John Bamford's Posts - iKnife Collector2024-03-29T14:11:48ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamfordhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2792759924?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://iknifecollector.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=3lj42pmdx1qgy&xn_auth=noBuying knives online in the UK.tag:iknifecollector.com,2020-03-08:3181080:BlogPost:16231532020-03-08T18:39:43.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>For the past couple of years, I have only been buying razors, quite a few razors actually, and I have had no problem having these delivered in the mail. As I am now an impoverished pensioner I can't afford to collect knives and razors so I hadn't kept up with our new knife purchasing laws I had been aware that the legislation was changing of course but had let it slip from my mind.</p>
<p>This Summer I hope to be able to spend a good deal of time whittling in my shed or in the garden. My…</p>
<p>For the past couple of years, I have only been buying razors, quite a few razors actually, and I have had no problem having these delivered in the mail. As I am now an impoverished pensioner I can't afford to collect knives and razors so I hadn't kept up with our new knife purchasing laws I had been aware that the legislation was changing of course but had let it slip from my mind.</p>
<p>This Summer I hope to be able to spend a good deal of time whittling in my shed or in the garden. My main knife used for this purpose has been A Scandi grind lock knife, a EnZo Birk to be precise in D2.</p>
<p>I have a Flexcut whittling knife that I do find useful, though heaven knows it is a poor piece of design from a practical point of view. This knife is very uncomfortable in use as the various blades manage to protrude enough to threaten your hands even when supposedly safely locked away in the handle.</p>
<p>So I thought it would be good to buy a knife that I could use for long periods comfortably. A little bit of surfing the net and I have decided to try a Roselli Bear Claw from Finland. Part of the appeal is a UHC carbon blade and the other part is a very comfortable handle. So decision made I went to order it from Lamnia in Finland a firm I have used before and been happy with.</p>
<p>As I said earlier I had forgotten about the new regulations otherwise known as The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 so the extra stages of ordering the knife came as a surprise. Not a shock just a surprise. First before checkout, I had to tick a box saying that I was over the age of sixteen.which is not too arduous. However then I had an email which stated that I had to send a picture of my driving licence or passport to prove my age. As my driving licence is still of the older type I needed to send a picture of my over 65 bus pass, my passport is in need of renewal and I haven't bothered as I haven't been abroad. Then instead of having the knife sent by Finnish post service as before I had to pay UPS £12.50 to deliver it, at least until we leave the EU I don't get hit for import duties and am registered for problem-free deliveries with Lamnia and UPS. Shouldn't speak too soon about problem-free I guess as it hasn't arrived yet!!!!</p>
<p>A small article about the new legislation about the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 below the comment section below it is interesting with regard to thumb studs. It seems strange I suppose to most of us on this forum how the most useful of tools has suddenly become an Offensive Weapon.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.heinnie.com/blog/offensive-weapons-act-2019/">https://www.heinnie.com/blog/offensive-weapons-act-2019/</a></p>
<p></p>Razor sharpening .tag:iknifecollector.com,2016-09-14:3181080:BlogPost:14411972016-09-14T11:09:14.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>A shortish blog on sharpening straight razors. It will be short because I know little enough , though I have learned enough to be able to get the job done . Maybe I can return to this in future when I have more information but for the present it will be brief .</p>
<p>1 . If you want to learn to shave using a straight razor the most effective way is to buy a new razor from a dealer who is known for sharpening their razors before sending them out . Buy a strop at the same time , not a…</p>
<p>A shortish blog on sharpening straight razors. It will be short because I know little enough , though I have learned enough to be able to get the job done . Maybe I can return to this in future when I have more information but for the present it will be brief .</p>
<p>1 . If you want to learn to shave using a straight razor the most effective way is to buy a new razor from a dealer who is known for sharpening their razors before sending them out . Buy a strop at the same time , not a terribly expensive one , you can pay an awful lot of money for strops . Don't pay too much because you will likely cut it , if it's not too badly cut sanding it down will make it serviceable again.</p>
<p>Whilst learning to shave save up for two stones one about 7000 grit and one finishing stone 12/15000 grit . these stones will bring your razor back to shave ready when stropping no longer does the job .</p>
