- Joined
- Jan 12, 2018
- Messages
- 6
Today I stopped in at Olde Towne Cutlery in Cumming, GA. If you live anywhere nearby, or if you're visiting the area, I implore you to go. Fans of traditional knives (and anything else that cuts) will have plenty to take in. John walked me through the shop, and he couldn't have been nicer or more helpful.
He showed me the last of the Schatt & Morgan knives they had in stock. It's been a little over a year since Queen closed down, taking out the S&M label (possibly) for good. I admit, the news caused me little heartache at the time. Like many of you, I'm a slavish GEC devotee, and my only prior S&M purchase left me less than thrilled. It had gorgeous stag handles, and that keystone shield I love... but was this two-blade jack was a nail breaker? Is Engelbert Humperdinck is a weird name? You tell me. Let's not even talk about the canyon-sized gap on the underside of the knife. It sat in its box for a couple years before I resold it.
So I was surprised as heck when I left OTC with one of those final S&M productions in my pocket. The #55 stockman model--but featuring only one blade--in "honey root" jigged bone. I opened it once, thinking "Hey, this can't be right..." as it absolutely eased into and past the half stop with a satisfying snap. So I did it about 18 or 50 more times to make sure. I checked the f 'n' f as one does, and it was practically perfect. I had no choice but to buy it, right then and there.
I guess you can't judge a company by some of their worst work when you haven't really seen some of their best. Maybe I'll miss Queen after all, but it sure is nice to have a really fine example of what they could do when they got it right. This is gonna be my regular user for a long time. Obligatory knife-on-a-stump picture for your enjoyment.
He showed me the last of the Schatt & Morgan knives they had in stock. It's been a little over a year since Queen closed down, taking out the S&M label (possibly) for good. I admit, the news caused me little heartache at the time. Like many of you, I'm a slavish GEC devotee, and my only prior S&M purchase left me less than thrilled. It had gorgeous stag handles, and that keystone shield I love... but was this two-blade jack was a nail breaker? Is Engelbert Humperdinck is a weird name? You tell me. Let's not even talk about the canyon-sized gap on the underside of the knife. It sat in its box for a couple years before I resold it.
So I was surprised as heck when I left OTC with one of those final S&M productions in my pocket. The #55 stockman model--but featuring only one blade--in "honey root" jigged bone. I opened it once, thinking "Hey, this can't be right..." as it absolutely eased into and past the half stop with a satisfying snap. So I did it about 18 or 50 more times to make sure. I checked the f 'n' f as one does, and it was practically perfect. I had no choice but to buy it, right then and there.
I guess you can't judge a company by some of their worst work when you haven't really seen some of their best. Maybe I'll miss Queen after all, but it sure is nice to have a really fine example of what they could do when they got it right. This is gonna be my regular user for a long time. Obligatory knife-on-a-stump picture for your enjoyment.
