Tactical VS. Traditional

onojoe said:
Hey Guys,

I have been acquiring a few more traditional knives lately. Curious to know how members feel about traditional knives and tactical knives. Do you use one or the other exclusively? It brings up another thought, what is a tactical knife. For me it is a single bladed knife, with a lock, and a pocket clip of some kind.

I'll start off with my thoughts.

My collection is probably 75% tactical 25% traditional. I just find tactical knives to be easier to use on a day to day basis.

And for purely an intellectual exercise I am going to post the exact thread on the Traditional Knife Forum and the General Knife Forum

Edit: You guys have brought up a good point, tactical has certain connotations, maybe "Modern VS. Traditionals" would have been a better descriptor. It just didn't sound as good.
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I am 41 and have carried a knife since I was a kid. after decades of using a traditional knife such as a SAK or Case canoe butterbean, I bought several tactical knives. About 10 years ago I went back to my trusty Victorinox Pioneer SAK and have never looked back. The reason I prefer a traditional knife is that I am a Dad that works in an office. After carrying a Tac knife for a while I realized 2 things.

First: the Tactical knife seem to scare people. it was just a Smith & Wesson special S.W.A.T with a 3" blade but when I busted it out people looked at me as if it was a gun. I never had that response with my SAK or my little case Butterbean 2.5" blade.

Second: I found right away that I missed the extras on my SAK. As a father I often used the screw drivers to fix a toy on the go, open battery lids, or to pry little things open. I OFTEN used the awl (reamer) to pull nails out of the wall when hanging pictures or painting. I dont want to have to carry a knife AND a multi-tool. I like to carry as little as possible.

So in the end I found having JUST a blad wasnt enough for me. My EDC has to also be a tool. I find Tac knives too much of a knife, and multi-tools too much tool (I am not handy lol)
I feel it depends on your life style. If your in the military, a police officer,fireman, outdoorsman, or a handyman then a tactical knife or multi-tool would be great. As I said I am a Father, and Office worker that isnt a handy guy at all. So for me I use my knife to open bills, remove splinters, cut strings on jackets, or clothes, and cut a picture out of a magazine. I like the SAK for the screwdrivers and awl.
Each person will prefer a knife style based on their lives.
 
I generally prefer modern knives because their features (e.g. pocket clip and one handed opening) make them easier to access and use -- for me. That said, I also appreciate the versatility that some traditional knives offer, such as multiple blades and other tools. My EDC consists of a modern knife and a SAK, since for the options of carrying both outweigh any downside of carrying two knives.
 
I like both traditional and modern knives and own numerous models in each category. I'm old enough to remember knives before lock-blades were common, before one-hand openers dominated and back when clips were a New Thing. I've carried traditionals and enjoy using them. But modern knives (not necessarily "tactical" knives) are more practical for me to carry and use. They're generally built stronger, locks make them safer, clips make them more accessible and being able to easily open one-handed is a Godsend for those of us with arthritic joints in the fingers.
 
I pretty much stick to traditional knives mostly for the nostalgia. If I need something more tactical than a stockman or peanut, I'll just grab a traditional fixed blade. If that don't handle the job, then I need a different tool.
 
I like both. I carry a handful of traditional every day, and one modern.
 
Lee48 said:
I like both traditional and modern knives and own numerous models in each category. I'm old enough to remember knives before lock-blades were common, before one-hand openers dominated and back when clips were a New Thing. I've carried traditionals and enjoy using them. But modern knives (not necessarily "tactical" knives) are more practical for me to carry and use. They're generally built stronger, locks make them safer, clips make them more accessible and being able to easily open one-handed is a Godsend for those of us with arthritic joints in the fingers.
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If the majority of people here were honest then they would whole heartedly agree with this post :thumbup:

Ken
 
I have a Buck Spitfire that I carried for a few weeks. It was nice having it so handily clipped to my pocket ready to use. Opening it with one hand was great and though it was a middle lock back, I figured out a safe way to close it one handed. The only problem with it is it only had the one blade. I went back to my Vic Explorer when I needed a screwdriver out and about and well, the Spitfire was useless for that.
I can appreciate why many like the modern tactical, I even carried both knives for a few days. I'm a one knife kind of guy though and never been in a hurry to open my blade, so I'll be sticking with my SAK.
 
Both terms mean... whatever you want them to mean. Narrowing them down is an exercise in psuedo-scholarly, but pointless conversation at best, and a circular firing-squad of sheer nonsense at worst.

My advice? Ignore trends and nomenclature entirely unless you're collecting to fit a particular niche, or trying to impress your pals.

If you intend to actually use a knife, buy the knife that best suits your needs. This is not rocket surgery. ;)
 
I like both types, but I almost never carry a traditional unless I'm dressing up more than usual. They're much prettier, but so much less convenient and practical to use.
 
