How do old school folders measure up?

[hatchetjack]

I was thinking about this last night as I was giving my 2 Dot Buck 110 a cleanup...how do you think the "modern" folders compare in strength and durability? I mean there are now LAWKS and Axis locks when the 110 lockback is just that. I took out my Spyderco Endura and it just did not seem to have the robustness of the 110 or LB7's. I do like the light weight materials used now but do you think they have the longevity of the old venerable lockbacks of brass and ebony. My intention is not to bash one or the other but to see what you all think and yes, I understand there were fewer choices back in the day. Thanks.

 

[Bobwhite]

The lock back design is older than most people think and it is a very good lock when done right, like Buck 110's. It is sufficient for most tasks. The new designs are great, but I think the lockback will still be around years from now as well. Some of the newer designs are stronger and I welcome any new and innovative designs. It is good to have progress, but some of the old stuff still works fine.

 

[S2nd]

I have an Old Timer that my mom handed down to me. It's a solid knife, the lockup is tight, and the carbon steel blade holds an excellent edge, but it never sees EDC simply because I don't always have two hands to open the blade. As far as modern knives holding up, I think they'll do fine. I admit that feeling a lightweight synthetic handle makes a knife feel cheap, but I've yet to destroy a synthetic anything, be it knife scales, gun stock, or tool handle.

 

[Don Luis]

I used my old Buck 112 as a hammer more than once and it held up fine, those brass bolsters were strong, the 440C of those old blades was good too, IMHO much better than the new 420HC even with the modern heat treatment, sorry I haven't tried my Delica as a hammer, I do like the VG10 blade but in actual use I don't see that much difference compared to the 440C.

Luis

 

[t1mpani]

As a side note, I used to one-hand open 110s and 112s all the time back when they were my edc, just using the friction of my thumb on the exposed part of the closed blade. I can open most smaller slipjoint pocketknives like this too, though I often need help from my middle finger to "pinch" the top of a blade. A word of caution----you WILL cut yourself before you get proficient at this method. Stick to one-handing knives with holes and studs...it's been a change I've welcomed with open arms.

Like most things from any era (knives, guns, songs, movies, means of water filtration) there are lots of poor ones and a few good ones. A good knife from fifty years ago is still a good knife today. I don't edc a folding hunter anymore, but I did for years, and I don't think I'd cry a very deep river if that were my only option.

 

[hatchetjack]

Being that I was not even 20 years old when I bought my .110., and it was the current model then, I just started thinking "old school". I did put that 110 to harder use back then than I would a folder today probably because I didn't know any better then and we had no multi-tools. Don't get me wrong, I do have and use the latest and greatest but for some reason I still go looking for my own tried and true tools when I need something I can count on. Perhaps it's the track record I have with those particular tools. Heck, I still use a PAL MK1 Navy for a fixed blade. Now that's old! Hope to hear more thoughts...