Stylish "Oldie"
The American knife manufacturer Old Timer is primarily known on our market for its "folding knives", but it also offers a range of hunting/bushcraft knives with a classic fixed blade. We tested one of them for you.
Title photo: Old Timer PHW knife
With almost a 70-year history, Old Timer is already a well-established manufacturer focusing mainly on the segment of affordable yet overall good-quality knives. Their design typically follows traditional lines in terms of shapes, styles, and materials — which is also referenced in the company's name. If we focus on fixed-blade knives, there are currently no fewer than 14 models available (see Box). So there's plenty to choose from, whether you're a practical hunter, an old-school woodsman, or an outdoor enthusiast. In this article, we tested a model bearing the full name "Old Timer Pro Hunter Full Tang Fixed Blade Knife PHW" (hereinafter referred to as PHW). Its concept leans more toward a universal bushcraft knife, but it will also serve very well for dedicated hunting tasks — and additionally, it serves us as a model representative of the brand. But first, let's look at some technical details.
The 'desert ironwood' used for the handle scales features a truly beautiful, strongly marked grain pattern and offers decent resistance to the elements and wear.
Stainless Steel and "Ironwood"
The PHW is largely a universal/bushcraft knife, but also serves well for hunting, and even in a representative look.
The stainless steel used for the blade has proven to be truly corrosion-resistant, holds an edge decently, and is easy to resharpen.
Stylish Design
It’s worth noting that in this price category, it's not uncommon for a knife to look great in photos but disappoint in person — this is not the case with the PHW. Still, it isn’t that truly "heavy luxury" you wouldn't expect under, say, 5,000 CZK. For 1,221 CZK, you simply can't expect miracles, but what you get is honest quality. The leather sheath in a "Nordic" style is simple but nicely crafted and of good quality. The belt loop is compatible with belts up to 42 mm wide. It should also be mentioned that the blade bears the "Schrade" marking, since Old Timer outsources blade production for some of their models. Nothing to be ashamed of — from personal experience, I can say that Schrade makes good knives. But more on that in a separate article.
Advantages/Disadvantages
+ Attractive appearance in classic style
+ Good price/performance ratio
- Handle scales from a different batch
- A few details mentioned in the text
-/+ For hunting purposes, the Sharpfinger model would be more suitable (although that’s not really a flaw for a more bushcraft-oriented PHW)
I used the knife for firewood prep, cutting various materials like leather and rope, and food preparation — it performed excellently in all aspects.
Practical and Functional
The ergonomics are well done, quite universal, and will fit most normally sized hands. The grip texture is not exactly dazzling, but the secure hold is ensured by a modest yet functional finger groove. Personally, I would have appreciated a slightly more pronounced finger guard, but I never felt that my fingers might slip onto the edge, nor did I ever feel uncomfortable handling it — nothing digs in, nothing cuts into the hand.
As for the blade, the material has proven to be truly corrosion-resistant — we did no maintenance whatsoever, and yet it survived several trips in wet conditions without a hint of rust. I used the knife repeatedly for wood preparation for fire-starting, used it with a ferrocerium rod, tried cutting various materials like leather and rope, and last but not least, used it for food preparation. It performed excellently in all aspects. It handles well, the weight and balance are adequate, and the blade thickness is a reasonable compromise between strength, weight, and cutting ability.
The edge holds well. Basic game processing will not be an issue, although the tip shape could be "sharper" or more "aggressive" like on the Sharpfinger model. The PHW, instead, features a more universal utility drop point shape, which excels in strength, tip durability, and slicing performance. During a full skinning job, you might consider touching up the edge on a stone halfway through, but it will definitely handle the work if needed. Given the stainless steel material, the blade is relatively easy to sharpen on a stone.
The leather sheath, while lacking a retention strap, holds the knife deep enough that it won’t fall out on its own, and inside, the knife is well-protected from external elements. On a belt, the sheath sits firmly thanks to a reasonably wide belt loop, and the entire setup is comfortable to carry — no complaints here. After all, it's not an oversized knife that would be in the way when worn.
Old Timer's current lineup includes 14 fixed-blade models, for example (from top): Sharpfinger, Skinner, and Heritage.
Plenty to Choose From
As mentioned in the introduction, Old Timer currently offers 14 fixed-blade knives and 10 folding knives, including single-blade folders, combinations with saw blades, or models with interchangeable blades. The latter functionality is especially useful when processing game, as it allows you to quickly swap the blade in the field instead of resharpening. If we focus on the fixed-blade options, potential buyers can choose from blade lengths ranging from 66 to 126 mm, stainless steels such as 7Cr, 8Cr, and D2, blade shapes like drop point, clip point, and trailing point, sometimes in combination with a gut hook behind the tip. As for handle materials, besides representative wood with brass accents, there are also practical models with easy-to-clean polymer handles. So, if you like the brand but the PHW model isn't quite what you're after, you still have 13 alternatives to choose from.
The PHW knife, like other Old Timer knives, can be purchased at STROBL.CZ s.r.o. More information can be found at strobl.cz or directly on the manufacturer's website theoldtimer.com