How Tastes Evolve

I started with slip joints as a kid. Evolved to a mix of moderns and slip joints. I still love my SAKs. Currently I have pretty much settled on a general size that I prefer (3-3.25" bladed folders) and have been trying smaller knives and have discovered that I can get along just fine with smaller knives. So, I carry and buy a mix of knives.

The reason I wanted a hand filling grip was for power cutting if necessary. But I find that this kind of cutting is in fact rare for me. Added: When the need develops, it is primarily in the woods or on a hike and I usually have a fixed blade knife of some sort with me.
 
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I still have a soft spot in my my heart for SAK's too. I loved 'em as a kid, and I still do now. Thank you for reminding me of that. :)
 
It's hard to beat a SAK. I would prefer a bit better steel, but they are easy to sharpen. They are not geared toward self defense. We all have our preferences and I am not going to condemn anyone who prefers a larger knife. Tastes change and mine certainly have. I pretty much compare all new folder purchases to a Spydie Delica even though I seldom carry the Delica any more. I like the Native more and the little Kiwi 4 is very useful. I never took to pocket clips, although I have quite a few knives with pocket clips. For me, they are always rubbing the edge of my car seat (right front pocket carry) and it is just a matter of time before I rip a hole. They work for back pocket carry real well keeping the knife vertical, but I don't like sitting on a knife. I just have to remember to pull the knife out before sitting down, especially in the car.
 
I've run the gamut on knives (outside of full on customs $$$$). When I got into knives and money was tight, I went with what looked cool. Then I got into finding things that were more useful, yet still budget friendly (Delica, Mini-grips, SAK). When I was able to afford better knives, I would try all the ones everyone recommended (Military/PM2/710). As I was able to afford even nicer knives I moved to mid-techs. Once that wore off I got into traditional knives and away from tactical knives. Now I just look for designs that I like and materials I like. I don't look at price but sometimes that does keep me from a knife. There are some great value knives out there, and I do keep them in my rotation. But I also like pride of ownership of a great looking piece. Function always trumps form, to a degree. I pick up a fixed blade every once in a while, but I got into knife making a few years back as a hobby, not a business. So when I want something new in the way of a fixed blade, I'll usually try to make it myself.
 
I was 14 or 15 when the thumb stud/ clip evolution came about. Went through spyderco, benchmade, microtech era. Was in a position to afford a sebenza in 2007, got a small regular. Twenty something sebenzas later I am now carrying mostly gec products. I may be into Chinese butterfly knives when I'm 50, I try not to limit myself. Love the hobby
 
I used to think that Barlow's were ugly, but now I don't and just received one that is sure to become my new favorite user.

Other than that I still don't like the whole super fast and super tactical knives with so called super steels, and will never buy those types of knives.
Because I feel that beyond basic quality and function everything past that is in the eye of the beholder.( they will do all basic edc work the same )
 
willard0341 said:
I was 14 or 15 when the thumb stud/ clip evolution came about. Went through spyderco, benchmade, microtech era. Was in a position to afford a sebenza in 2007, got a small regular. Twenty something sebenzas later I am now carrying mostly gec products. I may be into Chinese butterfly knives when I'm 50, I try not to limit myself. Love the hobby
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Did the thumb stud thing and generally have moved past that. But I did recently purchase a little Dozier Folding Hunter to replace one I gave away. Haven't used it yet.

I still have not allowed myself to buy a Sebenza although I have handled them numerous times. It is both a price thing and metal scale thing for me. I found it interesting that you moved to GEC traditionals. I just got a Hen & Rooster small stockman (3.3" closed) with deer stag handles and I'm really liking it. I have around 10-15 GEC traditionals, maybe a few more. I especially like the #42 and Northwoods Madison Barlows. So, yeah, I like the bigger ones the best which in part why I am trying out the H&R stockman to see if it is "enough knife" for me. So far, yes; but I miss my 111mm SAK. I like to try new stuff out, but it is hard to change preferences. That takes some time.

I have quite a few fixed blades, but seldom ever carry one regardless of the size unless I am out wandering the woods. That has not kept me from buying another one. This year, I have purchased two fixed blades to date and neither has cut anything other than paper.
 
