Another question for you traditional "folk".

C

Cascade_mtn's

Joined
Jan 13, 2011
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I have been blessed looking over all the posts here and on the makers forum. I can't believe how well done some of the slip joints I have looked are are made. I will not remember all that I have looked at, so I will not try. Don't want to miss anyone. :o

I asked how many of you folks "carry" your hand made slip joints before, but what I'm curious about now is this; how many of you carry and USE out of date (folders no longer being made) as an EDC?

For instance I have an old Western (Bolder, CO) small jack-knife from our Step-Grandfather. It has been used to DEATH. It could be brought back to use, but I'm not sure I should?????

Do some of you carry/use older slips for use? I would bet that many of you do, but thought I would ask.

Thank you for putting up with a "greenhorns" questions!!!!!

BTW..... My name is Kerry. Yes...... I am a MAN. :p
 
Hello, Kerry.

Lately, I've been carrying a SCHRADE NY USA Old Timer 8OT, and a Buck 307 stockman. The Old Timers are no longer made here, in the US of A, and the Buck 307 is one originally made by Camillus (no longer in business). Buck never had the tooling for them, so they've not been continued.

Not only am I carrying them, but before I started carrying them recently, I put brand new edges on all 3 blades on each. Sort of made them 'new' again, for me. Makes me appreciate them all the more. I've noticed, when carrying & using these knives, I treat them with a lot of respect (no prying, screw-driving, etc.). I know how precious they are, and I use them accordingly. Certain tasks will never be 'worthy' of these knives.

It's too bad all knives aren't treated as if there won't be any more. When used with care, and maintained properly, they'll last a lifetime.
 
If you stroll through the What "Traditional Knife" are ya totin' today? (might take you a while, there's 6600+ posts) you'll see plenty of old knives still being used. Some are hand-me-downs, some are "rescues", some are new-old-stock (NOS). Personally I see no problem with continuing to use a well-used knife. An old, rare knife will always have some degree of collector value, even if it's well used or even trashed. An old knife (or gun, or furniture, etc), to retain collector value, should be left alone, not cleaned, not restored, and not used. But if a knife is well-used, and not all that rare and/or sought after, the collector value will likely be far less than the sentimental value. If it's still usable, IMO it should still be used by someone who appreciates it.

If it's a museum quality lobster knife from 1920's Sheffield though, don't use it.
 
Planterz said:
If you stroll through the What "Traditional Knife" are ya totin' today? (might take you a while, there's 6600+ posts) QUOTE]

I have looked through that thread (although not even a 1/4 of it to be honest), its sometimes hard for me to tell what is "old school" for lack of a better phrase and what is hand made.

Sometimes its easy, sometimes not to a rookie eye like mine. I personally can see ME carrying a knife not made anymore with care rather than storing it away in a dresser drawer. I was just curious.
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I personally wouldn't have any problem carrying and using an old knife. Using them is how I get enjoyment out of the hobby. I can see how someone might not want to carry a knife with a lot of sentimental value and risk losing or breaking it. I can also see how some want to keep the most monetary value possible by preserving them. That person may just get the enjoyment from simply finding and collecting old knives. There's nothing wrong with that at all in my eyes. I say just do what feels right to you for each individual knife. Ultimately you're the one that has to be happy with the decision to use or not.
 
I am fortunate that while I don't have a big collection, I have enough knives that if I deem a certain piece has ANY sentimental value (like, from my dad, etc) then I can select something less dear to carry, and it will probably be almost the same thing, or at least close.

I have had some older knives that I suppose might have some market value to someone someday, so certainly wouldn't over-strain any components if I happened to carry it.

I've also lived long enough to have some "old friends" that I still like to carry. I bought them new, but now they're old and some are out of production, or the new versions are not exactly the same quality as before. I carry them from time to time.

But usually I can select a good knife to carry that I think mostly of as a tool, from my modest stable.

I'm always buying a new EDC though. They are carried a while, then perhaps will rotate on through to their way to the "good stuff" drawer. The rest (tool status) may live in a tool box or glove compartment, and will probably always just be thought of as tools.

I have only (good) production knives, whatever their final status winds up being. The cheap stuff gets given away pretty quickly if my impulse control lapses and I buy something cheap just because I liked it for a minute.
 
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I don't carry any knife that it would really hurt me to lose. But old? Heck yeah. Especially Old Timers. Lose it and get a 'new' old one. I have a lot of rough riders that do a pretty good impression, too, though. But yeah, I'll slip a TL-29 in my pocket. Or an old timer. Or a nice old Case. They get mad if they're NEVER used. :)
 
I didn't realize just how long I had been carrying my 8OT stockman until someone mentioned the Schrade Walden tang stamp went out in 1974. I bought it new and still carry it. I carry a Craftsman 804 carpenter's knife with the same tang stamp and use it as much as the stockman. I guess I'm saying, yes I carry out of production knives and use them.
 
It really depends on the knife. Some of the ones with sentimental value don't get carried very often for fear of losing them. For Christmas, I recieved 2 Case knives from 1971 that were in almost mint condition (just a few rub marks from opening them). I have yet to use them, and they may never get used, as I think they'd make a nice heirloom for my boy. On the other hand, just last week I recieved a Schrade Walden 34OT that is discontinued, and it hasn't left my pocket since I got it.
 
