One of the most engaging aspects of traditional slipjoint knives is the myriad of unique patterns that have been made, and a great example can be found in the Cotton Sampler. The Cotton Sampler is a relatively little known and sparsely made pattern that has, like many traditional patterns, an obscure history. In this article I’ll discuss some of the pattern’s variations, possible background, and current versions.
Companion Video!
Description
There are two distinct blade shapes and corresponding handle shapes that have been given the name “Cotton Sampler”. One type of Cotton Sampler has a backward curved handle, like a swayback, (though some versions have a straight frame) and a hefty straight edged blade with a straight spine and abrupt angle toward the tip. This type looks very similar to a typical harvester or sailor knife, but often with an even taller blade. The other, more unique, type has a forward curved handle and a blade that deserves its own sentence to describe. The blade on this type has a long unground ricasso, often around an inch long, between the kick and the edge itself, which curves abruptly toward a small clipped tip. It makes for a blade that looks like a squatter spay shape with an unground extension from the handle. While both these shapes have been called Cotton Samplers, today the term is almost exclusively used for the latter style.
Schatt & Morgan Example of the Swayback Type
History
So, what’s the story behind these interesting knives? Well, it seems the pattern shapes themselves likely predate the name. The first style described above is just a slight variation of an ancient pattern that can be found in the earliest Sheffield pattern books (and likely much earlier, as some Roman knives have similar designs). It’s a classic agriculture pattern well suited for the pull cuts prevalent in those uses. On the other hand, the second style is less typical. The earliest example with this unusual blade shape can be found in a 1903 Schatt & Morgan catalogue, but isn’t identified as a Cotton Sampler. It actually has a rounded unground area, rather than the flat type seen on later examples, that is heavily reminiscent to finger choils on modern knives (at least to my eyes). Considering that a knife of the same shape in a 1938 Maher & Grosh catalogue is identified as a “Skinning Knife”, I think it is likely that this version of the Cotton Sampler pattern started as a sportsman’s knife and was later repurposed for agricultural use. That said, I have seen an explanation of the unusual blade shape proposed in several places. Apparently the tall blade with abrupt edge is used to cut into a bale of cotton and act like a spoon to extract a sample (hence the name), and the flat unground area is used to rub the cotton fibers to somehow ascertain the quality of the product. While it’s not my place or intention to claim what is or isn’t fact in this notoriously murky realm of knife history, I find it likely that the previously described use evolved to fit an already existing pattern and then that use influenced the evolution of the pattern itself.
Schatt & Morgan 1903 Catalogue
Availability
Unfortunately, the Cotton Sampler is not one of the more widely available patterns. Queen made both versions over the years before going out of business. Great Eastern Cutlery has made the latter version I described but, like most of their patterns, it has become highly collectible and difficult to find since 2013 (the only time it was made). The only company I’m aware of that offers an array of widely available Cotton Samplers is Rough Ryder.
AMKCA Club Knives
Conclusion
My interest in the Cotton Sampler pattern was piqued by an unexpected addition to my collection. I attend the Allegheny Mountain Knife Collectors Association club, and one of the members has been a supporter and a huge asset to my journey into vintage traditional knives. He knows I am a GEC enthusiast and collect the AMKCA club knives, so he offered to sell me his favorite of the club knives at a fair price. It happened to be the 2013 GEC #74 Cotton Sampler. I agreed happily, both because it’s a great knife unlike anything in my collection and because I appreciated that he thought of me when he decided to sell the knife. I have enjoyed getting to know this pattern through my example and to display it with my other AMKCA knives. While I haven’t been able to find as much historical information on the Cotton Sampler, I’ve still enjoyed getting to know it. I hope you’re able to check out this unique pattern also!
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
So, you’ve found your perfect knife (or, if you’re like me, your latest in a string of perfect knives) and you’ve put it to good use. The edge just doesn’t have that lightsaber sharpness anymore, and it’s in need of a thorough sharpening. Now you’re faced with a decision; should you have it professionally sharpened, or should you do it yourself?
