Knives of our age

T

Theeonee

Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
15
My Grandpa told me that his dad died with a folding knife in his pocket (prolly the way I'll go too). He didnt know who made it but it was a classic old timer knife by how he described it. I used to carry a Buck Solo because that's what I thought I should because it was classic. My dad carries an old Swiss Army with him most days. So one day I swapped the Solo for a Swiss Army Classic. But I've recently come to the realization that those were the knives of their ages, and not mine. And that I should carry what I want even if it isn't "classic". Because one day my kids will be carrying the most newfangled thing and I'll still carry some, "tactical", Paracord wrapped, Black Oxide coated folder. Anyone else see themselves in their grandpas shoes?
 
Yes.

I grew up in the 1940's and 50's, and to this day I like the old style slip joint pocket knives. I tried, but just can't take to the modern one handed knife. Just can't see carrying a knife with one single blade, and ( to me) no style. The knife of my age, when I grew up, was usually a smallish two blade jack of some sort, ( cigar, serpentine, tear drop,) with a clip or spear point main blade, with a pen blade tucked in there someplace. Handles were usually jigged bone or stag, wood of some sort, or pearl if it's a dressy knife for Sunday go-to-meeting wear. Even most of the scout knives in that day, had jigged bone of some sort. Plastics were just starting to appear in stuff, and it was looked down on as "cheap".

Times change, and materials get better, but all too often we're products of our environment, and I'm no exception. I look at the new stuff, guns, knives, cars, and I can't cotton to it. Intellectually I know the new stuff is more rugged, weather proof, and stronger, but I stick to the stuff I grew up with. Bone handled knives, blued guns with real walnut stocks, and a aging pickup that does not have a lot of electric stuff and still has roll up windows. But then, I didn't really like the 20th century when I was living in it, let alone the 21st one.:D

I guess I'm a product of my age.

Carl.
 
jackknife said:
Yes.

I grew up in the 1940's and 50's, and to this day I like the old style slip joint pocket knives. I tried, but just can't take to the modern one handed knife. Just can't see carrying a knife with one single blade, and ( to me) no style. The knife of my age, when I grew up, was usually a smallish two blade jack of some sort, ( cigar, serpentine, tear drop,) with a clip or spear point main blade, with a pen blade tucked in there someplace. Handles were usually jigged bone or stag, wood of some sort, or pearl if it's a dressy knife for Sunday go-to-meeting wear. Even most of the scout knives in that day, had jigged bone of some sort. Plastics were just starting to appear in stuff, and it was looked down on as "cheap".

Times change, and materials get better, but all too often we're products of our environment, and I'm no exception. I look at the new stuff, guns, knives, cars, and I can't cotton to it. Intellectually I know the new stuff is more rugged, weather proof, and stronger, but I stick to the stuff I grew up with. Bone handled knives, blued guns with real walnut stocks, and a aging pickup that does not have a lot of electric stuff and still has roll up windows. But then, I didn't really like the 20th century when I was living in it, let alone the 21st one.:D

I guess I'm a product of my age.

Carl.
Click to expand...

idk, i'm 21 and i guess i've got a flair for vintage. my favorite vehicle i've over owned was my 74 [see avatar], i currently drive a manual pick up with power to nothing but the wheels. manual locks, windows, t case, the works. ha. whats my excuse??? :confused:
 
I like the new stuff for really hard use but the old slippies too, like my granddad and great uncles and uncles used and carried! I don't look to change my mind but for now anyway I like both!
 
my first knife was SAK and it was the thing to have back when I was aboy scout. When I got to be a teen I switched to a big locking Buck knockoff then eventually to butterfly knives. I find now that I have gotten older I have moved back to the SAK, and that is what I have bought my daughter for her knives. First a classic, and just yesterday ordered her a engraved super tinker.
 
Theeonee said:
My Grandpa told me that his dad died with a folding knife in his pocket (prolly the way I'll go too). He didnt know who made it but it was a classic old timer knife by how he described it. I used to carry a Buck Solo because that's what I thought I should because it was classic. My dad carries an old Swiss Army with him most days. So one day I swapped the Solo for a Swiss Army Classic. But I've recently come to the realization that those were the knives of their ages, and not mine. And that I should carry what I want even if it isn't "classic". Because one day my kids will be carrying the most newfangled thing and I'll still carry some, "tactical", Paracord wrapped, Black Oxide coated folder. Anyone else see themselves in their grandpas shoes?
Click to expand...

