Recommendation? Stout stockman

Don't rule out a Buck 301, just look for an older one that was contract made by Schrade or Camillus. Look for flat-ground blades and the traditional stockman blade layout, when the main blade and sheepsfoot blade pivot on the same end, and the spey on the opposite end. These are much snappier than the ones Buck makes themselves nowadays.

Also, back in the day both manufacturers also produced this knife for Sears (Craftsman brand). I see 'em on auction pretty frequently.

-- Mark
 
I'm thinking the Queen #49 might be a good way to go. I'd have to get some better stones for the old sharpmaker. From what I hear the standard set up won't even tickle that D2. I'm almost glad the fit and finish on Bokers are hit or miss since I do want American made and that'll take them out of the equation. Does anyone know about the quality of Schatt and Morgan around 2006? I know that's when Bill Howard left, so maybe the quality is still there for that production year....
 
Naturally, I'm going to recommend the Railsplitter. I don't think I have any Schatt & Morgans from 2006 but I do have 3 Railsplitters from 2005. Each one has a little bit of blade play on at least one of the blades. To the best of my knowledge, Queen used 420HC on most Railsplitters until 2013 or 2014 when they began using D2. At that time they also replaced the spey blade with a fat little pen blade which I adore. They are pinning shields on now too which wasn't always the case in 2006.

GEC started up in 2006 and as you mentioned, Bill Howard and Ken Daniels had already left Queen by that time. I think it's a fair assumption that QC at Queen began its decline right around the time those two gentleman hightailed it out of there.

The Railsplitter in my avatar is 2016 production and it's a superb knife. D2 steel, pen blade instead of a spey blade, pinned shield, no blade rub or blade play, good snap, and very good to excellent fit & finish. That being said, I like it so much that I bought another one just like it. It was a good knife too except that the sheepsfoot blade had a strange bend in it. Almost an "S" shape. I passed it on to a member who was also interested in trying out the Railsplitter pattern. So QC was still spotty as of 2016 despite the improvements mentioned above.

The Queen Railsplitter is worth a shot but I recommend 2014 or later production because of the improvements since then. Still no guarantee that you'll get a stellar knife but worth a try in my opinion. If you do get a good one, I think you'll be very happy with it.

The GEC 53 Cuban Stockman is also a great knife if you can find one. I've got a couple in 440C and both are exceptional.
 
Railsplitters definitely look like a hefty knife which is exactly what I'm after. My most carried knife is a Buck 110, so that'll give you an indication of what I'm used to. I've always carried a second smaller, multi blade knife in my pocket and now I'm looking for something that I can grab and go. Thanks for your response Railsplitter....
 
I would vote for the 8ot also. I also have an imperial stockman with a spear point main that is the very definition of stout. If I could I would post a pic. Maybe tonight. But it's an ugly thing unless your one of those people. But I one of those, so I love it.
 
mnblade said:
Don't rule out a Buck 301, just look for an older one that was contract made by Schrade or Camillus. Look for flat-ground blades and the traditional stockman blade layout, when the main blade and sheepsfoot blade pivot on the same end, and the spey on the opposite end. These are much snappier than the ones Buck makes themselves nowadays.

Also, back in the day both manufacturers also produced this knife for Sears (Craftsman brand). I see 'em on auction pretty frequently.

-- Mark
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The Camillus-made Buck 301 is truly a wonderful knife. Everything about it is just right on. A brilliant large stockman design.

G10rbBBh.jpg


Camillus seemed to use that pattern for a ton of in-house knives with various Delrin jigging and wood options with stainless blades. And even some late celluloid, if memory serves me, in carbon steel.

That pattern also got around to a lot of contract work, as you mentioned. Here's my recently acquired Remington R-8 in that pattern. This one has a scalloped sheepsfoot.

6MCB5mfh.jpg

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That Remington is awesome Buzz. I have a Camillus made Buck from around '74 that I overpaid for because I love Buck and wanted a nice stockman (besides my Case models). Welp, the 301 and I were never meant to be because, believe it or not, those springs were mush too. I even sent it to Buck for their spa treatment and it came back the same. So, it sits, and every once in a while I smile and cuss at it at the same time....
 
