I've converted......

S

street soldier

Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
784
Hello. For the most part I've been carrying what I guess you could classify as a modern folder for the better part of 20 years. Spyderco, Buck, Benchmade, Emerson....they've all seen there way into my EDC rotation. They are what brought me to Bladeforums, and I spent most of my time perusing General Discussion, Reviews, Tactical and Practical, and the Manufacturers Section.

A couple of days ago I stumbled onto the Traditional Knives Section. Don't know why, just found my way in here. Got to looking at some of the posts, including all 86 pages of "What Traditional blade are you carrying today....?", and I became hooked.

I remember having a Case brand pocketknife as a kid. Got it when I was around 8 or 9 from my father on a camping trip down to Florida. Spent a lot of time with that thing carving sticks and such.

I decided it was time to make my own memories with my 3 boys, and yesterday took them to Bass Pro Shops and surprised them with their first knife each. Picked up a Buck Trapper for the oldest, a Buck Stockman for the middle one, and the youngest wanted a Boker Stockman. Of course, Dad needed something, so I went with a smaller Buck Stockman and Buck Trapper.

The kids are looking forward to whittling and carving with their new knives, and I'm looking forward to teaching them how to do it and about knife safety in general. I'm also going to be replacing my usual EDC's with the Trapper and Stockman, and I plan on using them often.

Anways, thanks for listening to me ramble. I look forward to learning a lot about traditional style slipjoints and such from this place.
 
That's a great story and a great day for you and your lads.....
I am sure that they will cherish the memory of that day that you introduced them to their first pocket knives.

Hopefully one day in the years to come you will be able to repeat the experience with your grandkids........

No matter how many custom knives or high tech folders I have it's memories like this which binds me so tightly to that battered worn little stockman in my pocket......

Welcome to the traditional forum....great to have you here:thumbup::)
 
if possible, start hitting the flea mkts and pawn shops. you can find great deals on lots of knives. them GRANDSONS are gonna need knives too!!!:D
 
It's like going to Grandmas' on Christmas Day isn't it... Just feels like home :thumbup:
 
street soldier said:
A couple of days ago I stumbled onto the Traditional Knives Section. Don't know why, just found my way in here.
Click to expand...


"If we go thru life with minds and eyes open,

We will see meaning in the common place,

And we will come to realize that nothing is by chance."


Welcome to traditonal.
 
Welcome, "street soldier". Looks like you found the "right" place.
 
Well done:thumbup:! I like and greatly appriciate my Spydercos, Benchmades etc., but only traditional slipjoints give that warm fuzzy feeling. It's the same feeling I get when I pull the hammer back on one of my old SA sixguns!
 
sidecutter said:
if possible, start hitting the flea mkts and pawn shops. you can find great deals on lots of knives. them GRANDSONS are gonna need knives too!!!:D
Click to expand...

Easy there....my oldest is only 12. Not looking to rush the grandkid thing.;)

Thanks all for the welcome. Seems like a very friendly place.

Sidecutter: I will be looking at flea markets and such to see what I can pick up there. I'm also gonna speak to my folks about keeping an eye out for me as well. Since they are both retired, they travel quite a bit and seem to enjoy going to a lot of auctions during the summer months. Hopefully they'll be able to stumble across some 'diamonds in the rough' for me.

As far as name brands go, are there certain brands that are better than others? I know Case and Buck make quality knives, but what other brands should I be keeping an eye out for?

Thanks.
 
Welcome SS .....

As far as brands other than Case, the earlier(pre-overseas) Schrades are a great knife, Camillus made some good knives, Queen makes some nice ones(some are D2 steel), a lot of folks here seem happy with the G.E.C knives..

There are even some overseas knives that people seem fairly happy with that are very reasonably priced, like the Rough Riders. There is a big thread here regarding the RR's.

Give us an update in 6 months and let us know how out of control your collection is :D
 
street soldier said:
.. As far as name brands go, are there certain brands that are better than others? I know Case and Buck make quality knives, but what other brands should I be keeping an eye out for?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Diamonds in the rough, a great term.. :D And, one I use to describe what I am lucky enough to find every so often.

