how tough are slip-joints?

I have a large Boker soddie and it has been more than capable of performing any normal cutting task I have thrown at it. The carbon steel sharpens up easily and holds a decent edge. It does have a slight gap around the pivot pin on one side, but it is only a cosmetic issue.
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Eye Brand makes a sodbuster with a saw and carbon blades.
 
Planterz said:
Slipjoints aren't tough at all. Every slipjoint I've ever owned has failed a spine-whack test.:thumbdn:
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Hi,

Obviously you didn't test a GEC.

All the new Schrades I've seen are a bit hit or miss for fit and finish. Some can be quite well made while others less so. I personally, would prefer not to buy them sight unseen. And I was under the impression that the new Schrade's were all 440A stainless. Are they now offering plain high carbon?

What kind of money are you considering spending? Slip-joint prices aren't like modern folders. Pretty hard to spend over $100 without getting into things like exotic scale materials like Stag or such.

dalee
 
I really wish there were more single blade traditional pattern slipjoints made with modern materials and quality control.

Also i have serious doubts about the durability of straight, non-flared handle and pivot pins, like most slipjoint manufacturers use from what i have gathered.
 
Planterz said:
Slipjoints aren't tough at all. Every slipjoint I've ever owned has failed a spine-whack test.:thumbdn:
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I'm gonna go out on a lim and say you just felt like making a smartass remark about slipjoints.

When spinewacking became the thing to around here, slipjoint were often used in sentences like "This thing fails a moderate spinewack like a slipjoint".

And this makes sense if you think about it, but it just does not work like that in the real world.

Ever slipjoint I own, I have spinewacked just to see if this was true.
Non of them have snapped closed, most of the time they snap open right away after the wack occurs.
Some of the time, they fold in a light angel (Like 30 % closed).
But non have ever closed, like a locking folder does when you spinewack it and it fails.

So come now, be honest with us, you never did spinewack any slipjoints, did you ? ;)
 
Planterz said:
Slipjoints aren't tough at all. Every slipjoint I've ever owned has failed a spine-whack test.:thumbdn:
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Then don't whack the spine. That's not what they are made for. Just as you wouldn't do intricate carving with a hatchet.

engle's-wilder said:
sheesh, that Eye combo is steep!!... um, anything that won't break the bank?
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Case Soddy in carbon is your best pick IMO. Rock solid.


engle's-wilder said:
ok, what about this? ... made in china ... any experience with it, if not I'll bag it.

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=SCH97OT
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Go on Ebay and find an older, American-made knife in the same pattern. Quality and materials are better and you can get a used one for a great price.

Vicarious Reality said:
I really wish there were more single blade traditional pattern slipjoints made with modern materials and quality control.

Also i have serious doubts about the durability of straight, non-flared handle and pivot pins, like most slipjoint manufacturers use from what i have gathered.
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This is just a silly statement. For cutting tasks I will take a slippy over any modern frame lock with cool carbon handles. Most good manufacturers offer their knives with synthetic handle materials, quality stainless, and more patterns than you can shake a stick at. Come over to the Traditional Forum and have a gander if you like. You will see knives over a century old that still get used on a daily basis....and yep....they were all slippies.
 
Mind you that these are all production folders and want to keep customs out of the mix....but these are all old slipjoints that shill get the sh@t beat out of them on a daily basis...and they only get better with age...

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Here's your Soddies
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CottonSampler.jpg


yellowsoddie10dot.jpg


And this one just for fun...the toughest and prettiest of the bunch
DSC00836.jpg


And finally...the toughest SOB I own...80 years old and its still my tough use go to knife
DSC00249-1.jpg
 
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Alright, so Sod's and Slippies in general take a beating and keep on dealing, but how is a sodbuster in the pocket? a little thick, does it feel like a swiss army knife in the pocket?
Also, is the Case Chrome Vandium a Carbon blade or not? Is Chrome Vandium a Medium Carbon steel?
 
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A slipjoint is, like most knives, mainly a cutting tool and it does that job very well. Most slipjoints can't do the heavy tasks that heavy duty folder can, but they weren't meant to perform such tasks. Just like a good fixed blade knife probably can perform tasks that even a heavy duty folder isn't suitable for.

My father and grandfather have used German made Friedrich Herder slipjoints for decades and my father still uses his one. I too own one, that one is over 15 years old now. If you respect their limits and use and maintain them well, good quality slipjoints can serve you a lifetime.
 