I use a stockman as my favourite everyday knife. I own lots. I recommend the Schrade 8OT, (my true all-time favourite) or the Buck 301, both very good knives. For larger more hefty stockman carry...Buck 307, Queen or Moore Maker, all good.
 
Large square bolster Rough Rider.
Several different handle materials, from Old Yeller Synthetic to jigged (or smooth) bone, plus Stoneworkz, and MOP. I think they have a genuine black pearl series out now, as well.
 
Yeah, if you like bling, they even made the RR with worked bolsters and sawcut bone (#521), very nice!

StockBling_zps5bed4dc7.jpg
StockBling_zps5bed4dc7.jpg~original
 
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Pàdruig said:
I just recently picked up a Queen Stockman and it is quite the beast. I do not have many Stockmens but I do have a few and this one is by far the largest. It is the only traditional I have at the moment that has the heft and panache to potentially compete with some of my modern folders for harder use. It has D2 steel blades and liners that are not brass (I say that because I do not know if the liners are stainless or not, they just aren't brass).

All in all, it is an awesome knife and though it is large and heavy in the pocket (it might do better in a pouch or sheath), it is most definitely designed to be a workhorse. I don't think Queen makes these anymore, though I could be wrong. You might be able to scoop one up on the secondary market though, like I did. Here are a couple pics, I can take more of the sheepsfoot and spey blades if you would like a little bit later.

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Fine looking Queen in ACSB. I'm really interested that it doesn't have brass liners though, all the other ACSB and the various scales Queen have used on its D2 knives have all had brass liners. These must be nickel-silver and that's usually something found on Schatt models, mmhhh perhaps Queen was using up supplies as it does have brass pins? Nevertheless a great item. I like the ones in Zebra Wood particularly, been after a nice example of their 26 Small Stockman in that handle, one of the best Small Stockman out there.

Regards, Will
 
Wowbagger said:
I like the look of the Bokers (blade etching and scales for sure) and have some but the finish is just not even close to Case and the spring tension is hit or miss. In my experience they can be as light as no "talk" to "oh my god I just ripped up my finger nail . . . AGAIN !" too strong a spring. Raggedy assed unfinished brass liners. Not good.
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Sorry to hear this but my experience of Böker Germany, carbon knives is the complete opposite. A really undersung range of knives which I find vastly superior to most CASE efforts. I have or had 3 Whittlers, 3 Small Stockman, 2 Large Stockman, 2 Copperheads, 2 Pens (stainless) and a fine Lockback in Washboard Bone. Steel sharpens nicely, most have excellent W&T and decent bone or stag plus the price was light years behind GEC...;) So, I certainly WOULD recommend their Large Stockman to the OP it's a bit smaller than the CASE (no bad thing for pocket carry) and is round bolstered.

Thanks, Will
 
That Queen #49 'Cattle King' stockman, in Amber Carved Stag Bone, is what I've found to be a 'best alternate' to my oft-carried Case 6375 CV stockman. It's what I've been pocketing and using most recently, and a 4"+ stockman is my favorite pattern overall. In heft and in handling, both of those fill my hand equally well. The one caveat with the Queen is, you might want to spend some time, over several sharpenings, to thin out the edges a little bit (or maybe a lot). Might first come a bit thick, but it'll just keep getting impressively sharper with each thinning behind the edge.


David
 
Will Power said:
Fine looking Queen in ACSB. I'm really interested that it doesn't have brass liners though, all the other ACSB and the various scales Queen have used on its D2 knives have all had brass liners. These must be nickel-silver and that's usually something found on Schatt models, mmhhh perhaps Queen was using up supplies as it does have brass pins? Nevertheless a great item. I like the ones in Zebra Wood particularly, been after a nice example of their 26 Small Stockman in that handle, one of the best Small Stockman out there.

Regards, Will
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On closer inspection, the liners are indeed the same color as the bolsters so I think your assessment of them being nickel silver is accurate. It is interesting though that they they used those liners on this knife, yet still used brass pins.
 
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