Folders

C

CO2Grind

Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Messages
2
Hey Everyone,

I am new to the forum and have a question for everyone who wants to chime in. I am not looking to offend anyone, or am I looking for rude comments. I truly am looking for a understanding. I have been into knives since my first one I received when I was in cub scouts and now learning how to make my own.

The big question that I have is this. Why are folding knifes so popular? I am a huge fan of fixed blades from hunters to daggers but have never understood the popularity of folders. I understand that everyone has their own likes and dislikes and that's fine. Again I'm not here to start a fight or anything.

Hope to hear some good feedback.
 
I carry fixed on a regular basis.

Fixed blades are down and dirty tools....folders double as worry beads.
 
Welcome to the forums! I believe the attractive factor of folding knives is just that- they fold. They're easier to carry, avoid some legality issues because they fold, and some people are fascinated with the locking mechanisms. Frame lock, roto lock, compression lock, lockback, etc. And, as I said before, folders are easier to carry than fixed blades. Small little thing clipped to your pocket vs a big ol sheath dangling on your belt. See what I mean?

Hope this helps :)

-Chris
 
Folders as worry beads is an excellent description. I had never considered that aspect before, but I probably spend more time opening the folders I have then using them. Flick and close, flick and close.

Don't know if that's what you meant bigmark, but it rang a bell for me.
 
When I was first getting into knives seriously over 10 years ago, I carried fixed pretty much exclusively. It was great, although after time it became somewhat of a hassle carrying a big ol' sheath knife hanging from my belt going everywhere from the cinema to the mall, etc. No one gave me any trouble or anything, I could just tell it was "suspicious," although I would never do or not do something solely out of concern for public opinion. Later on I started seeing how "cool" and "pretty" some folders looked (although my fixed blades still did to me too of course) and I wanted them. After carrying for awhile, I started gravitating toward them. I guess if I knew I could do it without any hassles, I'd carry a big 7" fixed blade everywhere. When I was in Central Europe once, had to go into an office building... fancy guy in a suit talking on his cell next to me had a huge knife on his belt. Normal stuff. Kinda wish it was here too. Or at least, that it could be.

I will say this: more folders need more carry options for left-handers. They are starting to do that, but I still see a lot of knives I'd like that only can be carried by one position with the clip, and usually it's right handed so the knife is backwards in my pocket if I buy it at all. I don't like that.

However by the same token, more manufacturers need to start offering at least the option to make a lefty sheath for fixed blades, right out of the gate. As it is I have to get the knife and send it somewhere to have a custom left sheath made, usually, so right off the bat I pay for a (still nice) sheath to go with the knife, but one I will not use anyway, so it's kind of annoying.

I'll tell you one that I don't get the popularity of, and that's small fixed blades. Like the little fixed blades with 2.5" blades, in their tiny little sheaths. Cannot understand the appeal at all. Carry a smaller folding knife or carry a big dang knife on your belt, c'mon. But to each their own.
 
My thoughts:
1.Compact - Folders are popular because by design they are meant to be a compact version of a fixed blade. Now that doesn't mean they are up to the same tasks, but everyone doesn't need a fixed blade for daily tasks.
2. Engineering and Design - Folding designs are very interesting and have a more engineered design. There needs to be a higher level of detail and precision in the most basic folder compared to the most basic fixed blade.
3. Versatility - Folders can have multiple blades or tools (SAKs, traditionals, etc) that can perform far more than just basic cutting tasks and offer more versatility in one item than packing separate items.
4. Diversity - spice of life.
 
That's what most people do...the open & close them, take pictures and post them on the Internet and sell them.

' Worry Beads " came from the Mouth of Chris Reeve in a conversation we had once and I never forgot it. :) :thumbup:
 
I like folders for the fact that you can carry them more places. I am a HUGE CRK nut and for me, its easier to carry a sebenza than it would be a Shadow I for instance. A lot of it depends on where you live though. I live where it basically one small town on top of the other and I know I would just be asking for trouble with the Shadow I strapped to my belt. My sebenza, no one knows about but me. Now where our cabin is, its very rural and in that area, it would not be too uncommon to see a fixed blade hanging off of a belt. I do see lots of people with the classic buck 110 sheath which seems to just be the universal norm. To each their own, but for me, I can easily see why folders get the nod.
 
I always thought folders became popular in the last few decades because a lot of places restrict fixed blades or they can't legally be carried concealed so more people tend to carry a folder and companies have maybe sold a lot of folders because of it.
 
In a word, convenience.

I usually don't use my knives that hard which means folders are strong enough for me. For me carrying fixed blade for EDC would be like taking a uhaul to the grocery store.
 
Folders are easier to carry, both physically/logistically and socially/legally. I like having a fixed blade, but usually a folder can do what I need with less hassle. Fixed blades for hunting/camping/hiking, cooking, and other such things.
 
Because my Warcraft Tanto would cause a stir in public, but a tiny pocket clip does not. It's a regional thing, methinks.

I do, however, find folders more interesting in general. The locks, steels, opening mechanisms, handle materials - I like seeing different approaches towards the same concepts. For example, a Case slipjoint and a Paramilitary are both folding knives, but almost completely different in every other way. With fixed blades, you have a lot of potential for variety but not quite as much as folders - and I happen to really like moving mechanical objects.