<p>A video on how to do this ,</p>
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/cXVW_S6VaBw">https://youtu.be/cXVW_S6VaBw</a></p>
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<p>2. If you really have no idea about sharpening at all then when your razor needs honing send it off to one of the guy's that will do it for a few bucks . Course you won't have a razor whilst it is gone , you could buy two of course use one and send the other .</p>
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<p>3 If you can't sharpen a knife to a reasonable level then perhaps that is the place to start because a razor does need to be sharp a half sharp razor is dangerous .</p>
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<p>4 Okay now we have got that out of the way I guess most of us can sharpen and already have some equipment . For a razor you need stones , the various fixed angle sort of things like the Edge Pro etc aren't a great help here . The reason for that is that a razor comes with the angles sorted for you , assuming that we have a good or new razor and not one that has been mangled or botched in some way . So stones needed 1000; 4000, 8000, and a finishing stone 12/15000 .This is a list that could and has been argued about on various forums for ever . If however you have something like this you are good to go. To use these the 1000 only needs to be used once normally when setting the bevel , basically establish a sharp edge with this stone then refine that edge with the other ones . So far so good then simply take your razor and lightly stroke the thing edge leading on the first stone then through the progression strop it for a while and prepare for a marvellous shave .</p>
<p>Well that is it in the proverbial nutshell, but and there are a lot of buts! .It is best to have a jewelers loupe because it is hard to see what you are doing on the edge without . </p>
<p>You need to develop a method of keeping the heel and the point in contact with the stone evenly so as to even out the wear on the razor. This comes down to feel and observation , the loupe again . Course you could buy a USB microscope they are fairly cheap and I have been meaning to buy one for a while . The fear of more information than I have the skill to deal with has so far put me off .</p>
<p>If you have the stones and the loupe or microscope all you really need is to haunt youtube for a while as there are enough video's on there . From my experience try to stick to one or two people as too much information coming from different angles can cause brain ache .Then like any other thing it is a matter of practice and observation .</p>
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<p>I did not have all these different stones to start with . What I did have was three Japanese waterstones and a reasonably comprehensive selection of stones to go on the Edge Pro . I hoped to use the Edge Pro and was dismayed to find that it was not going to be a big help . So the stones I had were , well I am not certain there is a course medium and fine , I knew what they were when I bought them but had forgotten and the only writing on them was in Japanese . They were bought a long time ago and had not been used a lot due to not having a PC to learn from youtube ! After spending what for me was a lot on the Edge Pro I was reluctant to buy a whole bunch of stones at $100 each so had to look around for alternatives . I bought a Belgian Bllue stone for say $50 and a Finnish waterstone for a similar amount and to finish of an ILR at $30 . These together with my three japanese stones allow me to sharpen to a degree that at present I am satisfied with , though heaven knows they are a strange collection .</p>
<p>So I have as far as I can tell,</p>
<p>Japanese 600 grit</p>
<p>Japanese 1000 grit </p>
<p>Finnish 3000 grit *</p>
<p>Japanese 5000 grit </p>
<p>Belgian Blue 7000 grit *</p>
<p>Imperia la Rocca 12/15000 grit *</p>
<p>The ones with stars after are natural stones so the grit rating is arbitrary .</p>
<p> If you go online and look at youtube you will very quickly find that there are so many variations some people manage with one Belgian Coticule and vary the slurry to make the stone work as if different grit sizes . Some have a staggering array of stones which must be used in an approved manner ending with a 20000 stone that costs $500 . Then there are others who use a 4000/8000 double sided stone and maybe even one from China . After a while i decided it was best to try to get by on what I had .</p>
<p>I haven't mentioned J'nats yet and have no intention of doing so cos it makes my brain ache to even read about such things .</p>
<p>It all get's to sounding complicated at times but if you remember that you are just putting an edge on a piece of steel it brings you back to earth . </p>
