I think what makes the traditional pocket knives so interesting is that there are so many variations of them. Looking at the people who use them, the need for a knife varries so much that all the different models and sizes are needed.
Each of us is on a different journey in life. Our line of work, the age we are, the type of dress we wear, all affect what kind of knife goes in our pocket. A man in a suit in a city office needs a far different kind of knife than a farmer out in the rural country side. Even age changes our needs. As we get older and venture out in the boonies we need less of a knife. I used to edc a 3 7/8 stockman and a sak. Now I find I am getting by with just a 3 1/4 stockman. So not only the type of knife we carry changes, the size changes as well.
Taste changes. A young man may like the sterile screwed together high tech look of the modern knife. But sometimes as we get a bit more mature, we like a little refinement and "style". How many times have you seen a young guy say he'd never drive some automatic tranny "old mans" car, yet 20 years later the Mustang has given way to a nice plush Crown Victoria with the auto, leather interior and all the trimmings.
I am involved in alot of things that are retro, and I'm seeing alot of growth in those things from an influx of young guys who are tired of the "High tech" . Our Izzak Walton League chapter has a traditonal archery club, and we get alot of new members who are going to a stick bow from a compound with all the bubble levels and fiber optic sights. Our cowboy action shooting events have mushroomed expotetially with shooters who have sold the Glocks and AR's to compete with single actions and lever actions.
I think this is reflected also in traditional pocket knives. In the year or so I have been on this forum, I've seen posts similar to this one, were somebody is bored with the black handle tacticals and are getting into the traditonals.
I think deep down, all human beings want thier things to look good. Look at the old artifacts from antiquity, old Kentucky rifles, old tools and everyday artifacts from the Norsemen, and they had one thing in common. They all were embellished with carvings in relief, inlays of silver wire, and other beautifing touches. It's human, we want beauty in our life.
Not much beauty in bead blasted stainless steel and black zytel.
Stag, bone, woods, ivory, all gain more beauty with age, as does carbon steel blades. And they just don't look good, the thin blades generally cut better.
And they are a link to the past. I have a private theroy that the more times get screwed up, the more people are wanting to look back, and maybe find just for a moment, a link back to the simple time of their grandfathers. Times were a little slower and less hectic then. A person had time to think and reflect. I wonder if thats what we're really doing when we fiddle with that stockman or trapper while watching the evening news- looking for that link.
Each of us is on a different journey in life. Our line of work, the age we are, the type of dress we wear, all affect what kind of knife goes in our pocket. A man in a suit in a city office needs a far different kind of knife than a farmer out in the rural country side. Even age changes our needs. As we get older and venture out in the boonies we need less of a knife. I used to edc a 3 7/8 stockman and a sak. Now I find I am getting by with just a 3 1/4 stockman. So not only the type of knife we carry changes, the size changes as well.
Taste changes. A young man may like the sterile screwed together high tech look of the modern knife. But sometimes as we get a bit more mature, we like a little refinement and "style". How many times have you seen a young guy say he'd never drive some automatic tranny "old mans" car, yet 20 years later the Mustang has given way to a nice plush Crown Victoria with the auto, leather interior and all the trimmings.
I am involved in alot of things that are retro, and I'm seeing alot of growth in those things from an influx of young guys who are tired of the "High tech" . Our Izzak Walton League chapter has a traditonal archery club, and we get alot of new members who are going to a stick bow from a compound with all the bubble levels and fiber optic sights. Our cowboy action shooting events have mushroomed expotetially with shooters who have sold the Glocks and AR's to compete with single actions and lever actions.
I think this is reflected also in traditional pocket knives. In the year or so I have been on this forum, I've seen posts similar to this one, were somebody is bored with the black handle tacticals and are getting into the traditonals.
I think deep down, all human beings want thier things to look good. Look at the old artifacts from antiquity, old Kentucky rifles, old tools and everyday artifacts from the Norsemen, and they had one thing in common. They all were embellished with carvings in relief, inlays of silver wire, and other beautifing touches. It's human, we want beauty in our life.
Not much beauty in bead blasted stainless steel and black zytel.
Stag, bone, woods, ivory, all gain more beauty with age, as does carbon steel blades. And they just don't look good, the thin blades generally cut better.
And they are a link to the past. I have a private theroy that the more times get screwed up, the more people are wanting to look back, and maybe find just for a moment, a link back to the simple time of their grandfathers. Times were a little slower and less hectic then. A person had time to think and reflect. I wonder if thats what we're really doing when we fiddle with that stockman or trapper while watching the evening news- looking for that link.