*Official 2018 BF Knive: Poll 1/8: 2 Blades (Jack), 2 Blades or 3 Blades

[skblades]

You are in Poll 1/8: 2 Blades vs 3 Blades

*I needed to restart the voting on this poll, my apologies. I had completely missed a pairing option that is quite needed. Thanks Jack Black !!!

Welcome to the polls for the 2018 Blade Forums Traditional Knife Build. The platform that we will be building this year is the Buck Knives 301 Stockman. This is the first time Buck has been chosen for this project and I'm excited for this process to start!

Once the final knife is chosen, we'll get into logistics for pre-orders, shipping, etc.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed, voted, moderated and participated! Thanks to Mike @knifeswapper as well for stepping into the ring. Without him, we would all still be in discussion limbo! I hope we can build something really special here.

We had an intense lunch meeting to figure out the best way to run the polls. I think these groupings of polls will work great in the order we have them set out.

Be sure to keep the groupings in mind as you vote. The groupings are set up to build on each other each round, and should not conflict with each other. What I mean is that options can be chosen simultaneously within a grouping and then set the foundation for the next grouping. Obviously, you want to know the bolster material before you choose scales/handles, but choosing the steel and the bolster material at the same time will not change the look of the knife, and can therefore be grouped.

PLEASE be sure to read the poll choices carefully as each choice can be packed with many options. You'll notice that especially in Poll 1/8.

I'm going to run 8 total polls grouped into 3 separate rounds each running from Tuesday to Monday for the next 3 weeks:

Round 1 (week 1):

Poll 1/8: 2 Blades vs 3 Blades 301 - Blade Types
Poll 2/8: Blade Steel LINK HERE
Poll 3/8: Bolsters LINK HERE

Samples of the blade option knives:


Round 2 (week 2):

Poll 4/8: Blade Grinds
Poll 5/8: Handle Materials
Poll 6/8: Long Pull vs Nail Nick

Round 3 (week 3):

Poll 7/8: Stamp
Poll 8/8: Medallion vs No Medallion


* I think it's fair to ask that if you have no interest in ordering a knife, please do not vote, but please do participate in the discussions!

 

[rswanson]

Bu-bu-but...I wanted a standard stockman. Not a jack. I will stick with 3 blades, tho I am certain it will be a jack landslide.

If course, the will of the community should dictate which knife is produced. Great job, skblades on being so accommodating and working to ensure the majority is served.

 

[btb01]

Bu-bu-but...I wanted a standard stockman. Not a jack. I will stick with 3 blades, tho I am certain it will be a jack landslide.

If course, the will of the community should dictate which knife is produced. Great job, skblades on being so accommodating and working to ensure the majority is served.

I don't know, it might work to the advantage of those who want three blades. If the vote for the two blade option ends up split between same and opposite end -- let's say, 30% vote for clip/sheepsfoot opposite end, 34% vote for clip/sheepsfoot same end and 36% vote for the 3-blade -- then the 3-blade could end up winning despite the fact that 64% wanted 2-blades.

Personally, I voted 2-blade, clip/sheepsfoot, same end. The suggestion of the two-blade same-end jack was the only thing that really got me on board with this Buck BF knife. Just my 2¢.

 

[afishhunter]

I voted 3 blades again this time.

I'll still get the knife, be it an two or three blade majority.

 

[rswanson]

I don't know, it might work to the advantage of those who want three blades. If the vote for the two blade option ends up split between same and opposite end -- let's say, 30% vote for clip/sheepsfoot opposite end, 34% vote for clip/sheepsfoot same end and 36% vote for the 3-blade -- then the 3-blade could end up winning despite the fact that 64% wanted 2-blades.

Personally, I voted 2-blade, clip/sheepsfoot, same end. The suggestion of the two-blade same-end jack was the only thing that really got me on board with this Buck BF knife. Just my 2¢.

Hadn't looked at it that way. I hope so. Anyway, this will be the exciting poll to watch. Not having participated in past forum knife polls, I'm having fun...so far.

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks again skblades , re-starting the poll was the best choice I think

 

[redsparrow]

Changed my vote to the 2 blade opposite end after looking closely at a 301

Opposite end blades is still Unique for a Buck 301
Even though I've wanted a Jack from Buck for years, without shortening the frame the existing 301 blades leave far to much empty space at one end of blade well to produce a proper jack.

edit due to changed vote

 

[skblades]

Thanks again skblades , re-starting the poll was the best choice I think

Agreed. Glad you caught this early with time to get it set straight!

 

[SadSappySucker]

Awh man, what happened to the spey and sheepsfoot option!?!?




Thanks a ton for your flexibility SK! I sure hope your business sees new customers because of this task you’ve taken on. You have went above and beyond to accommodate this group of fanatics.

 

[Sabercat]

Voted 2 blade sheep/clip SAME end

However, I will change my vote to 2 blade opposite end if needed to take the lead.

