Informal Opinion Poll:Which folding hunter paatern do you prefer?

[Ray S]

Here are three different types of the so-called,"folding hunter" pattern of knife.They have been produced by many companies over the years with minor deviations.For this discussion I will place them in these categories:
#1 is the so-called,"coke bottle" pattern having derived it's name from the shape of the handle in (supposedly) resembling the shape of a Coca-Cola bottle.Whether it does or not is open to discussion.
#2 is commonly referred to as the,"65" pattern which refers to the model made by Case knives.
#3 is referred to as the "72" pattern;again in reference to the model made by Case.
Normally they come in a single blade configuration although the first two are also seen in two blade versions and the 65 pattern with as many as four blades although these are about as rare as rocking horse poop. I have yet to see a 72 pattern with more than one blade although it is possible that one may have been made.
There are a couple other styles of folding hunters but for now we will concentrate on just these three.I am posting multiple versions and a couple unusual ones.Those are the Union Cutlery Co. dogs head folder with a folding guard that doubles as a lock and the Frost model with the one armed man's blade.This will probably take awhile to post so please be patient.

#1 Made by Aerial Cutlery Co.it has a picture handle.
#2 Made by Humason & Beckley of New Britain CT with ebony handles.
#3 An early Imperial single blade with yellow celluloid handles that have not out-gassed.
#4 An Imperial Fisherman's Favorite with fish scaler secondary blade.

[Ray S]

Page two is more coke bottles.
#1 is made by Northfield Cutlery Co.with jigged bone handles.
#2 is made by(for)Paris Bead of Chicago Illinois and the master blade is quite short.
#3 is stamped Westaco and made by Western Cutlery Co.
#4 is made by(for)Wilbert Cutlery Co. of Chicago and has ebony handles.

[Ray S]

Some 65 pattern folding hunters.
#1 Case Tested XX 5165 with factory bail and early arrow shield.
#2 Case 5265 with stag handles.
#3 Case 6165 with wood handles.
#4 Case 6165 Tested XX with jigged bone handles.

[Ray S]

Page four.
#1 Case 6165 with wood handles and locking blade.
#2 Frost Cutlery with unusual one armed man's(razor)blade.
#3 Kabar 1184 that had to be re-handled because of celluloid out-gassing.
#4 Newer Kabar 1184 with synthetic stag handles.

[Ray S]

Page five.
#1 A KA-BAR folding hunter with stag handles and two blades.
#2 A reproduction KA-BAR Dogs Head folding hunter from 1977.
#3 An original Union Cutlery(KA-BAR)folding hunter with guard that serves as a blade lock.
#4 A 1980's era Remington folding hunter.As far as I know Remington never made this pattern in the 1920's.

[Ray S]

A couple more 65 patterns and a couple 72 patterns.
#1 A Schrade Scrimshaw series folding hunter;slightly smaller than the standard models.
#2 A Western model 062 folding hunter;slightly slimmer than the standard models.
#3 Case 5172 Buffalo with wood scales.
#4 Case Tested XX model 3172 folding hunter with celluloid handles.I decided to leave them as is despite severe warping.

[Ray S]

Page seven:
#1 KA-BAR Collector's Club knife for 1990.
#2 Schrade Cutlery(China)folding hunter #1
#3 Schrade Cutlery(China)folding hunter #2
#4 the rear of #'s 2 and 3.

[Ray S]

One final model I just picked up the other day:An Utica coke bottle with shadow bolsters.The curved stamp indicates it was made prior to 1937.

[cody6268]

Nice collection! Asthetically, I like them all!  If it's old, in good shape, and the pricetag low or reasonable, I will buy it regardless.

I carry and use a '65-69 Case 6265; as well as a Rough Rider Classic Carbon Folding Hunter I modified to have a belt/pocket clip (it's a work beater).

