Looking for Head Knife (starter, small)

[Leruckus]

Hello all,

Beginner looking for head knife to make small accessories (wallets, notebooks) up to 10oz leather pieces (bags, etc).  I'm looking for a head knife in the range of 100mm - 160mm in width to get me through the learning years, nothing too fancy just something to get started that'll keep its edge better than the Al Stohlmans from Tandy.

Willing to pay over paypal, I live in San Francisco, CA.

 

Thank you,

 

[bikermutt07]

This one is a great value. It will take a minute to arrive though.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153381008578

[Leruckus]

Thanks for the recommendation BikerMutt, appreciate it.

 

Is this brand of notable quality? Looks great for what I need, I’ve been burned by tools from China before though that I’m overly cautious when it comes to quality. But if it checks out I wouldn’t mind giving them a shot.

Edited April 17, 2019 by Leruckus

[tofu]

1 hour ago, Leruckus said:

Thanks for the recommendation BikerMutt, appreciate it.

 

Is this brand of notable quality? Looks great for what I need, I’ve been burned by tools from China before though that I’m overly cautious when it comes to quality. But if it checks out I wouldn’t mind giving them a shot.

I've seen his name thrown around often.  Either way, d2 is good.  If the edge sucks, just take it to be sharpened somewhere. Priority is just having good steel and a shape/size you like.

[jcuk]

You could do lot worst for £15 quid, plus postage still cheap not sure what that would be, bet there are a lot of head/round knives for a bit more money not good as  this. Some call this a single head knife including me others call it a head knife.

https://www.abbeyengland.com/barnsley-single-head-knife-552.html

Hope this helps

JCUK

[bikermutt07]

Kevin Lee is behind Crazy Cut Leather. You can find him by name on Facebook and Instagram (he has a pretty large following). I have acquired a few of his smaller knives and they come really sharp. I haven't had them under long term use yet, but I think they will be fine. 

It's just not our daddy's China anymore. There are a lot of quality products coming in from China these days.

Kevin Lee, Wuta, and Kizer knives are three that I have found to be bringing quality to the American market for much less than the American companies with the same materials and similar quality.

Is there still a ton of cheap stuff coming from China, sure, but there are some quality suppliers as well. 

I carry a Kizer pocket knife daily. It's Cnc machined out of VG-10 and it holds a wicked working edge. A very nice EDC for under 60 bucks. I also have my "going out" knife. Sv-35 (?) with a titanium frames in the Lefty model for 140ish.  These are nice knives made in China.

[Leruckus]

@tofu

Thanks for the reply. You’re right, prioritizing the materials and feel/size is better and I can always get it sharpened if needed.

@jcuk

Thanks for the recommendation, I checked it out and sent them an inquiry regarding duties and postage to US (didn’t give me an estimate at checkout). Thanks!

@bikermutt07

Thanks for the info, that makes me feel a lot more confident in purchasing a knife sourced from China. I think this will probably be what I purchase this weekend if I can’t find anything else worthwhile around the same price point. Thanks again!

 

[Japi]

You should look for a knife that you can use day in day out for all the jobs that come along. There are many different one's to chose from. All knife makers want to stand out from the crowd. In the old days there were knives that did everything. Long cuts, belt cuts, skiving, shaping, curves, straight lines, etc. etc. Knives were tools for workmen. They used them everyday to make their living and they were expensive. When they found one that worked for them they kept it. I know an old saddle maker who only ever used two knives. They did every job he needed to do and at the end of the day he left them in the workshop and went home. Nowadays people have collections of knives. They use a different one for every job they do and they have several that do the same thing in different sizes and styles. I started like the saddle maker, mainly because there were not many knife makers when I was young, and because they were too expensive to have one or two just lying on the bench not doing anything. Now I have boxes of them. All kinds from hand made to worn out veterans of the 1800's. The main thing is what kind of stile do you hold it? Thumb in centre or thumb in corner? Blades that are fat and have a ground edge are not so good for grip. It is good to be able to look along your thumb and see the point that the blade meets the cut. With a fat blade it's like having to look round a corner. The blade should not bend or be too thin. Learn to sharpen your own knife. It should really be stropped after every few cuts and put to the block at least once or twice a month. If you look after your blade, it will be safer for you. The most dangerous thing is a blunt knife. Osbourne make nice knives, Terry Knipp does too and they are both in America. What ever stile you choose remember it is a knife not a screwdriver. A screwdriver can be used and put back in the drawer for years without much ill effect but a knife requires a little looking after and respect. Do that and it will serve you well for many years.

First picture is thumb invented with hand over handle, second she's thumb in corner with hand under handle. This grip works better with larger sized knives. 

And then there are Quarter knives.....