Recommendation? Where to find traditionals when you haven't looked before

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xdoomsongx

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Mar 25, 2018
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59
Okay, long story less long. I'm too young to have any great memories of a traditional when I was a kid. Today while at a friend's family function I saw the most beautiful knife I think I've ever seen. I asked the gentleman what he had and he just responded with "that's my old sunfish". I started looking when I got home and found info on them, but can't seem to find anything that's not on fleabay. I did come across the GEC whaler #46, but couldn't find it in stock at my usual places. What's a good way to find a sunfish that isn't the obnoxious auction site? I am kicking myself for not just asking if I could take a look at it. It was probably the biggest traditional I've ever seen (I have larger hands than most) with what appeared to be amber jigged bone handles. I'm in love. Thanks for any help/thoughts.
 
I did some quick googling and found a couple options at polar ends of the price range. Rough Rider makes a sunfish that appears to run about $20. Might be a good place to start if you just want to pick one up and get a feel for the pattern and if it suits you or not.

On the other hand, there's a USA made Winchester Cartridge Series sunfish that lands in the $200+ range. ($240 for stag, $340 for mother of pearl).

It also looks like Frost Cutlery makes a sunfish, but I didn't follow any of those links.

All were available new at online dealers, but I don't want to mention any specific dealer sites in case they aren't forum sponsored.

So in summary, it looks like there are some options out there for the finding if you want to really delve into the interwebs.
 
I'll go ahead and follow this one in case anyone knows about an upcoming run of Sunfish, because I do love a Sunfish.

As far as recommendations, the only non-auction way I know of to snag a top quality Sunfish/elephant toenail/Whaler is to wait until there is a GEC Preorder. Historically Case made good ones, but I don't know if they will ever do them again. I actually managed to recently snag a second Whaler for a friend by following the Whaler thread and finding someone who was willing to part with one for a good price.

If you really just want to scratch the itch though, you can look at Rough Rider. They make some pretty inexpensive Sunfish. I haven't bought one, but I certainly thought about it on my multi year quest for my first Whaler.
 
Unless you have knife/gun shows in your area (which can have some pretty nice old knives at times) you will have to rely on the auction site to find knives, it's basically the biggest knife show around. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it stinks.

It's worth checking out any antique shops, flea markets and such for knives as well. Another source is contacting collectors themselves, they usually have the best knives.
 
I found a couple from rough rider. One has a zombie theme :rolleyes:, and the other is smaller, but I might have to check them out. That Winchester in mother of pearl is gorgeous, but man the sticker shock! I use my knives, so I would rather not spend lots of $, but for a quality user, I don't mind. We do have a gun show that comes by every few months, but it seems to be more about "tacticool" junk than anything else. Not many guns honestly, let alone knives.
 
I have a Smith and Wesson sunfish probably made by Camillus of yore. I think Levine says they were popular with rough carpenters and streetcar electricians.
 
I'm sure knifeswapper is on the supporting vendor list, but the link is broken to the actual list, so I'll be cautious. Try a search for "Weidmannsheil 2008 Genuine Stag Elk Toenail" and you might find something interesting ...
 
xdoomsongx said:
I found a couple from rough rider. One has a zombie theme :rolleyes:, and the other is smaller, but I might have to check them out. That Winchester in mother of pearl is gorgeous, but man the sticker shock! I use my knives, so I would rather not spend lots of $, but for a quality user, I don't mind. We do have a gun show that comes by every few months, but it seems to be more about "tacticool" junk than anything else. Not many guns honestly, let alone knives.
Click to expand...

I have the Rough Rider 'Zombie Nick' Sunfish (and the matching canoe) it is a good knife. No noticable gaps, great walk 'n talk, the pull on both blades is about a 6.
If you can find one, the Rough Rider "smooth tobacco bone" "Outdoorsman Series" is also a great knife, and a little bigger then the Zombie Nick, at 4.25" vs 4" closed. However, both carry well and don't print in your pocket.
I highly recommend them both.

As a matter of fact, I just remembered I have a new and unused second/backup Smooth Tobacco Bone Sunfish.
Add @gmail (dot) com to my user name and shoot me an email, and I'll send it to you on the first.

I had one of the small Rough Rider toenails. I would advise you to pass on those.
The pull on the main blade was around a 6, but the pull on the pen ... on that scale of 1 to 10, it was somewhere in the vicinity of 18 or 19. Pliers were required to open it, and even with the added leverage from the pliers, it was hard to open the pen blade.
Also, at 3" closed, I found it too small.
 
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TheChunk91 said:
Unless you have knife/gun shows in your area (which can have some pretty nice old knives at times) you will have to rely on the auction site to find knives, it's basically the biggest knife show around. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it stinks.

It's worth checking out any antique shops, flea markets and such for knives as well. Another source is contacting collectors themselves, they usually have the best knives.
Click to expand...
I agree with Paul... the bay can be a necessary evil especially when looking for a specific knife or pattern.

Online auctions ==> You take the good, you take the bad... you take 'em both and there you have; the facts of knife ;)
 
I came across the Marble's model on the bay. It can be surprisingly difficult to find what you are looking for when the pattern has so many different names. Fishhunter, email sent! Look forward to working something out with you. Is there a good book to help me understand value when I go around to antique malls and the like? I think this traditional thing might be contagious! I often help my uncle hit up antique places and flea markets to look for records he is after. I'll have to start asking about knives, and have some fun for me to.
 
I suggest trying a Rough Rider Sunfish, just to get one in hand. They're made really well for the price.
 
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