Swivel knife recommendation?

[SouthernCross]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good swivel knife that won't break the bank?  I've been using the knife that came with my Tandy leather kit many years ago and it's pretty pitiful.  For one thing, it's too short for me and nin-adjustable. 

[Carson]

The old Tandy knives if you can find one, I have about three shafts and about six blades but I like the angled ones better. The ones from the early 70 s are very high quality 

[JMcC]

Here is an adjustable knife from Tandy's that's only 20 bucks, adjustable, and has a comfort yoke.

https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/easy-comfort-swivel-knife

[SouthernCross]

8 hours ago, Carson said:

The old Tandy knives if you can find one, I have about three shafts and about six blades but I like the angled ones better. The ones from the early 70 s are very high quality 

Is there a way to tell by looking at them if they are the older knives?  I see some on Ebay listed as "vintage", but that doesn't really tell me anything,

[Carson]

The steel won’t be painted and mine look like this... sorry I can’t take a pic hold on

 

Edited January 22, 2018 by Carson

[Carson]

They will have steel stripes and are kind of gray

[Brown64]

Save your money, and buy a Tandy Craftool Pro, or a Berry King preferably the last one. They are both very good knifes around $50.00, and you won't regret your purchase.

[Rhale]

I would recommend a Barry King or Henley, both are great knives!

[LakeHavasuLeather]

I have a couple of Duane Watts SK.   They are awesome to say the least.    

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DWLeatherworks

[immiketoo]

Considering I have more SK than any sane person should have, if I had to choose just one barrel I would be in a quandary because there are so many good ones.  Leather wranglers are works of art, Barry King are solid work horses and you can't go wrong with a Henley.  Also, Ed LaBarre, Gordon Andrus and Robert Beard make excellent knives.

More important than the barrel is the blade.  This comes down to experience and the style of carving you like, but I can tell you that when I switched from my starter Tandy knife to one of the makers listed above, my whole world changed.  I could do things I didn't think were possible.  I was able to control my cuts like never before.  

The combo of a properly fit knife and a good blade cannot be overstated.

 

[SouthernCross]

Dang, that's quite a collection! 

[immiketoo]

Sadly, that's not even all of them.  Somehow I keep ending up with more.

 

[billybopp]

@immiketoo ... There are 12 steps to help you with this situation ...  Do you believe in a higher power?

I have about 7 or 8 swivel knives.  Two are Tandy pro and they're fairly good.  The others were mostly acquired as parts of collections - mostly the regular run of the mill knives.  Those, I keep less used specialty blades in - such as hair blades.  Very handy to have them ready to go and not have to switch blades around.

Seriously tho, nice collection.  I'm curious about the one at bottom center that looks like a tree branch?

-Bill

[immiketoo]

Lol!  Hey Bill, that one IS a tree branch.  I ordered the very first Leather Wranglers SKV Britt Nantz collaboration knife.  its the one that says MD on it in the middle.  Paul and Britt sent me this knife as a joke after I ordered the other one.  When I opened the box, I laughed my ass off.  Surprisingly, it cuts very well, but only in 90 degree corners

[ABHandmade]

On 22.04.2018 at 3:45 PM, immiketoo said:

Sadly, that's not even all of them.  Somehow I keep ending up with more.

 

I started salivating like a puppy at the sight of a cutlet

[immiketoo]

54 minutes ago, ABHandmade said:

I started salivating like a puppy at the sight of a cutlet

That’s why I have this many knives...every damned time.

[ABHandmade]

8 minutes ago, immiketoo said:

That’s why I have this many knives...every damned time.

I hope that by the time I work with the leather as much as you do, I will have at least a pitiful resemblance to such a collection

Edited April 24, 2018 by ABHandmade

[immiketoo]

Honestly, I bought most of this in my first two or three years.  Now, I have more than I'll ever use and its just  jewelry really.  Nice to show off.  I could survive with only two of them.  The same goes for most of my tool racks.  I could keep about a dozen or so and probably never need another one.  I was young and foolish.

 

[ABHandmade]

22 minutes ago, immiketoo said:

Honestly, I bought most of this in my first two or three years.  Now, I have more than I'll ever use and its just  jewelry really.  Nice to show off.  I could survive with only two of them.  The same goes for most of my tool racks.  I could keep about a dozen or so and probably never need another one.  I was young and foolish.

 

But the very same 2 knives and dozens of the tools you use are based on the experience of using everything that you have. And guessing in advance what you really need would be impossible.
I think that there is no ideal set of in, which would be equally popular with everyone. IMHO, through the buying phase of a lot for select the right one goes anybody.

[immiketoo]

I agree with that wholeheartedly.  Back then, there was no way of knowing what I would have gravitated toward.  In fact, it was so wide open that any of the sets of tools I have could have been THE set.