Now that I'm 60 it's time to start the time honored tradition of whittling and carving wood. I just ordered mine. OLD GUYS RULE!!!

For someone who just started to get into carving like myself i think that the old timer is great introduction and the fact that I live in the UK where knife laws are very strict the fact the the old timer doesn't lock is a positive thing for me, good video guys

A big plus (for some people) of the Flexcut is that they offer a lefty version.

I have carved at least 9 spoons, 2 forks and a small bowl with the old timer that I bought for $24.99 It works great for me. I wouldn't do a hiking or camping trip without it with me.

So friendly, so unlike the other pushy, breathless reviewers out there... Thank you, Will.

Perhaps rather than viewing the two tools as a "vs" thing, maybe the Schrade should be seen as the "gateway drug" to woodcarving and the Flexcut as your heroin.

I have both of them also. I really like the Flexcut. When I got the Old Timer I found that the straight gouge had been ground, but not to an edge. It was dull. I was able to sharpen it though. The problem with your test here is that you have honed the Flexcut and used it for years. You keep it exactly as you want it. You used the Old Timer directly from the box. I would suggest that after you have honed the Old Timer it may be a more even test. At the end, I still like my Flexcut better than the Old Timer.

I really wish that victorinox would release a tool like this... saw, chisel, two blades, maybe some type of hook blade?

$19.25 at Amazon now... I HAVE a Flexcut and I STILL am going to get one at that price... I have a friend that I bought the Flexcut Slipstrop(sharpening block) and I think I will get him one of these to use, because he does not have any specialty carving blades at all and there is no way I can afford to give him a real Flexcut. At $35 I can see your point about buying once, but at $19.25 + $15.16 for the Slipstrop, I can buy FIVE of these plus a Slipstrop and have lunch for the same price as a Flexcut. If you do a lot of carving, then spring for the Flexcut and do not look back, but if you want something to try out to see how you would like it, then get one of these...

I bought my Flexcut carving Jack about 7 years ago at Rockler for $59.00. I didn’t know at the time how good of a deal I made with this knife. I’ve seen these for over $125 now. The blades stay super sharp for longer than cheap steels. Thanks for the advice and video.

I am a cabinet making teacher and i have carved all my life pretty much, over my about 30 years of carving and studies with professionnals carvers i saw that tool came up and used it. First off all its not in any way a real profefessional tool, that beeing said that thing is for camping carving. The biggest downside is the limitation of the tool versus real carving knives and gouges, i my opinion for the same money you can get Morakniv and Flexcut knives that will give you much more quality and they will be much easyer to work with. Of course it take a bit of space in a pack and they dont fit in a jeans pocket. For myself i have been carrying a small carving kit each time i go out in the woods i truly believe it is more efficient that way. Hey if you want one still get it!

I have the new Car in' Jack, rh, and I love it. Sharp out of the package, solid tools, a high quality leather sheath and a strop designed to sharpen all of the tools in the knife, along with a virtual life time supply of Flexcut's yellow stropping compound. One quick comment on your spoon bowl technique. If you start forming the bowl with the larger hook knife cross-grain in the center of the bowl and work your way towards the ends, you will get a much smoother, deeper bowl in less than half the time. You can also take full scoops without causing any splits. Give it a shot!

i love videos where you actually demonstrate the product rather than just talk about it. Good video. Enjoyed it. I subscribed.

Just came across this video. Thank you both for the honest review. I’m new to carving & have been considering the Old Timer as an entry level tool but wasn’t sure of its quality. I just ordered one from Smokey Mountain Knife Works on sale for $9.99! Looking forward to trying some of your carving techniques!

The flex cut is awesome! I have it and it does everything! It’s sharp as hell out of the box. Save up and get it. It even comes with a high quality sheath. I find myself, while at home using a wooden handle knife for comfort, but I then use the jack for the convenience of the detail tools. V-knife, scoop etc. Great for canoe trips and hikes when you have time to burn at camp. Sooo many tools in one package!

