Bring Back the Backspacers!

Dont have a preference.

I like both types of construction.

Dont use my folders as hammers.
 
blade man said:
The Umnumzaan's glass breaker is the exposed tang of the blade.
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Oh that's what that thing is? I always wondered what purpose it served on the Zaan. I was wondering where the glassbreaker on the Zaan was as I know there is no backspacer.

Also I agree the backspacer on the Chaves is better at splitting skulls thab Emerson style ones. However Emerson style is better for other kinds of hammering jobs. Chaves got the skull clip blowing a raspberry.
 
Depends on the knife honestly. Some I prefer with and some without. There are advantages to both I guess, but if I had to choose.. Standoffs would be my preference just for the ability to not collect as much junk
 
Lapedog said:
I know knives are not meant to be used as hammers. That doesn't mean some designs work quite well as a hammer. For example the butt of my CQC7 was absolutely perfect for crushing garlic.
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We use a lot of garlic. Never once had I considered using my folding EDC to crush the stuff. I don't need to walk around smelling of garlic more than I already do and nor do I want to clean my EDC multiple times a day :)

Done well, I like back spacers just fine. I guess it depends on the knife. If it adds useless weight then no thanks.
 
True, red mag and a good Backspacer protects the point also.
btw, I like the integral Backspacer on the SnG.
rolf
 
I prefer backspacers and have had problems with stuff getting inside the scales and hitting the blade/nicking the edge when there was no barrier in the back of the knife to protect it
 
Once you have seen the sad hippo you can't unsee it! Do not look for him lest you never want Chaves knives to look the same again. It's like a sad hippo woth Marge Simpson's haircut.

If you don't want the butt off your knife smelling like garlic you just put the garlic in a plastic bag before you crush it.

Thirdly, yes; backspacers do protect blade edges much better. I do like the way Strider does their backspacers integral to the handle scale. I keep my knife to the right side of my left front pocket (closest to zipper) with my wallet in the same pocket sitting to the left of it. In most jeans the rooming arrangement is perfect and since the only other things in that pocket are a knife and wallet thinfs have not bypassed standoffs to hit my edge ever. Still I see how standoffs could more easily allow change or keys to hit the edge.
 
I have a few knives that I enjoy the backspacer on, but for the most part I enjoy standoffs. Put the knife up your lips harmonica style, blow through once or twice and all that pocket lint is just a memory.
 
I like both but tend to prefer a backspacer. Everyone refers to the ease of cleaning with standoffs and while true I find the need to clean them more frequently. In my case knives with standoffs seem to get more lint and debree between the scales than knives with backspacers. I have two 940's. The standard with backspacer and a -1 with standoffs. I find the -1 accumulates much more debris between the scales than the aluminum handle. Its also not that difficult to clean a knife with a backspacer when it does get a little dirty. Just pass through with a q-tip and your good to go. I also like the added rigidity that a backspacer can offer.
 
For me it depends on the knife design. I like the aesthetics of a backspacer, but not at the cost of threading a screw into the opposite side liner/scale. It's much easier to replace a stripped standoff than replace or repair a stripped liner/scale. Standoffs seem to offer easier disassembly as well as easier maintenance without disassembly, as pointed out by Quiet.
 
straitr said:
For me it depends on the knife design. I like the aesthetics of a backspacer, but not at the cost of threading a screw into the opposite side liner/scale. It's much easier to replace a stripped standoff than replace or repair a stripped liner/scale. Standoffs seem to offer easier disassembly as well as easier maintenance without disassembly, as pointed out by Quiet.
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I agree with this as well. I like a threaded backspacer that accepts screws from each scale. This makes it work like standoffs in terms of stripping and replacements and assembly and disassembly
 
as a part time maker who is new to making folders, I can tell you it's less costly to use standoffs vs making a backspacer
some of you probably know this.

bc94b6fc4ea5c243067c9fbc3bfe3b64.jpg
 
Definitely agree on cost being a issue when it comes to backspacer vs standoffs in manufacturing. And that ^^^^ is beautiful.
 
Dean Crail said:
A badly cut out and finished piece of G10 does not a good backspacer make. Personally unless it is titanium or some sort of tool steel I want nothing to do with a backspacer just allot of unnecessary complication to the knife IMHO.

qzjegsXh.jpg

See the UN-evennes there that is just shoddy workmanship, that and it does not make much sense to thread in the frame screws into a piece of G10 at all. And yes this is an actual custom not a Po' Boy

nQZttRah.jpg

This is what a backspacer should be, a nice solid chunk of perfectly fitted CPM 3-V also this makes a much better "attitude adjuster" or hammer than flat G10
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Wow.... I didn't know custom Emersons also have such aweful fit and finish, especially for that insane price point customs go for.

sent from a highly secretive CIA base somewhere in the deep jungles of South America shhh
 
I didn't know they let people stashed away in highly secretive CIA bases somewhere in the deep jungles of South America participate in internet forums. See, we both learned something completely irrelevant to the thread topic today.
 
I like backspacers as well as stand offs.

But I'd never be dumb enough to use my backspaced knife as a hammer. I'd use a hammer.
 
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