<p>One last point when you have ground your razor against the stones you have the big question comes up "how do I know if it is sharp enough". You can see a bunch of different tests on video's but the one I like , bearing in mind that shaving is the only real test , is run the razor along a hairy part of you with the edge a 1/16 or so away from the skin . See how the hair reacts if it seems to almost leap off and sticks to the razor , my razors are all carbon steel so always have a degree of oil on , If that occurs you have reached the promised land and can lather up . Anything else and it is back to plan two .</p>
<p>I have read this back and can only apologise for making it sound complicated I have loved learning to sharpen my own razors. I am sure there is still a lot to learn and that is okay by me cos I am enjoying the learning . It really is satisfying to buy a razor cheaply from the Bay and sharpen it up for what is likely the first time in 50 , 60 years or more .</p>
<p></p>A collection of straight razors , I guess !tag:iknifecollector.com,2016-09-10:3181080:BlogPost:14405812016-09-10T15:16:40.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>I feel that I have to admit that I am becoming a collector , this may sound strange as I am writing this on i Knife Collector and this is ...well the place for collectors .</p>
<p>I have never really collected anything before , in the past I have always had a pocket knife and sometimes two or maybe three but never anymore than that. I have had knives since I was eight or nine , something like that anyway and I can hardly remember a time when I didn't look in shop windows at knives . When I…</p>
<p>I feel that I have to admit that I am becoming a collector , this may sound strange as I am writing this on i Knife Collector and this is ...well the place for collectors .</p>
<p>I have never really collected anything before , in the past I have always had a pocket knife and sometimes two or maybe three but never anymore than that. I have had knives since I was eight or nine , something like that anyway and I can hardly remember a time when I didn't look in shop windows at knives . When I went on holiday with my parents they would ask if I wanted a "bucket and spade" for playing on the beach but I would end up looking at penknives in shop windows . They were usually rather small and cheap often with the name of the resort on the handle , I am told some people collect these now and I could see a sort of period charm about them . I have seen them for sale in antique centres and sort of recollected owning them as a child . Of course what I really wanted was something more akin to a Bowie Knife but as with all children I knew how far that I could push things and Bowie Knives had to wait till I was a little older , around ten or twelve I think . Strange but I am 63 now and would be arrested if I was found walking around with the sort of knives that I had at twelve years old .</p>
<p>Well now to come back to my confession , three years ago on my sixtieth birthday I ordered my first knife from the States . A GEC Cody Scout in black micarta , model 72 and it ticked all the boxes in a knife for me at that time . It was the sort of knife that I had wanted for years but without having access to a PC I hadn't known that such knives existed . A couple of years before that I got a PC for the first time and just before my sixtieth birthday had discovered on Youtube the videos of how GEC make their knives , I was smitten , these were the sort of knives that made my world revolve and I just had to have one . Sixtieth birthday who could complain , I had not bought anything online at the time and buying that knife felt like a big step and from the States as well !!!!</p>
<p>One knife that was all , I had only ever wanted one good knife . Opinels had been the best knives that I had come up with , good carbon steel , inexpensive so if you lost it then it wasn't a big deal. Losing knives was something that I had to consider as I had lost just about all of them apart from some I had given away and rather a lot that had proven to be pure junk .</p>
<p>Well this GEC was to be my one and only GREAT knife that I would carry from now to dropping off the perch . Rather a lot to choose from though when you look at the number of models produced by GEC , good job I didn't know of the existence of Queen , Case or any other makers . So after a great deal of worry and stress the knife turns up in the UK and... "Happy Birthday"... thanks to the GEC and a little malt whisky it was as well .</p>
<p>I have a few knives now though I expect that most on iKC would think my collection modest . When I had bought just a few knives it began to dawn on me that my sharpening skills were lacking . I could put a bit of an edge on a knife and had done so for years but when you start to buy good quality knives with the intention of using them then it would seem wise to learn some sharpening techniques . So I did , youtube is great for that , I know some poor fools who think that youtube is all about talking cats and have no idea what a fantastic resource it is ! Having learned to sharpen I was returning to the house after putting an edge on a Fallkniven when I tried shaving arm hair , as you do , what a revelation it took that hair off like a razor !... and damn it all I was smitten again !</p>
<p>I could just buy a razor from eBay and try to sharpen it up see how I get on , right yeah course you can , there is a pattern emerging here I think . Just one razor learn how to sharpen it boost my skills etc.</p>