Modern/tactical knives, for the most part, just don't wear and age well. If well used, years or decades later they just end up looking abused. Traditionals, for the most past, age much better.

As for convenience and practicality, I find multi-blade traditions much more convenient, versatile, and practical than single blade moderns.
 
I prefer a modern folder. Typically a delica/native/mini griptilian. While I have many 3 1/2" + I tend toward the small blade. I work in a bank and carry 2 knives. The small blade is less intimidating. I also carry a traditional in the form of a opinel or sod buster. The traditional is in case the need arises to hand it off for someone to use or if I feel the sheeple around would be concerned with my small modern folder. It is try the perception of knives vary a lot. Typically a traditional is less "intimidating " but I don't know a 110 is less intimidating than a delica. So it is a general guideline not a rule.
 
I currently find the slimmer, thinner blades on traditional knives to be more suited to my uses. If I need something more substantial, I will grab a fixed blade knife.
 
ConBon said:
......I don't think anyone will "cycle" a traditional, but I know many people who love to fondle and look at their tradtionals. If I'm out walking to class or somewhere I'll have a hand in my pocket caressing my knife, it's a very therapeutic thing. Not as violent, in terms of archetypes and physical action, as flipping open a spring assist.

Connor
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No, we wouldn't want to do anything archetypically violent like opening a knife.....
 
As far as "modern" vs "tactical", what about good old regular pocket knives made with modern mechanisms or materials.

Which I kinda like.

EChoil said:
No, we wouldn't want to do anything archetypically violent like opening a knife.....
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Well... the one hand opening with the general design of some knives does carry a certain gestalt.

OK, OK, if people don't know you, those little first impressions matter. I started a new job some time ago and tacticals brought a certain tension to the air, so did any bigger knife actually. Now that they know I'm not too weird, not so much.

OHO does scare the rubes at times.
 
It really should be called one handed opening knife and two handed opening knife. Honestly a knife can become 'tactical' once it becomes opened. Then again it mostly is a tactical letter opener, or a tactical fruit cutter, or OCD flipping, because we got too used to flip phones back in the days and NEED to flip something.
 
I carry a modern folder (single hand open, lock, clip - so they fit the posted description of tactical) in my right front pocket, and a traditional in my left front pocket. Sometimes, I have a small fixed blade in my rear pocket, or on my belt, as well. Which I use depends on the job & the situation...if I think what I have on me isn't the right tool for the job, I'm likely to go get something else (if possible) rather than screw around with it.
 
method_burger said:
It really should be called one handed opening knife and two handed opening knife. Honestly a knife can become 'tactical' once it becomes opened. Then again it mostly is a tactical letter opener, or a tactical fruit cutter, or OCD flipping, because we got too used to flip phones back in the days and NEED to flip something.
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I don't think that's a useful term. I regularly one hand open my Opinel, my Case Sodbuster and my Buck 500. It's very easy to do.

The only thing modern designs add, from thumbstuds to full auto, is speed.

And the only use case that demands FAST one hand opening is the martial use case.
 
pinnah said:
I don't think that's a useful term. I regularly one hand open my Opinel, my Case Sodbuster and my Buck 500. It's very easy to do.

The only thing modern designs add, from thumbstuds to full auto, is speed.

And the only use case that demands FAST one hand opening is the martial use case.
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I think fast one handed opening is also very important and useful in other possible emergency situations, such as kayaking, mountain climbing, diving and anything involving horses. I love a good traditional, but if something goes down and I need my knife now, I'm reaching for my Paramilitary 2 rather than my SAK, which wouldn't be too helpful should my other hand need to stay on a ladder, a rope, a harness or whatever else.
 
I like and carry both modern and traditional knives. I have no desire to use a purely tactical knife although I have to admit some of the designs have caught my eye and a certain amount of interest. To me, tactical knives are for offensive or defensive use against people. I have little need for either generally speaking. My regular carry is a two layer SAK and often I will add a modern with the SAK. But I generally only use the SAK when I need to cut something. Hence, I feel little "need" if I don't have a modern knife on me.

(I equate "need" to the way I feel IF I leave for the day and I have no knife on me. I know something is missing. It might be similar to a smoker who does not have their tobacco product with them.)

For purely aesthetic reasons, I prefer traditionals with mostly traditional materials. I dislike metal handles or scales. They are cold and lack soul. I have no need for one hand opening moderns other than I sometimes like them. I have no interest in auto knives of any kind even though I own a few switch blades from years ago. Gravity or wrist opening knives (flippers) are cool, but I am not drawn to them. I don't particularly like thumb studs. They are just something else to wear out your pockets more quickly.

So, my answer is that I like both moderns and traditionals folders, but carry pretty manual opening knives most of the time. I like frame locks on moderns. I dislike liner locks and find them clumsy to close on both moderns and traditionals.

With fixed blades, I like the aesthetics of a large knife but have little need for one. I buy them but seldom use them other than short machete type "knives".
 
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