Best swivel knife to buy?

[bylinesupplyco]

So I have begun attempting to learn sheridan style carving. Out of the gate, I've realized this is fairly ambitious, but I'll keep working at it to get it down.

 

That being said, I have just been using a Tandy craftool swivel knife, which I am realizing may be causing some definite problems. I am wondering if I were to upgrade my swivel knife, what brand to purchase? I have heard good things about the Barry King knife, along with the Leather Wranglers knife, however I can't afford the $150 price tag (at least not yet!)

 

What swivel knife upgrade would you recommend?

[electrathon]

Leather wranglers is the best, Barry King the best for the money.

[chrstn53]

Chuck Smith makes some good swivel knives and he would be in the middle of the road between the two makers you mentioned at the $100 range

[Art]

Bob Beard or Henley, none any better for me, but you really need to go to a show and try them, some come with a ton of BS so just block that out if you can.  Swivel knives are very very personal, once you find your lover, nothing else will do.  Some use different shafts on the blades.  Blades can be personal too.  Beard knives, Beard blades for me, but go with what works for you.

Art

[Colt W Knight]

I have the 3/8 and 1/2 Crafttool Pro swivel knives and they are both very, very nice. Haven't tried any of the expensive boutique knives though

[ninety5percent]

You can spend money on the top of the line swivel knives, but what really matters is making sure the blade is sharp.  I've had craftool from the starter set and it sucked.  I upgraded to a Barry King knife and it was night an day.  So much smoother and well worth it.  Now I've switch to Leather Wranglers and I'm very pleased.  My next new knife is going to be a Clay Miller that I hope to get this weekend when i visit his shop.   Use what is comfortable to you.  Size of the barrel and blade.  My LW has a 3/8 barrel but I have very large hands and a lot of cutting I get cramped.  Hopefully Clay will have a 1/2 inch in stock and I can try that. 

I would recommend Barry King to upgrade first!  Good luck

[Northmount]

Go for a 5/8" barrel.  Like it a lot better, and I don't have large hands.

Tom

 

[brmax]

Its really a benefit to listen as other seriously experienced members here share their tips.

Hi, I'm new also and going to be trying my hand at carving, welcome any tips you find along the way. 

I ask a few of the same questions recently and have confirmed:

1. If it will fit securely, a great blade will make an award winning cut much smoother and quicker, also maybe use in many swivels.

2. If you have regularly used a size anything as the "barrel" and like it try that first, my case ( I used a snap-on 3/8 extension  knurled for 34 years day in day out and its 1/2" ) my plain ole reason to start there.

3. I have a few separate purchases to start the appreciation sharing with the tool builders like a swivel knife, a maul and a few stamps. Just looking ahead to the fun

Good day

Floyd

[Harry Marinakis]

If you keep the blade sharp, what's the difference between a $30 Craftool and a $150 Wrangler?

 

[electrathon]

 

If you keep the blade sharp, what's the difference between a $30 Craftool and a $150 Wrangler?

 

The primary difference is that better steel can be sharpened to a better edge and will hold that better edge longer.  Any knife will cut, a great knife will cut better, cleaner, smoother.  

Think of of it like music.  A K-Mart guitar plays music, a Gibson guitar plays music better.  But yes, they both work.

 

[Harry Marinakis]

Thanks

If that's all it is then think I'll just keep my oil stones on my work bench, and keep my $30 Craftool.

Sharpening my tools brings me pleasure anyway.

[MADMAX22]

 

If you keep the blade sharp, what's the difference between a $30 Craftool and a $150 Wrangler?

 

The difference is in the "swivel" portion of the blade. I use to use a crafttool, then I happened on a henley and picked up a barry king. Both of these latter ones have a very smooth swivel portion. Like the difference between a cheap loose fitting chinese bearing and a nice tight japanese bearing. The henley and king you can hold the knife and flick the finger post and it will sit there and spin smoothly for a good bit, the crafttool not so much. It makes the big difference when your cutting curves and what not when there is nice smooth action. 

That being said do with what ya got if you gotta. 

[Harry Marinakis]

On ‎8‎/‎24‎/‎2016 at 0:09 PM, MADMAX22 said:

The difference is in the "swivel" portion. 

Ah-ha!

Thank you Mad Max. Then I think it would very worthwhile to get a good swivel knife.

 

[brmax]

The first knife I bought not long ago was Henley and seems to me a good tool, I thought about it pretty slowly and from a bit of searching and reading on the site here. I had seen there is several custom makers talked about here and I'm sure from! here in ancient times.

I now have almost a hand full of tools and that's fine, their the top line from my study on here and this seems to work. I kinda looked at it like using a box-end wrench on a contrary nut with "next to no room to move the wrench", now I have did this you might say more than a few times so heres the truth from some one that put food on the table for a living doing it and time is food. A snap on wrench has next to nothing in slack or slop so the removal of tough nuts is really forgot about in short order.

( my first snap on wrench complaints as a 19year old; these #%^# wrenches wont fit on this painted nut) hmm,

that's why you always take a cresent wrench "to crack n remove the paint"

On another note have seen cows out my windows my whole life and haven't a clue about leather workings, toolings now I found some of these articles on here are pretty sharp.

Well coffee is done and got to get back to the sew machine, good day there

Floyd

[Tugadude]

If it helps, Springfield Leather has Barry King knives for 54 bucks in three different sized handles and various blades for $17.50 each.

[Harry Marinakis]

MadMax22

Just received my Leather Wrangler swivel knife. Night and day compared to my Tandy swivel knife.

Thank you for the good advice.

[MADMAX22]

On 9/26/2016 at 10:25 PM, Harry Marinakis said:

MadMax22

Just received my Leather Wrangler swivel knife. Night and day compared to my Tandy swivel knife.

Thank you for the good advice.

Glad you picked up a nice knife. Those ones have had great reviews on the site here and one of these days Im gonna try one out. 

[maritimemoose]

On 2016-03-30 at 9:32 PM, Colt W Knight said:

I have the 3/8 and 1/2 Crafttool Pro swivel knives and they are both very, very nice. Haven't tried any of the expensive boutique knives though

Sorry to kick a dead post, but is the small pro knife any shorter than the large or is it just barrel size? I cannot seem to find this info anywhere.

 

Thanks!

[billybopp]

The length is the same, barrel diameter differs.  Both had a height adjustable yoke.

Bill

[Colt W Knight]

1 hour ago, billybopp said:

The length is the same, barrel diameter differs.  Both had a height adjustable yoke.

Bill

+1

 

[maritimemoose]

On 2017-01-19 at 2:55 PM, billybopp said:

The length is the same, barrel diameter differs.  Both had a height adjustable yoke.

Bill

 

On 2017-01-19 at 4:18 PM, Colt W Knight said:

+1

 

Thanks!

[LakeHavasuLeather]

amazing.  got a Leather Wrangler SK3 and I couldnt stand it.  sold that sucker.  went back to my Craftool Pro.  it was way better.  I just got and Old Midas with a Ruby blade.   havent used it yet.  cant wait :-)

[kellyblues]

I took Jim Linnell's " Buffalo" class several years ago. He cut every single line with a big ole fat wide blade in a craftool pro knife. Of course every cut was perfect.   It's all about the skill + the feel.  Personally I love my Barry King. I have an older Osborne that I keep a wide fat blade in, it is a nice knife. One thing I wouldn't skimp on in any fashion is the blade. You will find you can make the same cuts with a 7.99 Tandy knife with a good hollow ground SHARP blade. Something that took me a while when I first started out was figuring out that how well the leather is cased will effect you cutting. Properly cased leather, sharp blade and it glides like cutting butter.