About Northwoods

https://www.knivesshipfree.com/northwoods-knives/

Northwoods used to be a brand from a small maker (Dave Shirley). He sold the brand to Knives Ship Free, owned by Derrick Bohn. Derrick contracts the manufacture of the Northwoods brand out to other companies, mostly Great Eastern Cutlery and Queen Cutlery. So Northwoods folding knives are basically GEC or Queen knives, made with handle materials and designs as specified by Derrick Bohn. I'm not sure who makes the fixed blade and kitchen knives for him.

Since it is basically a "house brand" for Knives Ship Free, that is where you have to buy them.

 

So the, what is THE best of traditional folder knives brand, internationally?


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I don't know if they are the best, and I don't know if such a thing can truly exist, but I hear good things about Great Easter Cutlery and the Case/Tony Bose collaborations.

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What do we think about Tidioute?




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Tidioute is one of the Great Eastern Cutlery brands: http://www.greateasterncutlery.com/

They are nice knives, if a bit pricey. They are all made with 1095 carbon steel, so if you prefer stainless, you will have to wait until they decide to make some more knives in SS (under the GEC brand).

I don't know what is the best, internationally. I have several GEC knives. I usually carry Case or Victorinox.

 

GEC is the best. No question.. Pay a couple extra bucks for a Northfield and get fancy grinds, pinched bolsters and such.

I have many Northwoods but they are trying to harder to look old in my opinion. GEC is just a traditional knife.

mumbo Rose black 3 by mumbojumboo, on Flickr

MUMBO GEC 18 by mumbojumboo, on Flickr

I'm a fan but not a fan boy. The quality has dropped off the last few years. Too trendy and they are cranking out way too many.

 

The only classic (aside from a SAK) I got is a Case XX 6143. It's a 1940-1964, meaning it's a real classic (at least 50+ years old).

Thought about a Northwood, with long bolsters or something. Time to ponder and maybe finding an old one as well.


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Is there anything more someone can tell me about this model? Looks like a sheepsfoot blade and a colored bovine handle. Looked for a model number but what I found seems to be controversial.


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That is a GEC #15 pattern. Single blade sheepsfoot with sawcut bone (cow). I'm not sure what that handle color is called. All of the "TC Barlows" are special factory orders placed by Charlie Campagna, and sold either directly by him, or through a couple of other dealers that he allows to get in on the SFOs with him. They are extremely popular and usually sell out via pre-order as soon as a new run is announced.

You can get in touch with Charlie through his web site, http://waynorthcutlery.net/, or go over to Bladeforums.com and hang out in the Tradtional Folders and Fixed Blades subforum, where he posts under the name "Waynorth." That seems to be the epicenter of GEC collectors these days.

They are just a GEC 15 pattern with a long single bolster. I have two 15s myself, but not the TC Barlow version. I have two "NF Barlows" that are based on the GEC 77 pattern, which are SFOs through Collectorknives.net.


Oh - it is possible that one is a #14 pattern TC Barlow. They are smaller, but otherwise identical. Hard to tell from the pic which one it is without something else for scale. I don't think he did the 14 in sheepsfoot. I don't keep up with every release, my knife buying days are behind me.

 

Thank you. Much appreciated.


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Northwoods, GEC (Northfield, Tidioute), Queen, Schatt & Morgan, Tuna Valley Cutlery, etc. are all American traditional knife brands. Typically the configuration is simple - a slipjoint held with a backspring, with multiple handle material (stag antler, bone, wood, horn). All brands have a long history and have been rejuvenated in the last decade or so. Knives are made in traditional manner, at times on hundred year old machines, giving unique character to each knife. Chances are a single artist has painstakingly assembled your knife, polished it, and given it that final character making it one of a kind. The fit and finish on some GEC knives rivals those made on automated laser cut modern machines. As a bonus, most of the traditional patterns are very people friend and evoke fond childhood memories.

This is a very short introduction that hopefully captures the popularity of these knives! Bladeforums has a traditional section that has wealth of information on traditional patterns.

Note when I say American traditionals, you’ll find similar traditional patterns all over the world. For e.g., you have the lambsfoot made by Sheffield makers, traditional patterns in Spain and France, and so on.

(I was a modern folder guy, till I discovered traditionals, and now my most knives are traditional patterns.)

Here is a quick shot of my part collecti n...


And here is a Sheffield made lambsfoot that rides as an edc this week...

 

@choombak: That's a neat way of storing your knives -- the shipping tubes. I take it that is how Northwoods ships. Does your collection include Case or is Case too mass market?

Just wondering.

L'chaim!

Moshe ben David

 

Thanks for your kind words!

The tubes, AFAIK, are GEC exclusive. Most other traditional knives ship in cardboard boxes, Queen and Schatt & Morgan included. Northwoods ships in a plastic ziplock style bag, with leather slipcase included.

I don’t have Case since none of their patterns interested me — I’m primarily a single blade guy.

 

Thanks @choombak!

L'chaim!

Moshe ben David

 

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