There are a multitude of reasons to sharpen your own knives. However, there are a few ‘pros’ of sharpening your own knives that you might never have thought of before. Read on for 5 obscure but important reasons that sharpening is a great skill to practice, and for what I use to sharpen my knives!
It’s Good for your Knives
When you’ve resolved to sharpen your own knives you’re less likely to abuse them. Things like prying, hacking, scraping, and other abusive tasks often don’t only dull a knife’s edge, but also actually damage it with chips, rolls, and broken tips. These types of damage take much more time to correct than a normal dulled edge. So, since we all value our limited time, having to sharpen the damage out from abusive use of your knife makes you less willing to undertake those types of use. That said, you can use your knife appropriately to your hearts content without worry; almost every well heat treated steel can be brought from dull to sharp with ease using the right tools (read on for what I use).
It’s Good for the Environment
Sharpening your own knives reduces waste and pollution. If you send your knives out to be sharpened you’ll use a box, packing tape, etc. that could have been saved. Then it’ll have to be shipped (or driven by you, in rare cases where you have a professional sharpening service nearby) likely hundreds of miles by truck, contributing harmful emissions to the ecosystem. Then all that will have to be done again for the knife to get back to you. Doesn’t learning how to sharpen your own knives sound worth the slight trouble, and great eventual satisfaction, if it can help keep our planet and its inhabitants healthy?
It’s Good for your Mental Health
Sharpening knives can act as a form of mindful meditation. Mindful meditation is a practice of focusing on a particular phenomenon, often the breath, and allowing thoughts to go by without attaching to them. While meditation might seem hokey or overly trendy to some, it’s been shown to have real benefits for things like productivity, mental health, and cognitive function. Knife sharpening lends itself extremely well to mindfulness practice because it requires repetitive focused action (the passing of the edge on the stone at a maintained angle) with tactile feedback that provides a very fitting phenomenon on which to rest the mind.
It’s Good for Travel
Sharpening your own knives, or at least knowing how to sharpen the knife you’re using, makes travel more convenient. The last thing you want, if you’re able to bring your EDC with you on your travels, is to be half way through a trip and your knife already dulled. Also, I (and I think many others) prefer to go the AirBnB route when traveling so that I can experience the area more fully… and cook for myself, rather than having to go out for every meal. The problem is, most places you stay have knives that just don’t live up to the sharpness we enthusiasts have come to expect. While you often can’t bring your knives with you when you travel, you can almost always bring sharpening gear (especially something like the minimalist setup I use, described below). That way with just a few minutes of work you can have sharp and usable tools, whether it be your knife or your home away from home’s knife.
It’s Good for your Relationships
Everybody loves to have a sharp knife. Being able to sharpen your friends’ and family’s knives can be a gift that you can give over and over. The great thing is, it’s not something that only knife enthusiasts appreciate! The vast majority of people use a kitchen knife regularly, and most struggle to keep them sharp. With a portable setup you can always be ready to make someone’s day by sharpening their carry knife or kitchen knife.
My Sharpening Setup
So what do I use to sharpen? I prefer to use a minimalist setup for the majority of my sharpening. For a long time I used a DMT Diafold, a Spyderco Double Stuff, and the Stropping Young Lad Pocket Strop. However, I’ve now pared it down to an even more minimal setup that works just as well for me: the WESN Pocket Sharpener and a Sunshine Cloth. I’ve been extremely impressed with the versatility of both these items. The WESN stone has an aggressive 400 grit diamond plate on one side, which I find can be used both to cut a new apex if the edge is damaged and also to bring an existing apex together. The other side of the WESN stone is a fine ceramic plate that is great for touching up an edge from working sharp to shaving sharp. It’s literally pocket sized and comes in a nice leather slip, so you can take it pretty much anywhere. I have really been enjoying this stone, and it has effectively filled the roles of both the DMT and Spyderco stones I previously used. While I still love and use the Stropping Young Lad Pocket Strop, it’s no longer in stock and the maker isn’t sure when or if more will be available. I have used Sunshine Cloths for years and they work surprisingly effectively as a strop, as well as their normal use for polishing and cleaning. I wrap a Sunshine Cloth around my WESN Pocket Sharpener and slap a rubber band around it and I’m pretty much covered for most sharpening jobs, and the whole setup fits easily in a pocket. I highly recommend these tools for a simple sharpening setup!
