My traditional December - journey to simple designs

[Shuya]

Not actually a pocket knife, my go to knife for general carving (no detail work, mostly utility things like spoons and stuff) is a Helle Algonquin. This bugger slices like crazy and keeps a great edge. First Scandy I really love, Helles laminated steel is nice. Look for the thinner blades if you can.

Pocketknives Ive tried a lot, but its either the steel, the grind or the handle that I dont like. Carbonsteel Opinels are good, too. You need to modify the blade to a wharncliffe and you are good to go.
Other than that Ive got a wharncliffe workers knive from a solingen forge called "Otter", short wharncliffe blade, carbonsteel and crazy spring tension. On a Scale from 1 (friction folder) to 10 (Vic Alox) this is a clear 20+.

Thanks for the link, he used a two bladed Barlow. Nice knife, would miss the wharncliffe blade which is more usefull than bladeshape, but you got to use what you got.


Edit: added pic of that Otter knife with Pioneer as reference.

[Shuya]

Day 12.

Been at home, household duties.
The Trapper is a really decend kitchen knife, did a lot of vegetables cutting.

Beausage kicks in. And if you look closely there is a small chipped spot on the handle, which i smoothed a bit.

[Shuya]

Day 13.

Still standing, still going.
Out for a walk in the woods again. Light rain, noone else around.

Barlow in pocket, just in case.

[McStitchy]

Day 13.

Still standing, still going.
Out for a walk in the woods again. Light rain, noone else around.

Barlow in pocket, just in case.

Lovely picture Shuya, the Case Barlow is one of my favourite easy carry pocket knives 

[McStitchy]

Not actually a pocket knife, my go to knife for general carving (no detail work, mostly utility things like spoons and stuff) is a Helle Algonquin. This bugger slices like crazy and keeps a great edge. First Scandy I really love, Helles laminated steel is nice. Look for the thinner blades if you can.

Pocketknives Ive tried a lot, but its either the steel, the grind or the handle that I dont like. Carbonsteel Opinels are good, too. You need to modify the blade to a wharncliffe and you are good to go.
Other than that Ive got a wharncliffe workers knive from a solingen forge called "Otter", short wharncliffe blade, carbonsteel and crazy spring tension. On a Scale from 1 (friction folder) to 10 (Vic Alox) this is a clear 20+.

Thanks for the link, he used a two bladed Barlow. Nice knife, would miss the wharncliffe blade which is more usefull than bladeshape, but you got to use what you got.


Edit: added pic of that Otter knife with Pioneer as reference.

I love Wharncliffe blades 
Do you have an Otter Mercator as well?
And if so, what do you think of it?

[Gareth]

Is there a pocket knife you gravitate to when carving aside from your more professional dedicated carving tools? 

I recently watched a show called Strange Inheritance.  It was pretty amazing this man William Dickey used a pocket knife to carve 60K plus pieces of circus things. 
https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/after-40-years-little-big-top-heirs-find-a-place-to-pitch-their-tents

That's an awesome story mate. 

[SteveC]

Cool pic of your Barlow !   

[David]

Is there a pocket knife you gravitate to when carving aside from your more professional dedicated carving tools? 

I recently watched a show called Strange Inheritance.  It was pretty amazing this man William Dickey used a pocket knife to carve 60K plus pieces of circus things. 
https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/after-40-years-little-big-top-heirs-find-a-place-to-pitch-their-tents

He carved all that with a Barlow. Wow!   

Day 13.

Still standing, still going.
Out for a walk in the woods again. Light rain, noone else around.

Barlow in pocket, just in case.

Barlow is a good one to have with you!   

[Aloha]

I've come to really enjoy the Barlow.  Nice pic, hope your time out doors was peaceful. 

[SteveC]

He carved all that with a Barlow. Wow!   

Barlow is a good one to have with you!   

Looks like it was  a maybe a Colonial Barlow.   

[Borg]

Impressive carving

[Shuya]

I love Wharncliffe blades 
Do you have an Otter Mercator as well?
And if so, what do you think of it?

Dont have a Mercator myself, but heared a lot of positive feedback in german forums. You cant go wrong with them for the money they cost.

The reason I dont have one is the slim metal handle which isnt very comfortable when doing real work with the knife. I prefer more round handles like the Otter Ive shown or the so called "Ankermesser" which I have, too. A large, very sturdy work knife with sheepfoot blade and carbon steel. Try that one if you can.

[Shuya]

Day 14.

Case Small Texas Jack again in pocket. Enough blade when not going outside.

My wife wasted an egg cup (in fact she wasted more than one so we are down in numbers now).
With all shops closed due to Corona lockdown I decided to make a quick one myself.
Had a small piece of wood around that fits an egg.
Oiled it already and its good to go.
Should do the trick.

[McStitchy]

Dont have a Mercator myself, but heared a lot of positive feedback in german forums. You cant go wrong with them for the money they cost.

The reason I dont have one is the slim metal handle which isnt very comfortable when doing real work with the knife. I prefer more round handles like the Otter Ive shown or the so called "Ankermesser" which I have, too. A large, very sturdy work knife with sheepfoot blade and carbon steel. Try that one if you can.

 

Nice egg cup 

[David]

Good looking egg cup.   

[Gareth]

Lovely work.  I also now really want a boiled egg.

[David]

Lovely work.  I also now really want a boiled egg.

 

[SteveC]

 

[Shuya]

Day 15.

Finally unpacked the second Trapper I had sitting in its box for some time.
A red dark bone in CV.

Not as flawless as my first, but OKish.

The Trapper is my favourite Case so far, mostly because of its size. Would love to see a large Texas Jack pattern on air again.

[Barry Rowland]

Catching up on your Challenge.  Nice job!

[Shuya]

Day 16.

Out and about again. Lockdown in germany, cant move further than 15km, almost everything closed, so I am heading into the woods again for an hour or two.

Case Trapper dark red bone CV with me.

[Gareth]

Lovely red scales on that Trapper. 

[David]

Good pic of you Trapper!     

[SteveC]

 

[Barry Rowland]

  too!

[Aloha]

Out and about in the woods 
Red Case Trapper 

[Shuya]

Day 17.

Trapper in Dark Red Bone CV again.

This challengenge turns out to be harder than exspected. Beeing a SAK/MT guy I often miss the utility on these blade only knives. Even a BSA Knife, Pioneer or Tinker would get me through most days, now I often grab the Case only to realize I only got a blade and nothing else.
You find some workarounds like slightly abusung the blade but this hurts my inner self.
On other occasions I simply have to go and get something else.
9/10 times its the blade you use, but beeing someone who uses his EDC almost for everything the 1/10 turns out to be really often. You never really realize that. 

[SteveC]

That's why I carry a Leatherman and a traditional   

[nate j]

The Trapper is my favourite Case so far, mostly because of its size. Would love to see a large Texas Jack pattern on air again.

What other Case knives do you have?

[Aloha]

A scout or electrician would also do the trick.