Queen D2 slipjoints

[desmobob]

I just purchased a new Queen Utility Pen knife #11 in D2 for less than $25. Fit and finish is OK, but not excellent. I had to work on the edge for quite a while with my Sharpmaker (don't have the diamond rods yet; they're on the way) to get the blade acceptably sharp. But now that it's sharp, the knife is starting to grow on me.

At first, I wasn't too crazy about the way it looks when folded. Part of the base of the blade --where the blade stops against the back of the knife-- sticks out past the handle when the blade is folded. It presents a fairly sharp exposed angled edge.

But this little bit of ugliness disappears when the knife is open. It's slender, sleek and comfortable. I think I'll get a lot of use out of this knife hunting and fishing.

This is my first D2 blade and I'm anxious to see how I like it after some use. If I like it a lot, I may have to pick up a Queen D2 stockman and retire my ol' Schrade....

Any comments on the Queen D2 slipjoints?

Take it easy,
Bob

 

[markd1]

I bought a new queen D2 stockman, and I was a little disappointed with the fit and finish as well. The stops had some "production marks" on them and the 1/2 stops are kinda iffy. I don't have any decent diamond hones and I'm having a heck of a time trying to get an edge on it. I did manage to cut myself though
I do like the knife though, and once I get an edge I like, I think that it will stay there and be easier to touch up.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Have some older queens I love em, actually I started collecting the older winterbottom bone patterns I think the're kinda neat lookin'

 

[PhilL]

All this time I was thinking that Queen is a step up from Case, is that not true?

 

[Easyrider]

Originally posted by PhilL
All this time I was thinking that Queen is a step up from Case, is that not true?

Good question! I also want to know what is the concensus concerning high end production slipjoints. Do they exist and what companies are considered high end production slipjoints?

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I'm sure some of the other slip joint collectors will agree, the best slips were made in early part of the 1900's by companies like Roebson, Cattaraugus, LF&C,Miller Bros.,Remington, Schrade, Queen, and Case. Back than the knife industry was comprised of a lot of Immigrated cutlers from England and Germany, these knive were essentially handmade, as opposed to hand finished. Picture Men laying on their stomachs over huge water powered sharpening stones, they didn't assemble 1000's of knives a day like now, they were made basically 1 at a time, these guys were master craftsman.

The best part of all, this industry was born in the North East, Little Valley NY, Bradford PAKane PA, Walden NY.

As far as todays mnfgr's, there ain't many to choose from, but here's a list of custom makers to keep you all busy for a while.

While I'd love to give credit to the person who compiled this list, unfortunately I lost that info, but it was current as of 3/12/03, enjoy.

Jack Barrett
2133 Peach Orchard Road
Augusta, GA 30906
patterns: single blade - three models
notes: part-time maker; uses ATS-34 steel and only natural handle materials;
############

Lothar Berg
37 Hillcrest Lane
Kitchener Ontario Canada
N2K 159
ph: 519-745-3260
############

Larry H. Beverly II
P.O. Box 741
Spotsylvania, VA 22553
ph: 540-898-3951
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1986
############

Robert Wayne Blasingame
2906 Swanson Lane
Kilgore, TX 75662
ph: 903-984-8144
############

Philip W. Booth
301 S. Jeffery Ave
Ithaca, MI 48847
ph: 517-875-2844
info@philipbooth.com
http://www.philipbooth.com/
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1991
############

Tony Bose
7252 N. County Rd. 300 E
Shelburn, IN 47879-9778
ph: 812-397-5114
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1975
############

Reese Bose
############

Dennis Bradley
Rt. 3, Box 3815
Blairsville, GA 30512
ph: 706-745-4364
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1973
############

Bailey Bradshaw
17800 Dickerson Street Ste. 112
Dallas, TX 75252
ph: 214-755-9832
bailey@bradshawcutlery.com
http://www.bradshawcutlery.com/
notes: ABS Mastersmith
############

Dan Burke
22001 Ole Barn Road
Edmond, OK 73034
ph: 405-341-3406
fax: 405-340-3333
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1976
############

Joel Chamblin
296 Hebron Church Road
Concord, GA 30206
ph: 770-884 9055
fax: 770-884-9292
ccknives@accessunited.com
http://www.chamblinknives.com/
notes: full-time maker since 1991;
############

Jerry D. Collett
P.O. Box 296
Charlotte, TX 78011
ph: 210-277-1468
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1989
############

George Copeland
Star Route, Box #36
Alpine, TN 38543
ph: 615-823-5214
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1979
############

Jim Corrado
2915 Cavitt Creek Rd.
Glide, OR 97443
ph: 503-496-3951
fax: 503-496-3595
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1974; forges his own damascus;
############