Super neat, I just finished my Spring semester in college and I intend to work on various projects, one of may favourite things to do is wood carving but for the knives I have wouldn't really want to use for such nor do they have the shapes. I really appreciate you bringing your brother and really exposing the ups and downs of this "knife", also when you said to come hang out with y'all, for the past couple of days I've been watching your video on and off when I had the chance. Thank you, I will be getting the old timer and then save up for the flex cut, hopefully I'll be able to make some plenty neat pipes and it was nice hanging out with y'all.

Thanks for this! I just ordered the Old Timer and I'm pretty stoked. I'll practice for a while and then maybe upgrade. Very thorough. Cheers, my friend!

I have the Old Timer, Flexcut Carving Jack, and Flexcut Whittlin Jack. I epoxied new zebra wood scales on the Flexcuts. This improved the ergonomics. I used the Old Timer once.

Great video! Thank you for all your hard work!

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing those tools!

Hi Gary! this is an excellent video, thank you.

I bought my Flexcut for carving briar pipes. It's up to the task. I bought the left-handed version, but there are times when a right-handed one would be nice. A right-handed Ol Timer costs much less tan a right-handed Flexcut. It's not nearly as good, but I don't use it nearly as much. Neither are as cost effective as applying their price to some good fixed-blade knives, but they're easier to carry in your pocket.

Gary Myers MantisOutdoors does have a nice ring to it. Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be saving up some money.

Flexcuts are made in a small town in Pennsylvania buy USA made!

Great video will. I have the old timer. I can't compare but for the $20 I paid its awesome! I do have to say I don't carve 20% of the time I'm in the woods. Shit I don't carve 1% so for me I would never buy the Flexcut, but would rather have the Flexcut for sure. Hope you come out camping with Jeff (Common Sense Camper), myself, and another buddy of mine next weekend down at Wildcat.

I guess you could say it was a "GARY" pleasant time! Haha! Love the belt-strop Will.

I got my old timer for $17.95 out of Sportsmen Guide catalog , love it

I love that you warn us it’s not a short video once we’re 20 minutes in haha. Great stuff, cool to see the difference between the two.

I like Gary's idea of using the cheaper knife to gauge how much you are into the hobby

I do a lot of spoon carving, not only for myself but also as a spoon carving instructor. I've used both the Flexcut and the Old Timer. The Flexcut is the superior tool. If the price is too high for you, buy the Old Timer but understand ALL its blades will require sharpening and maybe regrinding. Plus, the Old Timer is made with lower quality steel requiring more resharpening and it feels flimsier in the hand. With a little tune-up you can carve with it, but the Flexcut comes ready to use right out of the box and is more comfortable to use.

I got one because of the price. The flex cut was just out of my range. I absolutely love it. I guess, eventually I'll get the Flexcut but for now...

Oh wow, just made the crazy decision to purchase both the old timer AND the Flexcut. Thing is, I don't need two. I ain't rich. It was completely a compulsive purchase. That being said, hope I'm not disappointed. I don't really need carving knives. I have 3 regular wood handle flex cut carving knives that I rarely use. Now, I ride a bicycle and my family has property out in the woods and hills so I ride my bicycle out there. We just hangout there. Build fires, got a creek, woods hills, wood to cut, all kinds of goodies. It's about a few hour bicycle trip. So, my main reason for not using my regular carving knives is the portability. Yea they're nice, but never convenient. With these tools in my pack, I believe I'd be more apt to use them. I originally purchased the old timer and it's supposed to arrive in the mail today. But I just now ran to eBay and bought the flex cut version. Only because I have different packs containing things of certain quality. This flex cut version will go in my high quality pack of various unique items I've collected of a slightly higher quality build. Suck as a good high quality steel spring loaded grappling hook, a hand made Norwegian munharpe jaw harp, a Hungarian jaw harp, and a handmade American jaw harp, some Shaolin hand made rope dart meteor hammers, and a bunch of other gadgets. Leather working tools. Then I got portable microcontroler kits and electronics and breadboards and servo motors components and solar power supplies. I can tinker with electronic engineering even out the woods. Fun stuff.

