Looking back on it all.

The world goes round with all sorts of folks.

Buy what you like and don’t fret so much. It is great to have choices and I choose a variety of knives and a variety of guns and calibers.

Don’t bring any knife to a gun fight, fixed or folder.

 

Threads like this can impart wisdom by the contributors. It also allows for various opinions to be expressed. I have enjoyed this thread.

 

I don't understand what people could possibly be doing to have so many knife-closing accidents, especially with locks. I mean, the blade only cuts in one direction. What are they doing that puts that much force against the spine that it overcomes the lock?

 

99.99999% of the people carrying out there are good, loving, fine people who carry a tool and don't even perceive it as a weapon. These restrictions are hardly protecting others from harm. About the only venue I get this in is flying. When people with bad intentions enter the venues you mentioned and are armed, all the rest of us sheeples are completely defenseless but for chairs, fists, tables and anything we can grab and throw; we get harmed and the bad guy may not get harmed.. ridiculous.

 

I suspect accidents happen with prying and twisting a knife under stress. Sometimes we do cut ourselves because we weren't paying attention.

 

Unless defective or poorly made, any knife is only as safe as the person using it. However, I rarely use my knives, so I more or less carry them because I like knowing it is there, plus I like having something to fidget with. Are modern folders more useful than older traditional designs? Probably not, as the OP already implied, folks have gotten by without them for years. However, a strong cutlery market helps keep this forum alive, businesses innovating, and knife makers interested in making more knives. Modern folders, fixed blades, and traditionals all play a huge role in this market.

 

@jackknife - I think most of us already agree with you and use fixed blades when possible. FWIW, the reason people don't get scared of you walking around with a sheath blade is you're 70+ = D

If you looked younger I bet you'd get more negative reactions. I don't blame them either; an old guy with a fixed blade, even if it's a foot long blade is not something to worry about ... think of your old age like urban camo ; ) (it's a bonus)

 

First of all I love reading historical stories, so thanks for that trip back in time Jackknife.

Secondly I believe all knife innovations have a place and have specific uses if one chooses to use it. Just depends on the person, what they prefer and their intended uses.

I myself prefer a small fixed blade and carry one daily, but that doesn't mean I don't carry a folder because I also carry one of those daily roo. I carry a bigger fixed blade less often, but still carry one if I need to from time to time. They are all used and work well no matter which ones I decide to carry that day.

So I don't see a problem with going old school or liking the more innovated stuff we have today. If it works it works, if it fails and you decide not to carry that specific knife design anymore then go to something else. Pretty simple logic.

 

I think a lot of the time when you meet people in the emergency room who've hurt themselves the problem wasn't what they hurt themselves with.

 

While scissors and box cutters are both useful tools, the uses for knives goes well beyond their practical use.

 

I think it depends on the choice of fixed blade same as a folder. But there are always people who might get alarmed if they see or hear a knife. The age factor is important as well as your body language that most of us don't even realize we are putting out vibes.

 

In this age of Wacko's, Even I would keep an eye on someone sporting a fixed blade in a non rural setting. Freak out-no, but watchful -yes

 

Again, most people aren't very observant and likely never even notice a fixed blade on the belt unless it was big. But I understand your point. I have similar feelings about open carry of firearms. In a fast food environment, I definitely am "watchful".

 

I cant speak for the custom market and waiting lists. Thatll never be my cup of tea. But I'm fairly certain most knife guys understand that a half decent fixed blade will do every task any of us need a knife for. People just like new and exciting things. I could carry my Super Tinker everyday and very rarely run into a problem it couldn't solve.

But that's irrelevant. People arent buying customs because they cut better, it's just a part of their hobby. What's the point of having a $150 fixed blade when you could just buy like 8 or 9 kershaw filters and run through them over the years. Most of this is entirely subjective and doesnt actually matter, but theres no need to be sort of passive aggressive about expensive folders.

Plus, my umnumzaan is probably the best knife I own in most regards. I'd highly recommend it.