<p>I have eleven working razors and have started to look at different types of razor , things that I didn't know existed until recently . Up until buying a frameback razor it was possible to argue , with less and less conviction admittedly , that I needed one or two extra's in case I didn't have time to sharpen one in a morning and then i would have a spare . However when you start to look at razors from a collectors point of view then it becomes rather difficult to argue that you are not collecting them .</p>
<p>So here I stand , I am at last willing to admit that I am indeed a collector of straight razors .</p>
<p>So the idea of this blog is to give me a place to witter on at length about my new-ish found obsession with cutthroat or straight razors . The other blog I will try to restrict to shaving stuff and this one will I hope be about the way you can build a collection of straight's at little cost . It has to be "at little cost" because I have limited spare cash and was brought up in Lancashire in the fifties when nobody had any spare cash .</p>
<p>So next up a little about the different types of razor to be had on eBay.</p>Plain or Fancy ?tag:iknifecollector.com,2016-06-16:3181080:BlogPost:14246772016-06-16T12:30:00.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>I like a great looking knife , I really do .</p>
<p>Just as with most people a fancy set of handle scales or a little damascus really get's my attention . I have one or two knives that are very attractive and I wouldn't part with them for any reason , but I pick up and carry the same few knives all the time . With the greatest respect to the talented guys who have designed my users they do have one thing in common , they are Plain !</p>
<p>I never really thought of this until I started…</p>
<p>I like a great looking knife , I really do .</p>
<p>Just as with most people a fancy set of handle scales or a little damascus really get's my attention . I have one or two knives that are very attractive and I wouldn't part with them for any reason , but I pick up and carry the same few knives all the time . With the greatest respect to the talented guys who have designed my users they do have one thing in common , they are Plain !</p>
<p>I never really thought of this until I started buying straight razors . I don't have a lot of razors , yet ! , just five !!. One of them is new and the others are from the auction site . Buying razors from Ebay is a hit and miss business some are good and some , well ... you can learn from anything I guess !!</p>
<p>Well get on with it I hear you say , so a couple of razors . The one on the left , a Dovo Best Quality , cost me over four times the price of the other one , £85 as opposed to £20 . Yet the plain jane one on the right which doesn't even claim to be made in Solingen just Germany , and so far I have been unable to find any information on "Two Horses" razors . This is the razor that I reach for every day , it shaves great even for a novice like me .<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804839756?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804839756?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-center"/></a></p>
<p>Now the same thing seems to apply with regard to the knife or knives that go in my pocket every day , a pair of knives this time .<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804841959?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804841959?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>Both nice knives I think you will agree the Fallkniven is a fabulous knife and just oozes quality and who doesn't like the Snakewood on that Viper . Yet do I carry them , not unless I eject the long term residents from my pocket . </p>
<p>These are the critturs that lurk in my pockets , the Fallkniven costs more than the pair of these !</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804845681?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804845681?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>
<p>That Enzo is a great knife for whittling with , if you haven't tried a Scandi grind give one a go it works really well . The Trestle Pine Superior is just the sort of knife that is always useful . Now what ever the reason that I always choose to carry a Plain Jane knife and maybe it is just good sense . what I am most happy about is that I have enough knives to enable me to have a choice !! Here's to diversity and never having too many knives .</p>Going back in time .tag:iknifecollector.com,2016-02-03:3181080:BlogPost:13952622016-02-03T19:52:45.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>Well I am starting this blog to record my return to an older type of shaving . Like most of us I at present use the ubiquitous supermarket disposable razors , and have done so for , well I don't really know how long . When did these disposable and cartridge type of razors come about ? I guess I have been shaving regularly since I was around 16 which ,as I was born in 1953 , make it around 1969 when I started . I have a memory a very faint one I admit , to having a razor that twisted to open…</p>
