Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Hen and Rooster- Decent knives?

What's your opinion/experience with Hen and Rooster knives?
Do they hold an edge, are they durable?

Nobody owns one?

The older Hen and Rooster at least up till around 1990 were top drawer German knives. Impeccable fit, finish and materials.
The original company closed down, and they have returned in several different iterations, with mixed quality, but never the equal of the original company.
I believe they are now a decent knife, and last I saw, being made in Spain.

I have one. They're not what they used to be, apparently. Made in Spain now. I'm pretty good with edges, and I've never been able to put a decent edge on mine.

I have three I bought in the early '80's. I use one of them pretty regularly and like it.
Takes and holds an edge well. Probably 440C stainless, at least that what I compare it to.

Can't speak to the utility of the new ones, I have just looked them over. "Walk & Talk" of the new ones is equal to my old ones.

Are you in the market for a good Stockman pattern pocket knife?

Ed

Thanks all. I was looking at a fixed blade hunting knife with a drop point. But I'll check some other makers.

Bark River Knives make excellent production knives. Also Fallkniven, but you'll pay more for them. Don't want to spend enough for either one of these, Cold Steel makes excellent knives too.

If you decide to go the Bark River Knives route (truly excellent), I'd try to acquire one from somewhere else than www.knivesshipfree.com. I'd made multiple purchases from them over several years, and they really screwed me over on the last one when they sent me a defective product and I asked for an exchange.

Check out the Puma buddy. Tough as nails. I've had great luck with Puma folders too for skinning, gutting, tough use.

Puma is now a Smokey Mountain Knife works brand. I just ordered one its Chinese

I would suggest checking out the knife forum here at the fire. Might find something to your liking there, and certainly would get good advice. We have several custom makers there that do tiop-notch work.

The only good Puma's are the older Puma's IMHO.

For a quality sheath knife that is affordable look at BUCK or from Spain Muella.

Try www.knivesshipfree.com. TRH sent back a knife over a bogus defect. Realizing they couldn't please him they refunded his money and didn't take out the 15% restocking fee as their policy states they will. Despite that TRH stabs them in the back every chance he gets and has made baseless accusations against them.

Not all of them are Chinese. Only very few are assembled there with German parts. They also have/had a line that were assembled in Spain with German parts (Puma badger folder is indestructible). Many are still built in Germany.

For an affordable knife check out the Buck Vangards and Mini-Vangards (3/4 scale). I bought a rosewood Mini after Christmas for $50 because I wanted a little smaller knife. They're sharp, drop point and the Vangards are still made in the U.S. as far as I know. (Not all bucks are)

CB

Buck works.

You work for them or have stock in their company?

My friends say I'm aptly named.
Frank