My first user slipjoints

F

Franciscomv

Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
2,876
If we don't count SAKs, I've never EDCed a slipjoint. I use SAKs as backups and the three slipjoints I owned before friday (two Bökers with very bad stainless blades and a nice Laguiole) have never been able to get a spot in my EDC rotation.

Last week I saw a Case display at a local knife shop, Case knives are VERY rare down here in Argentina, most people (even knife people) have never heard about them. I fell in love with the nice looking handles and the shiny bolsters and bought a trapper and a stockman in stainless steel for myself and a CV trapper for my dad (he wanted a carbon steel folder for father's day).

I really like both knives, and while the stainless steel used by case is no match for S30V or 154CM I don't miss any of my tacticals at all.
 
I like my tacticals but the slipjoints have been taking over my edc rotation of late. they just work so good. later, ahgar
 
I know what you mean about things common somewhere but unknown elsewhere, like I've been looking for good mates in Mexico for years (for English speakers: gourds for drinking the "yerba mate" tea), all we get over here once in a while are the beginner kits from Taragüí, not bad really, just simple and plain, and even the salespeople who carry them don't know much about them, they call them "pocito" or "matera", luckily yerba mate is not too hard to find.

Regarding knives, I've been carrying a Schrade stockman and a SAK since the 60's. Case is also unknown here, we do get Böker from both Argentina and Germany, some are quite good IMHO but on the expensive side.

Enjoy your knife.

Luis


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Don Luis said:
I know what you mean about things common somewhere but unknown elsewhere, like I've been looking for good mates in Mexico for years (for English speakers: gourds for drinking the "yerba mate" tea), all we get over here once in a while are the beginner kits from Taragüí, not bad really, just simple and plain, and even the salespeople who carry them don't know much about them, they call them "pocito" or "matera", luckily yerba mate is not too hard to find.

Regarding knives, I've been carrying a Schrade stockman and a SAK since the 60's. Case is also unknown here, we do get Böker from both Argentina and Germany, some are quite good IMHO but on the expensive side.

Enjoy your knife.
Luis
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Muy Buenas Tardes, Don Luis

Are any folding knives manufactured in Mexico? I've seen many of the fixed blades for sale on e-bay--you know they are usually the ones made for the tourists with a saying in Spanish on the blade--but I don't think I've ever seen a folding knife that was made in Mexico.

You would think that with the large cattle industry that Mexico has that there would be an industry for folding knives. I'm curious-- What kind of knives do the vaqueros carry? Are fixed blades of folders more common?
 
There have been folding knives made in Mexico, mostly simple carbon blades with plastic handles in traditional patterns like stockman or pen, I remember seeing some cheap automatics also. Some were made for export to the USA, There was recently a thread in the Schrade Collectors forum about some of these, truth is I haven't seen one in many many years.

As a kid I lived in rural Veracruz and I remember most everyone carrying a knife, cheap folders were common as were simple carbon fixed blades with wood handles, the fixed blade that you mention usually a "Mexican Bowie" pattern with acid etching, forged from automotive springs is sometimes seen but really not such a practical design, machetes are of course very common, I have several at home myself and I remember using them for cutting grass and such in my younger days. Occasionally I could see a fancy German folder with stag handles, my grandmother used to carry one.

Lately I have seen lots of SAKs and their clones and Cheap folders from the Orient, as mentioned before Böker is still around but expensive and so not so common, my father in law used to work maintaining industrial equipment at a cattle (milk) ranch, he had a Schrade stockman and would wear down SAKs much too fast, he carried Aitor SAK clone also and was fond of the typical Electrician slipjoint pattern.

Picture:

On the right a typical utility fixed blade (knot on handle by me).

On the left:

The first three knives belonged to my father in law, they are: a Schrade stockman, an Aitor SAK clone and a Colonial Electrician.

Next is a Kershaw lockback from the mid 70's that my mother used to carry in her purse.

Next is a German made melon tester that I bought at a hardware store in Queretaro around 1975, typical of what was around then.

Finally a cheap "Pastor Aleman" SAK clone very common years ago but now disappeared, probably made in Eastern Europe.

Luis


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No mates? Man, that's hard! If you need one, just let me know and I'll have a decent Argentine gourd on its way to you.

It's interesting to see the similarities in knife supply between Mexico and Argentina. I thought you guys got more US knives. Bökers are overpriced here as well, they wanted $200 (American dollars) for a scout knife.
 
Thanks for the offer for the gourd, I'm actually OK with what I have, I just wish I could find one with a nice decorated rim and a base for stability, I'll keep looking.

$200 US for a scout, that's about the same as over here, not too long ago I bought a Böker carbon whittler with wood handles for about $60 US, it's a nice one, a stockman with stag handles in 440C steel was about $100 US a few weeks ago, I am a big stockman fan but being retired now and living off my pension (low budget) I had to let it go.

Luis
 
I really like the stockman pattern for EDC as well, the small blades (specially the sheepfoot) really come in handy.

I've had HORRIBLE luck with 440C Böker slipjoints, they just wouldn't take an edge and were twice as expensive as Case slippies which got shaving sharp with just a few seconds on a stone.
 
What am I missing with everyone all of a sudden spelling Boker with a "?" Instead of an "o"; i.e. B?ker??????:confused: :confused: :confused:
 
waynorth said:
What am I missing with everyone all of a sudden spelling Boker with a "?" Instead of an "o"; i.e. B?ker??????:confused: :confused: :confused:
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Haha...
Your computer is misinterpreting an o with oomlats for a ?. Some accented letters don't come off correctly.
 
He he, maybe we could spell it Boeker...

Here's my old Boker hunter in 440C, it's about 30 years old, yes I guess it is somewhat harder to sharpen than others but mine takes and holds a good edge, the whittler in carbon just below it is the one I mentioned before, sharpens easy and takes a great edge, it is less than a year old.

I have included my old bombilla just for show, my mother traveled to South America in 1974 and brought this one back along with some yerba and a wood mate, the mate cracked very soon but got me started.

Luis


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