The Coke Bottle looks good, and appears to be a quite ergonomic pattern.  I do not own one yet. The Folding Hunter does what I need it to do, no matter how heavy the cutting. It's the only one I've carried and used; but haven't skinned a deer with it yet. It was my great-uncle's favorite deer hunting knife; and I have planned to skin my first deer with it. The classic "Clasp Knife' in my opinion is more for looks than it is for use.  The "Daddy Barlow" hunter has a blade, that in my opinion, is just a bit too narrow. It's better as a fishing knife, though I do know Russell Green River sold a locking blade model for hunters.

If I were to choose one that I would take hunting, whether or not I had it; it would be the Schrade USA 125OT Mustang. Carbon steel, one blade (and thus slim), stock lanyard hole in scale, and linerlock main blade. Plus, prices that aren't absolutely stupid on the secondary market for good, used examples. And I don't have one yet.

[nate j]

Beautiful collection as always, Ray!   

With regard to the informal poll, the 65 pattern is a workhorse and would be my choice of the three.  The fact that so many of the 65s have not just one but two large, usable blades provides a significant advantage over single-blade options.

[Aloha]

 

While I do like the single blades the 65 makes more sense to me.  Wonderful collection Ray 

[Barry Rowland]

 

[SteveC]

I'll take this one please   

[Borg]

All nice, would be happy with any of them but i lean towards this one 

[Ray S]

I'll take this one please   

Thanks to all who replied. That particular KA-BAR I found at a yard sale in my home town for $20.Although the blades showed some wear the stag handles are flawless. I personally prefer a single blade.

[Ray S]

All nice, would be happy with any of them but i lean towards this one 

An interesting story goes with this one.When I first started working at a car dealership back in the early 1970's one of my co-workers in the body shop had one almost identical to it that he used to gouge out old Bondo and the like .I told him that the knife was very valuable and offered to buy it from him and even replace it with a cheaper knife. He refused and continued to use it for the same purposes.
Fast forward to a couple years ago and I was in an antique shop and spied this one.The price was a little more than I wanted to pay and so I passed on it. On the way home I thought to myself:When will you EVER get another chance to get one of these;another 40 years?
The next day I went back and bought it and paid $250 for it.The blade has some corrosion damage but is still pretty full and the handles;except for a small defect in one(looks like it came from the factory that way)are perfect. I took some comfort in having another knife collector offer me $100 more than I paid for it a few weeks later. I still own it.
Here is a pic of the other side of both knives.

[SteveC]

Thanks to all who replied. That particular KA-BAR I found at a yard sale in my home town for $20.Although the blades showed some wear the stag handles are flawless. I personally prefer a single blade.

I'd be happy to take it off your hands,  I'll give you $40 and you can double your money 

[ElevenBlade]

Interesting thread. I don't know nearly enough about these - I had assumed that there were many more that qualify as folding hunters (something that looks more like a Buck 110  or Camillus 886, or a Camillus 26... or a Camillus 8 for that matter.).

Based on your three choices I like the 65 the most. 

[Pop]

Aesthetically I like the Coke bottles better, but if I had to choose I'd go 6265. Only because I've had one since I was a kid.

[Ray S]

Interesting thread. I don't know nearly enough about these - I had assumed that there were many more that qualify as folding hunters (something that looks more like a Buck 110  or Camillus 886, or a Camillus 26... or a Camillus 8 for that matter.).

Based on your three choices I like the 65 the most.

There are many more knives that would qualify as folding hunters;I chose these because they are of the old school style.I had thought about including the large trapper pattern as well but decided to limit it to just these three as they are the most recognized.
Maybe I will do another post on newer styles.

[ElevenBlade]

There are many more knives that would qualify as folding hunters;I chose these because they are of the old school style.I had thought about including the large trapper pattern as well but decided to limit it to just these three as they are the most recognized.
Maybe I will do another post on newer styles.

 

Nice. Among these, I'd take a 65 if I had to choose just one.
The coke bottles look nice ,,, but to me, I'm seeing similarities with the Case Doctor's knife. which I really like.  If I hadn't seen the doctors knife first, I probably wouldn't be keen on the Cokebottle.