From tactical to traditional

Charlie Mike

Charlie Mike

Sober since 1-7-14 (still a Paranoid Nutjob)
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Nov 1, 2000
Messages
28,365
There was a time when my grail folder was a bead blast tanto D/A Socom, grail fixed was a Strider BT. At one time, I owned every production Emerson and MT OTF. In this last year, I've carried a large tactical folder maybe less than 30 days.

My "POU" has shifted to thin slipjoint folders and large fixed fighters. Furthermore, I've noticed that each fixed blade I buy is more "traditional" than the last.

I'm now playing with the idea of having a 7.5" Randall 14 homage built in a "super" steel.
 
Traditionals are traditional because they work. A knife is a knife whether it's a Buck 119 or the latest Coldsteel. You might not use them for prybars but will cut just as good as anything else.
 
My eyes are starting to stare at certain GECs and QCs over the latest and greatest BMs and ZTs as well.
The Randall 14 is a beautiful design. Would love to see what you come up with. Partial to a 16 single finger groove micarta, single nickle hilt myself :D
 
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Go for it CM--it will be beautifull and totally bada$$... what handle/guard configuration would you get? My 16 sp1 has a nickel double guard and the black micarta finger grooves. But if I was to do it again, I'd go with a nickel single guard and a border patrol handle.
 
Pic for reference...

wvy0aw.jpg
 
Single finger groove, double guard with a higher/deeper hollow grind.

(that GEC77 is one of my favorite)

 
Sounds like a great fighter in the making--looking forward to seeing how it turns out. And yeah, the new 77s are great--I've got quite a few GEC's, but that one lives in my pocket. You have a few cool ones yourself... the spear point with the long pull is real nice. :thumbup:
 
Charlie Mike said:
There was a time when my grail folder was a bead blast tanto D/A Socom, grail fixed was a Strider BT. At one time, I owned every production Emerson and MT OTF. In this last year, I've carried a large tactical folder maybe less than 30 days.

My "POU" has shifted to thin slipjoint folders and large fixed fighters. Furthermore, I've noticed that each fixed blade I buy is more "traditional" than the last.

I'm now playing with the idea of having a 7.5" Randall 14 homage built in a "super" steel.
Click to expand...

Thats a really interesting idea. The Randall fighters/bowies/combat knives are very intriguing and cool but the old school steel options has held me back. Maybe you could test out the real thing before going down the homage rote? There are dealers out there that have immediate availability at catalog (direct from Randall) prices.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I've noticed though all your pictures you've posted that you have slowed the carry of "tactical folders" and have leaned toward more traditionals.

I was literally opening and closing my GEC right as I opened this thread. Traditionals work more than what they're appreciated for.
 
I've noticed your fixed blade knives leaning more toward the 14 style lately. I used to have a 14 years back I took hunting with me and while it was a little long for what I was going to use it for it still worked. The thing I did like about the 14 was it was very lively in the hand compared to other knives of its size. Yeah I wish I would have kept it, especially at the out the door price of three fifty back then.
 
Charlie Mike said:
There was a time when my grail folder was a bead blast tanto D/A Socom, grail fixed was a Strider BT. At one time, I owned every production Emerson and MT OTF. In this last year, I've carried a large tactical folder maybe less than 30 days.

My "POU" has shifted to thin slipjoint folders and large fixed fighters. Furthermore, I've noticed that each fixed blade I buy is more "traditional" than the last.

I'm now playing with the idea of having a 7.5" Randall 14 homage built in a "super" steel.
Click to expand...



This may help regarding grind depth, done to exacting proportions of original blade:

2lm9qj6.jpg


Me... I would go for the real deal, they do such a good job on their knives that I couldn't justify getting it customized for myself. I only did the templates for myself so as to have them for comparisons with other blades etc.

Their tool steel would be right up your alley in terms of hard use. Sure you could go higher grade, but would it make that much difference? It's not a chopper to justify the extra toughness and wear I don't think. They're selling 1960s and 1950s Models on ebay now and then that look as though they are a couple or a few years old (and some of the profiles on those are sensational, even better than today's on some of the Model 1s). The steel they had then is not as good as the stuff they're made of now. Production methods of steel have gone through the roof since those days, yet there they are, still looking as spick as the day they were made.

Up to you in the end, and letting Josh from REK loose on an original would make it exceptional.

Further, I've seen many other copies from numerous good makers and companies, BUT NONE have the "MAGIC" of the originals. None of them force the eye to focus upon them with that certain "Randall glee" one gets when looking at the originals.
 
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Charlie Mike said:
There was a time when my grail folder was a bead blast tanto D/A Socom, grail fixed was a Strider BT. At one time, I owned every production Emerson and MT OTF. In this last year, I've carried a large tactical folder maybe less than 30 days.

My "POU" has shifted to thin slipjoint folders and large fixed fighters. Furthermore, I've noticed that each fixed blade I buy is more "traditional" than the last.

I'm now playing with the idea of having a 7.5" Randall 14 homage built in a "super" steel.
Click to expand...
So funny,, over on the Carothers forum yesterday I said I basically want a Model 1 with his Delta 3V,, the model 14 would be a killer option as well.
 
rcb2000 said:
So funny,, over on the Carothers forum yesterday I said I basically want a Model 1 with his Delta 3V,, the model 14 would be a killer option as well.
Click to expand...

I'd be in for that.
 
Such beauty...




Good morning y'all!
 
A very good move, Matt.
And, you will go with a traditional folder too?
rolf
 
I really have gotten the bug for a 7 to 8 inch fighter that I don't have to be afraid about actually using hard. I know without a doubt your TG LB could take a crazy beating, but I'm interested in the more traditional looking fighters.
It has nothing to do with me planning on actually using the knife for its intended purpose, rather I just really love the aesthetics and the look of the traditional ones, and would like to know that I could take it into the woods like any other of my knives.
I may just pick up a Blackjack 1 or 14 for now, if something happened I would only be out a couple hundred bucks rather than 500/600.

I can totally understand why someone would say "what are you doing in the woods that could damage a Randall". The answer is absolutely nothing, but one of the reasons I buy Busse's is that I know no matter what happens I can always rely on their lifetime unconditional warranty, it makes it a lot easier to drop five or $600 on a knife when you know you have nothing to worry about.
 
Im drifting traditonal myself lately. I like my modern blades too but ive been craving something with more class. I just ordered a texas toothpick in chestnut bone. Im feeling its my first of many.
 
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