2019 Traditional Forum Knife...The First Poll

[Camillus]

The match strike pull is certainly possible if GEC allowed it, but I am not sure how it would look on a sabre grind

Depends if it were finished schmicked up or a user style - the above knife is a reproduction of an historic pattern so it has a particular look

 

[Ajd3530]

A couple thoughts I've had since last night:

I believe that while most folks voting for a fixed blade would still be interested and purchase a folder, I think that alot of folks voting for a folder have very little interest in a fixed blade.

And. I can go to just about any reputable sporting goods store and buy a Buck 192. I can look online and find numerous runs of 192s with all sorts of handle material/steels produced over the last 20 years. There have been hundreds of thousands of Buck 192s produced. Any of us could pick one up anytime, anyplace, anywhere. On the flip side, this will be the ONLY chance we have of ever getting a forum knife in on the pilot run of #86s. This would be the only, to my understanding, sheepsfoot produced on the 86 frame this run. With GECs trend of producing more numbers of less patterns each year, it might be 5, 6, 7 years before they make another run of 86s. Also, we have a chance of getting a sabre grind sheepsfoot. Has GEC even done that before?? If not, we could have the first.

I suppose to wrap up my thoughts, even if you aren't crazy about the #86, you can't deny how special and unique it could turn out being. And even if you are crazy about the 192, you can't deny how unspecial and mundane it could turn out being.

 

[Modoc ED]

I think a lot of folks are counting secondary blades as amongst the numbers that they deem prolific. I think that is a mistake but it is naught but my opinion.

Why is that a mistake. The sheepfoot blade has been prominent on many Blade Forum Annual Knives whether they be primary or secondary blades. It's time for a change. Give the sheepfoot blade a breather. Further, as @sitflyer said; "It's time for a fixed blade".

 

[Half/Stop]

(Hope you don't mind me borrowing your photo, Ron!)

Well Barrett, actually I sorta like being the only one with a 47 like this!

 

[pjsjr]

Where can you get that knife? Is it in production? I feel like all the examples of vanguards we have seen and like have already been produced.

Taylor, that Rammy 192 was an exclusive run for Bass Pro, in 2010(I think) It has 420HC BOS steel. As Stephen said there are various combinations of handles and steels that are available to make it unique and special.
Here's one with oak and spacers of(I think) micarta, aluminum and a bit of red material. Preston

 

[screened porch]

Whew. Caught up.

If the Vanguard wins by one vote I'll find a way to buy one.
If it wins at all I'll probably be unable to resist anyway.

 

[tmd_87]

Taylor, that Rammy 192 was an exclusive run for Bass Pro, in 2010(I think) It has 420HC BOS steel. As Stephen said there are various combinations of handles and steels that are available to make it unique and special.
Here's one with oak and spacers of(I think) micarta, aluminum and a bit of red material. Preston

Amazing knife. But the only thing that would separate ours from these examples would be the tang stamp....just saying.

 

[tmd_87]

A couple thoughts I've had since last night:

I believe that while most folks voting for a fixed blade would still be interested and purchase a folder, I think that alot of folks voting for a folder have very little interest in a fixed blade.

And. I can go to just about any reputable sporting goods store and buy a Buck 192. I can look online and find numerous runs of 192s with all sorts of handle material/steels produced over the last 20 years. There have been hundreds of thousands of Buck 192s produced. Any of us could pick one up anytime, anyplace, anywhere. On the flip side, this will be the ONLY chance we have of ever getting a forum knife in on the pilot run of #86s. This would be the only, to my understanding, sheepsfoot produced on the 86 frame this run. With GECs trend of producing more numbers of less patterns each year, it might be 5, 6, 7 years before they make another run of 86s. Also, we have a chance of getting a sabre grind sheepsfoot. Has GEC even done that before?? If not, we could have the first.

I suppose to wrap up my thoughts, even if you aren't crazy about the #86, you can't deny how special and unique it could turn out being. And even if you are crazy about the 192, you can't deny how unspecial and mundane it could turn out being.

This is what I have been saying.

 

[1066vik]

either way, unless something catastrophic happens to my finances, I'll be buying a 2019 traditional forum knife if it happens.
that said - I REALLY liked the looks of that stacked leather 192 - and think it'd look even better with black steel furniture like the Brahma patterns.
(a "Brahma'd" 124 would be pretty sexy, too)

 

[pjsjr]

Amazing knife. But the only thing that would sepersep ours from these examples would be the tang stamp....just saying.

