Blade Shapes

Why can't knife makers correctly name their blade patterns?

  • It's marketing, They use the name they think will sell.

    Votes: 18 35.3%

  • They're lazy. They can't be bothered to look up the actual name of the pattern they use.

    Votes: 2 3.9%

  • They're ignorant. They don't really know anything about the traditional blade shapes or names.

    Votes: 5 9.8%

  • It's art. They've put all the talent into designing a new shape but can't come up with a new name.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • It doesn't matter. Most people couldn't identify the correct pattern by name if they had to.

    Votes: 10 19.6%

  • All of the above.

    Votes: 27 52.9%
  • Total voters
    51
waynorth said:
I must praise Bernie Levine's attempts at standardizing Cutlery language and terminology in "LGIV"!! He gave it a heck of an effort before the greedy publisher shut him down!!
It's must-read for all who are interested in cutlery!! And it's a great ongoing reference book!!
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I will always treasure the memory of being chastised by the man himself, for using the erroneous term "Half Congress"
JohnDF said:
No debate... they are "handle slabs". ;)
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Blasphemer!
 
r8shell said:
How about the "covers" vs. "scales" debate? We haven't done that one in a while! 😄
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I use "covers" and "scales" as well as "handles" but prefer "covers" as Case uses that word in the break down/schematic photo of their knife parts - pin, liner, bolster, etc.. Case knives get most of my interest so, their terminology is what I mostly go with.

This thread could really get lively if Jack Jack Black Jack Black shows up.
 
It seems your grief is really with the modern side of knives.
They think anything with a very significant tip / spine drop and less belly is a sheeps foot.

Most often it's more like a very aggressive drop point, but whatever it is a sheeps foot it's not .

Sometimes they're close and they've got more of a coping blade, but one thing for sure is that they never have a clue what a sheeps foot actually is.
 
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waynorth said:
I must praise Bernie Levine's attempts at standardizing Cutlery language and terminology in "LGIV"!! He gave it a heck of an effort before the greedy publisher shut him down!!
It's must-read for all who are interested in cutlery!! And it's a great ongoing reference book!!
Click to expand...

Do you remember when GEC called this one a Scout waynorth waynorth ? 🤔

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There are no laws, or even rules governing how manufacturers name their products. There is a sort-of convention, and even within this convention there are variations from one source to another.

There is also a large measure of variability as to how the manufacturers interpret the conventions. If you laid out a Stockman from every manufacturer currently making them and removed identifying markings, you'd see a lot of similarities. If you've handled a lot of Stockmans you'd probably be able to pick out the makers of many of them. But, you'd also note a lot of variation. A Case isn't shaped the same as a Buck. A Case is going to have two springs, and a Buck three. And so on. Gawd only knows what the Rough Rider guys are doing recreationally!

Then, there is us. If we live in a world where a maker can stick a beard comb and a cap lifter anywhere he wants to, and as long as we're willing to trample our own young to get them, there is truly no hope.

It's just a hobby. Don't worry about it.
 
dsutton24 said:
There are no laws, or even rules governing how manufacturers name their products. There is a sort-of convention, and even within this convention there are variations from one source to another.

There is also a large measure of variability as to how the manufacturers interpret the conventions. If you laid out a Stockman from every manufacturer currently making them and removed identifying markings, you'd see a lot of similarities. If you've handled a lot of Stockmans you'd probably be able to pick out the makers of many of them. But, you'd also note a lot of variation. A Case isn't shaped the same as a Buck. A Case is going to have two springs, and a Buck three. And so on. Gawd only knows what the Rough Rider guys are doing recreationally!

Then, there is us. If we live in a world where a maker can stick a beard comb and a cap lifter anywhere he wants to, and as long as we're willing to trample our own young to get them, there is truly no hope.

It's just a hobby. Don't worry about it.
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A pattern variation between manufacturers is one thing, but the name of a blade shape comes with a definition.
If it strays from the general parameters set by the definition then it should not be considered said blade shape.
They're called traditional knives for a reason and if we let changes creep in it could get out of hand.

I believe there are some very black and white parameters for blade shapes, it either is or it isn't a particular blade shape.
I just don't think we should accept that distorted creation the modern manufacturers call a sheeps foot being called a sheeps foot when it's not one, it undermines one of the most basic parameters which is the straight edge.


Things can be taken little by little till the next generation thinks a spyderco delica with a bolster is a Barlow.
 
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