How do you define a "traditional" fixed blade?

[popedandy]

There were a couple of comments in a separate thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1469966-In-need-of-a-woods-walks-knife that some of the suggestions were not "traditional" fixed blades. I am curious as to how folks would define a traditional fixed blade.

One of the knives that is always mentioned is a Mora. The design is traditional, but if you were to tell someone that you had a traditional knife with a plastic handle (and yes, I know that some Moras have a wooden handle. This is just for the sake of discussion), a stainless blade, do you think they would agree with you that it was traditional if they did not know it was a Mora?

Another knife that blurs the lines is the White River Sendero Bush Knife. The design is traditional and it comes with a leather sheath, but the blade is a modern steel and the handle is synthetic (G10). Even more confusing is the White River Backpacker/Caper. When I got my Backpacker it came with a leather sheath, so you had a cord-wrapped handle (not traditional), a modern steel blade, and a leather sheath (traditional).
The you turn that into the Caper and put wooden handles on it, but it now comes with a kydex sheath.

The small Beckers are just as much of a problem. The steel is 1095, so that is definitely traditional, but it is coated. You can cord-wrap the handles or you can put synthetic handles on them, and the sheath isn't leather. Are they non-traditional as they come? How about if you put wooden handles on them a put them in a leather sheath?

I would be interested in hearing other folks thoughts on this.

 

[greentrout]

It is definitely harder to define a "traditional" fixed blade then it is a pocket knife in my opinion. I will be interested to hear other opinions on the matter. I will mention though that traditional slipjoints have been made with plastic or other synthetic handles for a long time so I don't think that would be the line.

 

[Peregrin]

From the guidelines:

A bit more detail:
If a regular knife user of the mid 1960's would find nothing out of the ordinary about the design, then it's traditional.

That means large Buck 110-ish lockbacks are in.

SAKs date to the late 1800's. If they are not one hand opening, they are in. (See comments on materials of construction.)

Modern locking mechanisms such as Walker liner locks, pocket clips, holes / studs to allow one hand opening are all out. (Traditional liner locks, such as the lock on a TL29, are in.) Add a clip to a stockman, and it needs to be posted elsewhere. By the same token, if it is traditional except for a clip and you remove the clip, feel free to post it here.

We tend to have some tolerance when it comes to fixed blades. But, new designs with features such as glass breakers, are not included in this forum.

We give leeway on materials of construction. So if you have a nice stockman with G10 covers, it's traditional enough for us. After all, plastics have been used on knife handles since the 1800's. Stainless steel has been used in cutlery since the 1920's, so stainless is considered traditional. And even though PM alloys are new developments, that fella in the mid-1960's would never know the difference if he were looking at the knife, so they are OK, too.

I know they don't speak to every knife you'll run across. If you keep these points in mind and error on the side of caution, you'll be OK most of the time. Sometimes there will be gray areas and that's when it becomes a decision on the moderators part. You can also PM or email Frank or me if you want a reading on a particular knife before posting it.

When I post fixed blades that came with a Kydex sheath, but are otherwise traditional enough, I leave the sheath out of the images.

A discussion of what is considered a traditional fixed blade knife can easily turn into a discussion of non traditional fixed blade knives. Which doesn't belong in this forum. So let's see where this goes.

 

[W.M.B.]

I was wondering the same thing but didn't want to stir up a controversy. But to take the 1960s guideline leaves me wondering. Seriously, if I jumped in my way back machine with a Becker and king tuts dagger, and landed in Vermont in1964, I think the dagger would raise more eyebrows.

Sent from my N9519 using Tapatalk

 

[KBA]

For me, I keep it simple: however Frank and Gary (the mods) tell me too.
I own Esee and Kabar BK and enjoy them however they have been rejected in the past as traditional. If this has changed I am unaware

 

[Jack Black]

Definitely on the modern side, but this seems OK to me. However, give the same knife a bright yellow blade coating and an orange handle, and I'd say definitely not :thumbup:

For me, I keep it simple: however Frank and Gary (the mods) tell me too.

Yeah, I'm OK with that too! :thumbup:

 

[popedandy]

From the guidelines:


I know they don't speak to every knife you'll run across. If you keep these points in mind and error on the side of caution, you'll be OK most of the time. Sometimes there will be gray areas and that's when it becomes a decision on the moderators part. You can also PM or email Frank or me if you want a reading on a particular knife before posting it.

When I post fixed blades that came with a Kydex sheath, but are otherwise traditional enough, I leave the sheath out of the images.

A discussion of what is considered a traditional fixed blade knife can easily turn into a discussion of non traditional fixed blade knives. Which doesn't belong in this forum. So let's see where this goes.

Since my question would have been easily answered if I had read the guidelines, I'm going to close the thread. Thanks, Peregrin!