I’d been wanting to see a comparison. Thanks

Can you use the flexcut strop block (for carving jack) you strop the old timer?

Thanks for this one. Was thinking of getting the schrade due to the price of the flexcut but I think I won't bother. I'd rather hold out for the more quality tool.

Hi Will. Thank you (and your brother) for this excellent review. Missing your reviews and uploads. Take care. Alain

Nice video, I have the Old Timer Carving Knife. It's "okay". It was a gift from a good friend. Yes, I would rather have a better quality Flex Cut Carving Jack with the accessories , but right now I have other things I need/want, so the Old Timer will have to do for now. I find the Old Timer Carving Tool on-line for around $20 all the time.

I carve lot and hav a lot of Flexicut carving tools. They ar great on the home bench and would get up set losing them in the woods, I bought an Old Timer at the Wilderness Gathering and knew it meant some time prepping the blades, yes with a Flexicut profile block, small files and stones. But now I have a set of tools in one handset that works very well. For the price and little work well worth it. Still lust after a Carving Jack though but Christmas is coming! LOL

I threw out the old timer as fast as I ordered it because I ruined my first pocket Jack by being a moron so needless to say I ordered another pocket Jack it was down to $72 for the 2.0. I am very happy ha ha

Well, bought my flexcut about 8 years ago, my old timer clone this year. Bought two more old timers within a month. All arrived decent factory sharp, just strop and go. My hands are smaller, and perhaps it matches the Chinese sizing better. No problems with the lack of locking, on the Flexcut tends to be a pain switching tools. Only critique on both is the V scorp. I'd rather a saw, as this is my EDC spoon carver. Probably will disassemble one to mod.

They just had a sale and I got the OT for $11. Seems good for that. Dull as hell out of the box.

The old Timer is 65mn not the greatest but for this tool fine. I picked one up for 22 bucks got lucky. It's pretty dang good for the money. Well worth it.

For Victorinox or Mora... make a liner-lock tool... on one end, the Mora 106 laminated blade shape, and on the other end, a gouge scorp. Make it slim enough to pocket.

Thanks for doing this video Will. I always wondered about the two. If you're just starting out on spoons, etc. can you get by with just a spoon knife (Mora or otherwise) and one of your larger and smaller knives for whittling with? Then, if you're really getting into it, save for the Flexcut?

I'm new to wood carving also, what the most ideal stone for sharpening this tool, on amazon. Perferabally light enough to sharpen on the field.

I bought two of the Old Timers and found that they both needed stropping prior to doing any cutting. Just out of curiosity, have you sharpened or stropped your Carving Jack? That would be the only fair way to compare.

Just ordered the OT, good video.

I like Gary's take.

Damn- I just ordered the Oldtimer in the USA as they are not available in Europe ...shipping and handling and customs... thank you for the honest review...think i buy the flexcut next time

I bought my Oldtimer new for around $20. It might not be as good as the Flexcut but for my money I will take 2 Oldtimers. My first is still going well.

Most people (including me) when they first compare them, think they have a different grind... Or rather that the Flexcut has a 'higher' grind, but given that the blade on the Flexcut is at least a third thicker, it will look like a higher grind even at the exact same angle.

I love my flex cut!

I have a similar one and it's great.

I think you guys are spot on with your review. The Flexcut should be a superior tool. You get what you pay for. However for a lpart time carver like me who does it for pleasure and never keeps a carving, the Old Timer is good enough. I may sometime in the future change my mind, but for now it serves me well. leenotcharleen

I have both of these. Although the flexcut is way better build together, I do like the looks off the OT more.

