An answer in search of a question?

Scurvy092 said:
And a greater chance of a knife that won't center. Go ask RJ Martin why he doesn't use standoffs.
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Why doesn't he use standoffs? If there is a problem with standoffs, I have never heard about it. Please explain. Some of us are still noobies.

I have to agree with others that assisted opening knives are a bit much. One of my favorite knives started out as a great little blade featuring a thumb stud and a flipper. then the company "improved" the knife by adding AO to the knife and lowered the quality of the blade steel. AO knives are, in my mind, a marketing trend that is not needed.

Oh, one more thing, CRKT's AutoLAWKS is a solution to a problem that does not exist.
 
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MatthewSB said:
I think that bearing pivots are useless, on most folders. On any knife with a lock or detent that puts any pressure on the blade, the bearing does nothing to increase smoothness. Holding two ZT knives, one with a KVT ball bearing and one with phosphor bronze washers, there is no perceptible difference between the two because they can't be any smoother than the detent rubbing on the side of the blade will allow them to. The only knives that would be improved by a use of a bearing pivot is something like a push button lock or balisong, where there is no lock or detent putting pressure on the blade.
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This very true. My 550 has just as much low resistance than both my 0560s. See what I did there bluesbender?

Scurvy092 said:
Seems like this thread has just turned into a gripe fest for people complain about features they don't like on a knife rather than the ACTUAL topic.
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And this surprises you how?
 
LOL @ Craytab...

Agreed, Cray. We had absolutely no use for knives until some dumbass started inventing all this stuff that needs cut.

I think super steels fall within the true nature of the original post. I have an old Camillus CUDA ArcLite in 420HC. I love the way it sharpens with a few passes on the Sharpmaker. Ditto the steel in the custom slipjoint right here. And you know, they are perfectly acceptable materials in my book. They stay sharp long enough and take a hell of an edge, didn't cost a fortune, and require minimum time and effort to get back to razor-esque edge. My knives routinely see salt water, sand, dirt, blood... but I take care of them, so they suffer no adverse effects.

I shake my head sometimes when I see a quote that goes akin to: "Man that's an awesome design... if it came in X257CVBLAHBLAH steel I'd buy one!"

I thing the opposite sometimes, like : "Man that's an awesome design... if they offered it in 420HC I wouldn't have to burn $200 to get it."

Today's technologically advanced steels certainly have their place. But are they necessary on a folder that somebody uses to open mail and sharpen pencils?
 
Velitrius said:
LOL @ Craytab...

Agreed, Cray. We had absolutely no use for knives until some dumbass started inventing all this stuff that needs cut.

I think super steels fall within the true nature of the original post. I have an old Camillus CUDA ArcLite in 420HC. I love the way it sharpens with a few passes on the Sharpmaker. Ditto the steel in the custom slipjoint right here. And you know, they are perfectly acceptable materials in my book. They stay sharp long enough and take a hell of an edge, didn't cost a fortune, and require minimum time and effort to get back to razor-esque edge. My knives routinely see salt water, sand, dirt, blood... but I take care of them, so they suffer no adverse effects.

I shake my head sometimes when I see a quote that goes akin to: "Man that's an awesome design... if it came in X257CVBLAHBLAH steel I'd buy one!"

I thing the opposite sometimes, like : "Man that's an awesome design... if they offered it in 420HC I wouldn't have to burn $200 to get it."

Today's technologically advanced steels certainly have their place. But are they necessary on a folder that somebody uses to open mail and sharpen pencils?
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I agree with the part in bold. I also wonder when someone makes this statement if they even use their knives for anything that would really make a difference.

I'll admit that for my uses, just about any decent steel will work, and I will not discount a cool design based on steel type alone.
 
Bob W said:
Locks, assisted opening, one-hand opening, pivots and other folding mechanisms, ball bearings and washers, blade coatings, synthetic materials.

I guess that about sums it up. :D
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So that leaves pretty much nothing but fixed blades with wooden handles, and satin blades. You sir, are an ultra, mega, super traditionalist. :D
 
Deep carry pocket clips. I despise them. They make getting to your knife slower and more likely to fall out of your hand and/or have to reposition to get a full grip.
Down with deep carry clips!
 
"I don't mind lock bar stabelizers but I also think that steel inserts on the lockbar un-necessary. My oldest
Ti framelock hasn't moved a bit, nor has it developed any late lockup due to not having a steel insert." -Leftytwogunz

^This! I totally agree. I understand that in theory there could be wear between softer Ti and harder steel, but I too have owned a Ti frame lock for 15 year with no steel insert and it has not budged one bit. The inserts seem like an unnecessary trend that detracts from the knife, as in the beautiful Domino Blue weave I recently acquired. At least the insert is unintrousive, and I really like the fact that the lock bar stabilizer (also a questionable trend but less-so IMHO) is internally incorporated with the insert rather than being an OBNOXIOUS BOLT on the side of my knife!
 
