Canal Street Cutlery Reviews/Pics

[Ryano]

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this fairly new American company? If so, please post and if you have pics, that would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks in advance.

[Smiling-Knife]

I have two CS knives... this whittler and a stockman. Both have amber bone scales which are very nice. The fit & finish and blade action are very good IMO. The blades are polished on one side and matt finished on the other. I can not comment on the cutting properties.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q265/smiling-knife/Canal013.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q265/smiling-knife/Canal015.jpg

[Ryano]

Thanks for the pics and response. This is probably going to show just how new I am to the knife world, but why would they polish one side and have a matte finish on the other side of the blades? Thanks again.

[Smiling-Knife]

Hi. I'm not sure about that. Perhaps it is just a quirky reminder of a past practice where the mark side was polished as that was facing the customer in the display and the other side not to save a few cents production costs. Just speculation. I'll see if I can find anything else on the topic.

added: seems this was a practice with Schrade Cutlery Co in the old days and, with CS being form of decendent of Schrarde, this may be a link to their past.

[Hukk]

S-K is correct about the finish being more shiny on the mark side. It reflects back to an age old custom. The knives are well made and the fit/finish is excellent. My only complaint is I don't care for High Carbon 420 SS that is their primary blade steel.

What I do like is that they do offer knives in other blade steels. A 4-1/8 inch 2 blade trapper in D2 tool steel (X160 CrMoV 12 1 European Union), a single blade with 14Cr4Mo (same elements as 154CM), a sleeve board ring opener in A2 tool steel, another trapper in 440C (1.4125 & X 105 CrMo 17 European Union), and on fixed blades I like 19C27 Sandvik steel that D'Alton Holder designed on a drop point hunter and later he used the same steel on a bowie. Rc is given as 60 to 63 on the Sandvik steel.

Many knife companies use 420 High Carbon Stainless Steel because it's inexpensive and it cuts manufacturing costs as well. I do like my knives in D2, 14Cr4Mo, and the 19C27 Sandvik steel. I bought 2 of each knife with the "specialty steels". One to put away and the other as a nice user.

I hope my cross reference chart is correct!

[ScanDgrind]

I have a beautiful two bladed large folding hunter with water buffalo scales.

Funilly enough I bought it off you Hukk through the AAPK forum IIRC.

I like the Canal Street knives. The ones I have owned or seen have all been well made and have great fit and finish.

I'm very impressed with them especially when you take their cost into account which is very reasonable IMO.

[dkonopinski]

I have the Muskrat in amber bone and as far as I'm concerned it is a first class, traditional pocket knife. I have wondered about the one side polish and I'm pleased to learn of it's origins. It sent me scuttling off to look at my US made Schrades, but they're not very old and are either matt or polished on both sides.

Very interesting.

David

[Ratel10mm]

I have 2 so far, both annual SFO's via BF TF&FB forum. Very impressed, but not really cut anything much as they're too pretty!