- Joined
- May 26, 2011
- Messages
- 704
I frequent a site that promotes them and they seem like good knives, but I rarely hear anything about them on here.
Whats the word?
Whats the word?
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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Northwoods knives
- Thread starter Blade_Crazy
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2012
- Messages
- 8,032
Northwood's knives are excellent in my opinion, you're talking about knives ship free I assume? I own a Madison Barlow in Autumn Gold Jigged Bone, the fit and finish is perfect, strong pull, good snap, the jigging is gorgeous, etc. These were made by GEC I believe. I hope to own several more. 
Here's a thread about the particular model, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1122181-44-Northwoods-barlow
Kirby
Here's a thread about the particular model, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1122181-44-Northwoods-barlow
Kirby
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2013
- Messages
- 804
You won't be disappointed in a northwoods! Quality is top notch in every aspect and KSF is a great place to deal with! I picked up a burnside jack and couldn't be happier! Now I just have to figure out what the next one to buy is!
Hi and thanks for asking. Northwoods is a brand going back probably about 15 years. It was started by Dave Shirley in Gladstone Michigan.
Dave had a knife shop where he had a guy who made fixed blade knives for their brand. And he had pocket knives made for him by Queen. He always claimed he did a bunch of the stuff himself on the pocket knives, but he didn't really. He just didn't want anyone to know they were a queen.
About 4 or 5 years ago, Dave got really sick with cancer. He called me up and asked if I would be interested in Scagel (another brand) and Northwoods. He wanted to see his legacy go on in these knives. So I bought the brands and all of his old stock.
Since that time, we have had both Queen and Great Eastern make Northwoods knives for us.
My philosophy is that I want to make knives that are different. I want them to be solid working knives, interesting designs, different blade configurations, premium covers, etc.
They are not perfect knives, but they are the best pocket knives I know how to make (really I just do the specs and have them made).
KnivesShipFree is the only place to buy the new stuff. Dave used to sell to dealers, and I will one day too, but right now I am just so stinking busy doing what I do that I haven't gone out to sell them. KnivesShipFree is my baby and I work hard to make sure it is a great place to buy knives.
Thanks for asking. I am sure others will chime in with pics, etc. I am at the SHOT show and don't have any knives to shoot pics of. I'll try to throw one up a bit later when I can get to my computer.
Dave had a knife shop where he had a guy who made fixed blade knives for their brand. And he had pocket knives made for him by Queen. He always claimed he did a bunch of the stuff himself on the pocket knives, but he didn't really. He just didn't want anyone to know they were a queen.
About 4 or 5 years ago, Dave got really sick with cancer. He called me up and asked if I would be interested in Scagel (another brand) and Northwoods. He wanted to see his legacy go on in these knives. So I bought the brands and all of his old stock.
Since that time, we have had both Queen and Great Eastern make Northwoods knives for us.
My philosophy is that I want to make knives that are different. I want them to be solid working knives, interesting designs, different blade configurations, premium covers, etc.
They are not perfect knives, but they are the best pocket knives I know how to make (really I just do the specs and have them made).
KnivesShipFree is the only place to buy the new stuff. Dave used to sell to dealers, and I will one day too, but right now I am just so stinking busy doing what I do that I haven't gone out to sell them. KnivesShipFree is my baby and I work hard to make sure it is a great place to buy knives.
Thanks for asking. I am sure others will chime in with pics, etc. I am at the SHOT show and don't have any knives to shoot pics of. I'll try to throw one up a bit later when I can get to my computer.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2006
- Messages
- 2,090
Really nice knives! Steven
No offense to the current owner, but I don't care for the folder style. Clunky-looking and artificially 'rustic'. They do seem to be popular though, and the quality is generally regarded as excellent by forum members.
I am, however, a fan of their fixed blade knives. They did an excellent bird-and-trout pattern and some really nice dropped point hunters in the past. Seems like most of their fixed blades now are upswept skinning knives, of which I don't really care for the style.
Here's one of their nice older ones from my collection:
I am, however, a fan of their fixed blade knives. They did an excellent bird-and-trout pattern and some really nice dropped point hunters in the past. Seems like most of their fixed blades now are upswept skinning knives, of which I don't really care for the style.
Here's one of their nice older ones from my collection:
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2010
- Messages
- 226
Got a total of three; a bullet Jack, a Forrest Jack and a Madisson Barlow. The Bullet and Barlow are sharing time in my left pocket for what I see will be a very very long time. The Forrest Jack is on it's way to a friend where it will receive, I hope, more love than I could give it. Not because of any lack on the part of that blade, mind you. More due to an over abundance of sharp things.
Even with that one going out, for purely mundane reasons, I'm still eyeing a Freemont. Norhwoods are, by far, some of the best conceived and realized traditionals I've seen and used, bar some customs.