I don't agree but, I guess that is true if you believe and feel that way.

 

[PirateSeulb]

While the GEC is right now the most unique in its configuration options given we have been told the sheepsfoot main will be a one off for us I think that the uniqueness of the 192 is being undercut with the variety of options there will be almost no way it will be the same as any previously released version.

 

[jmh33]

If the 192 wins.. I will buy..
If the other knife wins.. I wont..
Just sayin..
John

 

[Jsega51]

Agreed! You're taking away some of the primary advantages of a sheepsfoot blade - the ability to make it laser sharp. The thinness of the blade and length of grind contribute to this advantage.

People are wanting a flat grind on the Buck...we’ve already seen how fat they grind those on the small blades from last year’s knife.

How thick would they grind the Vangaurds being 2-3x the thickness of the 301 at the spine? I’ve never looked at these knives in the big box stores but most I find on the net are a Sabre/hollow grind.

 

[sunnyd]

I like the 86, but have not been a member for three months. I know the amount of work that goes into a project like this and appreciate all of the effort put forth. If waivers are available I would definitely purchase the 86.

Mike

Waivers are available.. Just ask.

 

[pjsjr]

And. I can go to just about any reputable sporting goods store and buy a Buck 192. I can look online and find numerous runs of 192s with all sorts of handle material/steels produced over the last 20 years. There have been hundreds of thousands of Buck 192s produced. Any of us could pick one up anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

This is what I have been saying.

You can not for under a hundred dollars!

 

[tmd_87]

You can not for under a hundred dollars!

Doesn't make it special.

 

[Pàdruig]

Why is that a mistake. The sheepfoot blade has been prominent on many Blade Forum Annual Knives whether they be primary or secondary blades. It's time for a change. Give the sheepfoot blade a breather. Further, as @sitflyer said; "It's time for a fixed blade".

Again, I said it was but my opinion. I feel that counting secondary blade choices as being evidence of an over used style to be a bit strange. Main blades are just that, the main blade that one uses on a knife. Secondary blades are... well, secondary to the main blade. A coping blade paired with a main spear or clip is one of the most useful combos out there.

However, again, it is my opinion and there are plenty of folks who likely use their knives differently than I. Perhaps in a sense where they use their secondary blades more than the main blades.

I do not object to a fixed blade option. However, I am not of a mind that "this is the time" any more than last year or next year might have been or might be "the time". If a fixed blade wins out this go around, awesome! I am sure I will be quite pleased with it. I just would like people to be aware of, and not simply ignore, the special opportunity that GEC is providing us.

 

[Jsega51]

You can not for under a hundred dollars!

It’ll be interesting to hear what sort of steel and handle materials would be available at that price point. Sucks that we probably won’t have that sort of info until after this poll runs it’s course though. Many things could change a vote.

That rams horn version posted earlier is very attractive.

 

[akaMatt]

Well, after much pondering and reading, I'm switching back to the GEC 86 for good.

There are a couple of reasons. First, I like the pattern... I don't personally have a folder with a single sheep, which is something I've kinda wanted for a while.

But more importantly is that this will be a much more unique knife. There have been a number of killer pics of the vanguard posted here, any of which would be a prize to own. But in the end, they're all the same except the trim.

What probably most swayed me was a post made recently in last year's BF knife thread, linking to a thread in the buck forum (https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/sk-blades-2019-lineup.1642333/) listing some 2019 plans from SK... one of which is a "modern 301" (similar to the BF knife). That's all fine, I suppose. But what that means is that all the cycles of polling and discussion last year to produce a totally unique knife... in the end will amount to a unique tang stamp. We will, unfortunately, go down that exact same path this year with the Buck option.

So in the end, I'm going with what is more likely to get us something unique and special.

 

[tmd_87]

It’ll be interesting to hear what sort of steel and handle materials would be available at that price point. Sucks that we probably won’t have that sort of info until after this poll runs it’s course though. Many things could change a vote.

If we want to finish out our Bladeforums stamp I'm pretty sure we can only use CPM154 like last year. No super duper S30V for us. Plus at that price a big hunk of S30V is gonna be over $100