The Stockman and Cattle Knife are some of the most traditional and revered pocket knife patterns… but what are they? And what’s the difference?
GEC’s interpretations of the Cattle Knife (top) and a modified Stockman (bottom)
What are the Stockman and Cattle Knife patterns?
Both the Stockman and Cattle Knife patterns are types of traditional non-locking (now called “slipjoint”) pocket knives. They traditionally have three blades sharing two springs. They both historically were designed and used in agriculture, ranching, and animal husbandry. They’re both typically medium to large sized, compared to other traditional pocket knife patterns, ranging from 3.5″ to 4.25″ closed (with both smaller and larger outliers). So there’s a lot of similarity between the two patterns… so why do they have different names?
The Great Eastern Cutlery #35 Cattle Knife
What’s the difference between a Stockman and Cattle Knife?
The difference between a Stockman and a Cattle Knife comes down to two main things: the handle shape, and the main blade shape. Whereas a Stockman typically uses a serpentine frame (either with rounded or squared ends), a Cattle Knife most often uses an equal end cigar frame (and I’ve never seen one with anything but rounded ends). Also, while both patterns traditionally include sheepfoot and spay secondary blades, a Stockman normally has a clip point main blade and a spear point for the Cattle Knife.
The Rough Ryder RR2102, a square end Stockman with modern steel and construction
That all said, like most “rules” for traditional knife patterns, Stockman and Cattle Knives often bend or break these definitions. For example some include a different secondary blade configuration, like the Great Eastern Cutlery Dixie Stock Knife below with a wharncliffe and drop point. Some even include different tools, like a bottler opener or awl / punch. Some manufacturers have included a lock on the main blade. There are also some modern interpretations with screw construction. As with other traditional knife patterns, the Stockman and Cattle Knife have evolved in their long years on the market. The Stockman and Cattle Knife are two similar but distinct patterns, and two of the most loved!
The Great Eastern Cutlery #82 Dixie Stock Knife
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Okay, I’ll admit it; I have some unpopular opinions about slipjoints. Sure, I like a good snappy action, a pinchable blade, and good fitment like everyone else. There are just some things that many like that I don’t prefer, and I can’t keep them a secret any longer!
Half Stops… Who Needs ‘Em?
I’d take a cam tang over a half stop any day. People claim that a half stop is a safety feature, that it helps stop the blade from closing on your hands if you accidentally put pressure on the spine. In my experience, half stops are as likely to cause a slip while opening the knife as they are to stop the blade from closing on your hand. I actually got a bad cut once while opening a knife that had a strong pull because my hands were oily and slipped when the blade hit the half stop. I also find pulling the blade all the way open or pushing it all the way closed to be more satisfying… no interruption from a half stop needed. So for me I prefer no half stop both from a practical and an aesthetic perspective.
I love the Great Eastern Cutlery #15 Pattern… despite it having a half stop
Sharpening Choils… Should Chill
Sharpening choils seem to be a frequent request on knife designs. I recall people griping in particular about the lack of sharpening choils on Spyderco knives when I frequented the forums. You still don’t see them on many traditional slipjoints, but they’re common on modern slipjoints. Unlike half stops, my preference against sharpening choils is mostly practical. I find that sharpening choils tend to catch when cutting, especially in breaking down cardboard, and moreso the larger the choil. Now, the main argument for a sharpening choil is also practical; they help to keep a consistent blade shape through numerous sharpenings. Sometimes, especially with fixed angle sharpening systems, a blade without a choil can be difficult to sharpen evenly all the way to the heel. For me though, being that I use stones to sharpen, I’d rather have the uninterrupted edge. All that said, I can’t say I have anything against the looks of a well designed sharpening choil.
Jack Wolf Knives have exaggerated sharpening choils, but it works well for them
Carbon Steel… Straight in the Can
I know this one will ruffle some feathers, but there’s never really a time that I’d prefer carbon steel over stainless steel. On a user, stainless steel means much less maintenance. While in the past it was true that stainless steel was often of lower quality, the opposite is more commonly true now. Modern stainless steel has advanced far beyond the capability of 1095 and its traditional brethren. Simple carbon steels are easier to sharpen, but much of it depends on the skills and tools available to the user. For a collection knife, stainless steel means you don’t have to worry that your knife will rust just sitting in its box if a little moisture finds its way in. It also means the etch will not lighten with storage care. While I can appreciate a patina as a visual reminder of the usefulness of the knife, I generally prefer the look of unaltered steel. So, for me, stainless steel is usually more practical and allows me to continue to enjoy the knife’s original intended look.
