How the Heritage Jack brings the Inspiration for KnivesShipFree’s Northwoods Brand to Glorious Fruition

If you’re a fan of Great Eastern Cutlery made knives, you’re probably aware of the Northwoods brand. Northwoods is a brand that was created by Dave Shirley in 2004-2005 (corrected thanks to Rex Null, who sent me this link to an interview with Dave Shirley. Although he began having knives made under other brands he owned, like Marbles, over 30 years ago, the Northwoods brand is relatively recent), but KnivesShipFree purchased the brand in 2010. At that time Derrick Bohn was the head of KniveShipFree. Derrick passed away suddenly in May 2018, and he will be missed and remembered as a major figure in the traditional knife world and a true knife enthusiast. Since early in its time under KniveShipFree’s direction, Jay Rouch has been at the helm of the Northwoods brand. Now, as CEO, Jay continues to fulfill Derrick’s legacy and vision by producing an ever-flowing stream of high quality Northwoods knives.

I got this nice mat, which I use to film my knife videos, in an earlier order from KnivesShipFree

Since its inception, Northwoods knives have been manufactured out of house at a few manufacturers. At first most were built by Queen cutlery, including some models made after KnivesShipFree acquired the brand. Unfortunately, like many runs of knives made by Queen in its latter days before closing down permanently in January 2018, the Northwoods knives made by Queen had less than ideal fit and finish. Since then, all Northwoods folding knives have been manufactured by Great Eastern Cutlery.

Northwoods knives also come with an interesting copper coin.

Northwoods knives are differentiated from GEC’s in house brands in several ways, both aesthetic and functional. First, they have a more rustic finish (I will tell you why soon, so keep reading!). Some of the heat treating oxidation is left on the flats of the blade. They also seem to be media tumbled on recent runs, which is a new process for GEC. Both of these characteristics provide a working knife look. They also often have extra or emphasized swedging, to give the blades a vintage look that isn’t a carbon copy of general GEC made blades. Speaking of the blades, they are almost always (with some notable exceptions like the Presidential model, which I kick myself for passing), single blades. Although some might disagree, I think this lends a practical functionality in the sense that it’s a simple tool on which one blade will do all the work you need. Some complain that wharncliffe blade shapes are over-represented, but if one looks through Northwoods runs they’ll see that there is a variation of practical blade shapes including drop points, spear points, and clip points (of course, along with a few wharncliffes!). The handle materials vary from burlap micarta synthetics (which I sometimes think look good, and always think make for very grippy and practical covers) to exotic bones like kudu and giraffe (which take dye in a very unique way) all the way to mammoth ivory and the like (which is sometimes beautiful and, to be brutally honest, sometimes hideous to my eye). Finally, the blades are often saber ground. This means that the grind only rises up part of the height of the blade from the edge to the spine, unlike a full flat grind which GEC does on the vast majority of their knives. Some say saber grinds don’t slice as well as a full flat grind, and in theory that should be true all things equal, but I haven’t noticed a major difference in real world use. A saber grind should be tougher also, being that more material is left on the blade, which fits right in with the rustic working knife look. All these characteristics come together for a very coherent and recognizable aesthetic.

Three spear points: WE manufactured MassDrop produced Ray Laconico designed Keen, Northwoods Heritage Jack, Great Eastern Cutlery Tidioute #78 American Jack

So, what makes the recent Northwoods Heritage Jack model special? It is based on the knife that originally inspired the rustic aesthetic by which the Northwoods brand has come to be recognized. In conversing with Jay Rouch recently, he told me that the Northwoods aesthetic was inspired by the old Schatt & Morgan “Jess Crouch” knives. He said that he and Derrick started asking Bill to do a knife based on these vintage knives way back in 2012, but Bill was reluctant and it took almost 8 years to finally convince him. I hadn’t been aware of these “Jess Crouch” knives before Jay mentioned them, so naturally I delved into the forums for more information. It turns out that some of the key figures in the Schatt & Morgan outfit made knives with their names stamped in large lettering on the blades and a rustic design, sometime around 1900-1920. They were bareheaded regular jack patterns with plain handles. They seem to always be found with a spear point, somewhat resembling a Zulu spear point in the sense that the tip sat below the centerline (rather than at it), and always a single blade. The blades were quite thick, retaining almost all of their width all the way to the tip (meaning no distal taper). Finally, they had no nail nick so that they were opened with a pinch grip. Overall, they’re very interesting knives with a utilitarian, and tank like construction not often found on other knives of their time.