While these are all great reasons to learn to sharpen knives and to sharpen your own knives, sharpening is also just plain fulfilling. Maintaining your own knives and helping others maintain theirs provides a feeling of small but useful accomplishment and self sufficiency, and we all deserve to feel that way sometimes. I often say “the world feels right when your knives are sharp”, and I think if you decide to sharpen your own knives you’ll understand what I mean!
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
Some links in this article are affiliate links. That means that if you click them and purchase the product you won’t pay any more than you normally would, but I get a commission from the sale. This is just a way for you to support Knife Thoughts. Be sure to try my discount codes “KnifeThoughts” or “KT10”!
Show your support for Waynorth Cutlery with this minimalist “OIL THE JOINTS” baseball hat! As with the shirts, a portion of the sales of these will go directly to Charlie Campagna AKA Waynorth. Another huge thanks to Steve for creating the design files to match the tang stamps. The framed “OIL THE JOINTS” design looks really clean in embroidery. As for the hat, it’s the classic cotton unstructured baseball hat with a curved bill and adjustable buckle strap. I think you’ll like it!
I think these turned out great!
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
Slipjoint knives are reemerging in popularity across the knife market. Slipjoint knives are non-locking knives that are usually, but not always, opened with two hands and held open and closed with some sort of spring mechanism. Considering the skyrocketing demand for traditional slipjoints like those made by Great Eastern Cutlery to the myriad of modern knife brands bringing slipjoint designs to the market, it’s safe to say that the knife community has its eyes on these enigmatic non-locking knives.
What led me to my interest in Jack Wolf Knives?
Recently, at the 2021 GEC Rendezvous, I got the chance to meet the creator of Jack Wolf Knives, Ben Belkin. Ben is a member of several slipjoint focused Facebook groups I participate in, and I became aware of his upcoming brand through his postings there and on Instagram. Ben has designed a veritable brigade of models, all with traditional pattern inspirations but modern construction and materials. He attended Blade Show this year and garnered a lot of attention across social media, including with some of the larger online knife dealers like BladeHQ. Having been intrigued by some of the Jack Wolf patterns I saw Ben post online, I was glad to hear he’d be attending the Rendezvous, and looking forward to meeting him and getting to check out the prototype models in person.
Ben kindly sat in on the Knife Thoughts table at the GEC Rendezvous while I wandered around.
What are my thoughts on the Jack Wolf Knives prototype knives?
Ben brought prototypes of the first batch of upcoming Jack Wolf Knives models to the Rendezvous. He said he got a lot of valuable feedback at Blade Show and was hoping to get more at the Rendezvous.
My first impression of the knives was that they looked how I expect high quality modern slipjoints to look, but with some unique design elements. The titanium bolsters are integral, meaning they are part of the same billet that also forms the liners. The covers, all micarta on these prototypes, are surprisingly thin. At the edges, I’d say they’re no more than 3mm thick, though they do seem to have some sculpting that should make them a little thicker in the center. Ben said that this thinness was to allow the liners to be thicker and allow for more threading for the attachment screws, and I imagine it also reduces the machining necessary to create the space for the cover material. The fitting of the covers was overall really finely done, with no major gaps that I noticed.
The action was really smooth on all models, with only one model having a bit lazy snap to closed (due to the design of the tang, which Ben was aware of and planned to fix) and the others having crisp action and solid pulls.
While I didn’t cut with any of them (obviously) the blades were ground to a nice thin high hollow grind that Ben said is either completely hand ground or at least hand finished. I had noticed that one model’s edge didn’t go all the way to the choil in a picture Ben posted previous to the Rendezvous, which he said would be corrected in production, but was happy to see that that was only the case on one of the prototypes.
