

I spent the week carrying the new HK Ally and BM Mini Griptilian and have some thoughts about them to jot down.

First of all, I found the smooth metal body of the Ally and the clip together have a tendency to cause it to slip out of the pocket. Not good since I have a feeling it is going to get lost. In addition, the glass breaker point was something that I kept poking myself with. I also tried carrying the Ally inside the waistband as an alternative to the pocket. This worked OK with the exception that once again, the glass breaker point would occasionally poke my love handles. It is also not as smooth to open as the Mini Griptilian and the smooth metal handle is a bit slippery. Even though the Ally is still a nice little knife, it looks like it will end up in the console in my wife's Suburban for her to use whenever she needs it.

On to the Mini Grip. This knife is about the same size as the Ally and my Leek but it has a non-slip stippled polymer handle that feels really good in the hand. However, the handle tends to really rub my pant pockets when clipping it or removing it. I have heard of people complaining of excessive wear on pants from the sandpaper action of removing and clipping the knife to pockets. I haven't had it long enough to notice wear on my pants. Only time will tell. If it does occur, my solution will be to carry the knife in a sheath.

Another thing about the Mini Grip is it opens really smoothly. The Ally is cumbersome to open compared to the Mini Grip. Plus, that Axis locking mechanism is rock solid. I am very impressed by it and how well the blade cuts. So much so, that I ordered the larger brother, the 551 Griptilian, after inspecting one at REI. The larger model will likely replace my Kershaw Blackout. The 551 I bought has a similar type drop point blade to my Mini Grip but with a sand colored handle which is a striking contrast to the black coated blade and clip. I am sure I am going to enjoy the 551 just as much as the 556 Mini Grip.

A pocket knife

Ever since I was a kid, I found knives to be essential tools to have with you in your pocket. I think my first knife was a cheap rusty Schrade folder that I promptly broke the blade in half trying to dig out some dirt clods from the ground. My mom got me a cheap hunting knife with a leather sheath that I loved but I left it all the time in the sheath and so it of course rusted as well. I eventually got a Buck folder that I really liked and it had a stainless steel blade that held up better than the earlier models. I wish I knew what ever happened to that knife. I could've given it to my son for his first knife.

Since then I have had several knives. Most recently, I've also picked up some Victoronix Swiss Army knives and Leatherman multi-tools but I still need a good daily carry knife.

My brother-in-law turned me on to Kershaw knives a few years ago and I became a fan. Kershaw makes high quality American made knives. My current every day knife is a Kershaw Rainbow Leek. It is an assisted opening knife that is light, thin and sharp but a bit dressy with the titanium oxide rainbow coating. I also have a Kershaw Blackout that is a spare for fishing adventures now that I got the Benchmade Instigator.

I was really impressed with the quality of my new Benchmade Instigator. So much so that I picked up two new Benchmade knives to rotate as my every day carry knives. I bought a new model called the H&K Ally which is actually made by Benchmade for Heckler & Koch, a manufacturer of high end firearms. I also got a Benchmade Mini Griptilian that is a somewhat nicer knife. Both new knives have black oxide coated partially serrated blades though the steel is different and the handles are of different materials. The blade lengths are also less than 3 inches and both weigh under 3 ounces. So in these respects they are close in size to the Kershaw Leek I currently carry.

So, I may carry the Kershaw Leek for dressed up occasions and the Griptillian or Ally otherwise. I'll have to put the new knives through their paces before I finally decide which to carry.

Got knife?

One of the things that happened on my last trip to the coast that I failed to mention in a previous post was that I accidentally dropped my Kershaw folding knife in the water and lost it. I had taken it out to cut some mono line that had tangled in my line and then I placed it in my pant pocket rather than in my zippered PFD pocket. While I was fighting a fish, I heard a *ploop* and realized it fell into the water. Aw man! I also broke my spinning rod on the last night by dropping my anchor on it. *sigh*

When I got back, I decided that my next kayak knife would have a fixed blade with a sheath that I could attach to my lanyard (so it has to be lightweight) when wading or to my PFD when in the kayak. My daily carry knife is a Kershaw Rainbow Leek which is a great knife (lightweight, easy assisted opening, holds an edge and is pretty to boot) but I was open to other quality knife manufacturers for the new kayak knife.

I did some research and decided on a Benchmade Instigator tether/neck knife. I was able to find a new one on ebay for less than $35. Benchmade makes high end knives and the Instigator is part of the lower end made in their factory in Taiwan to their specs and not in the USA factory. Still, it is the gem of the lower end and a real nice value. I just hope I don't lose this nice knife on my next trip. I may have to attach some parachute cord to the knife to keep it around my wrist just in case. We'll see.