Once you see one of these vintage knives, the resemblance to the Heritage Jack is immediate and clear. The Heritage Jack frame is the same large regular jack pattern. The blade is a very similar low tip spear point, and some of the originals even had the emphasized swedge that can be found on the Heritage Jack (and many other Northwoods). The blade stays thick almost the whole way to the tip with no distal taper and a squared spine, which is unusual for GEC made knives. Like almost all Northwoods knives, the blade is stamped (not etched) NORTHWOODS. It seems a logical conclusion to assume this feature that is found across the Northwoods line was inspired by the stamped blade of the “Jess Crouch” and similar knives. Only two features of the Heritage Jack deviate in any meaningful way from its inspiration: it has the trademark Northwoods arrowhead shield whereas the inspiration knives were shieldless, and it has a long pull whereas the inspiration knives were pinch open only. Even with these two small finishing additions, the Heritage Jack is clearly a direct homage to the “Jess Crouch” and similar knives made at the turn of the 20th century.

When I first got my Heritage Jack, I saw it as a really well made sturdy knife with a rustic aesthetic and interesting handle material, but not something particularly unique amongst other Northwoods knives. I do love quirky handle materials, and it doesn’t get much more quirky than a Burlap Micarta made to look like Frosted Mini Wheat cereal! That said, I wasn’t sure if it was a keeper. I got more knives on this #86 pattern run than I intended (check out my video overview of the run at this link, and an article on the Tidioute #86 at this link). So I didn’t know if the Heritage Jack would make the cut as a user or collection piece. Now that I know the history behind the knife and it’s importance as the inspiration for the Northwoods brand as we know it, I’ve put it in my pocket (after sharpening it and such) and I’m going to keep and use it out of respect to its heritage (pun intended). After all, the historicity with which traditional pocket knives are imbued is one of the aspects that I most enjoy about them. I think the Great Eastern Cutlery made Northwoods Heritage Jack from KnivesShipFree is a great example of everything that gives traditional knives that hard to describe quality that makes them so special.

Northwoods Heritage Jack in FMW (Frosted Mini Wheat) Burlap Micarta

Northwoods knives sell out quickly these days, and the Heritage Jack was no exception. I think they were completely sold out in less than 5 minutes. However, Jay has said that he is ordering as many knives as he can. I really think he and his team at KnivesShipFree are doing a commendable job of getting these heirloom quality knives to customers. I’m sure they’ll do several models of Northwoods knives each year going forward. They are usually made at the end of the corresponding GEC pattern run and released shortly after completion of production. The best way to stay up to date on when a new model will be released is to join the Northwoods Facebook groups linked here and here (it seems like Jay pretty much only posts in the latter, so that’s the one I am active in and would suggest joining), and to enter your email for notification from KnivesShipFree at this link. I wish you all the luck in the world and hope you get every knife you want!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

The Time is NOW for the Case Barlow

Case is probably the best known name in traditional pocket knives, and for good reason; they’ve been making quality knives right here in Pennsylvania for over 100 years. In that time they’ve made countless patterns of knives from large to small, jacks and pen styles, and everything in between. Every year for the past few, Case has brought a particular pattern “out of the vault”. This means that some not recently manufactured pattern is brought back into production for one year.

Case Barlow in Yellow Synthetic and CV brand new without patina

2019 saw the return of the classic Barlow pattern, and it was a timely choice. Along with, and some might argue a factor in, Great Eastern Cutlery’s rise in popularity the Charlie Campagna TC barlows caught the hearts (and wallets) of countless knife enthusiasts, bringing more and more people in from the tactical / modern knife realms. However, the TC barlows can be difficult to procure on the primary market and can command a high price on the secondary market, so Case’s reintroducing their version of the Barlow pattern came as a timely offering.

Case offered various versions of the venerated barlow throughout the year with several handle materials and blade combinations. There were both single blade (spear or clip point) and double blade (clip and pen, spear and pen) options. All versions had nail nicks and half stops. Most versions had some kind of bolster etch (these are not stamped, like GEC barlows, but some kind of laser etch), although some had plain bolsters.