Don Corwin
5064 Eber Rd.
Monclova, OH 43542
ph: 419-877-5210
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1987
############

Ray Cover Sr
Rt. 1, Box 194
Mineral Point, MO 63660
ph: 573-749-3783
############

Chris Crawford
3448 Woodland Dr.
Belden, MS 38826
ph: 662-680-9451
chris_crawford@yahoo.com
http://www.chriscrawford.com/knives/
notes: part-time maker - made first knife Feb 2001
############

Al Crenshaw
Rt. 1 Box 717
Eufaula, OK 74432
ph: 918-452-2128
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1981
############

Gary Crowder
notes: part-time maker
############

Barry Davis
4262 U.S. Rt. 20,
Castleton, NY 12033
ph: 518-477-5036
############

Terry Davis
Box 111
Sumpter, OR 97877
ph: 503-894-2307
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1985
############

Dwayne Dushane
1010 N.W. 2nd
Andrews, TX 79714
ph: 915-523-6689
ddushane@cox.net
http://members.cox.net/ddushane/
notes: full-time maker since 1995;
############

R.O. "Russ" Easler
P.O. Box 301
Woodruff, SC 29388
ph: 864-476-7830
fax: 864-476-3940
notes: full-time maker
############

R. Van Elkins
P.O. Box 156
Bonita, LA 71223
ph: 318-823-2124
notes: forges own Damascus - 01 and 5160; sold first knife 1984
############

Kaj Embretsen
Faluvägen 67
S-828 30 Edsbyn
Sweden
ph: +46-271-21057
fax: (46) 271.22961
mobile: +46 70 310 40 54
kay.embretsen@telia.com
http://w1.271.telia.com/~u27104667/
notes: full-time maker since 1983; forges his own Damascus
############

Billy Foster
610 Boy Scout Road
Vicksburg, MS 39183
ph: 601-638-0404
notes: uses ATS-34, 440C, and O1 steels;
############

John R. Fraps
Cougar Creek Knives
3810 Wyandotte Trail
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3422
ph: 317-849-9419
fax: 317-842-2224
jfraps@att.net
http://www.BladeGallery.com/Fraps
patterns: 1 & 2 blade congress, single blade jack, small single blade penknife, muskrat, ....
notes:
############

Tomonari Hamada
Japan
############

Don Hanson III
P.O. Box 13
Success, MO 65570-0013
ph: 573-674-3045
notes: forges, makes own damascus
############

Yoshiaki Hattori
Japan
############

Harumi Hirayama
4-5-13 Kitamachi
Warabi City, Saitama-Ken
JAPAN 335-0001
ph: 048-443-2248
fax: 048-443-2248
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/harumi/knives
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1985
############

Steve Hoel
P.O. Box 283
Pine, AZ 85544
ph: 520-476-4278
notes: full-time maker
############

J. B. Hodge
1100 Woodmont Ave. SE
Huntsville, AL 35801
ph: 205-536-8388
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1978; not currently taking orders;
############

John H. Holland
143 Green Meadow Lane
Calhoun, GA 30701
ph: 706-629-9622
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1988
############

Jess Horn
87481 Rhodowood Dr
Florence, OR 97439
ph: 541-997-2593
fax: 541-997-4550
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1968
############

John C. Howser
54 Bell Lane
Frankfort, KY 40601
ph: 502-875-3678
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1974
############

Tony Huffman
1013 Mockingbird
Stephenville, TX 76401
ph: 254-968-3899
thuffman@texinet.net
http://www.tonyhuffmanknives.homestead.com/
notes: part-time maker;
############

Roy Humenick
P.O Box 55
Rescue,CA 95672
############

Bob Jones
6219 Aztec Road NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
ph: 505-881-4472
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1960; does not use stainless for blades;
############

Ryuichi Kawamura
Japan
ryu-k@gc4.so-net.ne.jp
http://www11.u-page.so-net.ne.jp/gc4/ryu-k/top.html
############

Joe Kious
1015 Ridge Pointe Rd
Kerrville, TX 78028
ph: 830-367-2277
############

R.C. Knipstein
731 N. Fielder
Arlington, TX 76012
ph: 817-265-2021
############

Ed Kramp
notes: part-time maker
############

Yasushi Kubota
Japan
############

Paul Lebatard
14700 Old River Rd
Vancleave, MS 39564
ph: 601-826-4137
############

James Lott
Custom Maker/Repairman
c/o Alpine Forge
10 Valley
Avon, NY 14414
ph: 716-329-2685
jlott@twocraftsman.com
http://www.twocraftsman.com/
notes: part-time maker; full time knife repairman/customizer
############

