Features You Don't Care For

My top 3
1) I owned it and sold it, and now have remorse. Rebuying has never scratched the itch and I almost always end up remembering why I sold it.
2) High weight that is not evenly distributed. I can do 3+ ozs but I need that to be distributed across the whole knife, not all in the bolster.
3) The unobtanium factor. I have no interest in hustling for drops. I can also never recommend such a knife to a friend.
 
Poor blade alignment. It can ruin an otherwise great knife for me.

Gaps/poor fitment between bolsters or end caps and handle material

As others have said, uneven stag. Doesn't need to be perfectly matched, but when one side is notably thicker than the other, it's just poor attention to detail, imo.

Other than those things, I'm really not too picky. I like lots of different frame styles, different types of blades, nail nicks, long pulls etc - if it's executed well with a good eye for the overall design, I'm interested. A big part of the interest for me in traditional knives is exploring and embracing all the variety. As the old saying goes, "I don't know about art, but I know what I like when I see it." 😉

christusvictor said:
3) The unobtanium factor. I have no interest in hustling for drops. I can also never recommend such a knife to a friend.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I'd much rather have the option to place a custom order with a manufacturer and wait a while to receive it, than scrambling for a drop that lasts 30 seconds.
 
Last edited:
I do a lot of fidget whittling so that is where my bias sits.

Single blades- must have a at least one secondary, preferably a Sheepsfoot or coping.

Anything over 4 1/4

Swedges- real pet peeve because it digs into your thumbs when carving.

Pinched or fluted bolsters.

Thick or doubled liners

Overexposed tangs

Double nail nicks or ez-open cut outs.

Lanyard tubes or bails

Etched blades
 
r8shell said:
I love the fact that we all like different things.

I prefer two blades, because it does add to the thickness of the knife. On a small-ish frame that makes it more comfortable for me to use. I also like having two different blade shapes: a straight edge and a curved edge. That's one of the big advantages of a traditional over a modern knife.


Agreed. I dislike matchstrike nail nicks. I sometimes like matchstrike long pulls, depending on the knife, but it makes no sense on a nick. Not long enough to actually strike a match, and I can't shake the association with cheap knives.
Click to expand...

indeed!

I for one love endcaps on a knife as well. A lot of the points mentioned are also consideration points when I buy a knife, but usually a secondary blade is one of the big hesitations for me as then ill have to decide if i like the knife enough to buy one to delete and one to keep stock. Take the 86s. That is a big knife as it is. Now the secondary blade is so large on that its almost possible to qualify as another full blade. The coping or pen offered on some 86 models are almost bigger than some case main blades. But in the hand, with the main open, holding that knife becomes uncomfortable at least for me. Its a very fun project knife as I have had a few deleted and still working on an 86 build atm.
 
Any 2 blade knife with both blades of equal length, having a smaller blade is the only reason my knife even needs more than one.
Modern / high end / super steels, whatever you want to call them.
Give me a basic carbon steel or well done 420hc that I can easily maintain and keep sharp with minimal effort.


The nail nick position on the current Case peanut, copperhead, mini trapper ,and pocket hunter.
It just looks terrible and makes the blade look like it has a sharp peak on the spine.


Swedges on spear point blades, the long crisp swedges look nice but many do not.

Swaybacks look nice, but I handled one and wasn't a fan of how it felt in hand.

Humpback spey blades, I just find them ugly.


Really fat stag.

Blades that don't open properly parallel with the handle or follow the contour of the frame.
Take almost every Case peanut as an example.
 
BrotherJim said:
Ivory ... pre-ban, post-ban, whatever. None of it is pre-poachers
I don't support the killing of Elephants and other Ivory bearing animals just for the Ivory, especially to make pretty pocket knives
And Ivory covers are not "sheds"
Click to expand...
I support the ban on killing elephants, but I've recycled old ivory for handles, and prefer using it, to burying it!!
 
waynorth said:
I support the ban on killing elephants, but I've recycled old ivory for handles, and prefer using it, to burying it!!
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with buried Ivory. Here's some fossilized

EiA4bA1.jpg
 
I prefer sunken joints over non-sunken joints. Non-sunken joints are arguably stronger. Trying to think of the last time I busted a blade on a Case - Case uses sunken joints routinely - 🤔
The answer is never, so I don't think the strength, or lack thereof, of a sunken joint is something I need to be concerned with for my usage. I think sunken joints are sleeker and they make using a multi-blade knife more comfortable.

Other than that, there are patterns I don't care for, but as to features 🤔 Not coming up with anything else. I'll probably wake up at 3 in the morning and think of half dozen things 🛌

I have a different take on match strike nicks. Before I had ever heard of GEC, I became interested in Cripple Creeks. The Bob Cargill ones, not the rebadged GEC's or Queen's. Cargill made extensive use of match strike nicks so I associate them with high quality, small volume, handmade knives. The Eric Albers of the time.
 
Deal brakers
• double nail nicks
• etch on stainless steel
• fat stag
• closed length under 3.5 inches

Acceptable
• lanyard hole
• bail
• boring shield
 
Boattale said:
Deal Breaker:
Made in China
Garish covers
Engraved bolster
Engraved blades
Only available on secondary market, often at significant markup over MSRP
Micarta or G10 covers
Oddball blade shapes like sunfish, elephant toenail and the like.
Click to expand...
The made in China thing is a dealbreaker for me too , but I didn't think to list it because that's not a feature.
One of the most important things to me in knives though.
 
Just to clear up the misuse of the word "fossil" ..if something is fossilised it has been turned to stone or its impression has formed a cast for minerals to replace the original material...so mammoth ivory is really really old but made of ivory not stone...it can have colouration from minerals but its not fossil.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top