Do you mess with all types of knives or just traditional?

[Henry Beige]

When I became interested enough in knives to join this forum, I had mostly Opinels and SAKs, almost never carried in a pocket, but mostly carried on motorcycles in supplementation of the tool kits. I got a Griptilian and. USMC Kabar as gifts, and started to look a modern knives a bit, buying a few. Of course, I picked up a Buck 119 and a 110.

I joined the forum to look into Moras, and only then discovered traditionals, via Case and RR. For a few years, I carried modern knives and traditionals, and acquired a few of each, but mostly traditionals. These days, I almost never carry modern knives. I always carry an Opinel and an SAK, sometimes adding another traditional.

Only rarely do I buy any kind of folder these days. My interest has migrated to fixed blades, Moras, Beckers, Condors, a few BPS, a few SYKCO, a Carothers, several ANZAs. Jäkkääripuukko, Peltonen, Marttiini.

 

[Phil in Alabama]

I voted all traditional as it was the closest choice; I have all of one "modern" style, a one hander liner locked Boker Gent II. Should have gotten the larger Gent I, the sequal is a bit stubby looking to me.

 

[Arathol]

Mix for me. Yes, I have quite a number of traditional folders, but also have and carry modern one hand folders.
For instance, today I have this in my pockets-
TwoSun slip joint

And Cold Steel Immortal

I also carry a fixed blade when out on the trail with the dog. Usually its a compromise between new and old -
Such as a vintage Marttiini in a modern kydex sheath carried horizontally.

 

[Jack Black]

 

[Just Tom.]

This recent purchase of mine perhaps occupies a gray area, but only because of the styling. There is no clip or thumb stud, and lock-backs have been around since the Mercator at least. I have decided I do like it, though I still would have preferred the orange one with the geometric design on the handle.

There are other much fancier French folders which get posted here which also have very modern-looking lines, so maybe the line dividing the two categories is not so clear and sharp.

 

[David Mary]

I like both. But my first real user folding knife was a Spyderco Manix 2 XL, and I just got used to the convenience of being able to use one hand for the workpiece and the other for unpocketing, opening, closing, and pocketing the knife. As long as I can remember, I have been an efficiency afficionado (efficienciado? ), so it's hard for me to view my cherished few traditionals as more than novelty items. But I like them.

 

[Will Power]

Think I have around 2 or 3 Moderns, only one of which is actually really liked. Not against them, they have a definite place in the knife scheme of things, but they just don't suit . Mainly because they are so large, often thick stock and unsuited to my needs.

Here's the one I do like paired with another metal bodied but Traditional knife a 9cm Dork-Douk. The difference for me between Traditional and Modern is simple: the former I still hunger for and am inspired by, the latter I am satisfied with but cannot imagine needing more.

 

[JohnDF]

I can't believe we made it all the way to page three before we started seeing pocket clips, thumb studs, and flipper tabs.

 

[mfunnell]

I put myself in the "mostly traditional, but some modern" camp.

For the longest time (since the 1980s), I've pretty much carried a medium-sized stockman and a SAK, as pocket knives, supplemented by a SAK Swiss Champ and a Leatherman tool (in their pouch and mostly in luggage or a pack, but sometimes on a belt). For most of that time, the SAK was an Explorer. Not for any particular reason, but just because that's what I picked up first, way back when, so it stuck. The stockman was a 34OT for most of that time. (I misplaced it for a while, so picked up a Case to replace it because they didn't have the same-model OT in the shop I went to. Then I found my OT, so started using it again.)

In the early 1990s I picked up a Gerber bolt-action knife on a fishing trip to Alaska, mostly because it was easy to clean. That became my fishing (and camping) utility knife, sometimes in a pocket, sometimes in a sheath on my belt. It isn't really 'modern' as such (not reliably single-hand opening, no thumb-studs, no pocket clip) but it can hardly be called 'traditional' either.

Then .. while fishing, I nearly lost that Gerber, so thought "I'll get another just in case". OK, you can all stop laughing now. Of course they don't make them any more!