Claude Montjoy
Rt. 2, Box 470-C
Clinton, SC 29325
ph: 803-697-6160
notes: full-time maker; first knife made in 1983
############

James B. Moore
1707 N. Gillis
Ft. Stockton, TX 79735
ph: 915-336-2113
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1972
############

Ted Moore
340 East Willow Street,
Elizabethtown, PA 17022-1946
ph: 717-367-3939
############

Don Morrow
P.O. Box 79
Helotes, TX 78023
ph: 210-695-2270
don@morrowknives.com
http://www.morrowknives.com/
notes: full-time maker
############

Jack Mosher
############

Paul Myers
614 W. Airwood Dr.
E. Alton, IL 62024
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1974
############

Dan Nedved
206 Park Drive
Kalispell, MT 59901
ph: 406-752-5060
############

Rick Nowland
3677 E. Bonnie Road
Waltonville, IL 62894
ph: 618-279-3170
ricknowland@waltonville.net
notes: began making knives in 1986; forges his own Damascus and mokume
############

Hiroaki Ohta
Japan
ph: 03-5748-0771
fax: 03-5748-0771
ohtaknives@nifty.com
http://homepage2.nifty.com/ohtaknives/
############

Rod Olson
110 3rd. Ave. NE
High River AB
CANADA T1V 1L9 (P)hone - (F)ax
ph: 403-652-2744
fax: 403-652-3061
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1979.
############

Warren Osborne
215 Edgefield
Waxahachie, TX 75165
ph: 972-935-0899
ossie1@worldnet.att
############

Lowell R. Oyster
543 Grant Road
Corinth, ME 04427
patterns: various, including multiblade
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1981; uses O1 steel; $1.00 for brochure
############

H.K. Parker
############

Richard Plunkett
29 Kirk Rd.
West Cornwall, CT 06796
ph: 860-672-3419
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1994
############

Clifton Polk
4625 Webber Creek Rd.
Van Buren, AR 72956
ph: 501-474-3828
notes: full-time maker
############

Paul Reynolds
300 Brookside Drive
McDonough GA 30253
678-432-8207
paul@pbknife.com
http://www.pbknife.com/
############

Richard Rogers
P.O. Box 769
Magdalena, NM 87825
ph: 505-854-2567
fax: 505-854-2567
rsrogers@gilanet.com
notes: full-time maker; not currently taking orders, but can get on his waiting list;
############

Bill Ruple
P.O. Box 370
Charlotte, TX 78011
ph: 830-277-1371
bill@rupleknives.com
bknives@devtex.net
http://www.rupleknives.com/
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1988
############

Lynn Sampson
381 Deakins Rd
Jonesborough, TN 37659
ph: 423-348-8373
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1982
############

Ernie Self
950 O'Neill Ranch Rd
Dripping Springs, TX 78620-9760
ph: 512-858-7133
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1982
############

Eugene "Gene" Shadley
26315 Norway Drive
Bovey, MN 55709-1639
ph: 218-245-3820
fax: 218-245-1639
bses@uslink.net
notes: full-time maker;
############

Stan Shaw
http://www.littlemesters.com/stan_shaw_master_cutler.htm
notes: one of the last (if not *the* last) Sheffield master cutler still working
############

Toshiaki Shikayama
259-2 Suka Yoshikawa Machi
Kitakatsushika
Satiama
JAPAN
ph: 04-89-81-6605
fax: 04-89-81-6605
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1952
############

Bob Sims
P.O. Box 772
Meridian, TX 76665
ph: 817-435-6240
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1975
############

Bill Simons
6217 Michael Lane
Lakeland, FL 33811
ph: 863-646-3783
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1970
############

Michael J. Skellern
P.O. Box 323
Munster 4278
South Africa
ph: +27 3931 92537
skellern@venturenet.co.za
http://www.kgsa.co.za/memberpages/MikePage.htm
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1985
############

John M. Smith
3450 E. Beguelin Rd
Centralia, IL 62801
ph: 618-249-6444
jknife@accessus.net
############

Raymond L. Smith
Box 370
Breesport, NY 14816
ph: 607-739-3126
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1991
############

Murray Sterling
693 Round Peak Church Road
Mount Airy, NC 27030-8465
ph: 336-352-5110
fax: 336-352-5105
info@sterlingcustomknives.com
sterck@surry.net
http://www.sterlingcustomknives.com/
notes: full-time maker since 1991;
############

W. B. "Bill" Stoddart
917 Smiley
Forest Park, OH 45240
ph: 513-851-1543
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1976
############

