Keep it Alive in 2025

[Quiet]

I'm not over the top about the bladeforums knife being an opinel but if it has to be to have the tradition continue i would prefer it was in ebony,that said I would prefer that the gec and bf forum knife tradition continued.im not sure where this goes but I wouldn't want to be in sparks shoes with the work that he has put in and to find himself in this predicament.i have a question does spark order the bf forum knife based on pre orders if so how did so many more get purchased then needed.maybe in the future the bf knife has to be made in 2 batches if gec agrees.

One of the issues Spark was (most likely) attempting to avoid was the situation where in years past, all these people from Reddit and Facebook would come out of the woodwork to fluff up their post count and try to get their hands on the latest GEC BF knife (to include a lot of flippers) and in some years, some regulars weren't able to get a knife because they all got gobbled up by these randos from elsewhere with double-digit post counts attempting to act like contributing members of the community. All quite mercenary, honestly. So, in more recent times, the BF knife runs have been much larger to compensate.

 

[waynorth]

I like the fact that Spark can keep track of who buys!! At least members have a better chance at market rate, and not flipper prices!!!!
I think a standard Opinel, with BF markings is a good $olution!! Maybe a special wood!!??

 

[Will Power]

All this talk of Opinel is encouraging but due to current tariff dramas it could be problematic ?

An inexpensive Traditional in simple form from CASE should be the answer, say a special Sodbuster, their new X roads look very good, or Penknife with special scales- for instance their Amber Bone or Chestnut Bone . Also, as it's the same pattern, you could order 50% in carbon 50% stainless to keep all mouths fed

"Ah" you say "But CASE won't take on any orders or SFO work so forget that!" This is what I thought but then I saw this...I'm not the owner of a shop or business, I'm not in the US and I'm not an American so I can't fill it in, but I wonder...?

Custom Imprinting

Shop Case knives, accessories, apparel, and knife cases. W.R. Case & Sons Company – built with integrity for people of integrity. Our knives are held to the highest standards by the people of Bradford, PA since 1889.

caseknives.com

 

[r8shell]

All this talk of Opinel is encouraging but due to current tariff dramas it could be problematic ?

An inexpensive Traditional in simple form from CASE should be the answer, say a special Sodbuster, their new X roads look very good, or Penknife with special scales- for instance their Amber Bone or Chestnut Bone . Also, as it's the same pattern, you could order 50% in carbon 50% stainless to keep all mouths fed

"Ah" you say "But CASE won't take on any orders or SFO work so forget that!" This is what I thought but then I saw this...I'm not the owner of a shop or business, I'm not in the US and I'm not an American so I can't fill it in, but I wonder...?

Custom Imprinting

Shop Case knives, accessories, apparel, and knife cases. W.R. Case & Sons Company – built with integrity for people of integrity. Our knives are held to the highest standards by the people of Bradford, PA since 1889.

caseknives.com

Glitter Gold Peanuts* for everyone!


*assuming this offer is only for existing patterns, and the PunchNut is off the table.

 

[TheJon]

My old hands prefer a number 8!! If so, I'm in!!!
Should be reasonable, if Spark agrees to it!!

Go big or go home Lets do a number 12

All this talk of Opinel is encouraging but due to current tariff dramas it could be problematic ?

An inexpensive Traditional in simple form from CASE should be the answer, say a special Sodbuster, their new X roads look very good, or Penknife with special scales- for instance their Amber Bone or Chestnut Bone . Also, as it's the same pattern, you could order 50% in carbon 50% stainless to keep all mouths fed

"Ah" you say "But CASE won't take on any orders or SFO work so forget that!" This is what I thought but then I saw this...I'm not the owner of a shop or business, I'm not in the US and I'm not an American so I can't fill it in, but I wonder...?

Custom Imprinting

Shop Case knives, accessories, apparel, and knife cases. W.R. Case & Sons Company – built with integrity for people of integrity. Our knives are held to the highest standards by the people of Bradford, PA since 1889.

caseknives.com

While I unironically support doing a opinel just for fun, I also think case might good to discuss as well.

PunchNut

uh ouch no thank you but really I like the 18PU stockmans with the punch

 

[TheJon]

mentioning tarrifs reminded me of another one that would be an interesting pick. I wonder if Grohmann knives would have theh ability of capacity to do a run of knives? Give Canada a time to shine.

 

[r8shell]

Go big or go home Lets do a number 12

I just picked up a 6 and a 12 at the flea market last weekend. I think an 8 is a reasonable compromise.

My choice would be the 08 Gardening Knife:

 

[waynorth]

I just picked up a 6 and a 12 at the flea market last weekend. I think an 8 is a reasonable compromise.

My choice would be the 08 Gardening Knife:

That's a nice choice also!!

 

[Scubaroo]

I like the fact that Spark can keep track of who buys!! At least members have a better chance at market rate, and not flipper prices!!!!
I think a standard Opinel, with BF markings is a good $olution!! Maybe a special wood!!??

I think a burled wood would look nice on a no. 8!

 

[lambertiana]

mentioning tarrifs reminded me of another one that would be an interesting pick. I wonder if Grohmann knives would have theh ability of capacity to do a run of knives? Give Canada a time to shine.

