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Anybody carry old school slip joints?

My daily is a Case Trapper with antique bone scales.

Lost a GEC elk scaled trapper and nearly cried.

Have a custom Ken Coats single bladed trapper in my nightstand that gets carried on special occasions.

Just ordered this Northwoods (made by GEC) yesterday. Mammoth Ivory scales (this ones pretty plain compared to some others). Knives Ship Free did a 4pm drop and ~600 with various scale materials sold out in under a minute.



I’ve tried carrying modern liner locks clipped to my pocket. Just can’t like them.

Some days I’ll carry a case sod buster or trapper.

I’ve got several Gec micarta trappers stuck back.

The smith cutlery / gec lockback single blade trappers are really nice also.

My EDC is a TL-29. Carried one since my Navy days back in the early '70s. I carry functional not fancy.
George

I like slip joints. I have some good quality factory slip joints and a custom Rick Menefee and sold a John Llyold to a member here last year. No way are they as convenient as a one hand operated folder clipped to a pocket. But sometimes I don't really need that fast opening Benchmade, ZT or Spyderco and the nostalgia of a nice "pocket knife" is very satisfying.

I 've been carrying this Camillus Stockman (middle knife) in my pocket daily for 70 years. My dad gave it to me for my birthday in 1950. I can't even begin to imagine the thousands of times I've used it.

Although the stag scales are quite worn and the pins obvious, the blades still "walk and talk" like a new one. Sharp as a razor.

FWIW, the top fixed blade is a custom I designed and had Bill Buchman, Bend, Oregon, a custom blade smith, forge for me in 1983. Bill died several years ago.

The bottom fixed blade is a 40 year old Gerber A475. The Camillus Stockman and either of these two fixed blade knives have traveled many a mile outdoors with me and have always served me well.



L.W.

Why are they called 'slip joint' knives ?

I truly don't know, but my guess is because the blade 'slips' into position and is not locked into place.

Custom by John Lloyd I sell other makers too Best pocket knives ,custom hand made slipjoits

WOW!

I really enjoy it, especially the part about hooking good guys up with outstanding off the charts blades !

Thank You Guys

Yessir, hold the ugly soldier of fortune bullshiit. Very sweet on the Meneffee trapper, she’s made some meat the last couple months, got a few more trips she’s goin on. Love it.

Take the scales on the blade 3rd from the right with a blade from the 2nd from left, and you'd really have something there....

Someday I'd love own one of Rick's slip joints.

I pondered one for quite a while, glad I bought one

I love the custom slip joints just like that one, with no bolsters.

Ya man, it’s my baby. 😆

I keep track of it better than my wallet and car keys on trips!! Haha

Bret Dowell

My Ken Coats

That’s pretty incredible.

Great pictures boys! Here is my Menefee...

Love it MOGC. It’d be a pleasure to own and use a knife like that.

That is gorgeous

Bret Dowell

I have a John Lloyd in my pocket at the moment that I commonly carry. There is another minty John LLoyd in the safe along with my most treasured slippy, a Todd Davison I have posted here before. Also have a handful from GEC and favor their #66 pattern. My hand engraved bolster German Bull doesn't receive the love it deserves. I will say my Chris Reeves Nmundi is the best made bade of all of them. I've never figured out posting images here since it all changed.

Vince, yours?

Yes Jason I think it's 3-3/8" closed , African Goat

There are some gorgeous blades in this thread. The one that impresses me the most is the little Camillus carried for 70 years by LEANWOLF. Wow what history. I collect antique folders and none bring more admiration for me that the well used ones. I have a stag handled Case XX trapper built @1950. It has been carried for so long the stag is smooth as glass and recessing from the liners. Oh the stories it could tell. I would really like to have all the pocket change that wore the scales down. I am too rough on them. Seldom do I get 10 years out of a knife before it is lost in a lake , river or trail. Often they have to be sacrificed for the greater good. Am carrying a Case mini Copperlock with classic yellow scales. I reground and reshaped the blade to a better design. The blade is so stained no shine is left. And it only took 2 years to get it to look that way.

I have a few and use a Case Trapper most of the time around the farm. I like them but not as much as a liner lock or lock back.

I would like to get one of Chris Crawford's slip joints soon.

https://chriscrawfordknives.com/home/

Most of my pocket knives are slipjoints, many of them older ones. Only have one "modern" one hand open/close model, a Boker Gent II, and it's smaller and thinner bladed than many typical newer type knives. Favorite patterns are copperheads, scout/camp, and cattle (equal ends aka cigar stockman). Never really been attracted to tactical style knives, most just aren't shaped like I want. Two one handers that I do lust for are the Case Slimlock and William Henry T10 Lancet, both of which are too expensive.

One of several favorites from Reese Bose, 4 1/8” closed, based on a Western trapper pattern.

I can appreciate a well made slip joint, but I just can’t spend that kind of money on a pocketknife any more.

Got a new favorite in the pocket.

Great Eastern Cutlery 54 Big Jack with crosscut mammoth scales.

pc screenshot

Very unique. Thanks for sharing.

Not this child.

I have a couple, but do not carry.

Non-locking folders scare me.

ya!

GWB

Very nice!

I believe that the term "slip joint" was invented by collectors to differentiate between traditional pocket knives and locking knives when the liner-lock world exploded. There is some speculation that the first use of it was in blade forums. I'm just going by thisBladeforum post on origination of term slipjoint old forum post that came up when googling.

I am a new custom pocket knifemaker. I found this forum when searching for old pictures of a Ricky Bob design. I felt like I hit the holy grail finding his old thread with pictures going back years. The top down views showing the entire spring/blade/tang/liner are invaluable to helping me learn.

If it's ok to post, here are some recent pics of ones I've made. On deck next will be a gunstock with spear blade and Tony Bose Zulu.







I like to hear about what people's favorite patterns, bladeshape, and scales are. It helps as I think about what to make that will resonate with enthusiasts.

I've sold ,literally thousands .

" Lanny's Clip " ,a design by Tony Bose was very popular at one time ,and also the " Zulu " spear . This name of the spear blade was spyed in an old Schrade catalogue . In modern times the Case Co. calls it the " Tribal Spear "

Backpockets are popular,these derived from a Remington style ,again,Tony Bose designed

I sell many trapper styles ,they seem to be popular . The thing about these slipjoints is theres so many styles & sizes ,single blades ,multi blades etc.

There's many ,many new makers these days & for someone just getting into these ,it's a buyers market ,unlike when I first got into them back in 2006 approx. ,at that time there was far less makers & selection ( talking custom handmade of course )

Pic just because

These are known as " Dog Leg" Jack knives . The handle ,the shape of a dog's leg

Thanks Vince,
I'm adding dogleg jack to my list to try.

Nice stuff you’ve got.

My favorites? Trappers, like from Case or GEC 48. Have one from K’Roo I had made to my specs. My wife would faint. Same as the coffin jack I had him make me…

I don’t like dinky tiny pocket knives, but don’t want big tacticool ones either. That trapper size (or similar frame size) are just right to me.

I’m in the minority, but I hate stag, I hate jigged bone.

I like smooth dyed bone, weathered/kinda smooth antler, mammoth, figured wood and even plain wood.

K’Roo Coffin Jack with kudu bone



K’Rood Trapper with kudu bone

My Jim Sasser polished elk antler folding hunter.

My smaller PJ Tomes gents knife