 

[joeradza]

As pointed out above I think this just splits the vote. I went for the 2 blade jack configuration. Thank you Steve for all the work you've put in and I hope we see something very special.

 

[skblades]

Awh man, what happened to the spey and sheepsfoot option!?!?




Thanks a ton for your flexibility SK! I sure hope your business sees new customers because of this task you’ve taken on. You have went above and beyond to accommodate this group of fanatics.

HAAA!! It was too ridiculous to put again. This poll feels much cleaner, now that I have heard the argument for both options. Happy campers is the plan.

 

[Ernie1980]

Even though it would be similar to a recent knife, I would like to see two blades on opposite ends!

 

[skblades]

As pointed out above I think this just splits the vote. I went for the 2 blade jack configuration. Thank you Steve for all the work you've put in and I hope we see something very special.

It may be the nature of the beast. Let's see how the voting shakes out. Maybe it will make sense to have both the 2 blade options go head to head if the margins are tight enough? We'll see what happens.

 

[Will Power]

Looking inside my 303 and 309 Bucks made me wonder about this same end Jack that people seem to want. Won't Buck have to put nicks on a different side of the Sheepfoot to accommodate this Jack formation? Will there be access problems if side by side nicks are used? Will this increase costs?

You look at a 309, it is opposite ends, looks very balanced, no krinked blades, no empty space inside the knife, no need for a wraparound spring that many Jacks cry out for.

Some people keep going on about the 15 knife was opposite ends so we need something new and different. Well, there have been Jack types before as Forum knives - 09, 11,12,13 . Jacks look and work best off a Swell End type pattern anyway whereas the Buck is an Equal End type.

I actually think this new poll could lead to confusion or lost votes for the Stockman!

Looking inside a Queen Cutlery No.2 Jack you see open wasted space under the secondary blade, this knife is also an EE Serp type Stockman frame. The Buck 309 looks a lot better with its opposite end blades from the inside, it's also as slim as some single-springs.

 

[Shurke]

Sticking with clip/sheepfoot for blade choice. I really prefer opposite ends, but I could be swayed to vote for the jack option if it looks like 3 full blades is going to take the lead.

Quick question on the jack option -- would the pulls be same side or opposite? If we have to go this route, I'd really like to have same side pulls.

 

[Jack Black]

I voted Clip and Sheepsfoot same end, and owe @supratentorial an apology for not noting he was the first to propose the pattern - sorry Jake

I'm not sure about splitting the 2-blade vote. My second choice wouldn't be an Equal End, not least because we had one, in the same configuration, just a few years ago. So my second choice would be a Stockman

 

[skblades]

Looking inside my 303 and 309 Bucks made me wonder about this same end Jack that people seem to want. Won't Buck have to put nicks on a different side of the Sheepfoot to accommodate this Jack formation? Will there be access problems if side by side nicks are used? Will this increase costs?

You look at a 309, it is opposite ends, looks very balanced, no kinked blades, no empty space inside the knife, no need for a wraparound spring that many Jacks cry out for.

Some people keep going on about the 15 knife was opposite ends so we need something new and different. Well, there have been Jack types before as Forum knives - 09, 11,12,13 . Jacks look and work best off a Swell End type pattern anyway whereas the Buck is an Equal End type.

I actually think this new poll could lead to confusion or lost votes for the Stockman!

Looking inside a Queen Cutlery No.2 Jack you see open wasted space under the secondary blade, this knife is also an EE Serp type Stockman frame. The Buck 309 looks a lot better with its opposite end blades from the inside, it's also as slim as some single-springs.

I tend to agree with the aesthetic points of your argument. I absolutely think it should be an opposite end knife if 2 blades are chosen (not to be opinionated or anything). At some point soon I'll have mockups done (Buck willing) of both options. If the knife is awful and unbalanced we may have to reassess.

In the mean time, the pull or nick can be moved to the opposite side, and it doesn't appear it will affect the cost.

 

[Jack Black]

I tend to agree with the aesthetic points of your argument. I absolutely think it should be an opposite end knife if 2 blades are chosen (not to be opinionated or anything). At some point soon I'll have mockups done (Buck willing) of both options. If the knife is awful and unbalanced we may have to reassess.

In the mean time, the pull or nick can be moved to the opposite side, and it doesn't appear it will affect the cost.

That would be really helpful Interesting to read yours and Will's perspectives

 

[Will Power]

Sticking with clip/sheepfoot for blade choice. I really prefer opposite ends, but I could be swayed to vote for the jack option if it looks like 3 full blades is going to take the lead.

Quick question on the jack option -- would the pulls be same side or opposite? If we have to go this route, I'd really like to have same side pulls.

If you have side by side nicks with a Clip/Sheepfoot arrangement it's likely to be difficult. Sheepfoot are wider than Pen blades so the Clip will have to ride very high I assume. Buck Stockman have very nice low riding Sheepfoot and I just think this Jack configuration will compromise that as well