Fading popularity of traditional knives

solphilos said:
I suppose what I was asking is why aren't we seeing more traditional patterns with these modern features? I know there are plenty of folks like myself that enjoy both modern and traditional styles and carry both, but is there not a market for a 'hybrid' knife, if you will?
I know Case has done this to a very small extent, but it seems that the market strongly leans in either direction but not in the middle. Or maybe there are plenty of these knives out there and I'm just not seeing them as you suggested.
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The modern features off limits here are locks and thumb studs/holes. Fancy steels and quality construction aren't features
 
Danke42 said:
I think they're coming. Just need a bit more patience.

Thinking about this a bit more last night I reflected that I really like "Traditional" knives and I really like "Modern" knives but what I don't like is "Transitional" knives; that murky period in the 70-80s where the change took place. Those are really meh to me.
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I do feel like I'm waiting for better combinations between the styles. There are more slipjoints being made now with fully modern materials, and they look modern. There are a few cases where modern knives take some design cues from traditionals, like the Benchmade Crooked River. Other than some random customs, though, I don't really see knives that look more traditional, but are made with modern conveniences like better steel or pocket clips or one handed opening. Judging by some recently available preorders though, at least some companies are playing with how to bridge that gap.
 
gaj999 said:
The modern features off limits here are locks and thumb studs/holes. Fancy steels and quality construction aren't features
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I wasn't speaking about the forum rules, but about the lack of availability of those kinds of patterns in general.
 
People collected knives before Blade Forums came about, including during any of our Grandfather's eras. But the only place you had to talk about them or show them was to friends and the occasional knife show. Things have changed.

Added: Folks here like to call most of us "enablers" relative to the knife hobby. But thinking reasonably about it; if you attended a knife show twice a month, every month of the year because you like knives, don't you think you would probably end up buying a lot of knives? I attended gun shows A LOT for about 10 years and believe me, I spent a lot of money on firearms during that time period. I don't blame it on anyone other than myself and my collecting tendencies.

The "grandfather rule" simply isn't a good rule of thumb or sufficient as some grandfathers had a pretty open mind for changes in "technology". My general take is no thumb studs or pocket clips. Most locking mechanisms are okay as long as the knife has a "traditional" look to it. No glass breakers on fixed blades.
 
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Astronaut FX said:
If either of my great grandfathers (or grandfathers for that matter) were still around, and they overheard us talking about drawers full of knives, or chasing down SFOs like they were Beanie Babies, or buying brand new knives with phony aging, or even some of the prices we pay, or spending time online talking with strangers about knives, we’d likely get more than a WTF.
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Funny... Because it's "mostly" true :)
 
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22-rimfire said:
People collected knives before Blade Forums came about, including during any of our Grandfathers era. But the only place you had to talk about them or show them was to friends and the occasional knife show. Things have changed.
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Or in court. Had a witness to a murder testify under cross-examination in 1994 that he owned approximately 1,000 knives. The defense attorney, trying to discredit his testimony, referred to him in closing argument as "the man of a thousand knives"!
 
That is both interesting and funny at the same time. Was this witness "normal"? I immediately think about firearms and storage would be a big issue, but a person could easily store 1,000 knives inside most normal sized closets and nobody would even know they are there unless he wanted them to know.

On the subject at hand, there is likely an ebb and flow to people's interests. Beanie Babies maybe not be popular now, but who knows about 5 years from now?
 
I haven't read all the posts, but I've been randomly checking the thread from time to time. I think it's funny when people refer to their grandfathers knives, or what the old timers carried, because I'm one of those grandfathers. I distinctly remember when the Buck 110 was one of those "newfangled modern folders.":)
OK, carry on.
 
22-rimfire said:
That is both interesting and funny at the same time. Was this witness "normal"? I immediately think about firearms and storage would be a big issue, but a person could easily store 1,000 knives inside most normal sized closets and nobody would even know they are there unless he wanted them to know.

On the subject at hand, there is likely an ebb and flow to people's interests. Beanie Babies maybe not be popular now, but who knows about 5 years from now?
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He was one of four eye-witnesses to a murder in the parking lot of a topless bar. He may have been a biker, not sure. Pleasant enough fellow.
 