A size comparison left to right: Case Sod Buster JR, Case Trapper, Case Barlow, GEC #71 Bullnose, GEC #15 TC Barlow

I first tried a Smoky Mountain Knife Works dealer exclusive single clip point in Smooth Peacock Bone. I was excited for this version because I generally prefer single blade barlows, especially in this case being that the design of the blade shape allowed it to be opened with a pinch grip (rather than using the nail nick). I also found the look of the Peacock Bone to be really aesthetically pleasing, with it’s variations of green and blue in a splotchy random pattern that called to mind a swirling river. I also liked the simple “XX” etch on the bolster. Unfortunately, upon receiving the knife I realized it didn’t meet my quality expectations. There were gaps on both sides of the backspring, but the main issue was major blade play / wobble in the closed position. The blade would actually move from touching one liner all the way over to touching the other. Thankfully, SMKW has an easy and reasonable return policy that I was able to use. I do wish I would have been able to get another before they sold out, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes!

A size comparison left to right: Spyderco Endura, Spyderco Native 5, Case Barlow, Ontario Rat 1, Benchmade Griptilian Large

Having had that somewhat negative experience with my first (modern) Case Barlow, I was hesitant to purchase another sight unseen. However, I still wanted to check one out. One obstacle was the fact that Case has insisted on putting shields on many, if not most, of the variations. I can’t stand a shield on a barlow, let alone an unpinned shield. Unpinned shields are a major factor in the scarce representation of Case knives in my collection. I became aware of a Shepherd Hills Cutlery exclusive in Smooth Yellow Synthetic with a very classic “CASE XX” bolster etch. It was a two blade, clip and pen. I would generally have preferred a single blade, but it didn’t have a shield and the price was right. Most of the Case barlows were in the $60 range, whereas this one costs $52 from the dealer. Still, I never pulled the trigger until given the opportunity to get it at a really great price from a knife enthusiast friend.

A nice patina starting to develop

Upon receiving my second Case Barlow, I immediately recognized that it is a much better example of a quality knife. It has a slight gap on one side of the backspring, but that’s really its only issue. The pen blade came a bit high for my liking, but I’m more sensitive to that than most and it was easily fixed by filing the kick a bit. The blades are both well centered. Both blades have a solid pull just over a 5 out of 10, with nice snappy action. There’s no blade play in either the open or closed positions on either blade. Case edges seem to consistently come from the factory coarser than any other company I’ve tried. It’s actually pretty amazing how coarse the edges come, almost like they use a bench grinder or something. Coarse edges do cut well for general use, but I re-apexed and smoothed them out. Overall, I am very happy with the quality on this knife.

I really enjoy the aesthetic of this particular Case Barlow. Like I said, the etch is very classic and calls to mind the vintage Case barlows. I really enjoy the shape of the clip point. Its shape is different from most clip points that GEC makes, but it has a nice sharp point and a good belly with some straight edge as well. Like the etch, it recalls the vintage Case patterns. Although it’s not the fanciest handle material, the Yellow Synthetic is probably the most recognizable Case handle material and makes for a very utilitarian looking knife and is a great choice for a barlow. Finally, this model has Case’s CV steel. CV, standing for Chrome Vanadium, is Case’s carbon steel. It’s proprietary to Case, but it seems to be 1095 with some low levels of Chrome and Vanadium added, hence the name. I had a couple knives in CV that came to me used, but this is my first knife that I’ve gotten brand new in the steel. Many people swear that it is superior to Case’s stainless, Tru Sharp. So far, I do think it patinas differently and more slowly than plain 1095. I’m looking forward to long seeing how it does in long term use and sharpening. All this comes together to make a Barlow made in 2019 that could easily be mistaken for one made in the early days of Case.

Alongside it’s GEC Barlow counterpart

Although it’s not 100% perfect, it’s quite a good classic barlow. It has a lot of traditional features that I really enjoy. It also came at a great price, and is a fair price direct from the dealer in my opinion. It makes for a great user for anyone who likes traditional pocket knives, an every-man knife like the barlows of old. You can get this specific model at this link, as well as several others at Shepherd Hills Cutlery (along with many other dealers). These are going “back in the vault” now that 2019 is over, so if you want to get one the time is NOW!

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

Knife Thoughts 2019 Every Day Carry in Review: Pseudo Science Edition!

The past few revolutions ’round the sun I’ve endeavored to keep track of what knives I carry each day for the whole year. This last year, 2019, I dutifully tallied consistently enough that I feel the outcome paints a relatively representative picture of my carry across the last 12 months. So, since I took the time to do this without too much of a sensible reason, I’ve decided to provide myself with such by sharing the results with you!

