Fading popularity of traditional knives

CVamberbonehead said:
Good analogy, and like cars, they just dont make them like they used to!
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Thank God for that!

I'm old enough to remebretr when cars very rarely made it past 50,000 without a head job, and by 100,000 where in the junkyard. They needed a tune up every 10 to 15 thousand miles, carburetors that needed adjustments, and tires that lasted 15,000 miles if you were lucky. And in rain, those old bias ply tires were lousy. Now 100,000 miles is nicely broken in. I just traded in an 18 year old Toyota with 180,000 miles on it and got 25% of my original purchase price back on a new Corolla loaded with more technology than granddaddy could have imagined on Buck Rogers space ship. Self correction lane warning, radar on the cruise control that keeps the exact distance from the vehicle in front of me, rear view camera to helming this old fart back up, touch screen navigation, blue tooth hook up for the cell phone, and some stuff I don't even know what to do with. My old truck didnt even have cruise control and I had to crank up the window myself. I asked the salesman if I needed to get a pilots license to drive thins thing.

Now we have pocket knives available with good quality stainless steel with edge holding like our granddaddies would have killed for. We have synthetic handle scales that you can fumble and drop on a sidewalk with no damage. The knives we have today, we could, if we wanted to, put through the dishwasher to granddaddies horror. The Buck 301 stockman of today is a far better work knife than the pocket knives we had in the 1950's. Heck, it's even better than the Buck 301 I spent 25 years wearing out in the 70's and 80's!

The modern technology makes all products in question better. What form those products take is up to the consumer in the end. If something is selling well, it's because people must like it for some reason. Doesn't matter if it's all hype, smoke and mirrors, if it sells. I don't really need a stainless steel blade with alloys that I can hardly pronounce. But it it nice to get a knife soaking wet and fold it up and drop back in pocket after a quick wipe on the pant leg, thinking "I'll clean it up later." Am I getting lazy? Maybe. But modern materials do make things easier. But I still prefer a multi blade pocket knife that looks like something granddad would recognize, even if it is material that he'd never had access to.
 
I hear ya. I have a 2001 ford ranger with 242,000 miles on it. I drive 40 miles each way to work and back. The only thing that has ever gone out is batteries and the timing belt broke last summer. I feel like if it ain't broke, I don't mess with it because when I go to tinkering, I'll upset the natural balance of things. Plugs, wires and fuel filter had never been changed until just this January, because I can't get to anything. It's a 4 cylinder, but has 8 Plugs, fuel filter needed a special tool etc. The guy that tuned it up said a couple of plugs were comply burned out on it. I only change the oil every 3000 . But it still gets over 20mpg. The alternator, clutch, fuel pump, water pump etc., are all original everything other than some front end parts and battery. I'm just trying to see how long it will last.
So probably better than an old truck, but you can't get to anything, new knife materials, might be better but I can't sharpen it.
 
Boyo, I like the new cars! The new tech makes cars so much safer.

I'm old enough to remember when the only air conditioning a car had was the old "4-60". Roll down all 4 windows and go 60 mph!
I wish automobiles had shoulder belts when at 16 years old my family was in a head on collision outside of Buffalo, NY, heading to Pittsburgh. Thank God I was wearing a lap belt and only buried an elbow in the dashboard. My dad broke a few ribs and others got bruised up pretty bad.

I like ss on my traditional knives!

I remember very well the rust on my knife after a day of fishing, or getting caught in the rain, or some really steamy summers day playing ball, woods walking or driving along the Gulf Coast highway.

Not everything about the present is better, but there's a lot to say about the advancements we've made since I was a young man. Some of the things about the good old days ain't really so good.
 
gaj999 said:
Of course, when it comes to cars, that's a good thing! :)
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If you care how your car looks it's not :D

It's well known that modern technologies have allowed engines to last longer, but do modern cars really have to look like crap ?
I just don't get why
modern cars have to look like a transformers elbow, but I guess that's just the aesthetic my generation prefers.

