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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
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Friction folder anyone?
- Thread starter SpyderJon
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2002
- Messages
- 1,419
I actually like friction folders and have made a couple for the sake of doing them. Honestly, they're a breed you need to really get used to. If you're into historical re-enactment and the buckskinner lifestyle, they're great, but other sorts of folders are just as good. In terms of practicality, and "gentlemanly" good looks, a nice slip joint folder is ideal.
The friction folder really needs to be carried in an authentic styled neck pouch or belt sheath. Otherwise, you'll find that the tang extension will start playing havoc with your tailoring bills or you'll start getting poked in unmentionable places.
Nonetheless, friction folders are actually one-handed folders, unlike most lockbacks and slip joints. Press the tang extension against your pants and the blade is half opened. I know that if you want to be "non-intimidating" the fact that the knife is non-locking goes a long way to convincing your friends and perhaps your other half that you're not a knife fiend after all.
Greco makes nice working knives. The friction folders are unfortunately neither here nor there - they're a little too modern to be primitive enough, if you get my drift. That's just my personal view. They are well-constructed though and quite strong. And the price can't be beat.
Sorry to be a downer, but I think you need to decide how authentically "old fashioned" you want to be. If I buy a friction folder, I'd be like one that Wayne Goddard or DR Good makes, with an antler handle - these really look the part.
Cheers.
The friction folder really needs to be carried in an authentic styled neck pouch or belt sheath. Otherwise, you'll find that the tang extension will start playing havoc with your tailoring bills or you'll start getting poked in unmentionable places.
Nonetheless, friction folders are actually one-handed folders, unlike most lockbacks and slip joints. Press the tang extension against your pants and the blade is half opened. I know that if you want to be "non-intimidating" the fact that the knife is non-locking goes a long way to convincing your friends and perhaps your other half that you're not a knife fiend after all.
Greco makes nice working knives. The friction folders are unfortunately neither here nor there - they're a little too modern to be primitive enough, if you get my drift. That's just my personal view. They are well-constructed though and quite strong. And the price can't be beat.
Sorry to be a downer, but I think you need to decide how authentically "old fashioned" you want to be. If I buy a friction folder, I'd be like one that Wayne Goddard or DR Good makes, with an antler handle - these really look the part.
Cheers.
I really like friction folders, and I have a few. I have the larger of the two that Greco makes, and I bought it sight unseen. It's a monster. It is heavy, having solid steel scales, and a really thick blade spine. Because of the weight, it's a little awkward to carry in a pants pocket - it just bangs around too much. It is screwed together with hex screws, though, so you can tighten or loosen it to suit your tastes. It's a really, really solid folder, overbuilt, and confidence-inspiring. I also have one made by Herb Derr, with a damascus blade and a sea cow rib bone handle. It's much smaller, and came with a neck pouch. It's a lot smoother to open and close, and the position of the tang extension is such that I have to hold it farther back on the handle than is comfortable to secure the blade. It's more of a piece of jewelry for me than a serious user, though. I have another one made by a Japanese maker, Keidoh Sugihara, who was at the ECCKS show in New York last March. It's an updated rendition of a higonokami, or penny knife, done in ironwood and ATS-34. It's a beautiful, if small, knife, very lightweight and sturdy. I actually ran it through the washer and dryer, and when I remembered I'd left it in my pants I expected the whole load of clothes to be shredded and the knife ruined. On the contrary, it survived both machines, floating around freely. It was still closed when I retrieved it, and apparently had never come open. What's more, the blade was unscathed and the handles hadn't been marked up much at all. It was this experience that prompted me to buy the Greco, though, since I didn't think I could kill that one. One more that I picked up at Country Knives in Pennsylvania, is made in New Zealand by Brian Baker. It's a copy of a very old Bavarian peasant's knife, and is by far the largest of the ones I own. It has very lightweight wooden handles screwed together, and a wide carbon steel blade that is reminiscent of an Opinel blade. The tang extension is long enough that it sits under the palm of my hand in a normal grip and is very secure in both the open and closed positions. The only drawback to this one is its overall closed length - it's not really pocket sized anymore. If you're looking for a friction folder to use as an EDC, I recommend you handle a few first, and see whether your fingers feel comfortable on the handle when your thumb or palm is on the tang extension. Happy hunting!
I've seen one maker in Finland that makes bonehandled friction folders. Hes work is very good.
http://www.kp-art.fi/ejt.html
http://www.kp-art.fi/ejt.html
friction folders were before the backspring, very popular during revolutionary times, also if you look in januarys (2003) blade magazine they have a roman friction folder dated at 1700 years old with an Iron blade, and carved Ivory handle. the only difference being the blade doesnt have the "long" extended bar (more of an old slip joint with no backspring of course).