<p>Well I am starting this blog to record my return to an older type of shaving . Like most of us I at present use the ubiquitous supermarket disposable razors , and have done so for , well I don't really know how long . When did these disposable and cartridge type of razors come about ? I guess I have been shaving regularly since I was around 16 which ,as I was born in 1953 , make it around 1969 when I started . I have a memory a very faint one I admit , to having a razor that twisted to open and receive a double edge blade of the kind that came in little rectangular boxes . I remember that the blades came wrapped in paper and the used blades were posted into a slot in the back of the box . Now that is all I actually remember of these things and as soon as the more modern types , disposables came out I started using them. Well you would wouldn't you how many teenagers want to do things as their Fathers do most of us wanted to look modern I guess , well I did anyway .</p>
<p>So where is all this rambling leading to , I am glad you asked ! As I am getting somewhat better at sharpening knives My poor weak mind seems to be taken with the idea of buying a straight razor from an antiques centre ,something from the 1880's to around the demise of the Old Queen , in 1901 I think . I admit that I only knew the date of Queen Victoria's death from watching my favourite John Wayne film The Shootist . So the thought of going from a modern razor to an inexpertly sharpened cutthroat is for me a daunting prospect and unusually good sense has prevailed and instead of leaping straight back to the end of the nineteenth century perhaps the 1950's may be a better place to start .</p>
<p>I have now checked out a few video's on YouTube and have found that the razors that I remember from my youth are indeed called DE or double edge . In fact this whole retro shaving lark is alive and kicking without me knowing anything about it . Youtube is awash with helpful young fellows scraping the whiskers off their finely honed chins with razors that they certainly don't remember from the first time round . Mind you I have learned an awful lot more about shaving than my Father ever taught me ,I guess it must have been him that showed me the ropes though I don't remember the lesson .</p>
<p>So I now have an Edwin Jagger DE89 razor and am waiting for those fine folks at Amazon to deliver the rest of the not inconsiderable amount of gear that it seems I must have . A styptic pencil ,what a word from the dawn of history , anyway I have forgotten to order one so in the short term things may get bloody !! The razor looks nice and I am thinking that it is probably of a lot higher quality than I would have had in the late sixties. I would likely have had an old one of my Dad's to start .</p>
<p>I hope to return to this blog in the future , blood loss allowing , and record my return journey to the shavings of my youth and hopefully back in time to the days of the Old Queen and a wonderful straight razor . Got to get through my lack of a styptic pencil first , can't imagine what a young girl in the chemist will think if I ask for one of those .</p>Angle Cube .tag:iknifecollector.com,2015-05-18:3181080:BlogPost:13187812015-05-18T18:31:50.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804835632?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804835632?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> Well my angle cube arrived on Saturday ,or in this case to be more accurate it is a "Bevel Box" same thing as far as I know .</p>
<p>First chance to play with it tonight . First impressions , it's very reassuring to be able to be really accurate with the angles . I think the marks on the Edge Pro are best used as a Guide and of course my stones are now getting a little wear…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804835632?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804835632?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a>Well my angle cube arrived on Saturday ,or in this case to be more accurate it is a "Bevel Box" same thing as far as I know .</p>
<p>First chance to play with it tonight . First impressions , it's very reassuring to be able to be really accurate with the angles . I think the marks on the Edge Pro are best used as a Guide and of course my stones are now getting a little wear on them. With the angle cube it is very quick and easy to check the exact angle of each stone as you put it on the machine .</p>
<p>As I am still new to Edge Pro'ing I do find the reassurance that my angles are accurately set to be helpful and then to check the finished result with the loupe makes the job very much easier . </p>
<p></p>Blockade runners .tag:iknifecollector.com,2015-04-27:3181080:BlogPost:13080302015-04-27T20:15:59.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>An exhibition in Glasgow about the American Civil War , may be of interest !</p>
<p><a href="https://www.celebrate-scotland.co.uk/News-and-Features/1759/Blockade_Runners_exhibition_at_Riverside_Museum_in_Glasgow/">https://www.celebrate-scotland.co.uk/News-and-Features/1759/Blockade_Runners_exhibition_at_Riverside_Museum_in_Glasgow/</a></p>
