So, over the past week or so I went back onto a slipjoint kick. I went on one a year or so ago but it was short lived. I think I was just …. hell, I don’t know what I was but the point is now I’m back on it. I had heard of Bear & Son but for some reason I guess I just wasn’t interested. I think I had heard some negative reviews but after looking over the past week, I can find very little USEFUL information about them. Then I discovered Utica Kutmaster and I’m thinking …. there are two USA knife makers using 1095 carbon steel and no one is reviewing them?? I guess the slipjoint revolution is quiet and hung up in GEC and those higher end places. Case is fine, and I have one, but it’s not impressive. Anyway, all this rambling is just to say that I’ve ordered some and I got a couple Chinese units because Rough Rider is well liked it seems and I want to do some real head to head comparisons for my blog. First one to show up is this Colt Peanut with “Buckshot Bone” handles. I don’t usually go for cheesy stuff or blingy stuff but I have to admit that I was smitten with these handles. I assume that the knife is made in the same place Rough Riders are though, RR doesn’t seem to have this pattern. I am not a slippy nut so I could be off, but I don’t think I’ve seen a peanut quite like this one.

Anyway, I’m gonna be trying out a Bear & Son and Utica Kutmaster for American knives, and this Colt and Rough Rider for Chinese, then compare them to a couple other slipjoints I have.

colt_peanut_open by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
There are some issues of course.This side shows a couple of them. There were some kind of goobers on the handle which prevented the bone from dying (I picked the goobers off and found clean bone underneath). I can probably put something on them to get them to darken. No biggie. The next is the blade orientation. I actually went back to the product shots and it is done like this on purpose – I thought maybe some genius put mine together backwards. The large blade (which is deceiving in this picture) is in the back so the nail nick is completely obstructed by the small blade. Move the main blade to the front, put the nail nick on the other side of the small blade – easy fix. Annoying, but I can live with it.

colt_peanut_closed by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
For a small knife, it’s kinda chubby. This is either because it’s a modified peanut, or I just don’t know anything about peanuts – totally possible. Anyway, blades are neatly centered, snap is awesome opening and closing, with half stops. Very positive function. Check those red liners – pretty sweet I think.

colt_peanut_inhand by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
Tell me that ain’t a good lookin piece of equipment right there! I kinda want to carry a slippy as a secondary “clean” knife and so I like them to be small. It’s small, but the chubby aspect doesn’t make it carry small. So there’s that.

colt_peanut_bladenick by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
This I would consider the 3rd flaw. You see the little nick in the blade? That is where it hits the hump in the back spring where the pin passes through. DOH!

colt_peanut_backsprings by city_ofthe_south, on Flickr
Couple little gaps but meh, pretty nice work for the most part.

A couple of the flaws are kinda important I think – basically oversights in the design – but for $10 I just can’t complain. It’s even pretty sharp! There is as much value in this knife as everyone has said about the Rough Riders and if that’s true of the RR that is on its way to me, then I am pretty excited. If I get this kind of quality from the two American brands I am going to be PUMPED. I really can’t wait. One will be here tomorrow so stay tuned.