Back to the old ones.

[Carl Levitian]

Either I've become disenchanted with the world in general, or I am just going retro in my old age. Little by little over the last couple of years, I've been going back to the old stuff. Plain simple carbon steel knives in very time tried patterns. No more plastic and stainless steel. I've been carrying Opinels for a bit over 25 years on and off, and of late it's been mostly on. I've had much more expensive knives that didn't cut near as well. I use Helmsman Spar urethane to seal it off and keep the wet weather swelling down, and some mineral oil in the joint helps.

My old German Mercator K55 has been carried in the last year. Thin carbon blade, gets scary sharp like the Opinel, and is thin enough it disappears in a pocket.

I went through my sock drawer and got out my old Yellow handle Case peanut with dark grey patina CV blades. It seems to do 95% of what I need to do in the way of cutting.

Even though I live in the land of the Chesapeake Bay, I haven't had any trouble keeping them in good shape. I wonder if we've become too used to having it easy? I remember growing up on the by, and most of my family were watermen. This was back in the late 40's and 50's. Nobody had stainless steel knives, yet every man who had a pair of pants on had a knife in his pocket. Mostly old Schrades, Camillus, Keen Kutter, Imperial, and some Colonials. All were carbon steel blades, and people just wiped them off now and then. Sure they got grey, but that didn't keep them from cutting.

I seem to have come a full circle now. I've gone back to using the knives I used 25 or 30 years ago, and I'm happy with the cutting performance of them.

 

[Isaac's Grandpa]

I have been using the Mora that came over from Sweden with my great-grandfather in the 1800's. It has a stained up blade but cuts like no tomorrow. I keep it in my lunchbox to cut up assorted stuff. Can't beat the old steel.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

I have a 40 year old Scrade OT8 stockman that my Grandfather had put up and used very little. I get it out everyonce and a while just for fun. All 3 blades will shave your forearm nice and clean.

 

[Wheeler44]

I have carried a Mercator (the smaller, non-lock back one seen here http://www.worldknives.com/products/mercator-german-cat-knife-small-k55ksm-2241.html) for the last 18 or so years..I too live near corrosive environments...I just keep it in my pocket and its always shiny on the outside and sharp as the dickens on the inside..

W44

 

[Carl Levitian]

Darn Wheeler, thats nice. I just may have to order one to see how I like it!

Thanks.

 

[jn1965]

I love my "Kat" K-55 I have had it since the 1980s. All the black paint has come off over time from rubbing in my pocket so now it is shiny bright steel. It is still SHARP and over the years the joint has loosened up so it 'flicks' out with a nice click when I do a wrist flip...

 

[Wheeler44]

I see that the add I displayed says "out of stock" My brother, who gave me the knife years ago just went by the supply house where he buys them...I'll see if they had any in stock.


W44

Edit to add; I just got off of the phone with Sparrow at Redden Marine(http://www.reddenmarine.com/site/new-index.cfm) supply in Bellingham WA. The knives are not on their web page at this time..They do have six (6) of the larger, locking k55k (cat knives)@$16.36 in stock and seventy (70) of the smaller, non-locking k55ksm@ $16.56..The one I have, probably close to 20 years old now, has company advertising roll marked on each side,( the slight tinge in the roll marking is the only way that you would know that it was once red)... I don't know if the current batch have this or not...Call Sparrow and find out 1-800-426-9284... I have no interest in either Mercator or Redden Marine Supply....I'm just a fan of a great tool

 

[Ed Harris]

Article of mine which contains related info

http://shilohtv.com/?p=3725

"Harry Archer (the CIA’s Gadget Guy) and Greg Kalnitzky (of Air America) both had lots of bush experience. Everywhere they went they observed primitive native peoples in Asia, Africa and South America. These tribesmen favored big blades and used them for everything. But both Harry and Greg still preferred a multiple blade approach.

Greg carried a Mil-K-818, http://www.everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL+SPECS+(MIL-K)/MIL-K-818D_19599/ and Aircrew Survival Knife. http://www.bestglide.com/AF_Survival_Knife_Info.html Harry carried a Collins machete for rough work and used a file to sharpen it. The machete was a used as a weapon, digging tool, chopping firewood, building shelters, he saved his fixed blade for fine work. He personally designed the chute knife which was double-edged and made by Loveless. Surgical “prep blades” were kept in the first aid kit. He kept a small black Arkansas stone to touch it up the fixed or razor blades as needed.

In his later years in Africa Greg favored plain carbon steel blades. A plain carbon steel work knife can be sharpened on a river rock and it will last for years Plain carbon steel makes more sparks when striking the Doan tool than stainless, is easy to sharpen, doesn’t shine and takes a dull patina with use which is non-reflective. Completely sterile carbon steel knives were often built with no markings, they were inexpensive and effective.

Neither Greg nor Harry had much use for serrated blades because they are difficult to re sharpen effectively. A plain blade is easier to maintain. Greg carried a British Army Sheffield pocket steel and gave any blade a couple strokes to touch it up after every use.

An operative had to choose the most reliable, sturdy, compact, light weight tool to accomplish the task. The primary wilderness survival uses are digging for field sanitation and foraging, cutting poles and stripping fibers to make cordage for shelter and trap construction, preparing fires for warmth, signaling, water purification and for food preparation. A common choice was to combine a sturdy fixed blade of 5 inches or more with a compact utility pocket knife or multi-tool.

 

[Wheeler44]

Lemme see if I can get these pics to stick. If that worked you can see how much shorter and narrower the k55ksm is than the k55k...It's also a smidge thinner as well...sorry for the poor quality pics and the fact that the knives aren't show room specimens...

 

[Carl Levitian]

Thanks for the pics Wheeler, good to get an idea of relitive size of the differnt models.

I love it that both knives look so well used. Very pleasant change from the keyboard comando's who post about how great thier knife of the month is and show a pic of a spotless unused drawer queen. Nice to see somebody actually use a knife for a tool like it was ment for.

 

[TimboKhan]

Playing devils advocate, I could argue the point. I imagine somewhere there was someone who was against fancy iron knives because the old bronze ones looked much nicer and were easier to sharpen and bend back into shape. For some applications, modern knives are better: Better, more durable materials, easier to care for steel, good quality control, more thoughtfully designed if not more task specific.

Of course, that doesn't take away from the fact that people should just use what they like. One could also easily argue that knives are meant to, you know, cut stuff. Why wouldn't an older knife or design cut as well as a modern one? G-10 is probably a better material than wood or bone, but it sure isn't as pretty and there are an awful lot of really old knives with wood or bone handles still extant, proving that better material doesn't necessarily mean that it is a better choice.

I didn't care for the plain ol' slipjoint for a long, long time. Argued against them, in fact. Now, I have one SAK and two Case Trappers and I plan on buying more. I love the Case knives. More practical for a work knife for me, better looking, and easy to sharpen. I still carry and love my Spydercos and Benchmade, but I get more pleasure out of my Case knives. I will say I am more reluctant to use them hard because they are better looking, but that is more my misgiving than any lack of faith in the knife or it's ability to be used hard.

Anyway, use what you like, be it a 100 year old design or the newest thing out.

 

[Coyote3855]

I solve that conundrum by carrying several knives: Buck Stockman, Sypderco Endura, SAK Classic. And today, because I got it for Christmas, a Roselli UHC Carpenter fixed blade.