<p>An exhibition in Glasgow about the American Civil War , may be of interest !</p>
<p><a href="https://www.celebrate-scotland.co.uk/News-and-Features/1759/Blockade_Runners_exhibition_at_Riverside_Museum_in_Glasgow/">https://www.celebrate-scotland.co.uk/News-and-Features/1759/Blockade_Runners_exhibition_at_Riverside_Museum_in_Glasgow/</a></p>Gentlemen's knives by Stefan Schmalhaus .tag:iknifecollector.com,2015-04-06:3181080:BlogPost:12962782015-04-06T18:51:28.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>As I guess a lot of folks will have seen that Stefan brought out a knife book, last year I think . The problem for most of us is that it is only available in German . In this link a fellow knife reviewer MrDagon007 review's the book and presents a selection of the knives. I can say that I have enjoyed the video a lot and of course it is in English !…</p>
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<p>As I guess a lot of folks will have seen that Stefan brought out a knife book, last year I think . The problem for most of us is that it is only available in German . In this link a fellow knife reviewer MrDagon007 review's the book and presents a selection of the knives. I can say that I have enjoyed the video a lot and of course it is in English !</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnP50pvkFVM&index=8&list=WL">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnP50pvkFVM&index=8&list=WL</a></p>Fallkniven U1tag:iknifecollector.com,2015-03-14:3181080:BlogPost:12826162015-03-14T16:23:51.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>My first Fallkniven arrived today three weeks after ordering , I start to worry when it gets above two weeks ! This is not a complaint about USPS as they managed to ship the knife 5,000 miles from Detroit Lakes to London in around six days. Our post office in the UK took fourteen days to cover 154 miles , which I could drive in around 3/4 hours even with London's traffic. Rant over so about the knife .</p>
<p>It is as I am sure you are aware a slipjoint , the only Falkniven without a blade…</p>
<p>My first Fallkniven arrived today three weeks after ordering , I start to worry when it gets above two weeks ! This is not a complaint about USPS as they managed to ship the knife 5,000 miles from Detroit Lakes to London in around six days. Our post office in the UK took fourteen days to cover 154 miles , which I could drive in around 3/4 hours even with London's traffic. Rant over so about the knife .</p>
<p>It is as I am sure you are aware a slipjoint , the only Falkniven without a blade lock apart from the fixed blades of course. I have looked at this knife for a while now and only recently convinced myself to buy one . The problem is that in the UK this knife is towards the upper limit for me at £150 /$220 , I have a few Queen and GEC knives that I like a lot with two or three blades for $100/120 ! I bought this knife to try out the laminated 3G steel at 62 HRC I freely admit that I have no great need for a knife with such a hard steel but you know what it is like when you get the urge to try out something.</p>
<p>Isn't it a strange thing that in the US I could buy this knife cheaper than in Europe , it's strange because it is a Swedish company and they have the knife made in Japan . Well strange or not I have it now and first impressions are very positive. It is very smooth to open ,very nice walk and talk , no nail breaker as some GEC's have been but is reassuringly solid in the open position. No half stop but I am okay with that . I was expecting a very very sharp knife out of the box and it was sharp but not scary sharp. I must say it does have a beautifully ground edge , there is no need to reprofile this knife . As I said it was sharp from out of the box but after a couple of strokes on the strop , now it is really sharp no need for the Edge Pro on this . It is a "gentlemans knife "in that the overall length is only 3.4 inch's with a blade length of 2.5 so I doubt you will be dressing out any Elk with it . I wish that I had a use for the F1 fixed blade because I think I could get to like Fallkniven's !<a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2711184760?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2711184760?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a></p>Larger Sharp thingstag:iknifecollector.com,2014-12-10:3181080:BlogPost:12367212014-12-10T09:00:00.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>I guess most of us tend to have some sort of interest in other sharp things , swords etc. I have just been looking at an impressive web site called myArmoury.com . I went there initially to look at information about the hardness of steel in old swords . I thought maybe some folks here might like to have a look . Maybe if it is of interest then Jan or Steve may wish to put this post in a different area ?…</p>
