This one came in today and it's totally worth dragging this thread back up to the front page for.
Rosecraft Blades' Nolichucky Jack is a winner. Blade perfectly centered, razor sharp, rock solid with no play or wobble, and flush at all three positions. Pull is an easy 5, but only barely pinchable, no nailbreaker here in any case - additionally, they've really got the action geometry dialed in compared to, say, the Appalachian Jack whose action is alarmingly snappy - but more in a jarring way than a fun one.
Slim, but with a nice heft courtesy of its all steel construction. The pinched, integral-to-the-liners, and rat-tailed bolsters are a nice touch from both the perspectives of aesthetics and durability. Looking at the back, no gaps anywhere, all surfaces are just about perfectly mated, only at the half-stop position can I see where the liners end and the spring begins - at fully open and closed they look like a single piece of metal.
Is it perfect? Execution-wise, I'd say yes. I can't find a flaw. Design-wise, I'd say almost. The color is a neat departure from the whites, blacks, oranges, and reds that have made up the majority of Rosecraft's releases thus far, but it's so slick, so smooth, and so polished - that it almost feels like it's missing a little bit of "soul" for lack of a better descriptor.
The bone is beautifully finished, but maybe I'd have preferred it left with a more primitive finish or with some organic jigging? Add to that, the fact that the D2 blade will never patina like a true carbon steel and we're wading pretty deep into "then why should I care?" territory. Well, it intrigued me that the designer stated that he based it on an old I*XL pattern, perhaps like the example shown at the top in the catalog image below - minus the pen blade, of course.
I got a Briarpatch Jack in as well and I have to say that I'm not a big fan of the bellied "lambsfoot" blade, nor the angle at which it sits when open. I don't hate it. But it doesn't blow my socks off.
Am I asking too much from Rosecraft? I don't think so. They've demonstrated that they're capable of producing very refined knives of exceptional quality. What I'd like to see going forward would be some organic-style jigging, more colors and cover material options, CARBON STEEL, less out-of-the-box thinking (sheepsfoots and lambsfoots do not need any belly...) - we're taking about traditionals here, more designs inspired by historic examples, a US factory (but without a massive price hike or slip in quality) and for the love of God above and regardless of country of origin - can we please get some CARBON STEEL in the mix??