Thanks for the comparison, Flexcut is what I would choose

Excellent content; better video. I was recently gifted an Old Timer; it will be my learning knife along with my 1.75 inch hand made carving knife (also a gift). I see the nicer carving knife as a Christmas gift or Valentines gift. Thanks for the EXCELLENT info!!! Chuck Knight from Buffalo, Texas. 🤠🐩👍🖖😎

Not a bad looking tool brother. Thanks for the video

I paid less than 20 bucks for the Old Timer on Amazon. I love it!

That's the one I have . Got it for $ 20 's on eBay love it.

What are the neck knives you both have on?

I think there’s an argument to be made that a flex cut is a better choice for beginners because beginners don’t always have the skill to avoid the risks that come from duller/flexible blades. But yeah, the affordability is definitely a good argument. Still, I’d rather grab a good single u-gauge palm tool and knife to start out than get a lower quality tool. The higher quality steel will hold an edge longer too, which is great for beginners who don’t sharpen enough. So I guess what I’m saying is the Old Timer has a place for people new to wood carving but not new to knife handling/whittling, who are also travelling about a lot with it. People just wanting to get into carving are probably better off with individual tools that’ll feel far more comfy for longer carving session.

Hey Marine!! Great Job on the channel buddy!

If you happen to have both, one u can use for the rough work. I could see both being used at the same time.

Flexcut makes a dedicated bowl/spoon carving knife for a cheaper price, but with only 3 blades. $124.00 w/tax. Will buy other dedicated blades to make the difficult cuts. BeaverCraft makes a nice kit/roll pouch combo for $37.95 on Amazon.

Good review the only thing is Flexcut is the only one who makes them in left handed ones

Cool, thanks

I haven’t started watching yet but before I do I know that in my personal experience owning both of these folding carving knives that the Flexcut Carvin’ Jack is 1000x’s better than the Schrade Old Timer Splinter! Not only is Flexcut American Made w/high carbon midwestern steel but it’s made to last & mine was actually ready to carve right out of the pack. I bought the Carvin’ Jack Kit at a carving show, it came w/a leather belt holster(I’ve never used mine) a leather slip strip & a chunk of Flexcut’s gold polishing compound & if I remember right I believe it was $69.99, maybe $74.99 but I immediately opened it bc I was curious about a folding style pocket carver & it was a true carving tool or if it was like the “Whittler” style pocket knives but was pleasantly surprised bc I was able to grab a scrap piece of basswood & quickly carved a spoon & your average “old man” character mini fig & was shocked that for a pocket carving knife came as razor sharp as it did! I’ve had brand new straight handle Flexcut carvers be delivered in the past that I would test on scrap wood & they’ve needed to be sharpened b4 starting a piece. My Carvin’ Jack quickly became my “go to” carver. Able to carry the equivalent of 6 straight handle knives comfortably in my pocket & if I have to wait on someone for a bit in the truck & I wanna carve to pass time like I have in past but couldn’t bc of no tools & idk many ppl that carry their straight handle carvers everywhere so Carvin’ Jack solved that for me. Now the Schrade Old Timer Splinter in the other hand actually does stay in my truck console but it’s a “last resort” option bc the 3 Splinters I have dont compared to “Jack” even if they were somehow combined

great to meet Gary. ok my friend we have met several times at meets and i always have appreciated you sharing your knowledge, but we have never set down and chatted very long. I'm a long time carver with old school tools that i love . i did notice the difference in blade thickness when you showed the close ups, and the flex cut just may be in my pocket when we meet again . take care William , good to see on video again being real brother. ..bill

Great video thumb's up 🍀

Well, of course the Old Timer is not going to be as "robust" for all the reasons you have stated but you covered that well and I was glad to see that you didn't bust up on it since it definitely has it's place. However, there are other options in the Flexcut line that aren't anywhere near as pricey as the currently Amazon priced $130 6 blade jack. They also offer a 4 blade jack for only $75 that has all the blades I've ever actually seen anyone use as well as a 2 blade jack with just the flat blades for $45. Most folks would probably never use all 6 blades on the big one so I'm sure the 4 blade would be alright for most folks. I can tell you that after looking at them I don't even know what 2 of those 6 blades would even be used for, so the 4 blade model would be all I'd need... If I was ever caught unprepared and hadn't brought a spoon or bowl with me in the first place and for some weird reason decided to carve one out of a hunk of wood. Good review, though I did actually check to see that I was still on your page after the intro music played... ;o)