Harayasu said:
Most slipjoints can't do the heavy tasks that heavy duty folder can, but they weren't meant to perform such tasks.
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I sometimes wonder what tasks people use their folding knives for... You have a sharp edge..wich you use to cut stuff with..and a dull side that you use for...for what really?
 
Vicarious Reality said:
I guess he is referring to beating on the spine, prying, stabbing things and so forth.
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Yes, that's what I was referring too. Some people want to use their folding knives for chopping and batoning. I've never used my folding knives for such tasks, but I can imagine other people want to. No problem, but don't complain if the knife fails. Man invented axes and other cutting tools for heavy duty cutting. Just my opinion of course.
 
knives and folders are meant to cut, slipjoints are folding knives and are meant to cut
and they do it great!

I've used SAKS and slippies for a while, I think that my GEC can handle the sane things that my UKPK or delica handle

Maxx
 
yeah, the knife I get will never be batonned or used as a crowbar, but it may get some carving, food processing, and light camp chores done at the most. If you all think SAK's are good and sturdy if I don't pry with it then I guess I have only one more question...

how's the steel? I really wish there was just a quality carbon knife with a saw right next to it, but if ya'll think the Vitorinox steel is OK for carving (w/o me having to resharpen every 50 cuts), then I think I'll take it.

Thanks all for your input, it's very helpful!!!
 
I have a carbon steel Opinel that I use for wood carving. I carved a large wood spirit out of crabapple and it is not a bit loose.

Slip joints work just fine for most cutting jobs - you just have to pay a little more attention to technique.
 
engle's-wilder said:
yeah, the knife I get will never be batonned or used as a crowbar, but it may get some carving, food processing, and light camp chores done at the most. If you all think SAK's are good and sturdy if I don't pry with it then I guess I have only one more question...

how's the steel? I really wish there was just a quality carbon knife with a saw right next to it, but if ya'll think the Vitorinox steel is OK for carving (w/o me having to resharpen every 50 cuts), then I think I'll take it.

Thanks all for your input, it's very helpful!!!
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A sak is the one knife I've been carrying for about 40 years now, the other one being a Buck 301 stockman I bought at an army PX in 1967. Both are still in the edc rotation. The Buck anbd sak were carried daily from the 60's to about the mid 90's when my knife addiction kicked in and I had more knives in rotation. But a few years ago I did a big downsizing of my possesions, and the Buck and original sak were put back into the edc mode.

Both have stood up to very extended use while I was in the army engineers, and civilian life after. Backpacking, canoe camping, motorcycle touring, fishing, and teaching my kids and now grandkids the outdoors. Both the Buck stockman and old sak are still going strong, if a bit worn looking.

A real Victorinox or Wenger brand Swiss army knife is a very durable tool, and will stand up to a very long life of being used, but not abused. Plus Victorinox has the best customer service and warrantee; if it ever breaks, just send it back to their Shelton Conn. facility and they will replace it. No time limit or if's and but's. Same thing for Buck. I don't know if they still do, but Victorinox had a service that for a small fee of something like 5 dollars, they would replace a worn down blade.

If you try a real Victorinox product, I don't think you will be unhappy with the performance. It may not have the lastest snob appeal super steel, but if it goes dull on you out in the middle of nowhere, it can be stropped back to sharpness on a wide variety of materials, like the leather of a boot top, bottom of a coffee mug, top edge of a car window, smooth river stone, in a few minutes time.

A sak or slip joint pocket knife will do most anything you need to do in the real world.

Carl.
 
Slipjoints are remnants of a bygone era, in my view. Years ago, as a Boy Scout, I was cutting wood and the blade got stuck in the wood. As I sought to retract it, the slipjoint failed and the blade came back on three of my fingers. I got a nasty cut and bled like a pig, but I wasn't seriously injured. Still, many of my friends regaled me with similar horror stories. Slipjoints don't have locks and their springs are often stiff and the knives are given to failure.

After my accident, I just gave up knives. Two friends gave me Swiss Army Knives, ver nice, and they went into a drawer. Then one day I was in a Dollar Store, and I saw a small Chinese knife with a liner lock. I bought it, and from then on I was hooked on locking knives. I still despise slipjoint knives because I see no reason for them. There are some older knives that are worthwhile because of their beauty and craftsmanship, but manufacturing modern, functioning slipjoint knives to me are like making bows and arrows in a day of semi-automatic weapons!

Just my view.
 
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