I feel like I've come full circle. I started out with my first serious folder which was a Spyderco Endura 4. I loved it. But the evolution began. Couple years later I had the honor of being gifted a CRK Umnumzaan. An amazing knife I'll never get rid of. But higher end knives were what I lusted for and I got a Spartan Blades Akribis. Again, a wonderful knife I'll probably never get rid of. There were a lot of other folders in between there that have since come and gone. Then I started getting into fixed blades recently. I have a Street Beat that isn't going anywhere any time soon. But a few days ago I put the Endura back in my pocket. She's like an ex. And just hear me out, now and I know this is a "family friendly forum" but she's like a slutty ex. At this point, she's just used and abused and she takes it... Please know I'm still talking about the knife. And that's how I've come full circle. Can't get rid of that Endura.
 
Gaston444 said:
I moved away from fixed blades in the early 90s when I found I could not get big stainless blades really sharp on either stones or the early (way too fine) DMT diamond hones, and most big blades were stainless and saber ground back then.

Folders were simply much sharper, particularly the fully serrated ones, and that alone probably counted more than ease of carry in my shift away from big "survival style" fixed blades... I have always despised dull knives, and I could not get big stainless knives sharp, it was that simple... A Randall Model 12 would have solved my issue, but it was out of my price range back then...

And for 15 years (1997-2013) I owned nothing other than a Spyderco Civilian (A CRKT Apache making a lasting good impression until it partially oppened in my pocket, because of the dual thumb stud, despite being tip down, and poked through my pocket, injuring me badly: That was pretty much the end of liner locks for me).

Today very aggressive, very coarse Dia-Sharp diamond hones are easily available (the old DMT ones I could find 30 years ago were always much too fine, and wore away their limited coarseness almost instantly).

Because of the much more aggressive Dia-Sharp hones, easily found online now, I can make very sharp low-sabre grind stainless knives that used to defeat me completely in the 80s... I just easily succeeded on a Gerber BMF for instance...

But strangely enough, just when they became useable, big 9-10" stainless survival knives also became far less common, and have mostly been replaced by ugly utilitarian blades made of inferior Carbon steel, just as Carbon is no longer needed... Esee Junglas, Ontario SPs or Rtack IIs, Busse etc... Endless reams of the same thing over and over... Only the convexed Cold Steel Trailmaster has remained from the old days, and even that is not as thin-edged as it used to be...

So it is back now to buying roughly the very same big stainless knives I wanted 25 years ago, before my folder period, (but now custom models I could only dream about back then, like Liles) and only finding them in mint condition in the collector's, or, more often, the high-end custom aisles...

Gaston
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You might have tried a silicon carbide stone way back then. Of course I sucked at sharpening 25 years ago, also.

Now you could start learning about blade steels.
 
Kwon Kwang said:
I used to consider strength a knife's most important characteristic until I understood my needs better. Opening speed also used to be important to me. Nowadays I like my knives to offer the user a little more finesse and cutting performance; I'm really not into the sharpened prybar thing. I'm also not obsessed with modern materials like I used to be.

Nowadays I'm most concerned with ergonomics, ease of maintenence, and how well a knife cuts. My ideal knife nowadays has a thin tip, a comfortable handle, a FFG blade and steel I can sharpen.
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I could have almost written this... But for a couple points. I like the high carbide steels, because I don't mind sharpening and diamond stones sharpen them fine, but I don't like it when a knife dulls after a few cuts and I'm out for the day ot wo camping or cutting boxes at work. I don't want a knife that needs a sharpen mid way through my day.

I now have some custom fixed blades and a couple customized super steel production folders. They are all thin grinds at the edge especially and not one is under Rc 60. Most are Rc 62 or higher. Can I chop steel or pry doors open? nope... But they cut like butter through most things. Cardboard, boxes all day without any effort, plastic poly bags with free hanging slices, whittling handles on walking sticks, making feather sticks and shavings for fire. All easy and no issue,

Yes they do dull, but slowly, so I can go all week with my EDC or camp for a 2-3 days without having to sharpen anything or feel like my knife is dull. I have a BIG Chris SAR 6" in 3v that has been batoning wood and making shavings for several weeks of camping trips and still slices paper. no problem.
 