I found all of the prototypes to be quite ergonomic and some, like the Vampire Jack and Venom Jack, deceptively so. I do think the Laid Back Jack, a swayback pattern, could have a more continual / gradual curve to the butt of the handle. That said, some vintage swaybacks do have a similarly abrupt upturn to the end of the handle.
Now, currently the Jack Wolf Knives site shows all models at $275. I’d be dishonest if I didn’t say that this is out of my normal price range for knives, especially slipjoints. It sits a bit above some of the popular modern slipjoints like the Benchmade Proper and LionSteel BestMan. However, I’m sure the integral build style increases production costs and they’re in the same price range as other similar knives from the same manufacturer.
By the way, these knives are made by Reate. Reate does OEM for several higher end knife brands, including the Peña production knives. I don’t personally have much, if any, experience with Reate made knives but I’ve heard good things about their manufacturing quality and consistency.
I think my main takeaway from checking out the Jack Wolf Knives prototypes was Ben’s genuine desire for feedback and willingness to consider the opinions of other slipjoint enthusiasts. I really appreciate that quality in a knife designer and company. Ben has already made some design improvements based upon feedback he has received, including on the below Vampire Jack. The prototypes I got to see were really nice knives, but I’m confident that Ben’s emphasis on improvement will ensure that the models that Jack Wolf Knives brings to market are the best possible versions.
My favorite of the prototypes, the Vampire Jack. Thanks to Ben / Jack Wolf Knives for the picture!
What’s the story behind Jack Wolf Knives?
As interesting as the prototype knives were, I was even more eager to hear about the story behind Jack Wolf Knives. Apparently, it all began with Ben being a collector of Enrique Peña custom slipjoints. Over the years a friendship was sparked, and when Enrique decided to start a line of production knives he asked Ben for his help due to his experience as an entrepreneur. The project ended up being a huge success, as I’m sure many readers who enjoy slipjoints and traditional knives will know considering the popularity of the Peña X series, and Enrique offered Ben his help if ever needed.
Fast forward a bit, and Ben decides he would like to design his own brand of modern slipjoints. Ben’s experience with digital design goes back to his high school drafting classes, which were particularly robust due to his growing up in proximity to the automobile industry in Michigan. So he came into this venture with the ability to create digital models of knives, but without the knowledge on how to actually design knives. That’s where Enrique came in, providing invaluable guidance on the particulars of knife design. From talking with Ben, I can glean that Enrique has dialed in the drafting process to a level that allows for many designs to be created based on a common set of core design characteristics.
Using that knowledge Ben created several different models, currently including prototyped examples of the: Vampire Jack, Low Drag Jack, Sharp Shooter Jack, K9 Jack, Venom Jack, Laid Back Jack, and Little Bro Jack (with several more designs already on the way). All of these designs are influenced by long standing traditional patterns, just with screw construction and titanium and micarta (rather than the traditional steel and bone or wood). I was interested to know how he decided on which patterns to bring to Jack Wolf Knives, and he said that it was influenced by what patterns are popular from other brands (e.g. the GEC #47 Viper), what patterns other companies hadn’t done much of (e.g. coffin jacks, like the Vampire Jack), and simply what patterns he prefers for himself.
Aside from the knives, one of the things that sets Jack Wolf Knives apart so far is the unique branding Ben has built. Each knife has a corresponding tube art. Yes, they come in tubes like some other brands, and Ben even put thought and care into making sure they are high quality with embossed screw tops. The art for each knife relates to the model name and involves the character “Jack Wolf” in a recognizably comic book like art style. The art is actually done by a comic book artist who has worked for Marvel, Sean Tiffany (Instagram, website). Ben said he looked hard to find an artist that matched his vision for the brand but who he could trust to leave to their own style and artistic vision, and that he landed with just that. In fact, the idea to have the “Jack Wolf” character across all the art originated with the artist.