I’ve noticed that knives are a regional thing. I can honestly say here in the middle southern Appalachian mountains that case is king. I’ve also that certain lifestyles dictate knife choices. Most city people carry a modern type knife. Not always, but most town people I see are carrying a knife with a clip. The further you get away from town you rarely see someone with a clip snagged on a pocket. The only exceptions are horse people and their Spydercos or people who live in the country that work in town. I know a case medium stockman must be the cool thing for the young country kids now because everyone of them carries them. A yellow cv trapper is big with hunters and the reclusive mountain people. I’ve even seen a decline of utility knives on construction sites here lately! So things are looking up here!
 
FarmKid said:
I’ve noticed that knives are a regional thing. I can honestly say here in the middle southern Appalachian mountains that case is king. I’ve also that certain lifestyles dictate knife choices. Most city people carry a modern type knife. Not always, but most town people I see are carrying a knife with a clip. The further you get away from town you rarely see someone with a clip snagged on a pocket. The only exceptions are horse people and their Spydercos or people who live in the country that work in town. I know a case medium stockman must be the cool thing for the young country kids now because everyone of them carries them. A yellow cv trapper is big with hunters and the reclusive mountain people. I’ve even seen a decline of utility knives on construction sites here lately! So things are looking up here!
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Nice to see yet another Appalachian brother on here. Yes Case is revered around here along with the Old Timers. I see more traditionals than moderns but that mostly from the 40+ guys most of the 20s crowd are carrying and mtech or some low cost modern.

I remember getting a delivery and the truck driver pulled out some traditional to cut the straps that had one thunderous walk and talk.
 
ScottsBad said:
I looked at a traditional a year or so ago that used a better steel. Damn, I wish I could remember the details.
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Would that have been a Cold Steel Ranch Boss Stockman ?
S35VN Steel. I've come close to buying one a couple of times.
For me S35VN is OK I guess; I'd prefer something a bit more and I have all but lost interest in multi blade Traditionals to the point of removing the spay blade on several of my Trappers. It just gets in the way of the grip and unless I am spreading peanut butter I have no use for the Spay. I carry more than one knife so multi blades in a Stockman same goes. I just want the longer clip point.

I do like the handle scales on the Ranch Boss. Very dark and fairly deeply jigged. I understand the fit and finish as well as the action is hit or miss.
 
Mikael W said:
Wowbagger,
Have You ever tried a GEC in 1095?

Regards
Mikael
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Sorry . . I've been away from this thread for a few days and catching up. Lots of action in here !
OH mannnnnnn . . . don't get me started on GEC. Silly rabbits.

Let me talk generally about traditionals and 1095 (which I like).
People talk about "Sheeple" or people who get all scared and say silly things when they see a knife. Almost any knife.
It seems some how that when it comes to 1095 in a Traditional the knife makers kind of do a similar silly thing . . . they loose all their brains and under harden it so that oh my gosh, nothing bad happens to any stupid first time knife buyer like the blade might get a little chip in it if used by a monkey or it might be hard to sharpen on Grand Dad's old glazed hard ark.

I mean 1095 's OK but harden that sheeeeet up !
If you don't know how to make a plain high carbon with some hardness spend some time in Japan for cripe sakes.

Here this is a traditional right ? Old school stuff.
Plain high carbon 1095ish White Paper steel. BUT good and hard.
yeah . . . if I could get a traditional with some hard, hard in it like this "Little Monster"
I would be half way happy anyway.
IMG_3374.jpg

From what I have seen here over the years the GEC plain high carbon won't be significantly different than the Case CV in this photo; bottom knife.
Or the Boker plain high carbon in the next photo. Note the Spay is gone off the Boker. Soooo much better that way ! Beautiful scales; mostly black with a hint of very dark but vibrant green. I love this knife. Wish it were M4.
IMG_4671.jpg

PS: this is an old photo when the knife was new. Has more patina now.
IMG_4023.jpg
 
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FarmKid said:
I’ve noticed that knives are a regional thing. I can honestly say here in the middle southern Appalachian mountains that case is king. I’ve also that certain lifestyles dictate knife choices. Most city people carry a modern type knife. Not always, but most town people I see are carrying a knife with a clip. The further you get away from town you rarely see someone with a clip snagged on a pocket. The only exceptions are horse people and their Spydercos or people who live in the country that work in town. I know a case medium stockman must be the cool thing for the young country kids now because everyone of them carries them. A yellow cv trapper is big with hunters and the reclusive mountain people. I’ve even seen a decline of utility knives on construction sites here lately! So things are looking up here!
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Good to hear!
 
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