A fresh and unused GEC Farm & Field Bullnose

2019 was not the first year I’ve tried to keep track of my carry, but it is the first wherein I haven’t missed large swaths of time. A couple years ago I did well enough that I decided to share it on BladeForums, but ended up taking the thread down. This past year I used Google Keep on my phone to write down my carry, even keeping it handy with the widget version of the app. By only changing the date in the title once I’d updated the tally for that day, and seeing it when I swiped across my home screen, I was able to keep up with the process without getting more than a day or two behind.

The MassDrop x WE x Ray Laconico Keen at Long Pond in Acadia National Park

Of course, this isn’t a statistical survey from which an in depth and accurate view of my EDC habits can be mined. I didn’t note when I first started carrying each knife. This would affect the average of how often each knife was carried, being that I had some at the beginning of the year, and even those I got during the year I didn’t immediately start carrying upon acquirement. It also doesn’t take into account whether I simply carried the knife but didn’t use it or carried the knife and used it. There are also times when I use a knife heavily without actually carrying that knife that day, instances of which were not included in the tally. So this is more of a general look at what I carry, than it is an attempt to garner real insight.

The Relentless Tactical fixed blade with a walking stick I made using it

But it’s still a fun exercise that I don’t think many people have done! So please peruse the data below at your leisure:

Fixed Blades

DCL Kwaiken: 2
Blind Horse Woodsman Pro: 3
Logan 1: 1
Reverse: 21
Culberson: 1
RR pen knife: 2
Mora Companion: 1
TOPS ALRT: 4
Spartan Harsey 2: 5
Buck 119: 10
Buck 475: 1
Relentless: 57
Canadian belt knife: 1
Shaner GEC: 2

In Bag / On Keychain

Stainless Ladybug wedding date: 102

SwissCard Lite in wallet: 245

Leatherman Squirt in bag: 340

Traditional Folders

GEC 98 Texas Camp Knife: 11
GEC Kifer 97: 23
GEC 93 Waynorth White Lambfoot: 33
GEC 86 white: 2
GEC 82 Dixie Stag: 5
GEC 82 possum Skinner: 47
GEC 78 Glitter Gold: 31
GEC 77 single spear AF: 21
GEC sfa 2019 74 white stainless: 3
GEC 73 casein: 2
GEC 71 orange: 43
GEC 71 tortoise: 1
GEC 65 Black Gold: 11
GEC 56 Glitter Gold: 10
GEC 56 clip pen weave Jigged: 10
GEC 53 Cuban stainless Stag: 15
GEC 45 Pioneer Muscle: 15
GEC 44 Cocobolo: 15
GEC 35 Banana: 14
GEC 29 acrylic: 14
GEC Schrade (loaned from Clay R): 3
GEC 22 Magnum sea: 20
GEC 18 Beagle: 15
GEC 15 TC Black Bone: 41
GEC 15 TC Rendezvous 2014: 1
GEC 13 Office Knife: 7
GEC 06 Pemberton: 27

Jeffery Mitchell: 20

Remington guide lockback: 7
Remington master guide: 3
Remington Apprentice?: 2

Sanrenmu from Paddy aka Steve: 2

Opinel #5: 2
Opinel #9: 1

Rough Rider Sowbelly 5 blade: 5
Rough Rider white mini Barlow: 7
Rough Rider ceramic trapper: 3
Rough Rider moose: 1
RR 818 work yellow liner: 1
Rough Ryder Congress: 1
Rough Rider gold mini toothpick: 9
Rough Ryder RR2038: 2
Rough Ryder easy money canoe: 3

Ozark pen: 2

Queen Birdvis Hunter: 10
Queen Utility Trapper: 9
Queen abalone copperhead: 2

Buck Deuce: 2

Case Trapper Yellow: 7
Case Sodbuster Jr orange: 14
Case Tribal Lock: 9

Ag Russell Rancher Yellow: 7

Spyderco Roadie: 13

Victorinox Farmer: 5
Victorinox Huntsman: 8
Victorinox Picnicker: 15
Victorinox Classic: 8

