- Joined
- Dec 19, 2006
- Messages
- 8,210
I find fair or better priced traditional slipjoints in good or better condition at gunshows all the time.
I've heard great things about the gun shows about 3.99 feet east of 4 feet west of there.

The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details:
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
I find fair or better priced traditional slipjoints in good or better condition at gunshows all the time.
Tough issue demanding steady moderation. Thank you Gary and Frank for keeping things on an even keel. :thumbup:
I'll take a run at this without the politics.
IMO, a traditional knife is traditional if and only if it's tied to the traditions of the culture that produced it. When a traditional pattern is removed from the culture that produced the design, it's no longer traditional - it's simply a knock-off - a trinket.
This has nothing to do with quality and everything to do with a connection to roots. When I hold a Case Sodbuster, I'm holding a legacy of German immigrants who came to the US and brought their design with them. You can trace the legacy of the knife back through the factory and moves.
Take that same design and produce it in a different country... a cultural thread is cut. It's simply less traditional. Can you imagine a Finnish Opinel? A Spanish SAK? Not unless there was a compelling immigration story connecting them.
The Taylor-Schrades are, imo, in the same bin as the imported Buck "traditionals", the Rough Riders and Marbles. They feel like wraiths. The knife equivalent of the undead. They have no soul.
I carried a French Opinel today and cut tonight's potatoes with a USA Schrade H-15. I consider those Traditional knives.
IMO, I like the China Made Rough Riders..... I mostly have a problem with slapping an old American name on a what is essentially a different knife.
This is kind of how I feel. I think they are probably OK knives, but I'm not attracted to them.
EJ
"Legal" is not synonymous with "moral" or "ethical".The Taylor company bought the name and rights from the Court after Schrade closed. They are the legal owners and have the legal right to used any of the names in the Schrade Walden Family. They are making a Solid product at a reasonable price.
Tough issue demanding steady moderation. Thank you Gary and Frank for keeping things on an even keel. :thumbup:
I'll take a run at this without the politics.
IMO, a traditional knife is traditional if and only if it's tied to the traditions of the culture that produced it. When a traditional pattern is removed from the culture that produced the design, it's no longer traditional - it's simply a knock-off - a trinket.
This has nothing to do with quality and everything to do with a connection to roots. When I hold a Case Sodbuster, I'm holding a legacy of German immigrants who came to the US and brought their design with them. You can trace the legacy of the knife back through the factory and moves.
Take that same design and produce it in a different country... a cultural thread is cut. It's simply less traditional. Can you imagine a Finnish Opinel? A Spanish SAK? Not unless there was a compelling immigration story connecting them.
The Taylor-Schrades are, imo, in the same bin as the imported Buck "traditionals", the Rough Riders and Marbles. They feel like wraiths. The knife equivalent of the undead. They have no soul.
I carried a French Opinel today and cut tonight's potatoes with a USA Schrade H-15. I consider those Traditional knives.