Friction folder advice please

[Wander]

I'm a great fan of the Joker no74.

Small, cheap, inoffensive with a versatile blade that's easy to keep sharp.

What's not to like?

Yeah, I like the Jokers as well.
They look nice and take a really good edge.
BUT.
The spring is incredibly weak. I've had two of them and they've both been the same. They close and bite you very easily, which is even worse when you consider how sharp you can get them. My breaking point was when one closed on me and gave me a very nasty cut indeed.
Shame because they are good knives, I just wish the spring was a bit tougher or there was a reasonable way of adjusting them. But for that reason I wouldn't touch another one, however much I like them otherwise.
If all you're going to do is cut a bit of string or slice up a pepperami then they are great. But if you intend on doing any kind of carving or whittling with them (let alone 'heavy duty' then there's a very high chance indeed the blade will close on you. It's happened to me many times.

Here's one I like.
The British Army pocket knife. One of these:
https://www.raymears.com/Bushcraft_Product/482-British-Army-Folding-Pocket-Knife/

The spring is tough, the blade is strong, and it takes a very good edge.
Yes, it's a bit brutish in appearance. But you can always add some scales to it, which is what I did with mine:

This is the knife I use about 99% of the time. It's tough and strong and a good price. It does all kind of whittling and carving projects (it's what I use) and other general camp tasks.

 

[Stew]

Pretty sure slip joints are acceptable. Non locking and under 3 as a rule for UK edc

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A slipjpint over 3" is not automatically legal, hence that's why I pointed it out.

Some people get confused thinking that a fixed blade under 3" is fine or a slipjoint of any length is fine. Some also don't realise that a lock knife classes as a fixed blade under uk case law.

Folk can disagree with me if they like, doesn't worry me. I've had years of discussions around this so am very comfy with it all and if people have a different view that they feel will get past the police / courts that's fine.

 

[Stew]

I know that nordic outdoors(Edinburgh) had a register book for knife purchasers, am sure i had to show id to prove my details were correct.

There's a difference between being legal to purchase and legal to carry.

 

[RaoTao]

A slipjpint over 3" is not automatically legal, hence that's why I pointed it out.

Some people get confused thinking that a fixed blade under 3" is fine or a slipjoint of any length is fine. Some also don't realise that a lock knife classes as a fixed blade under uk case law.

Folk can disagree with me if they like, doesn't worry me. I've had years of discussions around this so am very comfy with it all and if people have a different view that they feel will get past the police / courts that's fine.

No disagreement, just clearing it up. You were far more eloquent this time round. And maybe a Lil touchy. We definitely on the same page brother. Trying to slice the top edge with a freshly stropped blade more times than necessary. Just to be sure its scary sharp

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[Billy-o]

If a slippie is still on your horizon, see if you can still find a QCCC (Queen City Cutlery) large congress in 1095.

Queen closed recently, but they made a bunch in this older, half-congress pattern in 2014 and they may yet be findable. I managed to snag one in jigged bone and also one in the ultra affordable cattomeat wood they used for a bit (a kind of grey/purple birdseye maple, in D2 steel) ... the intention remains to get that one rescaled.

The knife has a good solid sheepsfoot blade (at ukedc length) and a large pen. 1095 is great carving steel. It is 4" long overall, but slim in the pocket.

Possibly all you are looking for. I'll see if I can find a pic

By the way of a minor disagreement, horses/courseswise, the Manly Wasp is a perfectly good carver. It's problems lie in that the 12C27 steel requires frequent sharpening. But that's not really a problem. The S90V version is great. It gets super sharp, stays super sharp and will carve pretty much anything, so long as you don't depend on a lot of torsion in your technique. The only real issue might be that the blade is too broad for what you want. Also the S90V version is less inexpensive.

A scandi edge, if that's what you are after, can be found on the Brisa/Enzo slippie. Cost is a bit up there though. In general, a large stockman makes for a good carver, if you can find one. Moore Maker do a good one, as did German Ey; but they too have closed and the Moore Maker was manufactured by Queen. Where will it all end? Soon, we'll all be stuck fetishising GEC trads and imagining we play baseball in the time off from our clerk's jobs and rocking chairs

EDIT: here's a picture of the QCCC large congress

 

[Wayland]

Yeah, I like the Jokers as well.
They look nice and take a really good edge.
BUT.
The spring is incredibly weak. I've had two of them and they've both been the same. They close and bite you very easily, which is even worse when you consider how sharp you can get them. My breaking point was when one closed on me and gave me a very nasty cut indeed.
Shame because they are good knives, I just wish the spring was a bit tougher or there was a reasonable way of adjusting them. But for that reason I wouldn't touch another one, however much I like them otherwise.
If all you're going to do is cut a bit of string or slice up a pepperami then they are great. But if you intend on doing any kind of carving or whittling with them (let alone 'heavy duty' then there's a very high chance indeed the blade will close on you. It's happened to me many times.
<Snip.