Have you seen this

Made me wanna cry :(
 
Hickory n steel said:
If you care how your car looks it's not :D
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LOL No fair using Jeep as an example. They've got the trademark on fugly. Although I do remember, fins, slanted headlights, and all sorts of ugly on cars from years ago. I like the retro muscle cars, the Challenger and the Mustang, anyway. The Charger and the Camaro, not as much. They're better in every way than the originals and I think they look just as good. Vettes have had their ups and downs, but always looked at least reasonably good. So bring on the super steels, modern construction, and some old-time styling ... oh, wait, Mike Latham is already doing that. :D Not a minute too soon. Here's hoping he sees some competition in that market.
 
Thought exercise: a popular movie star or athlete or celebrity of some sort uses a slipjoint in a movie or commerical or Tweet perhaps. It becomes a sudden trend and slipjoints are in high demand because thousands (perhaps millions) of people now think they are cool. Slipjoints see a massive resurgence for about 2-3 months. Prices become astronomical, supply reduces greatly, everyone has to have whatever the most trendy thing is, and then *poof* all gone and all those folks go back to following the Kardashians? Or *poof* all of a sudden we have a new generation of traditional knife enthusiasts? I'm not sure I like that scenario either way. Just sayin'...maybe things are just fine and the way they should be.
 
gaj999 said:
LOL No fair using Jeep as an example. They've got the trademark on fugly. Although I do remember, fins, slanted headlights, and all sorts of ugly on cars from years ago. I like the retro muscle cars, the Challenger and the Mustang, anyway. The Charger and the Camaro, not as much. They're better in every way than the originals and I think they look just as good. Vettes have had their ups and downs, but always looked at least reasonably good. So bring on the super steels, modern construction, and some old-time styling ... oh, wait, Mike Latham is already doing that. :D Not a minute too soon. Here's hoping he sees some competition in that market.
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I think the Challenger is the only good looking modern car, that and the current GTO which doesn't seem very common.

Car companies could be doing this if they wanted to, too bad it's just a one off for an expo.

I guess people must like the modern aesthetic.
 
JohnDF said:
Crushing that beautiful old Jeep truck made me want to cry :(
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That 1964 gladiator was in great condition.
Did you notice how it's headlight came on, as if that was it's last breath.


I guess this has gotten off topic enough.

You hear of people who grew up in the era of traditional knives but discovered modern folders as " a game changer ", but I think it just has to do with the people.
They're the kind of people who always wanted things to be faster and more convenient, traditional knives never were for them.
Maybe starting out with a traditional knife won't guarantee that you'll end up going back to them, but it will definitely give one the chance to learn to appreciate them.
I know of many people who have never given traditional a try and just never will, but would definitely understand them if they started out with one before they had the choice of what knife to buy next.
 
There's not much to say about traditional knives. The ones that are still around are reliable and well understood. End of conversation. Enthusiasts like to talk and argue about what's new (materials, techniques, designs) so it feeds the discussion and popularity of new knives.
 
I wish some of the Traditionals I wanted were fading in popularity at the time :D;)

Now I've reached 'crisis' point, there are not really too many knives I'm after any more, partly because I'm very lucky to have most of the ones I wanted-the feasible ones anyway. Also, I'm satiated and this is good, perhaps I can scale things down a bit and sell off knives, hope so but not easy when I'm in Europe and most potential buyers are in the US :( But, I feel contented, somewhat impoverished perhaps;)