I would take the old school. Cool vid

Damn I guess I got my flexicut jack knives a while back! I got both models for around $50/60 each

The 1st switch got the WOW effect when the flex cut was in Will’s hand says it all! Also a couple years ago when I seen the flex cut on the market I was immediately impressed! I don’t have the concept to buy the cheaper version of anything. I buy for performance,comfort,overall capability. I searched for other tools that would be similar and the old timer popped up. Being the only other in the same category it was obvious that the flex cut had the way higher price cause it delivered a better overall package. At the price point,I decided to buy individual carving tools that got me exactly what I was looking for and I’ll buy more if I need more. So the short of it is it would be a better vid as a flex cut field review and then mentioned the only other multi tool pocket carving package is the inferrer old timer that would be better to pass on and save up for the flex cut or buy individual specific carving tools. Enjoyed seeing Gary and looking forward to seeing you both in future vids.

The laugh track after the metal question, was a rush......LOL!!!

Maybe you guys got a lemon. Mine came very sharp and it has proved fairly sturdy. I don't see how it would break unless you did something other than carving wood. Let us know if yours breaks and what you were doing.

Do you know if either one of those tools made for a lefty? Knife blade doesn't matter, but some of the others do.

Will I think the exact way you do when it comes to carving and knives in general. Like why put your thumb on the spine of the knife while doing most actions?

Nice informative video Will and Gary. The old saying, "Buy once, Cry once" comes to mind. Or, "You get what you pay for". I'm in the boat with Gary. Get the Old Timer and practice with it till you can invest in the Flexcut. I love Gary's hat as well. Where can I get one and how much?

Glad to see somebody besides Chris. Lol Tell Gary he's got to work on being a better smart ass if he's going to replace Chris. Thanks for the video and info. Just playing Chris if you read this. Dig your videos to.

Great teaching video... gracias 😊

Good review

Dang rite Gary

hey when your new knife will come out?

Every time will says "it is what it is" take a shot of whiskey

Cool

Excellent, didn't even know it existed ... but now that I do I might even import one to wayyy over here in Hobbit land. ;-)

Nice video I have both also, compare the price flexcut comes with leather sheath and sharpening tool and hone but old timer does not.

I think Old Timers have a lifetime warranty, the knives do.

Great video guys

"GaaaaAAAAaaarrryy...."

Great video, thanks for sharing. Quick question - right now your version with 6 blades is $130 on Amazon, while the 4 blade version is half the price. Is it worth double the price for the 6 blades? THANKS!!!🎄🎅🦌

Old timer need to have the bevelles set and rehoned the steel is good but not as good as the flexcut but is not bad. If you can do the work then great value for the cash

I just ordered one for $15 on Amazon

The Old Timer is on Amazon for under $20 and the Flexcut Slip Strop for these knives is under $20 from at Rockler or Amazon, so you can get both the Old Timer and the Strop for under $40, compared to the Flexcut knife with strop for $125. One item of note is that the Flexcut knife does come in a left handed version while the Old Timer does not.

I just bought an old timer for $20. I can buy 5 of them for the price of 1 flexcut. 65mn is the Chinese version of 1060. Nothing wrong with that steel. Easy to sharpen and tough. Might not hold an edge for long but sharpening is the 1st thing any knife owner should learn.

The fact that Schrade is not lock blade is a real deal killer, period.

damn! show me the finished spoon!!!!!

I am going to file down the scales edges to smooth the grip out.

That was terrifying to watch... way safer techniques to employ for these cutting and carving tasks. Maybe watch a few spoon carving videos. Ben orford does simple beginner safety knife techniques. Glad no one died. Thanks for sharing!