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I'm curious to hear if anyone has experienced wear-in travel with a knife that did not have a steel insert... I mean, this solution probably came from somewhere. This is an interesting thread. What led to this particular trend (inserts)? Was there a specific manufacturer or popular knife that had lots of problems with travel, leading to this solution, that was then copied by others?.. Or am I too ignorant (very likely) to understand the engineering purposes of knife builders?..
 
I'm relatively new to titanium framelocks, but none of the ones have traveled especially far. I thought the lockbar insert was more to get rid of some of the initial stickness that sometimes occurs with new ti framelocks. Even on my knives that don't have the insert, after a little bit of wearing in, the lock stick went away on its own. The theory also is that if there is enough wear on the lock face such that the lockbar travels all the way over, swapping out the insert may be easier and more cost effective than replacing the entire locking scale.
 
flarp said:
I'm relatively new to titanium framelocks, but none of the ones have traveled especially far. I thought the lockbar insert was more to get rid of some of the initial stickness that sometimes occurs with new ti framelocks. Even on my knives that don't have the insert, after a little bit of wearing in, the lock stick went away on its own. The theory also is that if there is enough wear on the lock face such that the lockbar travels all the way over, swapping out the insert may be easier and more cost effective than replacing the entire locking scale.
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I think your dead on with your hypothesis.
 
Lockup1109 said:
Deep carry pocket clips. I despise them. They make getting to your knife slower and more likely to fall out of your hand and/or have to reposition to get a full grip.
Down with deep carry clips!
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If you like carrying in your underwear IWB, deep pocket clips are a lot more comfortable. Don't ask.
 
ctrsurf said:
I'm curious to hear if anyone has experienced wear-in travel with a knife that did not have a steel insert... I mean, this solution probably came from somewhere. This is an interesting thread. What led to this particular trend (inserts)? Was there a specific manufacturer or popular knife that had lots of problems with travel, leading to this solution, that was then copied by others?.. Or am I too ignorant (very likely) to understand the engineering purposes of knife builders?..
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Every single titanium liner lock and frame lock I have owned had experienced noticeable liner wear after no more than a month. From $30 productions to $1500+ customs.

For my use I'd rather have a thin stainless lockbar or steel insert frame lock with late lockup than a titanium one with early lockup.
 
Secondary locks- yeah, CRKT AutoLAWKs, I'm looking at you, don't pretend you don't see me pointing at you.

If you designed your main lock properly, once and first time around, maybe you wouldn't need to build in a whole bunch of extra components as in an anti-litigation device.... ;)
 
IMHO nothing. There isnt a single feature on any knife that I think is a answer searching for a question. Now I understand some people not needing or wanting certain features but we are all different and even if it comes down to wanting something just because you want it then who am I to argue? Besides isnt this hobby all about having something that is personalized and defeats all rational thought? I find it puzzling that anyone that is into knives enough to actually join a forum and discuss them would find any option to be "taboo". Because if knives were really all about eliminating unnecessary features then we all would still be carrying chipped flint bone handled caveman specials. I see knives above $20 as luxury goods. And luxury goods are about wants not needs. And the great thing about wants is that it doesnt require a need or explanation.
 
PURPLEDC said:
IMHO nothing. There isnt a single feature on any knife that I think is a answer searching for a question. Now I understand some people not needing or wanting certain features but we are all different and even if it comes down to wanting something just because you want it then who am I to argue? Besides isnt this hobby all about having something that is personalized and defeats all rational thought? I find it puzzling that anyone that is into knives enough to actually join a forum and discuss them would find any option to be "taboo". Because if knives were really all about eliminating unnecessary features then we all would still be carrying chipped flint bone handled caveman specials. I see knives above $20 as luxury goods. And luxury goods are about wants not needs. And the great thing about wants is that it doesnt require a need or explanation.
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Because there are always people who think that what's good for them is good for me. ;)
 
Scurvy092 said:
Seems like this thread has just turned into a gripe fest for people complain about features they don't like on a knife rather than the ACTUAL topic.
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Man there you go with that logic thing again.

singularity35 said:
Because there are always people who think that what's good for them is good for me. ;)
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You know that would be really funny if it werent so true, lol. And really thats all fine and well. People have opinions and I get that. I just dont understand the guys who try and say certain features are actually "wrong". Like not just personal preference but just the wrong way to do it. I just cant relate.
 
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Bearing pivots and ridiculous thick blades on folding knives i.e. >5mm
 
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