As of late, I've found I don't even buy or trade for knives I'm super likely to ever carry or use - I just want to experience the pivot action and lock, see how it feels in hand, examine the details, etc. I'm no collector, though, so I just skip the sitting-around-unused phase and sell/trade towards something else. Sometimes things catch me off guard - the Lionspy was going to be trade fodder until I handled it. Now it has a 34-degree wicked edge and hangs out in my pocket, which is where the Southard I picked up was going to go.

I think a non-small aspect of it is the hunt for mechanical perfection coupled with value. Fixed blades are fixed and WYSIWYG. It's a solid chunk of metal with a handle and sheath. It's a tool, and there isn't much to experience other than the balance and performance - which is almost moot to me as I live in a city and don't really camp or hike. I have a warcraft tanto in case I do camp or hike, but it's really more likely to see use as a party favor. Dumpster furniture, retirement of appliances, etc - all much more fun when you have a 7" blade made out of adamantium.
 
When it comes to actually working hard with my knives, I prefer fixed blades. In fact, whenever I'm at the ranch or some other place where people don't get freaked out I carry fixed blades exclusively (with a SAK or multitool). However, folders have a lot of things going for them.

1- They are easier to carry than a fixed blade of similar blade and handle length. I can carry my Spyderco Military quite comfortably even in dress pants, a fixed blade of similar overall length wouldn't be as easy to EDC.

2- In some places folders are legal to carry, while fixed blades aren't (or they're heavily restricted in blade length, etc.). Sometimes it's not a matter of the letter of the law but of social conventions (folks who work at places where they can't carry a fixed blade knife).

3- Some folders offer multiple blades or tools which greatly increase their usefulness to some folks. Traditional slipjoint patterns like the stockman with its three blades. Today I used my Vic Traveller a lot more than the fixed blade I'm carrying; the can opener, scissors and awl made my morning easier.

4- They are cool and fun. Some locks are mechanically interesting, some opening mechanisms are fun, and there are some pretty clever designs that are just enjoyable to own and use. Yes, knives are supposed to be tools. But what's wrong with a tool you can enjoy on another level?
 
Simple answer, easy to conceal. Try carrying a fixed blade in and around the NYC metropolitan area and see how long that will last.
 
Thanks for the replies. Overall convenience is the key word. For me I don't live in the city. I don't necessarily live in the country either but I spend a great deal of time in the woods, on the water, camping hiking, hunting, etc... I can understand in a lot of areas carrying a fixed blade hanging from your belt may cause some issues.

The other things is the mechanical aspect of it. Moving parts along with fit and finish. Looking at it as a knife making newbie I think of folders as mass produced, machined tools. I spend many hours shaping steel by hand in my shop. So when I see manufactured folders and fixed blades getting all the hype it's frustrating. It's easy to make a computerized image in CAD and send it to the CNC. The guys who shed blood sweat and tears producing minimal amounts of knives are who get my attention. It would be nice to see more of that then the large companies advertising their mass produced tools. But that's just me.

Yes money does play a big role in that as well. You can purchase a quality knife from a well known company for a lot less then someone who spent countless hours handcrafting a one of a kind. I get it. But for me Id rather pay extra for something that someone completed with hard work and great talent.

Thanks again everyone.
 
Hey, friend, one of the best knife-makers around does all of his work with ONE hand and many clamps.
Now, that's talent and determination.
 
Folders have absolutely no advantage over a fixed blade with the sole exception being they fit in a pocket. If it were not for the radical change in mens clothing styes between the 1600's and the 1700, we'd still be carrying a small fixed blade. Thank civilization for giving us a more fragile, harder to clean, and possibly more dangerous to the user for the folding knife. But in the 1700's clothing now had pockets, and the so called civilized attitudes reduced the personal knife to something that had to be stashed away out of sight.

The Swedes and Finn's to this day have a much more logical attitude about knives, and even in suburban surrounding, a small puuko on the belt is not uncommon. I'd give up all my pocket knives if our society permitted me to carry a small puuko or other fixed blade. I'd rather carry a small fixed blade than a large folder. No lock to fail, easy to wipe clean, more rugged construction. Yeah, I'd go with a small fixed blade in a heart beat, but the 21st century we live in won't accept that. Heck, a man used to be able to belt on a revolver and nobody made a big deal out of it. People didn't ask what it was for, it was self evident. Same for a knife. Or should be.

Some years back I had to have surgery on my left hand for a joint problem. I carried a pocket fixed blade that fit right in my right hand pocket of my jeans. I loved it!! So convenient to just pull out, cut, and slide back in sheath. But under the law of the People's Republik Of Maryland, a concealed fixed blade is a big no-no. Even a toy Buck Hartsook is illegal. Yet I can carry a number 12 Opinel legally.

Yeah, except for going in a pocket easier, there's no real advantage to a folder. You have a knife that is already broken in the middle, and is being held open by a mechanism that may fail.
 
I collected/assembled a bunch of fixed blades when I first got re-interested in knives. Then it suddenly hit me that I couldn't really carry them most places and didn't use them much.

I wish I *could* get away with carrying even a 2"-3" fixed blade.
 
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