Honestly...I'll never carry a "...some, "tactical", Paracord wrapped, Black Oxide coated folder." Not becuase I'm trapped in the past...but because a natural handled, uncoated slipjoint is comfortable to hold and actually cuts things.

To me, it's silly to give up function for the style of the day. Not that there aren't functional knives made currently...there are tons of them.

And, also, your "..."tactical", Paracord wrapped, Black Oxide coated folder" is gonna look like a mint green polyester leisure suit one day. A Case stockman or Vic SAK wont. Bank on it.
 
I like traditional pocket knives and modern full tang fixed blades, ala Bark River. Right now I have a Case Canoe, Bark River PSK and TUSK on me. Why, that's what I like. The Case is perfect for the pocket, in public, and for most cutting tasks. The fixed blades are for harder use, and just in case.
Not all that is new is better, sometimes it can be. Classics stay classics because they transcend their time of design. The tactical stuff has never been my cup of tea, I like weapons, but they don't all have to be "tactical" in their design.
 
I now carry a Ontario Rat 1 and a Buck Hartsook as my edc. But what really made me think of this was when I saw a Buck 110 with a thumb stud mod. I didn't really know how to feel about it. After a while I thought of it as a modern addition to a classic design, but I can see how some people would think it was an abomination.
 
I like all types of knives, but will probably die with a slipjoint in my pocket (better yet my hand using it to cut something.)

I enjoy those old patterns and for the tasks I find myself doing most of the time a thin flat ground blade just simply cuts better and more easily.
 
I am still a teenager but for some reason I have always been more attracted to traditional knives. That said, I am a hybrid and I also enjoy modern one hand openers as long as they aren't to 'tactical'.

I carry both a traditional and a modern knife but tend to drool more over traditional knives.
 
My father is 75, has loved knives from childhood, has a few Randalls and a ton of slipjoints. Despite this, his current EDC is a FFG Endura 4 in ZDP-189. He loves how it performs and holds its edge.
 
I guess lots of people get sort of set in their ways as they age, it's normal, and knife preference isn't any different. I have no clue if my dad carried a knife much when he was young, but ever since he joined the military (at 16), he has carried and used knives fairly regularly. But they are just tools to him. I'm an enthusiast, so to me, they are much more and I enjoy the trends and fads. I grew up in the 80's and 90's by the way. I'm 34. To me, light sabers are much more interesting than pocket knives. ;)
 
I'll be 57 next month, and I carry a CRKT M16-14ZSF...If anyone thinks it's too big, or too "tactical", I'll stab 'em in their carotid artery with it and watch their blood spurt out.:D.:D.
 
I think the thumb hole will be our generations "style" of course spyderco dominates this, but there are some benchmades with a hole, and others. I cant think of any other specific, but widespread features or similarities that would define our current knives, and I am not even sure this one really qualifies as there are so many different and popular designs. Although the hole is so practical and well liked it may never go out of style
 
I am 65 years old. I like today's knives best. One-hand opening, better locks, generally lighter weight for a similar size knife. Yeah, I grew up around stockman style, multiblade slip joints
and I will take my Spyderco Native, Al Mar Nomad or Swamp Rat Rat Trap over any of those old style knives, any time for any purpose. And as for my LionSteel SR 1, there wasn't any equivalent back then to even compare it to.
 
I choose both. As a full blown knife enthusiast I like to mix up my carry options. One month I might carry only slip-joints, another month only SAKs and leatherman, and then another month I might carry only modern one handers (or a combination of everything). sometimes it depends on the occasion.

I have knives that are older than my parents and I like them just as much as the new knives that I bought this year. It is a sickness.:D
 
I vaguely remember my grandfather always having his Buck 110 handy when I was a kid (he owned a charter fishing boat and handmade fishing lures), but he didn't introduce me to knives.

Anyway, my daily carry rotation and most of my collection is comprised of "modern" one-hand opening folders from Spyderco and Kershaw, with a few Opinels and SAKs thrown in for good measure. I have been eyeing a Buck Ranger lately...

I wonder what happened to my grandfather's old Buck, and what my hypothetical kids and grandkids will be carrying when I pass on. I'm fairly sure that I'll still have my trusty Spyderco Delica clipped to my pocket... :cool:
 
I carry whatever I feel like on that particular day whether it be a Case cv trapper, a Spyderco stretch, a small fixed blade or a flipper. I like just about all knives and appreciate each one for it's own capabilities. My real favourite will always be a premium stockman (Case 6375) but I enjoy many others as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top