In my opinion one can discover some real gems out there if one is determined to look and be patient. There are a lot of quality vintage slipjoint knives that were produced by fine cutlers in the USA, GERMANY, and ENGLAND in great condition in many places still yet undiscovered as well as the secondary market just waiting for you to liberate them. :)

The best part is you can often times find these little beauties for quite meager sums of money. As in $20-$30 American, in some cases. Which, in my opinion is much more desirable than purchasing the 'off shore' mass produced pocket knives for roughly the same money.. Take a look at the sticky thread "Old Knives" here at the top of the page in this forum to get an idea of some wonderful examples. Happy Hunting in any event!


Anthony
 
Schatt and Morgan, Fight'n Rooster, Bulldog, and Robeson are some other good ones to find. I enjoy these. Oh, don't even start looking for them on ebay. Unless of course you want to bid against me.....;) Even if you do not buy any, it is good research to see what the market bares for certain models, makes and patterns. Enjoy. I have 4 boys. 3 11 yr. olds, and one 8 (blended family), but I need to wait for another couple of years, my heart says they are not ready. What is really cool is that they go to a private school, and the 6-8 grade teacher is also a certified knife nut. The kids bought him an Italian Falcon lockback in buffalo horn for Christmas. It was a real neat knife. It made my heart glad that my kids could bring a knife to school (to give the teacher of course).
 
Welcome aboard, you will find out that slipjpoints have a certain "something" that no tactical or modern folder can duplicate.
 
Thanks for the recommendation on brands to keep an eye out for.

My kids were using their new knives today, whittling away on some sticks that I had previously cleaned and stored away to season. The littlest one was doing his best to keep up with his two older brothers and carving the top layer off the stick.

Of course, he decided not to listen to dear old dad about keeping the stick and knife out away from his body. He cuts a piece off the stick, and the follow through with the blade nicks his left thigh. I've done worse shaving, but you would've thought he amputated his leg.

After the requisite TLC, I asked him what he learned from this, and he told me "Keep the wood and knife away from my body."

Lesson learned at the expense of a couple drops of blood and his first of what I'm sure will be many 'war wounds'.
 
Hi Street Soldier
This is a great group of guys and you are always welcome here. Have fun.
 
that's a nice story.

im new to the "traditionals" myself.

started with a buck 110 from cabelas using a gift card.

then in the last two weeks ive bought two alsdorfs and a johnson sodbuster.


i blame suz (tkc)!!! ;)
 
street soldier said:
Thanks for the recommendation on brands to keep an eye out for.

My kids were using their new knives today, whittling away on some sticks that I had previously cleaned and stored away to season. The littlest one was doing his best to keep up with his two older brothers and carving the top layer off the stick.

Of course, he decided not to listen to dear old dad about keeping the stick and knife out away from his body. He cuts a piece off the stick, and the follow through with the blade nicks his left thigh. I've done worse shaving, but you would've thought he amputated his leg.

After the requisite TLC, I asked him what he learned from this, and he told me "Keep the wood and knife away from my body."

Lesson learned at the expense of a couple drops of blood and his first of what I'm sure will be many 'war wounds'.
Click to expand...

Great lesson learned to be sure for the little tyke! I am pleased that it was just a nick though and he is OK, but I recon we all got to do it from time to time just to remind us of the respect the sharp steel demands from us.

SS,

Just a little trick I learned from a kind old seasoned Sunday school teacher/Scoutmaster friend of mine many moons ago regarding the teaching of young first timers the Art of Whittling:

Rather than fuzz sticks or chunks / blocks of wood, instead he'd have the young'ns use a bar of soap. Soap is of coarse softer than wood and is easy for a child to carve just about anything out of. This way the children build up they're confidence quickly and master the technique of handling the slipjoint knife rapidly, and graduate to wood lickety split.. I did this with my kids some years back(son is 13 & daughter is 12) when I gave them they're first knives. We all carved little animals out of bars of Ivory Soap first and then whittled walking sticks directly afterword. It worked like a charm!. :thumbup:


Anthony
 
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