So, since I've been looking into traditional folders, I've absolutely fallen in love with the looks of the NorthWoods Fremont Jack with camel bone covers. Unfortunately it seems a bit out of my price range. Can anyone recommend a bargain alternative? And what would be the cheapest way to pick up the real deal? Does anyplace sell them new other than Knivesshipfree? Thanks for any input.
Poor Man's NWs Fremont Jack?
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eisman
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Bargain alternative: You can get a paring knife off A'zon for about $1.25. It won't fold, the handles are plastic, but the blades around 3" and has a point and an edge.
Cheapest way to get one: Find somebody who'll sell one cheap. It may take a while, but I've seen them on the auction site and in the Exchange.
Cheapest way to get one: Find somebody who'll sell one cheap. It may take a while, but I've seen them on the auction site and in the Exchange.
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I can't think of anything else off the top of my head that matches the Fremont's blade and handle combo. Keep an eye on the Exchange here at BF to see if any of them come up secondhand.
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If I were you I would just ask Derrick. He is a really nice guy and very honest.
Who is Derrick?
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Derrick is the owner and operator over at Knives Ship Free. He is also the person who had GEC and Queen cutlery make the Northwoods line for him. Although I think the Fremont Jack was made by GEC but I can't remember for sure. Regardless you get my point. You can contact him through his website or perhaps even on here.
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Picflow not working along with cashflow?! 
We all admire knives we can't afford all the time. Best not to get hung up on a knife out of your price range. Look around, you'll see lots of good affordable knives. Will they be a cheaper version of the knife you pine for? Almost certainly not. If you're after that particular knife, the only thing to do is look around for a used one, see if any 'seconds' are available, or save up your cash :thumbup:
We all admire knives we can't afford all the time. Best not to get hung up on a knife out of your price range. Look around, you'll see lots of good affordable knives. Will they be a cheaper version of the knife you pine for? Almost certainly not. If you're after that particular knife, the only thing to do is look around for a used one, see if any 'seconds' are available, or save up your cash :thumbup:
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Will Power
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The 'alternatives' are the GEC Viper or the 57 Half Whitt or 56 Hound's Tooth. But they are not going to be much cheaper as the Freemont is a GEC made knife anyway. Time to start saving as there are really no bargain alternatives.
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There really is no bargain alternative to a knife as unique as the Fremont Jack as others have stated. If that is what you really want then I would set out the plan and goals that can make it happen. That and watch the exchange although often the safe queens and light users go for almost as much as they did from KSF.
You can get a single wharncliffe blade on some GEC's such as a 47 Viper or 92 Talon. You can also get a Case Swayback Gent or Jack and they are fine knives but they are not very close in style to the Fremont Jack. You can get a GEC #79 Montana Workhorse or Workhorse Whittler that shares the same frame as the Fremont Jack but little else.
Philll suggested the Case Seahorse Whittler which definitely has some similarities, primarily the wharncliffe blade on the fat end, and alse costs about half of what the Fremont Jack runs. Bulldog Brand also has a seahorse style whittler called the Thor that is priced similarly to the Case Seahorse and GEC has the Geppetto whittler of similar style as willgoy mentioned. None of those are single blade knives though, all are and the Case and Bulldog Brand have stainless steel blades. Here is a photo of a Bulldog Brand Thor followed a Fremont Jack. I paid less than $50 for the Thor a couple of years ago.
You can get a single wharncliffe blade on some GEC's such as a 47 Viper or 92 Talon. You can also get a Case Swayback Gent or Jack and they are fine knives but they are not very close in style to the Fremont Jack. You can get a GEC #79 Montana Workhorse or Workhorse Whittler that shares the same frame as the Fremont Jack but little else.
Philll suggested the Case Seahorse Whittler which definitely has some similarities, primarily the wharncliffe blade on the fat end, and alse costs about half of what the Fremont Jack runs. Bulldog Brand also has a seahorse style whittler called the Thor that is priced similarly to the Case Seahorse and GEC has the Geppetto whittler of similar style as willgoy mentioned. None of those are single blade knives though, all are and the Case and Bulldog Brand have stainless steel blades. Here is a photo of a Bulldog Brand Thor followed a Fremont Jack. I paid less than $50 for the Thor a couple of years ago.
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I hate saying this almost as much as I hate hearing it, but save up for the real thing. I went on the same quest as you and never found one that ticked all the boxes like the fremont. Something about the "Wharn'sfoot /sheepscliff" blade shape with the heat treat finish that really spoke to me. Scored on on the exchange here and it's brought me over to the world of traditionals. I've since sold off most of my modern knives and have 2 traditionals on order and am on the list for a 3rd.
It's really a fantastic knife
20140710_163503 by mrbleh, on Flickr
20140708_083742 by mrbleh, on Flickr
20140618_102512 by mrbleh, on Flickr
20141003_161132 by mrbleh, on Flickr
It's really a fantastic knife
20140710_163503 by mrbleh, on Flickr20140708_083742 by mrbleh, on Flickr20140618_102512 by mrbleh, on Flickr20141003_161132 by mrbleh, on Flickr