OK.. seems like carbon steel is the choice.

Lets pick my pattern.

My grandfather carried a stockman, but I'm will in to look at other patterns.

Backgound.. Work in the city in a technical office, but hunt & fish & camp, and own a farm (rent it out) that I do stuff at.
Current EDC is a spyderco delica that I use the clip as a money clip.
Second favorite is a leatherman wave,
third carry (when Spyderco isn't there) is a Swiss army knife Cadet (super thin) or Pioneer (relativley thin)

Designs catching my eye are medium stockman, sodbuster jr., and because many people like them here.. Mini trapper.
I don't want a large knife.

Any other patterns to consider that don't get too heavy or bulky in the pocket?
Which would you pick from the above based on my current EDC and stated choices.

Go.

Edit: I remembered one time I was in the shop and I pulled out my shiny new buck 301 large stockman and my grandpa said "what kind of a broad axe do you carry??"...
So I assume he carried a meduim stockman and knew better than to carry excessive big knives. (still have buck)

Just look up Case tested on Ebay and go from there.

The Half Whittler is small ,you may like that

Slimline trapper is my favorite. It's a little longer than some but light and thin. I like the bare head models best.

2 blade texas jack is another good one

Copperhead is a useful pattern also.

Full size trapper, stainless sure is nice to not have to worry about sweat rusting it up.

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I have several Case pocket knives in both carbon and stainless steel. I prefer the stainless for the low maintenance myself and like the mini copper lock when a small and slim pocket knife is called for.

I have carried the Trapper model since I was 15. Have had several, but a useful design for the hunter and fisherman.

If you're thinking about a sodbuster, they're affordable
enough that you can buy 2 and have one in reserve.
I have the pattern in several different manufacturers.
Case, Eye brand, Boker, etc.
It's a useful shape
Good Luck choosing

Yes
Yes it is

Yes
Yes it is

Yes
Yes it is

A Ka-Bar trapper was my first "hunting knife" and the only one I had for several years. Dressed a lot of game and skinned a lot of furbearers with that knife. I have several in my collection today.

I'm with Dude270, although the "bare head) versions are slightly less sturdy than the conventional "capped" ones. Easy to sharpen and can do a whole range of tasks. Perfect folding fisherman's blade.

Bright yellow scales are easy to find if you drop it in the grass and don't terrify "old ladies of all genders" as much as black composition or other dark materials can. (I live in SoCal, so I know all about this "knife psychology" stuff....funny how so many other people always need a knife but then judge/stereotype anybody who actually carries one).

I'm likeing the yellow scales too. not as obnoxuios as the orange, but still visible. Wouldn't turn down orange though.

I looked at the case site last night and not as much choice as I expected.

Saw the thin line trapper and reallized I own one in Schrade USA made that I inherited. Woud be a nice fishing blade if you keep the carbon rust free.

Keep the ideas coming in. Still on the wall, but the sodbuster JR always catches my eyes when I see it in farm stores. A touch thick, but may be good for future arthritic hands.

There has been a medium stockman in my pocket daily for 35 years. Meets my needs.

Another prime contender.

I'm looking at the meduims and not sure why one has a main muscrat blade and the other version has the maine clip point.

I lean towards clip point for the abuse factor.

I have used both versions. No clear favorite. I keep the little blades sharp for fine use, the bigger blade gets some abuse.....digging for germinated seed, cutting rope,, baler twine, etc. No, I don't use it for a screwdriver! Touch up the big blade often.

dinger the sodbuster jr is good with arth. hands I use the jr on deer & small game and the reg. on fat hogs since I was in my low teens . its lite weight is nice

I've got a sod buster and don't care for the blade shape. I often find I need a fine point on a pocket knife and the sod buster just doesn't cut it so it sits in the drawer.

full size or Jr?

I think it may make a nice skinner.

I'll admit my pointy spyderco delica is handy... and a philips screw driver sometimes.

Honestly for me the handiest pocket knife is a Victorinox SAK or some sort. I like ones with the saw blade and an awl.

I've got one with a saw blade, awl, can opener, bottle opener, two sizes of flat screwdrivers, a phillips head driver, tooth pick, tweezers and knife blade but it's a big, fat bastard and more than I want in my pocket on a daily basis.