I think I'm finally "over" waved folders.
 
My tastes seems to remain the same over the years because I tend to revisit or rekindle interest in the same blade forms again and again. I do buy different styles as to whatever strikes my fancy and yet old favorite styles still spark. I can't say there would be evolution in my collecting.
 
My tastes have evolved Big Time! I'm 40 now, and I've loved knives my whole life, but it wasn't until the past 7 years or so that I got more serious, became a student of the genre, etc. When I got serious about knives & wanting to collect them, I started with the fads, because they had the biggest advertising presence. I was into tactical folders! I then moved through various types of folders pretty quickly and realized I preferred fixed blades. I started with a mixture of tactical-ish & crafting of bushes types of knives...then quickly found my own personal style in custom fixed, mostly from the Exchanges here on BF, & that's where I happily live now. I dig elegant, timeless designs - full tangs...mostly variations of the drop point blade shape, with great steels & handles with simple shapes that can be griped well in every way, with nice woods or micartas for the scales. I've moved away from stuff like jimping & thumb ramps & choils, Kydex sheaths, production & mid-techs; and moved towards stuff like tapered tangs, liners/pinstripes, asymmetrical pinouts, mild palm-swells, only custom makers who employ flawless fit & finish as their trademarks, and it's leather sheaths all the way for me now.

It's been an interesting journey, part of me wishes I could have just jumped into my current lot from the start, but maybe it's best to go thru an evolution & find your own way??
 
I am not sure I would say my tastes have changed. I would say my taste has become more refined. After years of use and owning many different folding knives I have come to learn what is important in a good folder, at least to me. Overall, I would say simplicity, quality, reliability and most certainly ease of maintenance are crucial. I like a steel that holds a good edge without becoming a chore to sharpen. I like a grind that promotes easy cutting in a variety of different situations while also lending to easy sharpening. I like open handle design for ease of cleaning. And also very important are the locking mechanism and the clip. The clip must slide into the pocket with ease but also have enough retention to not fall out. The lock must be secure but also long lasting. I do not want a lock that wears quickly. I have ended up with a benchmade 940-1, a native5, and a victorinox pioneer
 
My taste has changed quite a lot since I have been exposed to the modern folder world, when I purchased my first Spyderco, and more dramatically after I joined this forum. I don’t know which I should blame the most:)

I think I know my taste better now that I prefer a lightweight Ti framelock slicer. For it, I should thank people posting here for education:thumbup:


80s
Fixed blades (Buck and Gerber) ——>

90s
Small folders (Moki) ——>

2000s
Tool knives (Leatherman) ——>

2010s
Small folders again ——> Spyderco Vallotton ——> Spyderco Stretch ——>

Joined the forum
Manix2 LW ——> ZT0770CF ——> Southard Tolk ——> Umnumzaan ——>

Current
Boker Exskelibur ——> Burger LEXK???



Miso
 
I remember when I first started reading knife magazines and seeing the TOPS knives and "black Ops" knives of the time "designed by (insert random spec ops ninja) with their green pictures of supposed special forces guys up to their chest in a swamp looking stoically off into the distance at the high ready and having every HARD-CORE saying splashed all over the page... and if they were good enough for the navy seals they were good enough for me, with all their glass breakers, wire cutters and other gadgets to get caught on stuff when you're wearing all your kit... I thought they were the ultimate. 20 years later, with 17 of that military split between infantry and sof, I now know that most military experts don't know the first thing about knives and have gone full circle. I like a simple drop or spear point blade that holds a decent edge but is easy to resharpen, with a sturdy comfortable handle and solid construction regardless of who makes it as long as it's got quality materials... no gadgets!
 
SAK as a kid -> nothing -> Buck 110 at work -> Gerber Bolt Action at work -> Leatherman PST at work -> nothing -> Kershaw and Boker folders + newer LM tools -> slip joints-> Alox SAKs -> ZT and Benchmade folders -> kitchen knives -> done.
 
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