Of course, the excellent service I always received from Derrick and crew at KSF might make my judgments a little more prone to be positive.
Just try it.
Even with that one going out, for purely mundane reasons, I'm still eyeing a Freemont. Norhwoods are, by far, some of the best conceived and realized traditionals I've seen and used, bar some customs.
Of course, the excellent service I always received from Derrick and crew at KSF might make my judgments a little more prone to be positive.
Just try it.
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2012
- Messages
- 704
Being the proud owner of several Northwoods knives under your guidance Derrick, I have to say that Dave's legacy is assured. QUALITY knives, and your instincts and taste are outstanding.
Cheers Derrick!
~Jim
Cheers Derrick!
~Jim
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2010
- Messages
- 1,447
I love your leather work!
I dont own any, but, how can you go wrong with a Mammoth Norfolk Whittler? (GEC #31):
I dont own any, but, how can you go wrong with a Mammoth Norfolk Whittler? (GEC #31):
I love your leather work!
I dont own any, but, how can you go wrong with a Mammoth Norfolk Whittler? (GEC #31):
That is a real beauty.
As to the fixed blades...we had to choose how to take the line and I didn't have the skills to drive the fixed blades like Dave did, but I knew how to pursue the folders.
No worries on not liking the current lineup. Everyone has different taste. The Madison and Norfolk are far from clunky. Take a look at those.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
- Messages
- 19,385
Derrick has done a very nice job of having knives made (by Primo manufacturers) that folks like a lot and the quality has been excellent. Don't hesitate to purchase one if the pattern appeals to you.
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2011
- Messages
- 244
I love them and have bought a couple. I carry a Fremont Mammoth Ivory every day. (I do think that the new whittler is really over priced though. GEC has some whittlers that are far cheaper)
It is the most expensive knife we've ever had, that is for sure.
tonystl
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2012
- Messages
- 3,174
I'm really enjoying my two Madison Barlows. Northwoods knives is coming out with some really exciting knife patterns and interesting handle materials.
I also enjoy the leather pocket sheath that all the new models arrive in. It's a nice change of pace from a simple box (or even tube). I've said this before, but I think a lot of other makers could learn something from the Northwoods presentation. It's nice when you drop a good amount of money on a knife to have it arrive in something other than a plastic bag and styrofoam peanuts.
I also enjoy the leather pocket sheath that all the new models arrive in. It's a nice change of pace from a simple box (or even tube). I've said this before, but I think a lot of other makers could learn something from the Northwoods presentation. It's nice when you drop a good amount of money on a knife to have it arrive in something other than a plastic bag and styrofoam peanuts.
I have a Northwoods Mini Moose with ebony covers. It looks to be a Queen serpentine design. Pretty nice little pen knife. Nice enough that it made it into my pocket again this morning.
A pointy, turkish clip blade paired with a wharncliffe blade of roughly equal length. The only two minor, and i do mean minor, defects are that it has a bit of a gap between the backspring and scales and that the backspring on the clip side sits just short of flush in the closed position. Keep in mind I'm being critical by even mentioning them. The gap is so small you can just barely see light through it and the spring is off of flush by such a small margin that you can only tell by dragging your finger across the back of the knife. Your standard knife owner, meaning people who do not frequent knife related online forums, would likely call this knife perfect. The convex ATS-43 blades are nicely done, walk and talk is spot on, pull is perfect for a pen knife... etc.
This is my only Northwoods so far but based on this example, Derrick (and by proxy Queen and GEC) is doing a good job on them. The Northwoods available on KSF look to be interesting knives I'm just not in the need for any more sharp pointy things at the time-being. That being said, that Norfolk whittler sure is tempting.
A pointy, turkish clip blade paired with a wharncliffe blade of roughly equal length. The only two minor, and i do mean minor, defects are that it has a bit of a gap between the backspring and scales and that the backspring on the clip side sits just short of flush in the closed position. Keep in mind I'm being critical by even mentioning them. The gap is so small you can just barely see light through it and the spring is off of flush by such a small margin that you can only tell by dragging your finger across the back of the knife. Your standard knife owner, meaning people who do not frequent knife related online forums, would likely call this knife perfect. The convex ATS-43 blades are nicely done, walk and talk is spot on, pull is perfect for a pen knife... etc.
This is my only Northwoods so far but based on this example, Derrick (and by proxy Queen and GEC) is doing a good job on them. The Northwoods available on KSF look to be interesting knives I'm just not in the need for any more sharp pointy things at the time-being. That being said, that Norfolk whittler sure is tempting.
You are correct. That was the last Queen we did. We have another run of the Indian River Jacks upcoming. I signed that deal at SHOT. I am impressed with the quality Queen is putting out.