Back to cars....Well nostalgia is addictive and quite useful to the imagination and well-being but cars certainly looked more interesting and diverse in the past, yet they were certainly not more durable or reliable as they are today. Half a century ago when I was a child, you expected that cars WOULD give problems, even those people who were wealthier and had 'good' marques were resigned to frequent maintenance or breakdowns on holiday trips..:eek: Carrying tools and spares with you was not unusual either! Who misses that? Not I:D But as I say the beauty, diversity and individuality of cars were intoxicating. I don't know too much about American cars, except than I'm unusual in liking the late 40s early 50s style not those huge square bed like things that came along in the late 50s -70s that 'everybody' seems to adore, uh uh:D No, those lost marques like bathtub Packards, Studebakers, Kaiser, the Buick Roadmaster from 49/50, that Ford with a kind of propeller hub in the centre of the radiator :cool: But Europe is what I knew, from West and East, plenty of lost marques from there as well: Goliath, Borgward, DKW, IFA, NSU, Wartburg, Moskvitch, Pobeda, Simca, Panhard, Saab, the whole British motor industry BMC with all its marques-Austin-Healey, Morris, MG, Triumph, Standard, Riley, Wolseley, Armstrong-Sidderley, Singer,Humber, Hillman, Rover, Vauxhall, etc etc Not counting the myriad of models made by still existing companies, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, Renault, Mercedes, Volvo, Opel, Ford:cool: Then there's extinct lorries/trucks....:D
 
Lets keep the talk to knives.
For those who say traditional companies are doing well, how do you explain many companies going under and outsourcing to china? Meanwhile theres a ton of modern knives coming out every day, and companies like ZT and Benchmade are making a mint.
 
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Hickory n steel said:
If you care how your car looks it's not :D

It's well known that modern technologies have allowed engines to last longer, but do modern cars really have to look like crap ?
I just don't get why
modern cars have to look like a transformers elbow, but I guess that's just the aesthetic my generation prefers.

Have you seen this

Made me wanna cry :(
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Noooooo! I'd love to have that old one.
 
I don't know, I'm in my early 20s and I only ever carried traditionals because they're the only knives that appeal to me. Modern and tactical knives never did it for me, I think they're overkill for most people who use them. It's like driving to work in a tank or in a formula 1 bolid. If you need tacticals or whatever for your work, sure, go ahead, but I just find traditional knives nicer to the eye and they're more than enough for the tasks I use them for in my urban and semirural environment. If I don't force my knives on fruit, I actually use them once a month or even less. Begs the question why even carry one then? On those rare occassions I don't need a fancy modern locking mechanism, super steel and assisted opening (or even closing), I don't even pretend I'd use it in self deffense. I can understand that more people are drawn to modern folders though. We don't dress as they did 100 years anymore either and if better technologies are avaliable, why not use them, right?
 
I still don't understand why they don't make car bodyworks in S35VN instead of using cheap carbon steel...at least mine has an assisted opening trunk and locking mechanism for the doors :)
But for everyday carry i still have my grandfather's folding car in my watch pocket!
 
CVamberbonehead said:
For those who say traditional companies are doing well, how do you explain many companies going under and outsourcing to china? Meanwhile theres a ton of modern knives coming out every day, and companies like ZT and Benchmade are making a mint.
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I don't say that. Other than GEC, I can't think of a maker who makes only traditionals that is doing very well. GEC makes a nice product but without the internet and the collectors, they would probably be struggling too. At best. Many of the guys I know who use knives are in the building trades. They buy cheap, sturdy, one-hand openers with clips and abuse them mercilessly. Others are hunters who have only one cheap fixed blade for field processing. The rest carry a SAK for EDC and use the cap lifter more than any other blade ... one friend in his 60s still carries his Cub Scout knife ...

Most of the guys who buy Benchmade, ZT, Spyderco, etc generally have drawers full of knives that seldom get used. Kinda like the guys who buy the majority of GEC knives. :) Looks to me like the companies that appeal to the high-end luxury market are kicking butt while the companies that appeal to the majority of real users are going head to head with China in a world where a knife is needed less and less every year. That's a tough way to make a living. I certainly have a drawer full of knives that I don't really need. All I really need is a SAK and a Mora. I could be out the door for around $50. But where's the fun in that?
 
A lot of people in this thread seem to have trouble understanding the concept of preference. Could it be that some people just prefer modern designs, just as you seem to prefer slipjoints or other traditional designs? I don't know other's motivations, I don't need to. Whether a man carries a Spyderco or a GEC, the important thing is he is carrying a knife. He's not one of those benighted fools made helpless by the ubiquitous clamshell package.
 
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