So I disappeared down the knife-nut rabbit-hole, looking for "the best" alternative. I bought a bunch of modern folding knives. I bought a bunch of fixed blades, too, and even some other traditionals. As it turns out I either don't like or don't use any of them.

So guess what?

After all that, I carry a medium-size stockman and a SAK. I have a Leatherman (now the 1st Gen 'Wave' model) and the same Swiss Champ (in a shiny new pouch I bought to replace the old one).

(OK: the Explorer was lost and replaced, and is in car-door semi-retirement while I carry a Compact plus a Swiss Classic now, but in principle it's much the same. Also, I did eventually find a 2nd Gerber bolt-action on the bay, so that's covered off.)

All that money, time, effort, (and 'thinking') only to end up back where I started. Go figure.

 

[jc57]

I have a Gerber Bolt Action Folder that looks almost exactly like that one, but the button fell out of the joint long ago. Bought mine in the mid-late 80s. It replaced a Buck 110 on my work belt. Still a great knife. That was from back when the Gerber brand still meant high quality.

 

[Peregrin]

If you keep the modern knife pics out of here, I'll let this run for awhile. If not I'll move it to General. Thanks.

 

[Wild Willie]

I prefer traditional knives for their cutting efficiency, and their charm. However, I've recently (as in last year) started carrying a modern knife made in Idaho. I use it as my dirty work/pickle knife (the one I carry in case I get in a pickle). I work at height from a bucket or from a saddle with a rope, so it's good to have something that can be used with one hand in case the other is occupied. Once had my hair caught in my friction hitch, so while my left hand kept tension on the rope and prevented a huge piece of my scalp from being tortured, I was able to use my knife to cut a hank of hair from my head and extricate myself. Definitely couldn't have done that with my douk douk.

 

[Stelth]

I like modern and traditional. I have a uses for both types and appreciate their utility and aesthetics regardless of which category they belong to.

 

[jc57]

Guess I have about 10 modern folding knives, about 150 traditionals, and a dozen or so "nice" kitchen knives, and then a smattering of lower end kitchen knives. Two of the modern folders, 3 of the kitchen knives, and about 8 of the traditionals get regular use.

 

[JM2]

If you keep the modern knife pics out of here, I'll let this run for awhile. If not I'll move it to General. Thanks.

I request no modern knife pics here please.

I specifically put this in traditional because I’m interested in if other traditional enthusiasts are also modern users or enthusiasts. Or, like me, generally don’t use them or have them.

If it’s moved to general, instead of getting opinions of the folks here, it will just be overwhelmed with pics of, and praise for modern knives.

 

[oldmanwilly]

I'm an equal opportunity accumulator, open to trying out anything. There's just so many cool designs from the past and in current production to be exclusive to one or the other. I speculate that my collection is roughly an even mix.

On any given day I've usually got at least one traditional slipjoint in my pocket and a modern folder clipped in the same pocket. Or some combination of traditional and modern carried in the pocket or strapped to my belt. Or tucked in a boot. Or...

Like others have said, I just like knives.

 

[hornetguy]

I own mostly traditionals, but I have 3, maybe 4 moderns that I occasionally carry in addition to my traditional. JohnDF had it right, sometimes there is a need for a quick one-hand opening... working up on a ladder, or underneath a table, or car... there are occasions when a flipper is very handy.
Probably 85% of the time a traditional, two hand opening knife is just fine.
I have a couple of Spydie knives in VG-10, and a Leek in CPM 154... the leek is the only genuine flipper, but the Spydies are almost as easy to open. I've had others, but I gifted most of them...

 

[Reaper AL]

I carry 2 traditional and 1 modern. Right front pocket a moose pattern on my belt in an open sheath a masserian plow which thanks to J jsdistin i had the scale screws and pivot screw changed to pins and a modern in my right cargo pocket. My traditionals get most of the heavy lifting cutting shrink wrap packing tape and packing straps. The modern is just there if I am unable to open my traditional