A few years ago I bought a couple copies or clones of Scagel folding knives. These sanctioned licensed copies were by Northwoods Knives. (top photo of double blade model) These were supposed to be built to exacting tolerances following patterns from original knives they knew of and had possession of, at least long enough to copy, that Bill Scagel himself had made when he was alive. Although they are both very nice (see first picture of second wood handle model ) they were quite pricey, limited in number made and more importantly quite heavy for their size. The way Northwoods made them both the folders I bought were double blade models like the top knife shown here with stag handles which anyone knows is also problematic for the handles cracking especially around the pins.
Unlike what I've done here with my version of this folder, both these copy knives were made using extra thick blade and spring stock by Northwoods since that is what Bill Scagel's knives were like. As a result of the springs and blades being as thick as knives way bigger than normally seen in knives of this size, both had very big 'foot prints' in the pocket. They were way more folder than I would want to carry due to the thickness of two extra thick blades and the weight they brought to the table but otherwise I loved the shape and design characteristics of both.
I have several other Northwoods Scagel models. Of all the models I own the one shown above with wood handles in that first picture is the knife that excited me even if it is not original anymore because its been taken apart to make into a single blade. I like it so much because its very pockeable. I've carried it off and on. However, the 'shoe shined' rounded off finish and thickness of this one and the fact that Lignum is the heaviest of all wood means its still a bit thick and a bit heavy even as a single blade model now. The bottom line is that its close but no cigar and still carries bigger than you would expect for such a small knife of only 3 and 3/8" closed. My intention in creating my own version of this wonderful design was to improve on that footprint size and reduce the weight at the same time.
What I've done here is simply re-interpret this classic pattern for my own pocket as shown next to the two Northwoods models in the first picture. My examples here are 3/32 blade stock using ATS34 steel set at 60 Rockwell hardness for the blade and 50 RC for the back spring as opposed to what appears to be 3/16" stock if not more on the Scagel copy by Northwoods. This is a classic Sod Buster design or very close and as you know if you've followed some of my other models, I've been a Sod Buster fan all my life!
All of my folders are all equipped with titanium liners in .050 thickness as opposed to the much heavier nickel silver or brass used in many other traditional knives and all of these folders except for the last one sport textured G10 handle scales made to pop on and off to interchange. The models shown here all weigh in at 1.4 ounces to 1.5 ounces for the first two shown together. I used solid ti pins in those first two and made the pivots a beefy 1/8" diameter on all of these. The last one shown alone here in black textured G10 is the one in my pocket. I've been using the tar out of this thing since finishing it up!. The original that I copied to make these weighs in at 3.4 ounces.
None of these shown are for sale but the first of some I plan to make later and later on I'll have some available. I had this project shown here on my agenda to do for some time and finally got around to using those blanks I had cut out by a Water jet service a long time ago.
Anyway, these are great little folders whether done in tradional styling with natural handle materials like wood, stag or bone, with or without bolsters or a non traditional approach such as mine using G10 and Micarta man made synthetic materials for handles. Either way the knife fits into my philosophy that less is more, less is best, and keep it simple. These done using G10 or Micarta are everything I think a carry knife should be to be great. That means an EDC should be light weight so that you don't know its on you until you need it. It should be stainless to be pretty much immune to sweat, salts, rust and other such things like pitting or staining. It should be a great edge keeping hard blade with proper heat treat. It should be able to work bigger than its size and it should be grippy and done with a handle material immune to acids, oils, chemicals, moisture, splitting, cracking, chipping , fraying, warping or temp or weather changes. I have all that now shown right here. Thanks for looking.
Edit: Bob Pickle is a fellow knife maker friend and has sent me pics of the one I did for him that he wanted to do his own handles on so I'm posting those up for folks to see. This turned out really nice Bob and I really like the lignum handles on yours. Nice and flat! I know that one rides in the pocket right!. Thanks for sharing it with us.
STR
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