I hadn't thought of Grohmann, but that would definitely be an option. Either the mini locking folder or the slimline slipjoint. With a nice wood handle (stag might run too expensive).

 

[.577NE]

I think a burled wood would look nice on a no. 8!

Vive la France

 

[meako]

personalized seal cap

This would have to made of Elephant Seal...1 pelt from this ocean going behemoth would do a nice cap for all Porchenbergers......and we don't want any pesky little New Zealand Fur Seals fur caps either....The Noble and Manly Australian Fur Seal would make a fine second choice....I vote for folding ear flaps.

 

[calm]

I think opinels are so cheap to begin with, tax will not be an issue in the price. If people are happy to pay 20USD/EUR then they can probably afford to pay 30 too.
For something more premium, there are also several other French makers - We can get a Laquiole with some engraving on the blade or the backspring for around 100USD/EUR and if several are ordered the price should be lower than for a single specimen.
Here is an example of a basic model that still has engraving on the blade and filework on the spring for 88Euro. There are even cheaper options.

 

[Will Power]

I too would like to see a Lag as an option, many French knife clubs order them.

There are also decent French inexpensive production knives in many patterns. However, delivery could be protracted if there's a large order and Forum Knives often garner nit-pickers who are disastisfied with anything less than perfect.... Thus warrany returns are not going to be straightforward.

Tariff COULD be a problem IF a batch of knives were ordered at say 130 each and paid for but US customers couldn't get them until the paid an extra 50 or 100% Unlikely but it's a possibility, chaotic. Then people like me in the EU or oversas who were shunned last year would have to pay re-import taxes too. However in the 2020 shutdown, the Viper knives from Italy were distributed to non US addresses separately and it worked very well. There was an understanding that if people didn't like the handles (Ram's Horn with inevitable variations) there was no right of return. This was fair & clear, but still some moaned......

 

[screened porch]

I didn't see a memo myself, but somebody said it was pretty official that there wouldn't be a forum knife this year. Maybe he was catastrophizing.

I'd go for an Opinel, especially Rachel's #8 garden. The slim handle and spear blade make it special among Opinels already. As long as we're fantasizing, maybe we could source them from different countries to minimize tax complications.

Laguiole and Grohmann would be out of my personal comfort zone, but I'd stretch to a Case Crossroads Sodbuster.

There. I'm worn out on the subject.

 

[Scubaroo]

Vive la France

View attachment 2891308

This is the ONE, very nice!
Now how can we customize this further for BF?

 

[r8shell]

I didn't see a memo myself, but somebody said it was pretty official that there wouldn't be a forum knife this year. Maybe he was catastrophizing.

I'd go for an Opinel, especially Rachel's #8 garden. The slim handle and spear blade make it special among Opinels already. As long as we're fantasizing, maybe we could source them from different countries to minimize tax complications.

Laguiole and Grohmann would be out of my personal comfort zone, but I'd stretch to a Case Crossroads Sodbuster.

There. I'm worn out on the subject.

Who would stop us from each ordering our own, then inscribing or burning or painting "2025 BF (unofficial)" on it? I may just do that.

I'm worn out, as well.

 

[FranklinG]

For something completely different, what about a Russell or Mini Russell lockback from Grohmann? It's a selfish suggestion because I've been meaning to pick one up.

mentioning tarrifs reminded me of another one that would be an interesting pick. I wonder if Grohmann knives would have theh ability of capacity to do a run of knives? Give Canada a time to shine.

Can I vote a second time for Grohmann?

 

[dsutton24]

I didn't see a memo myself, but somebody said it was pretty official that there wouldn't be a forum knife this year. Maybe he was catastrophizing.

I'd go for an Opinel, especially Rachel's #8 garden. The slim handle and spear blade make it special among Opinels already. As long as we're fantasizing, maybe we could source them from different countries to minimize tax complications.

Laguiole and Grohmann would be out of my personal comfort zone, but I'd stretch to a Case Crossroads Sodbuster.

There. I'm worn out on the subject.

This is all I've seen so far:

Post in thread 'BladeForums 2024 Traditional Knife'

May 7, 2025

Ok guys, I still have over 160 of these left and I'm just tired of having them around when I need to free up the money to do other things. So with that in mind, I'm dropping the price back down to the preorder price until these are gone - $250 shipped.

I'm not sure if we're going to do a 2025 run this year. Sorry, it is what it is.

• Spark

• 
• 
• 

 

[lambertiana]

I like the idea of a Laguiole or other French pattern as well. Personally, since traditional knives come in all shapes and from around the world, I see no compelling reason to insist on another GEC. Why not diversify and get something different, like a Grohmann slim, Laguiole or another French pattern, or even one of the Portuguese patterns that Jose shows? Granted, a lot of these options might not have quite the fit and finish of a GEC, but they won't come with a GEC price tag, either. And it would provide a broader view of the traditional world. It has been rather provincial so far.

Even a Case Crossroads would be interesting to me.

That being said, I may not have much skin in the game because my budget is significantly less than it used to be and I might not be able to participate anyway. But these are my thoughts on the subject.