Recommendation? A Friend Needs a Knife

Rookie82 · May 25, 2017

Actually, he needs 3 knives. I have a friend who is a huge gun enthusiast. He often asks me questions about my knives, and looks at many of them whenever he comes to visit. However, he has always just carried the cheapest modern plastic knife he can get from Walmart for his daily user. He now has tasked me with an assignment.

Since we live in northwestern PA where all the main traditional knife companies are located, he wants me to find him 3 traditional knives for him to carry and use, and it has to be one from each of the companies (GEC, Case, and Queen).

I have a pretty average knowledge of Case patterns, a little less with Queen, and no experience with GEC. Budget I would estimate at around $300-$400 total. I asked him 100 questions regarding his preferences, and he wouldn't give me a straight answer on any of them. He wants to use what I choose for him. He has no opinions on handle material, steel material, number of blades, pattern shape, year made, etc.

Although he does do a lot of woodworking and remaking gunstocks, so I would like for one of the knives to have a wood handle. Perhaps bone for another, and then stag or horn or acrylic for the 3rd. I'm thinking maybe one of the Queen or Case knives be from 1981, the year he was born.

Can you all give me some ideas of what you would pick for your top knife from each company?

hhmoore · May 25, 2017

I am, for the most part, a single blade kind of guy. That automatically skews my recommendations in that direction.
Case - Copperlock or MiniCopperlock (stag or bone)
Queen - the only Queen I have is an old slimline trapper; but I quite like it.
GEC - My own preferences aside, I'll give the nod to the 57 or 62...or maybe a stockman type.
I can post pics of my recommendations (well, the one's I have) this afternoon

Jody744 · May 25, 2017

Case- swayback jack (1 or 2 blade) bone or stag
Queen- schatt and morgan line, heritage jack ebony or rosewood, spear or clip
GEC- anything on the 15 frame! (knifebrite if you can find it, looks like smooth bone during the day, glows in the dark!)

blademan 13 · May 25, 2017

Since he is not a knife guy and has always carried cheap plastic, I would recommend keeping them fairly small and light;

Case swayback Jack in bone
Queen #48 whittler in Birdseye maple or Zebrawood
GEC single blade #48 in stag, still some around

mrknife · May 25, 2017

blademan 13 said:
Since he is not a knife guy and has always carried cheap plastic, I would recommend keeping them fairly small and light;

Case swayback Jack in bone
Queen #48 whittler in Birdseye maple or Zebrawood
GEC single blade #48 in stag, still some around

i think theres a few muskrat 48s in stag left on gunstockbarry's

cbr1000 · May 25, 2017

You might consider making one of the knives a single blade lockback like GEC 72 or Queen Mountainman. The GEC 48 2 blade in stag, GEC 72 green micarta, and a S&M barlow in stainless with wood covers would make for a nice sampling... I know I left out Case.

blademan 13 · May 25, 2017

Of course if he enjoys the occasional ale, a GEC Beer Scout would be a worthy companion.

Wurrwulf · May 25, 2017

Case Peanut (Jigged Bone)
Queen Mountain Man (Stag)
GEC Beer Barrel Beer Scout (Wood)

Provides a range of sizes, blade shapes, and steels. The Peanut is an icon, the Beer Scout is one of GEC's most popular knives, and the Mountain Man is just a big ol' hunk of D2 steel for when he really needs to put it work.

Neko2 · May 25, 2017

I would suggest a stockman or whittler and try to get the Queen in D2. I think one of the advantages of traditional knives is the ability to have multiple blades in a small package. You can use them for specific tasks, sharpen at different angles etc.

If he's a woodworker I'd think a GEC conductor whittler, maybe a Case seahorse or humpback stockman and I really like the Queen cole's whittler with wharncliffe main.
Obviously I'm partial to multi blade so take my suggestions with a grain or two of salt.

KBA · May 25, 2017

Reserve him a GEC 66 stockman (handle material of his choice) on Collectorknives.net
Case Peanut
Find a brick and mortar store that sells Queen and have him handle them since you live so close.

Rookie82 · May 25, 2017

Thank you all for the ideas. I'm excited to research each knife mentioned.

KBA said:
Find a brick and mortar store that sells Queen and have him handle them since you live so close.

You would be surprised how hard it is to find a store that sells Queen knives. Considering the factory is only 20 miles away from my house, I know of only 1 place that carries Queen knives (other than their factory), and it is a 40 mile drive. haha

KBA · May 25, 2017

Rookie82 said:
Thank you all for the ideas. I'm excited to research each knife mentioned.

You would be surprised how hard it is to find a store that sells Queen knives. Considering the factory is only 20 miles away from my house, I know of only 1 place that carries Queen knives (other than their factory), and it is a 40 mile drive. haha

That is odd. I made the suggestion due to QC. I have not experienced it myself but Ive read issues with Queen enough to warrant the drive if close enough.

boy&hisdogs · May 25, 2017

Neko2 said:
I would suggest a stockman or whittler and try to get the Queen in D2. I think one of the advantages of traditional knives is the ability to have multiple blades in a small package. You can use them for specific tasks, sharpen at different angles etc.

