The large folding hunters

[451 Detonics]

Lately these traditional knives have been mentioned in at least a half dozen posts when talking about large tough classic knives so I feel they are due a thread of their very own. These are 5 1/4" (closed average) clasp style knives that are called folding hunters by most collectors. The large hunters came in several flavors with 2 handle patterns being the most common. The most often seen is the 2 blade version with a single swell or swayback handle. Many companies made these with the earliest Cases dating back to the 1920's. Looking very much like a Trapper on steroids these knives were often carried in a belt pouch due to their size. Here are a few examples from my collection. A Case, Cold Steel, and Kabar...



The other common version is the single blade folding hunter in the large coke bottle handle pattern. This is a Ol-Cut (later became Ka Bar) from the 1920's. It features genuine MOTS scales...



One last knife I own that I feel falls into this category is another single blade knife, this one from AG Russell. It is a locking blade but does retain the swayback style pattern from the earliest hunters combines with a 4 5/8s inch blade and called a Large Folding Hunter...



So let's see your folding hunters. Bear in mind that while locking knives are okay pocket clip "tacticals" are not appropriate in this thread...those fall into a whole different category. Same can be said for Buck 110s and similar knives. Minimum blade length should be 4 inches and can be anywhere from 1 to 4 blades such as this Case 6465.

 

[Markus]

No 125OT? Or 127UH?

 

[451 Detonics]

Don't own either one, normally I only show knives I personally own, not ones I pull images of off the net. The 4 blade Case is an exception to that rule as many don't know a 4 blade large hunter actually existed. Maybe someone who owns those models will show theirs off.

 

[451 Detonics]

No one else has a large hunter? Ya'll don't know what you are missing if you like a large, tough, heavy duty folder...

 

[Claymore1500]

How about a large trapper.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Case

Well, right off the top of my head, I know I have at least one. If I go digging in my boxes I might find another.

At any rate:

Laid out beside a Buck 110 for size.


Here it is again, with both blades open.

 

[451 Detonics]

I did some rooting and found these two in the cheapie box...lol...

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Different

Didn't know Old Hickory made a Trapper.

Interesting Rough Rider. Length?

 

[451 Detonics]

The RR is 5 1/4" closed with a 4 1/8th inch blade.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Nice I like them BIG Folders!

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Some of these probably don't fit the description of "Folding Hunter" but that's what I've used the first three for. All four are BIG KNIVES.

The top one is a Cold Steel Large Voyager. It's a great knife for field dressing and skinning deer. I can usually dress and skin four deer with it prior to sharpening lightly.

The 2nd one down is a Case Bulldog I bought new many moons ago. Its one of the 5172 knives without the bulldog etched on the blade. If memory is right, that should put it as a pre-1965 knife. Sambar Stag scales have mellowed well with time. I used it as a deer skinning knife for several years but retired it back to its box probably 30+ years ago.

3rd one down is a Moore Maker Large Trapper...and it is large for a trapper! Both blades lock open and have developed an interesting & consistent gray patina...not sure why. Might be that I cut up 10 pounds of onions with it one day. This one came with a belt sheath.

4th one of course is Rough Rider with a liner lock. I just took it out of the box yesterday.



flip side of the Bulldog...had my name lightly but professionally engraved on the blade years ago.

 

[451 Detonics]

The big Case clasp knives have been a long time favorite of mine but I have somehoww missed adding one to my collection. I have been searching for just the right stag slabs on one to make me say "I'll take it!". I have seen a few that had great stag on one side but average looking stag on the other. I should just buy one and have it re-scaled with stag I pick out myself. I have looked at the older made in the US Schrade versions as well but I really want a Case.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

I have seen a few that had great stag on one side but average looking stag on the other.

As does mine, as did the majority of the Case Bulldog knives...obvious by the pics. I gave $8.95 + tax NIB for that Case at a hardware store many moons ago.

Nice Sambar Stag is a good thing...

 

[hso]

My first knife was a Uncle Henry 2 blade Bowie with that delrin fake stag.

 

[451 Detonics]

Find good stag on both sides of a knife is tough...I was thrilled when my ex bought me this one for my birthday...

 

[Cocked & Locked]

My first knife was a Uncle Henry 2 blade Bowie with that delrin fake stag.

That "delrin fake stag" was/is some tough stuff. I had a Uncle Henry folding hunter with delrin...lost it in the woods somewhere.

 

[JerryM]

Don't have a photo, but through the years as a serious hunter I bought knives by Randall, Morseth, Lile, and Ruana. All except the Lile were bought in the 1960s, and the Lile about 1972.

I would read that such and such a knife would gut, and skin several deer or elk and still shave the hair on the arm. I thought I would get one, but never found one that would even clean and skin one deer and still shave.

I tried some commercial knives and liked the Buck Personal, but I never found a Gerber that would hold an edge and they were difficult to sharpen.
I finally settled on a Camillus M26? two blade large hunter. I still have it. It holds an edge about as well as the expensive knives, and is not diffucult to re-do the edge. I carried a small steel to use in the field.

I have a friend who likes to make knives as a hobby. He does not finish them, and they are made from commercial hacksaw blades. He is the best at sharpening I have ever seen, and his knives hold an edge at least as well as the most expensive knives I have tried.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[JR47]

Gosh, nobody mentioned the Buck 110? One of the iconic "folding hunters". I bought mine in the Da Nang PX in 1966, carried it in-country, then when I worked with Fire/EMS until 1986, when a Spyderco took it's place. Still have it.

 

[451 Detonics]

Gosh, nobody mentioned the Buck 110?

Actually I did, in the OP even. I do not consider them to be a "large hunter" as I specified 4 inch + blades in a traditional folding hunter pattern. Even so they have been mentioned and even a pic posted above.

but I never found a Gerber that would hold an edge and they were difficult to sharpen.

This thread is about folding hunters rather than fixed blades. However I will add my Gerber Flayer is easy to sharpen and holds an edge very well.

 

[PI Rob]

A long time ago I had a Normark "SuperSwede". It was a large folder and a great knife. I lost it kayaking somewhere in the guadalupe river. I miss that knife.

C&L- that Case Bulldog is one good looking knife!

 

[451 Detonics]

The Normark/EKA Super Swede is a heck of a knife but with a blade that measures 3 1/2 it fall just short of the large hunter pattern as does it big brother, the Big Swede with it's 3 3/4 inch blade. The Sandvik 12C27 steel is one of the better stainless steels out the in my opinion...

 

[JerryM]

Today I noticed that both Walmart and K Mart have the Buck 110 made in the US. WM price was something like $29.99. K Mart was 10 bucks more, but seemed to have a better case and a small Buck knife included. I later found that Cabelas has them for the same prices.

I thought the prices were reasonable considering that many think the Buck is it best practical hunter for deer and large game.

Regards,
Jerry

 

[788Ham]

451,

My Pop had a Case like your first one. We skinned out a big mule deer, he laid it on a log while we quartered it....... then walked off and forgot it! Didn't realize we left it until we got home. Needless to say, he was heartbroken. If found, someone got a damned nice knife.