I think the one I have is a Junior. It's nothing I'd want to skin with. It sucks for pickin out splinters.

Sounds like a SWAK Farmer. I have one and the alox scales keep it thin.

Its my hunting back up carry.

True.. the only skining part is the forward curve.
I only skin one or two deer a year so it would only be a backup.

Some of those have too many layers and tools and end up being clumsy and cumbersome. The Victorinox Farmer (not the Farmer X) is my favorite...


https://www.victorinox.com/us/en/Pr...um-Pocket-Knives/Farmer-Alox/p/0.8241.26

Thats what I got!

Thats part of my struggle on looking at a single blade like a sodbuster when you get a lot of functions in a similar sized package.

I vote mini trapper in cv. I carry a Hawbaker style trapper and the wharncliffe blade gets utilitarian duty. Cardboard, bailing twine, rope, etc. the main clip blade is kept razor sharp and is flesh only.

I have an old Camillus knife and an old Mongomery Ward knife with all those same tools/blades except for the saw.

I’m a sucker for the full size trapper patterns.

In synthetic. No wood or bone for me.

SMKW usually has some exclusive runs made.

They have a nice micarta / 1095 model now.

They are calling the CV models 1095 now.

6318 is my favorite pattern or in stag.

Mini Copperlock is probably my favorite but have many others as well.


Mike

Hmmmm... now I need to decode

IIRC that's a medium stockman
2 numbers denote the configuration
and 2 denote the blade and handle
material.
Now exactly which is what you'll have
to get one of the Case aficionados here
to explain it better.
I have some Case, but only a few, maybe 8-10
My daddy was a Camillus fan and I was for a
while and started in with the german stuff
when I could afford it years ago

IMO Case is more oriented towards the
collectors these days more so than the
users that actually carry and use one

I started skinning cows at 11 years old with a 7 in. old hickory butcher knife , it don't really matter what kind of knife you use it is more of being able to make due with what you have . if you have to have special blade,s may be you need to get your skill,s better

I have a couple of those, and a couple of the boning
knives from O.H. and Russell G.R. as well
They're made for cutting up animals, and people
that make small chunks of meat from an animal
carcass for a living have been using the same
basic patterns for many years

Guys...

Thank you for the input and my selection is....

(I'm going to a store and handling some)

6 is the type of scales,3 is the number of blades ,18 is the pattern

HaHa
Thanks, I knew somebody that knew would
come along eventually
I used to know all that stuff

I believe if the scales were stag it would be 5318

Here...go your hardest.

Decided I'm going for the mini trapper in CV.

I already own a buck stockman
Have several knives kinda like a sodbuster and thats not what my grandpa had.
Mini-trapper is only $10 more and similar size and bulk to the sodbuster JR

The mini-trapper is traditional and different to my collection of users.

Eventually I get a SB JR. because they catch my eye.

👍👍

I like the trapper pattern.

Mini trapper is a good one.

I tend to carry a full size or the slim line more but pick what suits your needs best.

I've carried a mini-trapper for over 50 years.
Case, Buck, and Moore Maker come to mind.

Never used a Moore Maker knife, but have two of their fencing pliers and love them

Me again...


How about a Russlock?

It would be different than anything I have and its a one hand opener...

I don't care for the tab sticking out of the back of a Russlock when the blade is closed, but to each his own.

Got several slim line trappers, the 048 pattern was called a sportsman’s/truck farmer’s in the 60’s.

The slim line two blade was the first Case/Bose collaboration in 1999. I have a Damascus version, clip and wharncliffe.

I wish the 2 blade slim trapper would come back.

I'd take either a wharncliffe or a spey second blade.

Flea bay?


I think theres a mini-trapper in my future too. Especially considering I can use my cabelas points to get it "free"

Still debating on the russlock. Need to go fiddle with one.

I have one Sod and like five Jr's and prefer a small black sheath and I also work in an office environment.

Mini trapper is a good one. I got one for Christmas last year.

I love Copperlocks, , ya think :-), now avail with Drop point blades. One trapper snuck in there.

Muskrat.

Trapper Lockback would be my pick. Carried one for years. Finally gave it to one of my nephews.

I like to carry a Case 61048 slim line trapper pattern. It is a nice light weight knife. Better to get an earlier one from the 70's or older with the carbon steel.