Case has been the preeminent producer of traditional pocket knives since the turn of the 20th century, and that means they have built knives on countless patterns. Some of these patterns are made continuously as perennial standbys for the company, like the Peanut and Trapper, but others only appear on certain occasions. Case’s “Out of the Vault” series brings not recently seen patterns back into production, for only one calendar year.
Check out my unboxing video including the Case 2020 Vault Pocket Hunter here!
This year’s “Vault” pattern is the Pocket Hunter. The Pocket Hunter is a quirky little pattern that Case seems likely to have invented. It is not one of their oldest patterns, but it hasn’t been produced since its inception in 2001. The Pocket Hunter is a small, like VERY small, version of the classic full size Hunter pattern. It has a tapered handle that turns up at the butt end, with bolsters on both ends. There is a hump, or swell, in the center of the handle on the blade well side. Mine has two blades, a clip point and straight spine (what Case calls a skinner blade), both being full sized. However, like the full sized version, Case has also brought a few single blade versions out of the vault for 2020. It really is just a miniaturized version of the normal (and very large) Hunter pattern in every way.
The Pocket Hunter’s full length when open is just barely longer than the full sized Hunter’s blade.
I personally have been interested in this Pocket Hunter pattern from Case for a few years. I almost purchased a “new old stock”, aka still setting on a dealer’s site in new condition from a previous run, but waffled back and forth too long and let it get bought out from underneath me. So when I heard Case was bringing it out of the vault for 2020 I was pretty excited. Case is of course offering the Pocket Hunter in MANY handle cover material options, but I decided to go with the classic yellow synthetic. I went with this handle not only because it’s budget friendly, but also because it’s a classic traditional Case handle material that I have several knives in and because I got the 2019 Vault knife in the same handle material (you can read my article on that knife here and below). Why not start another set / collection, right?! Anyway, I found myself with a Pocket Hunter in Yellow Synthetic as my example of the Case 2020 Vault Knife.
This knife is made much like other Case knives; built well and completely functional, but noticeably imperfect. it came with some slight gaps between both springs and the corresponding mark side liners. This is certainly not a functional issue, but it is something that collectors will notice. both blades came well centered, with nice opening and closing action, and no blade play in either the open or closed positions. The edges came thin, but shockingly rough. I legitimately would love to know what grit Case uses to sharpen their knives, because it’s pretty amazing how toothy they are. This knife seemed to have a burr on both sides, somehow, and felt almost serrated. Thankfully the Tru-Sharp steel is not difficult to sharpen and I removed the burr relatively easily. Lastly, but not least in my opinion, I have to mention that the shield is unpinned (like all Case shields). I’d much prefer no shield over an only glued shield on a knife in this ~$50 price range. Still, overall it’s a well made knife with no practical issues whatsoever and only minor aesthetic imperfections.
The Case 2019 Vault Series Barlow and 2020 Vault Series Pocket Hunter, both in yellow synthetic
To get to the point, I am thoroughly enjoying this Case Pocket Hunter. If you read my articles or watch my videos you might know I enjoy quirky knives, and this is quirky in just how small it is. It’s a pattern known for being overly large, the full size Hunter, shrunk down to Peanut size (but with two full length blades, which is a bonus over the Peanut). I also enjoy small and large versions of patterns; like the GEC #22/#44, #18/#56, and #06/#97 patterns. It feels good in the hand, despite its small size. It’s easy to carry and should be welcome in all but the most anti-knife environments, thanks to its small size. It has satisfying walk and talk, with solid joints. It’s a small knife with big appeal!
The Pocket Hunter not only fits in your back pocket with ease, it will even fit in the smallest of pockets like the 5th pocket (aka watch pocket) or those ludicrously small pockets in women’s jeans. Its daintiness makes me want to get it in abalone (with the added bonus of the abalone version being shield-less). Despite its diminutive size, it is actually a pretty capable knife. The two full size blades make for more usable edge than a Peanut, despite the Pocket Hunter being shorter when closed, and are both shaped in a way that make them practical for a variety of uses. You know, the kind of stuff you actually use your knives for; cutting strings, opening mail, breaking down boxes, etc. I think this little knife will find its way into my pocket frequently, and if you also enjoy a tiny knife that punches above its weight in usefulness then I think it should find its way into your pocket also!
