Tactical vs traditional

J

jth250

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Jun 27, 2011
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Hey, which one do you guys prefer for an edc - work knife a tactical or traditional folder and why. I am trying to choose between a Benchmade Mini Grip with M390 and a Case Stockman with CV.

Thanks
 
Are you going to need to open it with one hand? Do you want a thin slicer, or something a little stronger?
 
Both great knives. Mind sending me the link to the store selling the mini grips in m390? I remember seeing it but i guess i didn't bookmark. Personally I don't think of the mini grip as 'tactical' but more of a functional knife. I like the mini grip as a knife to have with you everyday. I think the case beats it on the aesthetic front though. Really comes down to what you like/ what you'll use.
 
I prefer "tactical" because it's just a moniker for a collection of features that improve ease of use, reliability, and strength.


I also like traditional knives because they are more suave and interesting. I kind of want a douk-douk...
 
I carry both...ZT 0200 and any number of traditionals....ZT is used for hard cutting and when i need a one hand opener(as it was designed for)...slipjoints do the rest of my cutting needs..on any given day i would use my traditionals more often.......................FES
 
I love both. For function, though, I'd take a "tactical" knife. For a nice evening out, a traditional goes in the pocket.
 
Personally, I am not a fan of traditional folders at all. You usually cannot take them apart or adjust them and they just don't do much for me as far as the designs go. The two knives you are looking at are very different so it's really about what sort of features you prefer.
 
As they say, what you see depends on where you sit. I don't need a heavy-duty, rapid-deployment blade for self-defense or workfloor use. I'm too old and slow to care. But I still like to cut things. :)

Recent acquisitions: L'Ecureuil (A spear point variant of the Douk Douk), GEC Northfield Ben Hogan (slipjoint with a long narrow spear point blade), and as of yesterday, my JKFFXL is on the way! (John Kiedaisch Friction Folder XL).

When you don't need the security of a lock, a slipjoint is actually more efficient. Open, cut, close. No fumbling with a lock removes a step each time you take it out to use. Sometimes that can be a lot. Replace your Spyderco EDC with a UKPK and see.

It isn't either / or. I've got almost as many tactical as I have Bladeforums posts. :D
OK, not quite as many ... but keep a slipjoint handy, too.
 
If I could only choose to have one folder, it would probably be a stockman pattern.

There is no denying the usefulness of a stockman when it comes to a full 365 day cycle of knife use.

I would feel "under-knifed" having only a single blade folder for a full year.

(I generally prefer to carry both, but a multi-blade knife is always with me.)
 
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I actually love more traditional style of knives - I also like the blend of traditional style with modern elements. My Fallkniven TK3 is my classiest folder but my slip joint Northfield Un-X-Ld comes close.



That said for practical reasons, not least of which is one hand opening I carry my more 'tactical' folders more often (and I have more of them as a result). Very often it is one of these three...



Ben
 
jth250 said:
Hey, which one do you guys prefer for an edc - work knife a tactical or traditional folder and why. I am trying to choose between a Benchmade Mini Grip with M390 and a Case Stockman with CV.

Thanks
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In the end, all that matters is which you like better. You are the one who's going to be carrying it. :thumbup:
 
I've been where you are and I EDC, for now :), a Case Sodbuster. It's a worker and a tactical knife.
 
I prefer a small traditional. I like having a choice of two or even three blades in a small package. I also like natural materials like bone and stag, or nice grained wood. Just feels better in the hand. And the traditionals bring back memories of old camping trips, old family and friends from very long ago.

Carl.
 
A large tactical folder and a handsome traditional is a good combo. Can use the traditional in very populated, public places or just in general to keep the tactical's edge pristine. A SAK carried solo or with another folder is great too and the most versatile.

If your work really requires tough jobs and frequent take it out and put away or you live in an area where you will be breaking the law by carrying a pistol or fixed blade for emergency self-defense, then a tactical folder does make sense.
 
The Mini-Grip is superior to the Case in every way. The clip will make sure it stays clipped to your pocket and won't slip out and get lost. It will also make it easier to extract. The lock will make sure the blade wont close on your hand. The thumb stud will allow you to open it quickly with one hand. The steel won't rust and it will stay sharper for a LOT longer. There is a lot of nostalgia in the knife world but a pocket clip, a lock mechanism, one hand opening and superior steel trumps warm fuzzy sentiment every which way.

Its got nothing to do with tactical. These are hard-nosed practical improvements that make sense for working knives or any other kind of knife.
 
fatherhudson said:
Both great knives. Mind sending me the link to the store selling the mini grips in m390? I remember seeing it but i guess i didn't bookmark. Personally I don't think of the mini grip as 'tactical' but more of a functional knife. I like the mini grip as a knife to have with you everyday. I think the case beats it on the aesthetic front though. Really comes down to what you like/ what you'll use.
Click to expand...

I don't think you can buy them anymore it was a limited run. I bought mine from a guy on the forums.
 
BOTH! I have been carrying a kershaw chill for box cutting/shaping jagged corners of lenses at work (lenscrafters), and a kershaw stockman for fine detail work like first aid.
 
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