Higonokami small black: 2

Earl’s Imperial mini teardrop: 2

Modern Folders

Isham Blackstar: 1
MassDrop x WE x Laconico Keen: 53
Spyderco Native Ti: 29
Spyderco Ouroboros: 23
ZT 0561: 23
Benchmade 940: 11
Steel Will Gekko: 13
Geralt: 15
Kershaw Cathode: 4
Cold Steel micro recon: 3
Kershaw Bareknuckle: 7
Rough Rider Pastel: 4
Kershaw Cinder: 1
Kershaw Thistle: 11
Spyderco Endura grey: 48
Spyderco Chokwe: 5
Cold Steel Code 4: 7
Kershaw Decimus: 15
Chasm 2.5: 1
Kershaw Leek: 2
Cold Steel FGX Balisong: 4
Spyderco Domino: 19
Spyderco Pacific Salt: 2
CRKT Peck: 1
Spyderco Native Chief: 5
Victorinox Hunter Pro: 3
Ontario Rat 1: 26
CRKT Ruger Hollow Point: 11
Spyderco Shaman Sprint: 3
Benchmade Griptilian: 19

The GEC Possum Skinner with one of my favorite fixed blades, the Blind Horse Knives Woodsman Pro

So, my top five most carried modern Folders were the MassDrop produced WE manufactured Laconico designed Keen, the Spyderco Endura 4, the Spyderco Native 5 Fluted Titanium, the Ontario RAT 1, and the Spyderco Ouroboros. My top five traditional pocket knives were the GEC Tidioute #82 Possum Skinner, the GEC Farm & Field #71 Bullnose, the GEC Tidioute #15 TC Barlow, the GEC Waynorth #93 Real Lambfoot, and the GEC Tidioute #78 American Jack 2018 SFA. My top three most carried fixed blades, all the rest being carried significantly less than these, were the Relentless Tactical, the Spyderco Reverse, and the Buck 119.

It’s not a Possum, but the Great Eastern Cutlery Tidioute Possum Skinner did great on a few Squirrels this season

What do my top fives in each category show about my carry habits? For modern knives, I prefer Spyderco. However, I’m not surprised that I carried the Keen the most overall, because Ray Laconico is my favorite custom folding knife designer / maker. For fixed blades, the data mostly shows that I carry them far less frequently than folding knives. I ended up carrying the Relentless Tactical a lot because for some reason it was just very easy and comfortable to carry, unlike most fixed blades. I also carried the Spyderco Reverse a good bit because of the great sheath I have for it from Dark Star Gear (check them out!). So it would seem that the sheath and carry style is the most important factor in what fixed blades I carry. As for traditional pocket knives, I am clearly a fan of Great Eastern Cutlery (but you probably already knew that). More specifically, I like the practical workers and Charlie Campagna SFOs. Honestly, there’s no real surprises in what I carried knowing my history and taste in knives!

My first Great Eastern Cutlery knife, a TC Barlow originally in Smooth Ivory Bone

Another benefit of this little endeavor is a more general and broad view of what knives are worth buying and/or keeping for me. If I buy a knife, carry it a bunch at first, then don’t carry it much for the rest of the year, I can see that in these numbers and make a note that I might not have enjoyed that knife as much as I expected to. Also, I think these numbers have actually led me to be more comfortable with buying a knife as a collector piece. If I’m going to carry a select few knives most of the time, it seems less worth it to use a knife that could be kept in good condition. However, I always swing back toward the user side of things and every time I get a collectible or rare knife I have a great desire to put it to use, so we’ll see how long I can hold out on not using the rare ones.

The same Great Eastern Cutlery Farm & Field Bullnose, well used

Overall, I am glad I took the time and effort to do this little every day carry knife experiment. Will I keep up with it this year? I don’t know. I just know I enjoy carrying and using my knives, and this give you a glimpse into which I favor.

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

3 Budget Friendly EDC Pocket Knives that Make GREAT Last Minute Gifts

Christmas is fast approaching, and if you’re like me then your gift list still has people without checks next to their names. However, at this point you might be getting a little tapped out. You’ve got lots of friends and family that you’re excited to give presents, but they don’t come free!

So, in this article I will recommend three great options of budget friendly knives that make great gifts. These are all modern knives with one hand opening, pocket clips, and locks. I have owned or handled several of each of these, so I am confident in their overall quality, especially considering they’re all under $30!