If he's a woodworker I'd think a GEC conductor whittler, maybe a Case seahorse or humpback stockman and I really like the Queen cole's whittler with wharncliffe main.
Obviously I'm partial to multi blade so take my suggestions with a grain or two of salt.

I like this idea. Woodworking aside, the whittler patterns are just plain neat. Part of the fun of traditional knives are the quirky patterns with tons of character.

I say get him:
-A medium or large single blade, probably locking. Something that is functionally very similar to what he's used to for an easy transition.

-A mainstay of the traditional knife world. A stockman, peanut, Texas jack, something along those lines

-Something neat and differrent that is unique to traditionals. A whittler, an electricians knife, fish knife, maybe something with scissors or other tools, etc.

Sabercat · May 25, 2017

A ma & pa sporting goods store on RT 8 in Franklin, PA has a couple shelves of Queen knives, at least they did last time I was there. Not sure which direction from Titusville you are coming from though. The Hazen flea market will be next weekend. I've seen lots of Queen there, but I think most of them are factory 2nds - no boxes.

I have none, but everyone who has a Case Sodbuster or Jr Sodbuster loves them.

I 100% agree with a GEC 66. They will likely be out in about 3-4 weeks. It is in my top 3 or 4 of GEC patterns.

I also don't have one, but really want one of the Queen (S&M) Gunstocks. I think this may be appropriate for your friend and his affinity for guns. The ones I've seen in photos look to have good fit and finish. I only have two Queen products to my name though, so I'm not an expert. The #29 I bought a few months ago is pretty nice, and has me feeling positive about their direction.

155440 · May 25, 2017

Wurrwulf said:
Case Peanut (Jigged Bone)
Queen Mountain Man (Stag)
GEC Beer Barrel Beer Scout (Wood)

Provides a range of sizes, blade shapes, and steels. The Peanut is an icon, the Beer Scout is one of GEC's most popular knives, and the Mountain Man is just a big ol' hunk of D2 steel for when he really needs to put it work.

Perfect line up. I was about to go and recommend the first two with a 15 GEC pattern but you beat me to it.

Will Power · May 25, 2017

Good thing is, there's a lot of choice! But that can of course present problems.....

My trio would be

CASE Swayback Jack in Bone with stainless blades (Wharncliffe, Pen)

Queen Cutlery No.26 Small Stockman in Zebra wood or Bone with D2 blades (Clip, Sheepfoot, Spey)

GEC 83 lockback in Stag or Ebony, 1 Drop-Point blade in carbon and it's a locking knife.

Should not be too difficult to get these with a bit of patience, they're all compact knives, 3 different steels, 3 different scale choices and a Jack (2 blades) a Stockman (3 blades) and a single blade lock back.

Mind you, I can already think of other choices... CASE Penknife, Queen 48 Whittler, GEC 73 liner lock

You see, a monstrous big choice

Regards, Will

Rookie82 · May 25, 2017

Sabercat said:
A ma & pa sporting goods store on RT 8 in Franklin, PA has a couple shelves of Queen knives, at least they did last time I was there. Not sure which direction from Titusville you are coming from though.

Yep, that is the place I was thinking of. Mauer's Trading Post, lots of knives, guns, fishing, and outdoor gear. Cool place although a tad high priced.

Will Power said:
You see, a monstrous big choice

Oh yeah, I tried to explain to my friend that what he is asking isn't so simple as "just buy me some knives". It's the same thing as me telling him "go buy me a gun" or "go buy me a car". I was hoping he'd give me a little idea of which direction I should go, but he likes that idea that I am choosing it for him with specific reasons in mind.

black mamba · May 25, 2017

I think the quintessential Case knife is either a #32 pattern Texas Jack or a #20 pattern Peanut in jigged bone.

My favorite Queen knife is their #06L teardrop linerlock, and they have made them in the past in both birds-eye maple (BEM) and curly zebrawood (CZ). They can still be found on the secondary markets in like new condition.

GEC has the best stag around, so any Northfield branded knife you can find in stag would be a great choice.

hhmoore · May 25, 2017

hhmoore said:
I am, for the most part, a single blade kind of guy. That automatically skews my recommendations in that direction.
Case - Copperlock or MiniCopperlock (stag or bone)
Queen - the only Queen I have is an old slimline trapper; but I quite like it.
GEC - My own preferences aside, I'll give the nod to the 57 or 62...or maybe a stockman type.
I can post pics of my recommendations (well, the one's I have) this afternoon

Pictures....
Case Copperlock (stag + purple appaloosa bone), and Mini Copperlock

Came across this one, while pulling that mini - a whittler, in stag

This is the old Queen slimline trapper

Here's the GEC 62 - a half congress in birdseye maple

And, just for giggles, a handful of my favorite GEC patterns
(15, 92, 55, 48, 77)

Rookie82 · May 25, 2017

I really do appreciate everyone's input. Thanks to you all.