Benefits of "old timey" why do so many still carry and EDC?

[Murphjd25]

I like and carry both, although my modern folder collection is down to 3, and my traditional folder collection has grown to 9. Kind of leaning more and more towards a traditional for every thing.

 

[cbach8tw]

There is something about having a few basic tools in a camp style knife that are just plain handy, and it looks cool and does the small jobs well. So, hats off to SA knives, Scout knives, and Demo knives.

I also was rummaging through my top drawer of my dresser, the small knife designated drawer that is, and found my small Case stockman and a Case Peanut, both in bone, cool knives as soon as I opened the boxes. So the wow factor is there with traditional knives. Nostalgia kicks in like a kid on Christmas morning. They do not get used often, that is why they are in the drawer, but they could be.

Lately, grabbing my Opinel #6, just because it is so light and thin, almost forget it is in the pocket. When I want to have a little more weight, I grab one of my Boker Barlows or a small fixed blade, usually a JK, I guess that could be traditional.

 

[Hal]

Im genuinely curious about the appeal/ place of vintage style folders in the modern world of knives.

No mystery - they just simply work as intended.

 

[john april]

the fancy new knives do not cut any better, so i consider them a type of vanity.

 

[22-rimfire]

john april Nothing wrong with a little vanity if you enjoy a nice knife. Slip joints work whether they are of a modern design or very traditional.

 

[SteeleJ1976]

the fancy new knives do not cut any better, so i consider them a type of vanity.

I wouldn't say they are vanity. I don't own any modern knives but I understand their usefulness with locks, one hand opening, and edge retention.

If you don't need these things then you don't need them but I can see in a lot of circumstances where these features are handy. I think the vanity comes in if you get snobby and look down on others about what they carry. For myself I carry a $20 SAK Tinker and am happy but I don't begrudge someone having a nice knife that fits their needs.

 

[Horsewright]

In our outfit we have need of quick one hand deployment. Its a safety thing. Roping a guy can get tangled up and things can go "western" quickly. Traditional knives are used for the most part but often they are small fixed blades.

Plus its a working tool for us, castrating, doctoring, opening feed sacks or hay bales etc.

The quintessential cowboy knife is a trapper of some kind, often carried in a "buckaroo pouch." Everyone has one in their pocket but ya sure see a lot of small fixed blades too:

Ya do see some modern folders amongst arena/team ropers but not so much on the ranch. Least round here.

 

[Hal]

Ok - call me a wuss if you want, but, 6th picture down - bare blade hung around the neck like that - no thanks.
That's inviting something to the party I wouldn't care to deal with.

 

[E.D.C.]

Ok - call me a wuss if you want, but, 6th picture down - bare blade hung around the neck like that - no thanks.
That's inviting something to the party I wouldn't care to deal with.

It appears he's just put the handle in his mouth to free up his hands quick.

 

[Tyson A Wright]

The quintessential cowboy knife is a trapper of some kind

That's interesting - I would have guessed a large stockman knife. Is there any particular reason for favoring the trapper?

By the way, I always enjoy when you post a bunch of pictures - your knives are beautiful, and it's fun to see them in action.

-Tyson

 

[unwisefool]

the fancy new knives do not cut any better, so i consider them a type of vanity.

How are modern knives a form of vanity?

 

[Hal]

It appears he's just put the handle in his mouth to free up his hands quick.

I believe you're correct.
That's a load off my mind.

 

[Smaug]

The new Lionsteel Jack (full version) with has been tempting me as a 'posh' version of my SAK Spartan but just in the past few days I've been using the small screwdriver on the can opener and the awl constantly while doing hobby stuff. That and the small blade for gunky hard work leaving the main blade for food. I think it's working hard to prevent competition for pocket space.

In light of that, the idea of carrying a single blade never mind a modern wouldn't even occur to me. Simply too limiting.

Where can I get one of those Lionsteels with the tools?

Seems they'd make a nice SAK substitute...

 

[91bravo]

If you gotta ask, then you wouldn't understand...

 

[Quiet]

Where can I get one of those Lionsteels with the tools?

Seems they'd make a nice SAK substitute...

They aren't out yet, but they're available in the early reserve system at Collector Knives, which is a sponsoring knife company here. I have one with two tools and olive wood on order.

 

[Quiet]

Also, the answer for ME about why I carry both Traditionals and modern knives has already been stated here in pages past. I may be carrying a large modern folder at any given time, but given that I work in an office environment, if I have to cut something, I'll use the small traditional I usually have with me. In fact, I've been carrying two (or more) knives every day for so long, it's just habit at this point.

I can't speak as to which is better than the other, and I don't want to because I love them all. Pocket clip, flipper tab, supersteel, fantastic. Beautiful crisp snap on a GEC #86 in bloodwood covers? ALSO beautiful.

 

[Horsewright]

Ok - call me a wuss if you want, but, 6th picture down - bare blade hung around the neck like that - no thanks.
That's inviting something to the party I wouldn't care to deal with.

It’s in his teeth not around his neck. Very common while castrating a calf to hold the knife in your teeth after the first cut. It’ll hang out there until needed again right at the end of the job. So no you’ re not a wuss, just didn’t understand.

 

[SteeleJ1976]

One thing about traditional "old timey" knives which has been said but I will reiterate is the ability to have additional blades. I love the small blade in my Tinker, it is so precise and easy to control. I don't hardly ever use the big blade to keep it sharp for emergencies.

 

[tiguy7]

View attachment 1452744 I EDC 7 knives. The traditionals are leading 4 to 3.

 

[Undefeatable]

I haven't read this whole thread so I am probably repeating what has already been said, but I recently got my first slip-joint for the following reasons:

1. Sometimes I don't want a knife that is clipped onto my pocket, and I just wanted something I could throw in my pocket. I trust the spring of the slip-joint to keep the knife close and not open in my pocket. I have had another frame-lock that I had loose in my pocket open up. Detents are great for use with pocket clips, but loose in the pocket is another story on keeping it closed.
2. A slip-joint is a TRUE EDC. It's legal damn near anywhere. I can cross state lines and not have to worry if my knife is going to be good there. Also, if I really wanted to travel with it and throw it in my check-in, a slip-joint is legal in MOST countries as well.
3. They are smaller in every dimension and I enjoy knives that disappear when not in use.
4. You can hand it to someone and not have to coach them on how to open it or close it. I've experienced that if someone isn't into knives, they don't know how to work a frame lock/liner lock/axis lock/anything lock.
5. I can pull out a slip-joint pretty much anywhere and no one will care. You can have a 2 inch bladed knife, but if it can be "whipped" out quick, people will look.
6. Thinner blade stock is great for 99% of my tasks. Granted, my knife uses are city boy so I don't have a lot of hard use situations.