opinions about jackknives

[Jmora]

I've been looking at traditional jackknives, with one large main blade and a smaller pen blade. In this one category there a whole universe of different models, from many different knife making traditions. To my mind, the pen blade seems to leave a large amount of empty space in the liner, you could either fit a larger blade in, or make the pen blade spring support another blade or awl at the other end, instead the extra space accumulates dust. This design seems inefficient to me, but I was just wondering what others think, if there is some design advantage that this pattern has that I can't see. or if there is an explanation to be found in the history of the usage of jackknives.

[AimlessWanderer]

Do you mean like a Barlow pattern?

I quite like the feel of those in hand, and they're one of my favourite traditional slippies for that reason. I do know what you mean about the second blade though, and most of the time I'm carrying a slippie it'll be either a single blade or a multipurpose knife like a SAK (though not always Swiss made). I hardly ever carry blades with 3+ blades these days, and my Stockmans, Congresses, Whittlers etc just sit in a box. The exception is Case Seahorse Whittler ... that's a nice slippy

[Jmora]

it could be a barlow pattern, but I mean any frame with the big and small blade at the same end. As a contrast I think a single spring canoe which squeezes a big and small blade onto one spring is a more elegant design, but maybe I'm missing something.
+1 on the seahorse whittler, that one does look really cool. I must get myself some sort of 3 blade whittler knife sometime soon.   

[AimlessWanderer]

it could be a barlow pattern, but I mean any frame with the big and small blade at the same end. As a contrast I think a single spring canoe which squeezes a big and small blade onto one spring is a more elegant design, but maybe I'm missing something.
+1 on the seahorse whittler, that one does look really cool. I must get myself some sort of 3 blade whittler knife sometime soon.    

I've found the Seahorse Whittler a lot nicer than standard whittler patterns as of the handle shape plus that very nice wharnie. It makes the other two blades feel a little bit "token gesture" as a result to me though.

See, there's the flip side .... is it worth filling the space with those two blades, or would it have been better to offer that wharnie/handle combo with a single backspring and leave the other space empty 

[Jmora]

I do love single blade slipjoints, they suit my simple cutting needs perfectly well. and wharncliff blades are cool, a trapper with a wharncliff secondary would be nicer than a spey blade, not that it practically makes all that much difference.

if your knife use is very specialized though I can understand the appeal of the two extra little blades (e.g. if you like whittling). The Gepetto Whittler from GEC is quite similar to the seahorse, it looks pretty cool.

[jerseydevil]

The extra space in the handle on the pen blade side has never bothered me.  Maybe I'm just not that practical of a guy.    I like Barlows, as well as Trappers and my Case Texas Jack.  They all get carried regularly.  I wonder if you're maybe looking for a cattle knife, something with a clip or spear main, a spey or pen, and a awl/punch on the opposite end from the secondary blade.  Still traditional, but with a bit more efficiency space-wise.  I have one at home, I'll post a pic when I get out of work.

[jerseydevil]

Here's what I'm talking about.  Thinking about it more after I posted though, it really is getting into SAK territory.  It's the only "traditional" multi-blade that I could think of other than a whittler or stockman.



It is a very pretty knife though, the green tones in the handle really don't come out in the pics.

[Jmora]

yeah that's a fine knife,  I like the top shot of how all the swedged blades fit together, that's the sort of thing I like in a knife.

[2xTap]

For more traditional types of Jacks, those that have two blades that open at one end with a full size mainblade and smaller secondary.......the simple truth of it is to have a large utility blade for bigger chores and the shorter one is for finer work, one more controllable. They weren't made to be ineffecient, they idea is sound and quite practical really.

That said, I actually like the style myself and own quite a few. here's some of my favorites.......

















But of this style, my favorite pattern of these comes from Queen in their particular Gunstock pattern........









They are all really great and useful patterns.

2xTap

[Jmora]

with all those photos you are a pretty persuasive advocate for the jackknife 
I like the schatt and morgan and cripple creek barlows especially 

[2xTap]

with all those photos you are a pretty persuasive advocate for the jackknife 
I like the schatt and morgan and cripple creek barlows especially 

I got alot more where those came from! 

Jackknives as a whole are generally great patterns, and the oldest of all slipjoints. Folklore has it that the first backspring design used in a folding pocket knife was invented by a man named Jacque de Liege, believed to be a 17th century Flemish or French knife maker.......to which the term "Jack Knife" derives from.

Alot of great patterns that fall under the term "Jack Knife", be they named as such or designed similarly. That said, for overall practicality there are better. But you can't go wrong with a good Jack.

2xTap

[Jmora]

its interesting that they can follow the history to one source, a good design can sometimes pop up in several different places at once.

I've just got one now - its a cool little knife, I think the big blade needs a bit of reprofiling for scary sharpness, so it will be in my pocket more.


the spring curves around a little so there is no extra space in the liner

[jerseydevil]

That swayback is a beautiful knife, and definitely on my list.  I was going to get one not too long ago, but my brothers surprised me with this little gem:



Case Texas Jack CV.  This has become my most carried slipjoint when I'm not working.  I just can't bring myself to carry it into the back room of the paint store and subject it to God knows what.  I really should though, give it a nice hard workout busting boxes, opening skids, etc.  One drop of paint on those handles and I'd never forgive myself though......

[Jmora]

I like the square bolsters on that one, and the honey amber bone is really cool. I wish my family would get me knives for birthdays etc.

I put a 30 degree angle on the large blade of the SBJack today, probably not what would traditionally have been done for this blade, but I just that that is what feels better for me.