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This article will be less of a review of a particular knife and more of an overall look at a general knife pattern; the Trapper. The Trapper pattern has a long history and has become well known, or at least recognizable, to most Americans who are familiar with pocket knives. Whether you’re a fan of the pattern and want to know some of its history and specific characteristics or if you have no idea what a Trapper is and are picturing a knife with two spring loaded jaws for capturing small critters, this article will tell you all you all you need to know about the Trapper!
The Case Large Trapper in Yellow Synthetic is a great exemplifier of the Pattern
First, the Trapper is a pattern with a somewhat obscure history. The claim is often put forward on knife blogs and forums that it’s a pattern that’s been used since the frontier days of America when rugged mountain men trudged into the unknown mountains to live out their lonesome and hard, but proud, lives trapping for furs and fortune. Obviously, a knife pattern called the Trapper must have originated from its namesake profession. Unfortunately for the romantics out there imagining Jim Bridger and John Colter comparing their personal Trapper knives in the 1800’s, the Trapper pattern as shown above is a 20th century invention. Like many traditional knife patterns, the Trapper evolved from older types of knives into its own unique pattern in the early 1900’s during the so called Golden Age of American cutlery. In the early decades of the 20th century there was a multitude of cutlery manufacturers that were staffed by cutlers transplanted from the old European knifemaking centers of England and Germany. These companies and cutlers took many older patterns that were brought from Europe and modified them into their own unique American patterns. The Trapper is a great example of that process. The predecessor to the Trapper was probably a slim dogleg jack with about a 4″ handle and a clip point main blade and pen secondary blade. This type of knife was made as far back as the 1880’s, and sometime in the ensuing 4 decades some companies changed the pen secondary to a full length spey blade to make a slimmer version of the classic Trapper as shown above. It seems the beefier trapper with two full length blades probably didn’t appear until the 1920’s. It was probably first made by either Case or Kabar. In this period many knife manufacturers made knives to be branded and sold by other companies. Even more confusingly, many companies, including Case and Kabar, were connected through family ties. These circumstances can make it difficult to pinpoint the genesis of a particular pattern. The Trapper remained a relatively minor pattern until after WWII. Since then pretty much any knife company that makes traditional slipjoints has produced one or more variations of the Trapper pattern, and it has become a mainstay of the American pocket knife market. Speaking of variations, what exactly is (or isn’t) a Trapper?
Camillus Remington Master Guide, Case Large Trapper, Queen Utility, Rough Ryder Trapper, GEC Northfield Improved Trapper, Great Eastern Cutlery Mustang
The Trapper pattern covers a huge range of sizes, blade shape combinations, and even handle shapes. The above picture is a great example the ways in which the size and handle shape of the trapper can vary. Although the Trapper pattern developed from a slim dogleg jack (like the Queen Utility third from the left), it can also have a banana shaped frame (like the Camillus made Remington Master Guide on the far left or the GEC Northfield Improved Trapper and Great Eastern Cutlery Mustang both on the far right), and is probably best known as a beefier dogleg jack (like the Rough Ryder Trapper third from the right) sometimes with a swell on the blade well side of the handle (like the Case Large Trapper second from the left). As you can see, the Trapper’s frame can be one of several different handle shapes with variations possible even within those general shapes. Also, although they tend to stay within the 3.5″ to 4.5″ range, Trappers can land anywhere from the Case Tiny Trapper at 2.375″ closed to the Remington Master Guide at about 5.375″ closed.