The vast majority of GEC knives are in carbon steel, like this #21 Bull Buster showing a healthy patina developing
That said…..
This is all not to say that I don’t like knives with those features. Many of my favorite knives have some or even all of the characteristics mentioned above. Most Great Eastern Cutlery knives have carbon steel and half stops. Almost all Jack Wolf Knives have sharpening choils and half stops. So it’s not that a half stop, or sharpening choil, or carbon steel are deal breakers on their own or even in concert for me. Rather, they’re just not features I would include on my ideal slipjoint.
What unpopular opinions do you have about slipjoints? Are there any features you dislike that others like, or vice versa?
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Today was a good day for traditional knife enthusiasts, as two long awaited slipjoints have burst onto the scene!
Advanced Knife Bro Stump Lifter
The Stump Lifter is a new slipjoint designed by Advanced Knife Bro. Advanced Knife Bro is one of the best knife reviewers on YouTube, with a unique dry wit that often garners salty comments. I’ve been watching his videos for years and have enjoyed watching him dive deeper into his enthusiasm for traditional knives and slip joints. He’s even a member of the Barlow Bearcat Club! The Stump Lifter is in collaboration with, and an exclusive for, Blade HQ. It is manufactured by QSP, a well regarded and widely used OEM for both modern knives and slipjoints (such as the Traditional Pocket Knives Ohio River Jacks). I got the green bone version and will do a video soon, so make sure you’re subscribed to my YouTube channel! All 3 versions are still available as of this writing at $120, and you can find them here.
Great Eastern Cutlery #15 TC Barlow
The #15 pattern is probably the most widely loved by Great Eastern Cutlery fans, especially in the TC Barlow iteration, so it was great news to see it on today’s production scheduled update! If you’re not familiar with the TC Barlow you can watch my video on the most recent run back in 2021. Now, not to lie by omission, they also included #15 Urban Jacks on that update. However, as a Barlow enthusiast, I am most excited about the new single blade sheepfoot #15 TC Barlow that is coming down the pipeline. Even better, it is shown to be slated to have “Tractor Green” sawcut bone for the covers (as well as an indication that there will be more handle options that are as yet undecided). I’m sure these will be a HOT ticket even among the normally difficult to buy GEC drops, so email your favorite dealers!
The Rider by CC is the latest in a string of incredible Special Factory Orders for Charlie Campagna by Great Eastern Cutlery, and a classic Harness Jack.
TLDR? Check out my video on the Rider by CC and the Harness Jack pattern here!
An article on the Harness Jack by Charlie from the OKCA Newsletter
What is Waynorth Cutlery?
Waynorth Cutlery is the brand created and owned by Charlie Campagna. It is named after his BladeForums username, “Waynorth”. So far only three knives have been graced by the Waynorth Cutlery tang stamps; “Waynorth” arched over “Cutlery” over “Buffalo, NY” and on the reverse the classic “OIL THE JOINTS”. Those knives are the Lambfoot (GEC #93 pattern), Blackjack (GEC #86 pattern), and now the Rider by CC (GEC #86 pattern). Although Charlie did have knives made by Queen while Bill Howard (now founder / owner of Great Eastern Cutlery) was head cutler there, all of the Waynorth branded knives have been made by GEC. The Rider by CC is Charlie’s newest special factory order, and is a Harness Jack.
Models with the Waynorth Cutlery tang stamps
What is a Harness Jack?