I think these details like the tubes and art are important, because when someone buys a slipjoint in this price range they’re not just buying the knife but also the story and accessories that go with it. Jack Wolf Knives comes to the market with a story, and a palpable excitement from its leader, that will only help its chances of success.
My favorite of the art so far, for the Low Drag Jack
Low Drag Jack and Laid Back Jack Tubes
Low Drag Jack info sheet
What does the future hold for Jack Wolf Knives?
Ben previously hoped to have knives available for purchase by Q4 2021, but recently got disappointing news that the manufacturer received a massive order that will now delay production on Jack Wolf Knives into 2022. While I think this news initially took some air out of Ben’s sails, he plans to use the additional time to improve the business overall: design new models, get more artwork done, explore distribution options, and hone the overall business and marketing model.
Once production does start he hopes to keep a consistent production schedule that can be communicated to customers in advance. He also plans to use a direct to consumer sales approach, but is open to selling through dealers also. Particularly, he mentioned the possibility of creating exclusive variants to be sold through dealers, though I think that was just a seed of an idea.
While Ben has certainly jumped into this venture head first in a competitive market, I think his enthusiasm will take him far. Talking with him at the Rendezvous I got the sense that Jack Wolf Knives comes from a place of genuine passion as a traditional knife aficionado. Ben has said that he doesn’t want to just release a few knives; rather he wants to start and maintain an established knife company.
As for now, none of the knives are available but he does have branded merchandise that can be purchased at this link. I, for one, am looking forward to watching Jack Wolf Knives grow and am excited to see the knives come to fruition!
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
Recently I posted the below video review of the CIVIVIKi-V. It’s a first for Knife Thoughts, in that I disassemble the knife during the video. I also do a little sharpening, just a light touch up, with the WESN Pocket Sharpener. Check out the video for my full thoughts on the Ki-V.
In case you don’t want to watch the full 35 minute video review (hint; you should), here’s a short written companion review:
I love that the design is as close as I’ve seen a modern folder get to the Kiridashi aesthetic. It has an upward angled straight edge that works great for utility tasks, especially pull cuts. The handle is actually relatively ergonomic for how tiny it is (and it is tiny, at under 2.5″ closed), due to its simple shape and contoured G10 scales. Plus, it just looks good with the blacked out hardware, handles, and blade.
I think CIVIVI did a good job of it from a manufacturing standpoint: the detent is snappy and secure, it came centered with no play side to side, and it’s ground very well for slicing.
That said, I have to say, I think the designer made a poor decision in adding the flat area on the tang without jimping. That flat area is where the pad of my finger sets to flip the knife unless I intentionally do otherwise, as it’s a natural indexing point. So why would it be made flat with no jimping for purchase and with the face directly toward the pivot so that pressing into it doesn’t break the detent? It would flip more intuitively and consistently, for me at least, if the two jimped parts of the tang met at a rounded corner that also had jimping.
I messaged the designer and they said the knife was designed that way because they prefer front flipper style flipping. I think it would still work just as well with front flipper style opening, but much more intuitively and consistently with a classic light switch style flipping action, if the two jimped areas met at a rounded corner with continuous jimping.
Overall, I’ve still really enjoyed carrying and using this knife for the last week. Sure, sometimes my finger slips off the flipper and it doesn’t open correctly, but most of the time it works. When it does work, it flips snappily and is really fun to open and close. It’s also just a cool little tiny knife to throw in your watch pocket, and has worked well for the small tasks that make up the bulk of EDC cutting. If they made another version with the design adjustment mentioned above I would definitely buy it, especially if they made it with a just under 2.5” blade.
Is this version worth getting? I think that it is if you are comfortable with front flipper style action and / or you just want a fun little knife with kiridashi flare and CIVIVI’s high level of manufacturing quality.
Some links in this article are affiliate links. That means that if you click them and purchase the product you won’t pay any more than you normally would, but I get a commission from the sale. This is just a way for you to support Knife Thoughts. Be sure to try my discount codes “KnifeThoughts” or “KT10”!
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