Spear and Pen, Clip and Spey, Clip and Spey, Clip and Wharncliffe
The Trapper pattern can also have just about any blade shape style and combination you can imagine. However, the classic configuration is two full size blades with one being a clip point and the other being a spey blade. The clip point is a great all around blade because it offers a pointy tip (although Case knives, like the one below, often come with rounded tips), a solid amount of curved edge, and some straight edge also. The spey blade is historically designed for use in castrating animals, as the abruptly curved belly and lack of a significant tip make it a good blade for slicing and push cuts but not good at piercing (wouldn’t want to stab your livestock when they start kicking, which they will do if you’re using the spey blade for its namesake…). It’s possible that the spey blade was added for outdoorsmen (hunters and TRAPPERS, get it) to use as a skinning blade with less chance of piercing the guts, but my guess would be that it was added just as a novelty to have two full length blades and without much more specific reason than that. Still, it does make for a useful blade combination as it can be nice having two full length blades. I tend to use the spey blade for food prep and the clip point for everything else. Like the shape and size of the handle, the blade shapes on knives considered to be Trappers can go far beyond the classic clip and spey. There’s the Slim Trapper with a single turkish (slender) clip point, the Pen Trapper with a main blade that is most often a clip or drop point but can sometimes be a spey or spear point with a small/secondary pen blade, the Improved Trapper with a clip point and wharncliffe blade, and the Single Blade Trapper with one main blade (usually a clip point, but it can also be a drop, spear, or spey).
Clip Point blade
Spey blade
So, what is a Trapper knife? Considering all the variations laid out above, it might seem that there’s no real definition of what is or isn’t a Trapper. Well, a Trapper definitely is a jack knife, meaning the blades fold out of one end (unlike a pen style multiblade knife, in which the blades open from different ends), and the end the blades come out of should definitely be smaller than the butt end of the handle. A Trapper definitely doesn’t have a straight edged blade, like a sheepfoot or wharncliffe, as its only main blade. Within those parameters, a wide array of knives can be considered Trappers. Kind of like some other things, it’s something that’s difficult to define but you know it when you see it. Another great way to know if a knife is a Trapper is if the company that made it calls it a Trapper!
A great knife to use while camping or to cut hot dog sticks for a fire
The Trapper pattern is somewhat nebulous, but even still it holds a significant place in the American cutlery tradition. Every kind of Trapper has been made, even at least one modern flipper opening version! If you like traditional pocket knives you’re sure to be able to find a Trapper that suits your particular aesthetic and practical tastes.
A couple single blade Trappers
If you’d like to get yourself a Trapper I have some suggestions. If you’d like the nicest production Trapper you can get currently, and don’t mind carbon (non-stainless) steel, you should go with the Great Eastern Cutlery #48 Slim Dog Leg. Great Eastern Cutlery made knives tend to sell out relatively quickly, but they’ve been doing larger runs to try to better meet demand and there are a good number of these left on dealers’ sites. You can find some at Blue Creek Cutlery, my most often patronized GEC dealer. Ken is a good guy and has good service, don’t hesitate to ask him any questions you have before purchase. You can also find some, including some other handle materials, at DLT Trading. Those Trappers from GEC are USA made in small batches in Titusville PA and heirloom quality but also great users. If you’d like a more modern stainless steel (although not a super steel, using 8cr13mov) and don’t mind your knife being made overseas, the Sowbelly Improved Trapper from A.G. Russell is also a great option. These have a little less character and might not be quite as well finished but they are still really well made and good looking knives, and they’re less expensive than the GECs. If you’d like a less expensive option than the GECs but want to stick with good ol’ Made In U.S.A. quality, Case knives are made in Bradford Pa and aren’t quite as well fitted or finished as GEC but still make great using knives (and many people also collect them). Case offers a multitude of Trapper options: Full Size Stainless Steel, Mini Stainless Steel, Large Stainless Steel Single Blade with Clip and Thumb Stud, Slimline with option for Stainless or Carbon Steel, Full Size Carbon Steel. Another good option that’s really easy on the wallet is going with a Rough Ryder. These are made overseas and sometimes have some issues, but they’re definitely high enough quality to make good users and often are really nice looking for the price, which is significantly lower than any of the above options. Smoky Mountain Knife Works owns the Rough Ryder brand and carries a wide variety of Trappers in different shapes, sizes, and handle materials. Finally, if the modern style trapper I mentioned piqued your interest you can the Boker Plus Urban Trapper at this link.
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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