A Harness Jack is a classic pattern that typifies the historical draw of traditional knives. The Harness Jack is a jack knife, meaning both “blades” come from the same end of the handle, and includes a main blade and a leather punch (sometimes called an awl). The main blade is often a spear point, but can be a clip point like on the Rider by CC. The handle is often a swell end, where the handle widens from the pivot end to a rounded butt end, but can also be a sleeve board or equal end pattern. The secondary blade, a punch, is a triangular piercing tool with a sharpened edge. Like many traditional patterns, the Harness Jack is a tool that was created for a specific use that was more common in our past. For the Harness Jack that use was repairing leather goods, specifically horse tack. The Harness Jack was a popular pattern in the heyday of traditional pocket knives, around the turn of the 20th century. At that time almost everything ran on horse power; manufacturing machinery, farming equipment, and of course transportation. Additionally, more everyday goods were made of leather. So if your horse’s harness or your briefcase’s strap broke, it was extremely convenient to have a punch available to make a new hole and mend it enough to get through your day. There were a myriad of punch designs, and there was even several patents filed in the 1910s, probably to capitalize on World War 1 and the demand for tack and other leather goods it would cause. However, the pattern seems to have faded and basically died out in the 1930s. This timeframe coincides with the rise of the automobile and its becoming commonplace in everyday life, and therefore less need for horse tack. That said, the punch didn’t entirely disappear from the knife industry; Scout and Camp knives continued to include a punch, due to the higher likelihood that one would need to repair leather while recreating outdoors. So, like other patterns with historic uses (Trapper, Cotton Sampler, etc.), the Harness Jack harkens back to a different time and gives that feeling of historicity that is so integral to many collectors’ enjoyment of traditional knives.
An excerpt from a 1911 Schatt & Morgan catalog showing several Harness Jacks
What makes the Rider by CC special?
The Rider by CC brings Charlie’s designs full circle. Being that his main collection interest has been Harness Jacks and his first SFOs with Queen were Harness Jacks, it’s fitting that this latest is a classic example of the pattern. The Rider by CC also shares connections with two other of Charlie’s SFOs, the Texas Camp Knife and Blackjack. Charlie had a special version of the GEC #98 Texas Camp Knife made, and believe it or not the punch on the Rider by CC is the same as the one used on the #98 (which I forgot to mention in the above video, to my great frustration). The Blackjack was a Jumbo Jack SFO Charlie had made on a previous run of the #86 pattern, the same frame as the Rider by CC. The Rider by CC also has a special “Empire” shield, based upon a shield often used by Empire Knife Company. Empire is a brand that Charlie has also collected and has an incredible display of their many patterns, so the Rider by CC’s unique shield serves as a great reference to that side of Charlie’s collection. The Rider by CC is a quintessential Harness Jack that perfectly represents Charlie’s passion for traditional knives and his Waynorth Cutlery brand.
The identical forged punches on the #98 Texas Camp Knife and #86 Rider by CC, one with more use!
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Some knives boast innovations that add to the practicality, others showcase special features that add to the aesthetic, and then there’s the Imperial Trick Knife.
The Trick Knife is a single bladed non locking folding knife that was made with a rather unique feature. Within the blade well a space was cut in the liners that housed a small free moving bar. That bar moves up and down in its housing due to gravity as the knife is turned. Why? It gives the knife a “trick”; the blade can only be opened when the knife is upside down and can only be closed when the knife is upright.
An advertisement for a trick knife called “The Humbug Knife”
What is the purpose of this feature? Well, as the name suggests, it really only serves as a fun trick to challenge your friends. In fact, some original advertising even claimed that only the most calm tempered could open it without frustration the first time. There’s not much practical use of a knife locking closed and not open. That said, if you want to “secure” your knife against someone opening it without your leave (like, in my case, if you have a small child around) it could be a useful feature… at least until they figure out the trick.
Despite its endearing quirkiness, the trick mechanism seems to have been seen as pure novelty by the manufacturer. The blade tang is stamped with several patent numbers. The tang numbers correspond to patents for the construction of the handle, but I could find no patents related to the locking mechanism online. Also, these trick knives were often given away by companies as advertising knives with their logo etched on the handles, or sold cheaply with TV character graphics on the handles.
Patent drawing for the handle construction method used by Imperial, the bottom line of the tang stamp on the Trick Knife
Despite the fact that the trick mechanism isn’t overly practical and the trick knife was sold as a novelty, it’s a unique and interesting piece of cutlery history. It hearkens back to a golden age of the knife industry when there was widespread innovation, just like there is today. Just as with those of today, not all cutlery innovations of the past took hold. Even still, the Imperial Trick Knife oozes a certain endearing nostalgia that can’t be denied.
Thank you to Jerram for loaning this awesome piece of cutlery history, and congratulations on owning such a great heirloom!
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