I've carved, whittled and done all sorts of craft jobs with mine with no problems. The Spring is lighter than some but if you are aware of that and use it accordingly there should be no problem.

if you are doing a job that should be done with a fixed or locking blade then that is what you should be working with. Never expect a slip joint knife to be as safe as a fixed blade, non of them are.

When push came to shove, it was the only knife I took with me for my first Arctic Winter trip and it served me perfectly. I bought a replacement when I lost the first and it rarely leaves my side.

 

[Billy-o]

Where did you get yout Joker from Wayland? I have never had a go on one

 

[Tiley]

What's going on in your country???

That, my friend, is a very good question...

 

[snappingturtle]

I have a TBS boar, very nice scandi, willumsen madrock (raptor claw) nice and slim with a monster blade.

 

[Wayland]

Where did you get yout Joker from Wayland? I have never had a go on one

I bought my first one from a surplus shop in Kirkby Lonsdale.

After I sadly lost that one, I bought another online from Tamarack I think.

 

[gra_farmer]

I have and use a load of knives, and carve all the time, mainly wooden toys for my little girls from any wood to hand, both soft and hard. You really cannot go wrong with whatever knife takes your fancy, but I find personally that Wharncliffe and sheepfoot shape blades are wonderful. Particularly with a chisel grind.

I am a steel fancier, but I often pick up my crkt edgie, the steel is rubbish, but cuts really well because of the blade shape...

 

[gra_farmer]

This is the shape I recommend

 

[gonzo_the_great]

Very recently, we had a local lad up in court for carrying a locking knife.
I this case it was less than an inch blade, of the type of thing you might find in a xmas cracker!. It was on his keyring, along with loads of other junk. He wasn't aware that it was locking.
He put his keys and other pocket contents down to go through a building security check. the doorman saw it, and called the police.
When it went to court, the magistrate and prosecution were embarased at the whole thing, but said that technically he was in breach of the law, and so now has a criminal record.

I had to warn my sister recently, as she had a victorinox tool card in her handbag, which was basically a nail care kit. But it had a 1" long 'blade like' thing, in a fixed moulded handle.

 

[MrEd]

It is incredible that Britain declares former boy scout knifes as illegal weapons. What's going on in your country???.

Increase in inner city knife crime, and rather than look at the root causes that have caused it the government just bans knives - which only affects legitimate users. Criminals and people with a criminal intent etc will still acquire and source knives for crimes.

The UK is going to **** and has been for several years.

 

[Erbswurst]

In Switzerland every citizen had a military fire arm in the wardrobe case for decades.

They didn't have any problems with that.

May be, that the reason was, that every Swiss man had a real fire arm in his wardrobe....

 

[baggins]

Another one for tbs EDC, i have one in curly birch, it's easy to sharpen, holds a good edge and feels very secure when using.

 

[Kepis]

I use a Svord Peasant mini and one of these;

ff2 by Mark Emery, on Flickr

ff1 by Mark Emery, on Flickr

Really well built, heavy & sturdy, keeps a seriously good edge for something that costs less than six quid, they says its D2 steel, which i very much doubt, i only bought it because i was intrigued but have to admit to using it far more than i thought i would.

Available from Gearbest, other Chinese websites are available ;-)

https://www.gearbest.com/pocket-knives-folding-knives/pp_009929325324.html?wid=1433363

 

[gra_farmer]

Thought I would share some of my favourite slip joints. There is an old Sheffield stockman and an old I xl farmer in the mix and the manly wasps, including heinnie special

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[Erbswurst]

If I would live in Britain I would buy an Opinel No7 Carbone, blade 7,7 cm and shorten the tip a bit.
The locking ring can be removed if the blade is locked in the closed position. Than open the knife with pliers.

The best option would be to shorten the blade of a Opinel No8 Carbone, because the handle is constructed for adult men. But this of course would be a bit more work, because the blade is original 8,5 cm long.