David Taylor
232 Akard St.
Bristol, TN 37620
ph: 423-764-3811
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1981;
############

C. Tenney
Geneva, OH
############

L.J. Thompson
1735 Leon Drive
Forest Grove, OR 97116
ph: 503-357-2573
l-sthompson@prodigy.net
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1976
############

P.J. Tomes
594 High Peak Lane
Shipman, VA 22971
ph: 804-263-8662
fax: 804-263-4439
tomesknives@aol.com
############

Arthur Washburn
Dept. BL
P.O. Box 625
Pioche, NV 89043
ph: 702-962-5463
knifeman@lcturbonet.com
http://adw.go-gbs.com/
############

Billy Watson
440 Forge Road
Deatsville, AL 36022
ph: 334-365-1482
billysblacksmith@mindspring.com
billy@watsonknives.com
http://www.watsonknives.com/
patterns: various - historically based
notes: forges own damascus; $3.00 for brochure; uses carbon steels
############

Wally Watts
Rt 1 Box 81
Gatesville, TX 76528
ph: 254-487-2866
notes: full-time maker
############

Pat West
P.O. Box 9
Charlotte, TX 78011
ph: 210-277-1290
notes: part-time maker - sold first knife 1984
############

Ken Woosley
46 Jean Court
Winchester, KY 40391-1628
ph: 606-744-4358
############

Michael F. Zima
732 State Street
Fort Morgan, CO 80701
ph: 970-867-6078
mike@zimaknives.com
http://www.zimaknives.com/
notes: full-time maker - sold first knife 1982

 

[PhilL]

T. thanks for posting that great list of custom makers, I've got it saved. Although I do have plans for a couple of custom slipjoints I'll probably be buying more production than custom.

I still thought Queen's current production knives were supposed to be pretty good. Are you saying that we can only get quality slipjoints as customs or old production knives?

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I cut my collecting teeth on slipjoints 20 years ago, they were all users, I never got into patterns, or scale material, I just collected what I liked, mostly pens, stockmans, jacks, and whittlers. If it looked nice and I could afford it I'd buy it.

Back in the day Case was being sold over and over, the quality was low, the fit and finish was poor, Boker was the knife to buy, they had all the traditional patterns, and their quality was top notch.

Buck still made a lot of nice slips, as well as SCHRADE/Uncle Henry.

I remember reading about how to spot a quality slip in an article written by Mr. Levine, look at the backspring , a good knife has a tight fit here, when you hold it up to a strong light very little if any light would shine through. This would show that the scales and blade tangs were lapped flat and square. The backspring would be flush, with the blades open or closed,(a side note on knives with blades on opposite ends, on a common backspring never open both bades at the same time as this will putexcessive and uneeded force on the spring and will cause premature failure of the spring causing loss of walk and talk). Blades should be centered, and open and close smoothly through the entire range of rotation, multiple blades should nestle with out rubbing each other or the liners. Also the kick should be high enough that the edge of the blade/blades don't rub or touch the back spring, and low enough so that the tip of the blade stays below the liner,and scales. All edges should be smooth to touch with no sharp corners, Blades should be defect free with a reasonably out of the box sharp edge.

More time was spent making the older knives which is why I tend to collect older slip joints, some need a real good cleaning to make them look really nice, and a little TLC to return an heirloom piece to it's place of honor,(that would be in my pocket).

The older steels seemed to take a sharper edge, and many of them were forged blades, some even edge packed.

The only problems I've ever encountered with the older knives was most were not stainlees blades so they discolored, and most due to age were abused by their previous owner.

Yet the joy encountered when finding an old Cammillus Equal End Jack with micarta scales, and old Roebson with stag handles, even an old 60 or 70 years old Case Cokebottle Jack.

I look at my collection of slips, most 40 years old or older as history, most examples of these knives in perfect condition don't exist because they were users, meant to work and used to the point of destruction, alas things were different back than, all little boys(and some little girls) carried a knife in their pockets, to school and out to play.

Who knows, maybe with less kids destroying knive anymore, the quality examples of the Cutlers Trade will start to find it's way into the collectors pockets where they will get the TLC they need to be around for another 100 years.

(Damn did all that come outa my head?)

 

[shootist16]

What do you guys think of Schatt & Morgan? I believe they are affiliated with Queen, but maybe a step up?

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Made by the same people I haven't had the opportunity to handle a new one, the older ones tended to be fancier with more care taken in fit and finish.

The new ones supposedly are a notch up from the Queens, but than if you look at the Queen jigged pearl handled knives, you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer knife with pearl for the money.

Photo from Knifecenter:

Click here for more samples