Blades keep a keen edge and cut smoothly. Take precautions and be aware of your finger placement. Six in one makes it so much easier and less time consuming. Old Timer does it again.

I've been a fan of the Old Timer knives ever since I received my grandfather's old timer after he passed. I've loved my knife and I've wanted to learn to whittle for years but those you get from the craft store aren't sharp and don't sharpen well and leave me blistered. I was excited to find this Old Timer and was not disappointed when I tested it right out of the package. The wood cut like butter and formed a fantastic curl of wood when I carved.

It's plenty sharp and holds up well enough for what my 14 year old puts it through.

I'm reading the negative reviews and don't understand what people expect from a carving knife with the basic blades for under fifteen dollars.

I've had knife for over a year and bought it with the intentions of making beautiful carvings that I could turn into Christmas ornaments. I did a few of the basic carvings after watching several videos.

They're nice for someone with normal sized hands and fingers. And I quickly realized that this knife was better suited for busy work while sitting around the fire pit while camping, or up at the hunting camp.

I started simple, having not whittled a piece of wood other than the ornaments in over forty years.

My first attempt at making something viable was an attempt at a dozen pair of chopsticks. Yes a simple task as you all know. But I had fun with them, making finger holds for a more comfortable grip.

Next I made a set of spoons and the more I made, the better they got. Some needed to be cut down a little after cutting myself a few times. The blades initially feel dull. After a few cuts, you realize that they are razor sharp? No. Will they turn a branch into a fork or spoon? All day long.

I make spoons, forks (a little tricky and I've ruined several at the last cut, so they were turned into small basic butter knives, those I saw in Sweden that were used to butter the kanackebrod(crispy large cracker)

I've made small tools and all in all, it's a fun knife to slip into your pocket before you head into the woods.

Like others, I've had some issues with the blades not locking, but after a few minutes and some blood, you quickly learn to remedy that.

People do not realize that this is an inexpensive carving knife. Are there better versions? Yes, if you want to pay upwards of several hundred dollars and except for the blades locking, they're essentially the same knife.

Your not whittling a forest table setting out of large slices of trees, but once you get the hang, small tasks, tools and eating utensils are in play.

I've managed to make a few bowls while in the field that once home, I did the finishing work with my full set of individual carving knives.

If you forget your favorite set of utensils home, you'll have an entire set done in under an hour. Chopsticks included.

If you forget your tent stakes, or other necessary items that need a blade to finish, this is it. Need rope cut? Done. Paracord? Like butter. Peeling the bark off your next waking stick (I make one every trip into the woods)simple. Then carve a face on the end, or some animal, depending on your skill level, no problem. Or making tools to tend to the fire in the pit, or carving a new handle for a tool while sitting around the fire pit, THIS IS YOUR TOOL.

Stop blaming the knife. There are some old woodsmen and a new generation who have gone back to basics, that can take a dull rusty blade, or primitive flake of sharp rock, who can carve a life sized bear into your dead trees.

You can drive both a $100.000.00 sports car or a $500.00 used junker. Both will get you from the east coast to the west coast in about the same amount of time. One will have all the bells and whistles and the other will be parked right next to it on the west coast. Will the drive be exact for both cars? No. One will be total luxury that only some are willing to invest into and the other will be the any-man car that is just as capable of making that long drive. But in the end, you'll be at the same California beach, parked next to one another, watching the same sun set. Their seats will better but in the end, both cars do the same things. Being more expensive doesn't always necessarily mean the less expensive products hold less worth.

It may not be made as well, but at the end of the day, it still does what it's built to do.

I love this knife and use it often. I'm a terrible at carving faces and my gnomes look eerily similar to my Santas. But I don't care, because I enjoy making something from nothing with a tool that most people don't understand.

Lastly, pick one up, at this price I'm getting one each for my kids so they have a basic idea how to carve with a tool you can carry in your pocket. You don't need a roll out satchel full of every conceivable blade. You won't need those to make some cuts and fashion a few tools and utensils.

It's such a simple decision. After writing this review, I'm going to buy several more to put in each of my families packs. As much fun as camping, hunting Camps or any outdoor area you find yourself in, they tend to get a little boring at night. So I can see how carving can be fun.

As soon as the sun comes up, I'm gong to go for a walk through the trails here and find some unique sticks that I can carve into good solid walking sucks.

Trust me, I've never lied to you before, so why would I lie now? Get the knife and have realistic expectations from a fifteen dollar knife that has the basic tools to make a sundry list of tools and necessities.

Budget friendly, budget quality. Worth the $16 sale but maybe not the $23 regular price. You will probably need to sharpen it when you get it.