What's a good "hand-me-down" knife?

[lovemachine]

What's a good "hand-me-down" knife? In my family, there really isn't anything that anyone hands me down. And since I have a son now, I thought it would be a neat idea to start a tradition. Maybe an item that I use everyday, and I can hand down to my son when he reaches a certain age. And he could hand it down as well.

So, I thought of a knife. I don't have any knives that aren't "tactical". I have a couple of ZT0350's, and a few Spyderco's. But nothing that's nice enough for this.

What would make a good knife to hand down to then? It would be neat to have engraved as well, but I'm not sure how long the laser engraving would even last. Probably would rub off after a number of years...

 

[jbombelli]

For folders I would look at Chris Reeve and William Henry. For fixed blades I would look at Busse.

Those would be a good place to start. There are a lot of really nice knives out there.

 

[Expat]

My Dad gave me a John Primble pocket knife (one of his knives that he carried) when I got old enough to take care of it. That knife was passed to my son. It isn't fancy. It was never a valuable knife. It was never engraved. But I always treasured it and hope my son does now. I think it is more how you raise him than what you give him. If you raise him right, you can pass down a piece of macaroni and he will treasure it because it came from his Dad.

 

[jd4320t]

Any and all. He'll see you use the knife or knives and they'll forever be in his mind. I have some folders that were my grandpa's. One doesn't stick out more than another. I remember always seeing them and giving them my attention when they were out of his pocket.

 

[patience0830]

Have one that you love for one reason or another? Use it well for many years. Tell him why you care about that piece of ephemera so much when you think he's old enough to understand.
Slip it to him one day when you're working on something together.

 

[Vigilant]

Randall

 

[wildcatdd]

I have a Buck 102 that's was handed down from my Grandpa. Great skinning knife.

 

[Thor]

My grandfather gave me a well used Kabar 3 blade stockman with stag handles...I've recently started carrying it again. My dad gave me his Korean era Kabar fighting knife. I have so many knives and swords to pass down that I'm going to need a lot more grandkin than I'm likely to get.

 

[kawtech87]

To me hand me down knives mean classic slip joints. There were a few from my grandfather that were unfortunately lost in a house fire back when I was a kid. They suspected arson but never caught anyone. My grandfather's cigarette lighter collection was ironically saved and I still have those.

Anyway check out Great Eastern Cutlery they still make old fashioned knives the old fashioned way and are the highest quality you can get in an old style slip joint today

 

[Fordtough25]

Doesn't have to be crazy $$$ to mean something, like already said just go with something you use/will use a lot. I've got some already that will be passed down to my son from before me, and several that I use often. Oddly enough I carry a swiss army "officer" knife daily at work, and an esee 3 edc.

 

[cosermann]

Buck 110/112.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/cutting-edge/424449-anyone-here-carry-buck-110-112-a.html

 

[rhino]

For starting a tradition of family heirlooms, I'd do a set of a Buck 110 (preferably a custom shop or limited edition version with better steel) AND a Case large stockman with CV blades.

Case Large Stockman with CV blades is model 6375 CV. #203 is a yellow scales, #204 is the amber bone,

 

[Timjoebillybob]

The knife I miss the most is the one my grandpa gave me when he thought I was old enough to have one. It was a cheap barlow, the exact same kind of one he had in his pocket everyday. Probably cost a buck or two at the most back then. You can find them for under $10 now. I went on to "bigger and better" knives through the years, but now that is the one I wish I still had the most. The rest of the suggestions in this thread are still good, but my advice is pass on something that you value and use.

 

[bwframe]

Knowing you and your skills, I'd say make him one. Better yet, make him two. One to keep, one to use.

 

[rhino]

Knowing you and your skills, I'd say make him one. Better yet, make him two. One to keep, one to use.

That's a good idea... get a knife blank from Jantz or somewhere similar, then make the grips!

 

[jzwhts]

I have given (among many) a Case knife that was made the year they were born. Case knives are easy to date the year. I am a huge fan of traditional pocket knives. Everyone around here gets a knife for their birthday.

 

[lovemachine]

Hah! I wish I had the skills to make my own knife...

I'm going to check out the Case knives.

 

[Expatriated]

If you want it to last generations, I would go with a Randall. They do the engraving and it's etched in the metal--not coming out. I've seen some already a couple of generations old and look fine.

If you don't want to spend any serious money, I would go with a Buck 110. I would probably order it from Buck with S30V and initials engraved in it. And handle material that will last forever like micarta or something like that. You can get them made however you want them on their site.

 

[Bapak2ja]

"What's a good "hand-me-down" knife?"

Any one you want to give me!

 

[1DOWN4UP]

I am mainly a pocket knife guy.Have had one on me (almost always)since I was 5.For a use knife,can not go wrong with a Stockman Style Case XX, or a Buck or a old German Boker.For a heirloom ,a Frank Buster Fighting Rooster,Early Case XX or the early USA Browning. For a lockblade, a Buck 110, or a early Browning USA,or my favorite, a Case XX Sharktooth.