Byrd Cara Cara 2

The Cara Cara in a stainless steel handle is a great canvas for engraving

Byrd is Spyderco’s budget brand. They’re made in China with less exotic materials than the typical Spyderco, but they seem to be held to a high standard of quality control for their price point. I have actually examined 6 of these, and I’ve been honestly shocked at the consistent quality across all of them. They’ve all had smooth action, solid lock up, and good centering (not all 100% perfect, but none close to rubbing the handles). The Cara Cara 2 is the Byrd version of Spyderco’s well known and loved Endura. It has a 3.75″ blade, which provides ample cutting edge. It comes in several different blade shapes including the classic Endura-like drop point, a serrated sheepfoot, and a spear point with an Emerson Wave Opener. The handles are either fiberglass reinforced nylon, which come in several colors, or stainless steel. I particularly like the stainless steel, and it’s great for engraving. I find the handle to be very ergonomic; honestly it feels better in my hand than that of the Endura. The blade steel is 8cr13mov; lower edge retention and corrosion resistance than the VG10 of an Endura but still very capable and easy to sharpen. The Byrd Cara Cara is a great option if you like the Spyderco aesthetic and emphasis on utility, and offers a great value at around $30. You can find it at many dealers and Amazon, but there are a lot of options available at DLT Trading. There is also a smaller, Delica sized, version called the Meadowlark.

Ontario Rat 1

The Rat 1 with another classic, the Case Trapper

The Ontario Rat 1 is one of the most commonly recommended budget knives. It’s a classic that has been proven to be of high quality. I think I’ve had 3 through the years, and I’ve given at least 3 as gifts. They’ve all come well centered, with no blade play, and smooth. The Rat 1 has an almost straight backed drop point design with a lot of straight edge and an abrupt belly, at about 3.6″. This blade shape works fine for pretty much any usage, and is very similar to that on the classic Sod Buster pattern, although I do prefer blade shapes with less abrupt a belly. The blade steel is Aus8, on which Ontario seems to have really dialed in the heat treat. Mine have always held an edge extremely well, and I’ve seen them stand up to some real abuse. The Rat 1 is right around $30, although it can sometimes be found on sale for less, and most dealers carry it including Amazon. It is available at this link at KnifeCenter, where you can also find the smaller version the Rat 2.

Kershaw Thistle

Nice lines for an inexpensive knife

The Thistle is an interesting model from Kershaw that I really enjoy. I have had a couple of these and have gifted a good several, so I’ve gotten to look over 7. They all had solid lockup and smooth action. 5 of them had perfect or close enough centering, and 2 were a bit off but nowhere near rubbing the handles. The Thistle has a somewhat unique modified liner lock where you push a button on the handle that pushes a bar across and unlocks the liner. This lock allows you to close the knife without putting your fingers in the path of the blade, unlike a normal liner lock. The thing I really like about this knife though, is its design. The handle is nice and simple with great ergonomics and a good bit of grippiness with Kershaw’s “K-Texture”. The blade is a very practical drop point with a good section of straight edge then a nice long sweeping belly. It fits a considerable amount of edge into the handle also, although it’s shorter than the others on this list at 3.25″. The blade steel is 8cr13mov, like on the Cara Cara. Another great thing about the Thistle is that it’s on sale pretty much everywhere! I got mine for Christmas gifts from Smoky Mountain Knife Works at only $9 each, but I think this knife is EASILY worth $30 and offers a similar value as the others on this list.

I sincerely thank you for your time, support, and interest! Don’t forget to tell your friends about KnifeThoughts.com, subscribe via email, and share this article on social media. You can find Knife Thoughts on YouTube where I have hundreds of knife videos, as well as on Instagram and Facebook! You can find all my latest links at LinkTr.ee/KnifeThoughts

ANNOUNCEMENT! Great Eastern Cutlery will be doing the #62 Easy Pocket Congress pattern in 2020!

Great Eastern Cutlery just posted on their website ( GreatEasternCutlery.NET not .com is the one to follow, FYI) that they’ll be doing the #62 Easy Pocket Congress pattern in 2020!

They’re doing some cool versions! It looks like they’ll be doing one with a banana shield, which is fitting considering the pattern shape. The big surprise to me is that they’re using Unicorn Ivory Acrylic again, considering how much trouble they had with it on the #25s. Of course, there’ll be Jigged Bone and Sambar Stag versions also.

If you’re a fan of the Congress pattern, email your favorite dealer (link to a list of GEC dealers here) and get in on this long awaited run (for some) of the #62 Easy Pocket Congress!