I just bought an old walden schrade 8OT and right now is in my front pocket with some restoration job.
 
Hi,

I often carry an older discontinued knife. I don't see any reason to put them up if they can continue to give me good service.

I many times carry a 34OT in my pocket. It's pretty much the knife I used as a yougin'. So it connects me back to another part of my life. I also carry some Camllius #21 &#22 peanuts. Because my one Grandfather carried one everyday for as long as I knew him.

Maybe because I am reaching "An Age" in my life. But I find myself gravitating more and more to such older slip-joints. While none are particularly valuable as collector's items, they are a link to my past. And perhaps a superstitious talisman against my future.

Dale
 
I still carry and use my old Camillus-made Buck 303 that I've had since the '70's.
I still carry and use a Schrade Old Timer 80T Stockman.
 
Cascade_mtn's said:
For instance I have an old Western (Bolder, CO) small jack-knife from our Step-Grandfather. It has been used to DEATH. It could be brought back to use, but I'm not sure I should?????

Do some of you carry/use older slips for use? I would bet that many of you do, but thought I would ask.

Thank you for putting up with a "greenhorns" questions!!!!!

BTW..... My name is Kerry. Yes...... I am a MAN. :p
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It all depends on the knife and the family. How well did they know your step-grandfather?

Does the knife have recognition from other members of your family? If it's just sentimental to you, I'd go ahead and use it. But when a knife achieves family legend status, then it needs to be put in a glass case with photo's of the original owner for family history sake. When my father passed away, I was carrying around his old 1937ish Case peanut for a few years. But now it's retired in a case with photos of dad. On the other hand, I never carried the English made seaman's knife that was my grandfathers when he emigrated from Ireland to Maryland. That is also in a display case. But the old Camillus made Buck 301 stockman I bought in an army PX in 1967 is in my sock drawer, and still gets carried now and then when I feel the need for an old friend along for the ride. It's semi retired because my kids all remember me carrying it while they were growing up. When I do use it, I use it gently, with respect. It will be retired this year so my grandson, keeper of the family history, can put it in a case with photo's of me in my younger day when I carried the knife edc.

It all depends on the knife, and how much of a historical object it is to the family.

Carl.
 
Most definately, I really enjoy carrying an older knife more than a new one. Lately my two go to knives have been a Boker USA in carbon from the the 70's and a 76 Case 6347 HP in Redbone and CV that I picked up for $11.00. Next week it may be an old Schrade or Buck or maybe even a Primble, just whatever suits me that week.
 
jackknife said:
It all depends on the knife and the family. How well did they know your step-grandfather?

Does the knife have recognition from other members of your family? If it's just sentimental to you, I'd go ahead and use it. But when a knife achieves family legend status, then it needs to be put in a glass case with photo's of the original owner for family history sake. Carl.
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Well there isn't any "legend" status that I know of. I do know he carried it for YEARS. I think HE (Grampa Willard) would want me to use it. It was my brothers originally. He is no longer with us. HE would want me to carry/use it. I he did........ ! I guess I was more interested in the collective. Thank you all that responded..... :thumbup:
 
I have a rotation of ten knives. Three are custom pieces, the rest are production. The only ones that are still currently made are the Mooremaker sodbuster and the Eye Brand stockman. All the rest are limited production pieces or the work of now-defunct manufacturers. But I carry all of them.

Would it hurt if I lost one? It would hurt a lot, but I derive my enjoyment from knives by using them.
 
kamagong said:
I have a rotation of ten knives. Three are custom pieces, the rest are production. The only ones that are still currently made are the Mooremaker sodbuster and the Eye Brand stockman. All the rest are limited production pieces or the work of now-defunct manufacturers. But I carry all of them.

Would it hurt if I lost one? It would hurt a lot, but I derive my enjoyment from knives by using them.
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+1 :thumbup: Well said, brother.
 
Cascade_mtn's said:
Well there isn't any "legend" status that I know of. I do know he carried it for YEARS. I think HE (Grampa Willard) would want me to use it. It was my brothers originally. He is no longer with us. HE would want me to carry/use it. I he did........ ! I guess I was more interested in the collective. Thank you all that responded..... :thumbup:
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Im sorry about your brother. I saw your post on the other forum.ALthough I didnt know him well, he seemed like a really great person and was well regarded on the forums.

I think that you may get a lot of joy out of using it. Perhaps you can earn that knife Legend status. Remember, its not the knife that makes the legend, its the person it represents. I always find it funny when people mention leaving heirloom knives that were never used by them. Although the knives may carry some value, the true heirlooms are the knives used by the person.
 
Every knife I carry is a traditional knife.

I carry at least one knife every day without exception.. Many days I EDC both a slipjoint and a sticker sheath knife of some type.

Nearly every knife I carry is either a discontinued high end production knife or a custom hand-made.

Life is waayyy too short for EDC'n substandard knives with bottom of the barrel steel & materials!


Best,
Anthony
 
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