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<p>I guess most of us tend to have some sort of interest in other sharp things , swords etc. I have just been looking at an impressive web site called myArmoury.com . I went there initially to look at information about the hardness of steel in old swords . I thought maybe some folks here might like to have a look . Maybe if it is of interest then Jan or Steve may wish to put this post in a different area ?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.myarmoury.com/about.html">http://www.myarmoury.com/about.html</a>.</p>Why Queentag:iknifecollector.com,2014-08-31:3181080:BlogPost:11858212014-08-31T16:48:28.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804840330?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804840330?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> I was going to say that I have been sorting out which knives to take to Scotland with me next week.</p>
<p>It isn't strictly true though because I know right away which knives it will be. I have no great need for a handful of knives on this trip, in the past I only rarely had more than one knife at a time. Now I am a collector I have more than enough ,with a GEC viper being…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804840330?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2804840330?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750" class="align-full"/></a>I was going to say that I have been sorting out which knives to take to Scotland with me next week.</p>
<p>It isn't strictly true though because I know right away which knives it will be. I have no great need for a handful of knives on this trip, in the past I only rarely had more than one knife at a time. Now I am a collector I have more than enough ,with a GEC viper being looked after by my friend Greg till I get back from holiday. With the Viper I will have six GEC a bunch of other stuff and three Queen ,well one Schatt and Morgan and two Queen.</p>
<p>The point is out of these knives , and I know most of you folks will have a lot more knives than that, I will take with me the Queen knives. I always seem to pick up the Rail Splitter or the Cattle King and at weekends carry the Schatt and Morgan.</p>
<p>My GEC knives are if anything a little better finished ,though they do tend to cost a couple of dollars more, and seem to open and close with a slicker action. I really do like the knives , must do as I have twice as many as I have Queen's. </p>
<p>Still after having said all that I know that the GEC knives will stay at home and the Queen's will go with me . Ain't it strange how these things work out ?</p>The Viper has struck.tag:iknifecollector.com,2014-07-25:3181080:BlogPost:11698202014-07-25T16:30:00.000ZJohn Bamfordhttps://iknifecollector.com/profile/JohnBamford
<p>I saw the production schedule on GEC's website yesterday. I had told myself ,sternly , that I would resist for a while.</p>
<p>Then I got to thinking that I haven't got a knife in 440c and that ,oh well you know the story by now.</p>
<p>So I now have a GEC #47 Viper on order with antique amber scales.</p>
<p>Looks like the Viper has bitten me again.</p>
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<p></p>
<table align="left" border="0">
<tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><address> …</address>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>I saw the production schedule on GEC's website yesterday. I had told myself ,sternly , that I would resist for a while.</p>
<p>Then I got to thinking that I haven't got a knife in 440c and that ,oh well you know the story by now.</p>
<p>So I now have a GEC #47 Viper on order with antique amber scales.</p>
<p>Looks like the Viper has bitten me again.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<table border="0" align="left">
<tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><address> </address>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><address><span><strong> #47 TIDIOUTE CUTLERY</strong></span></address>
<address><span><strong>VIPER</strong></span></address>
<address><span>Burnt Grizzly Bone</span></address>
<address><span>Osage Orange</span></address>
<address><span>OD Green Linen Micarta</span></address>
<address> </address>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><address><span>#<strong>47 NORTHFIELD UN-X-LD</strong></span></address>
<address> <span><strong>VIPER</strong></span></address>
<address><span>Blood Red Jig Bo<span>ne</span></span></address>
<address><span>Che Chen Rosewood</span></address>
<address><span>Lava Acrylic</span></address>
<address><span>Stag</span></address>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><address><span><strong> </strong></span></address>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><address> </address>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><address><span><strong> </strong></span></address>
<address><em> </em></address>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><address><span><strong> #47 GEC</strong></span></address>
<address><span><strong>VIPER</strong></span></address>
<address><span>Antique Amber Jig Bone</span></address>
<address><span>American Elk</span></address>
<address><span>Maroon Linen Micarta</span></address>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td valign="top"><address><span><strong> </strong></span></address>
</td>
<td align="left" valign="top"><address><span><strong> </strong></span></address>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>