 

There is no question that people are buying customs only because they think they cut better. It is part of the hobby and a pride thing. Most of us could very easily carry a Vic SAK and never need another knife unless they loose it. Knives last a long time, even cheaper ones that are fairly well made. There is a preference aspect going on as some would not have a knife that they can't open one handed as they see it as a convenience and why not take advantage of modern designs?

 

I am also enjoying this thread.
Debate is good and this forum is the place for knife-related debate. I also appreciate the perspectives of different age ranges here.

I'm glad to have read jackknife's reply on pg 3. His initial post makes more sense to me now as he has a personal connection with a bad modern knife fail-- his son-in-law, who apparently was affected for a long time.

It's interesting to consider that there are likely many knife owners today who received no "instruction" on safe knife use. They just saw a cool folder and off they went "learning." The same has probably occurred with firearms.

Fixed blades do have their place and I enjoy EDCing the smaller varieties. Neck knives are another option for a small fixed carry, something of the more modern era.

At any rate, these modern super-lock folders are a product of a few factors.
-Military innovation that trickled down to civilian markets
-Knife company innovation
-Popular culture (war movies, Navy Seal and special-ops popularity and pride)

The Buck 110 is largely seen as the first good folder and a possible substitute for a fixed blade. That was 1964 give or take. This knife is seen as one of the most successful innovations in the history of the folding knife. Imagine what the other companies thought when Buck hit this massive home run. Naturally, any knife company worth their salt saw innovation as a big part of any future success, and a knife's lock mechanism was one area ripe for the draftsman's pencil.

It makes perfect sense ( at least to me) how and why this all happened. I think it had to, however unfortunate it may have been for all the mishaps and cut fingers.

 

Agreed that Buck's back lock and iconic 110 and 112 DEFINED the modern folding category.

They kind of solved the problem and then everyone else started to make changes.

For 1-handed use, a back / mid-lock with a spyderhole / thumb stud solves the issue of one handed opening, closing and strength.

Other locking or opening systems are pretty much prioritizing speed of opening over lock strength.

The Emerson Wave was another significant innovation that allows for faster, 1-hand opening, without compromising lock strength.

The BladeHQ series on lock type strengths was pretty eye opening. But a lot of ppl obviously haven't seen them, as liner locks and other weaker lock designs are still big sellers.

The other thing that creeps me out is the # of ppl that have had a folder open up in their pocket / waist band.

 

The brute strength of a lock design in lock strength tests is far less important to knife safety than reliability in use, and most of all, care and attention by the user during use. And safety isn’t always while the knife is locked in the open position, but also during the opening and closing phases.

Jim

 

Proper knife use, proper anything use, is about using your tools in reasonable ways. While the fixed blade has its advantages, people hurt themselves with those as well. You can borrow a steak knife and use it to open your mail; but, if you then use the same knife to try to “drill” through a 1/2” board, you would be courting injury...

n2s

 

As a kid in the 70s my 1st knife was a slipjoint (Case Fisherman knife). After that I had a few Schrade 34OT stockman slipjoints. I learned that if you used a slipjoint wrong, the blade would close on my finger and I'd get cut.

Then I saw a Buck 110. It had a locking blade and the steel was so tough you could hammer the blade through a nail with no edge damage. I wanted one badly. Instead I ended up with a Sears (most likely Camillus) copy. Here was a knife I could finally push harder than my slipjoints if I wanted to. Caution from lessons learned with slipjoints meant I rarely did though.

Then in the 80s I saw "Big Trouble in Little China" and I wanted a Butterfly knife. Here was a knife I could open 1-handed and could not close on you when open. Cut myself more learning to open it than I ever did with my slipjoints

Then in the mid to late 80s I wanted a Cold Steel Tanto fixed blade. It was so tough I could stab a 55 gallon drum with no damage to the blade. No idea why I needed to stab through a 55 gallon drum, but I wanted it.

Then in the early 90s the whole Tactical Folder trend started. As a young soldier, and civilian EMT, this was the knife for me. I carried various Spyderco, Benchmade, Cold Steel, Gerber, Al Mar, and SOG knives. Cut seatbelts, webbing, pryed stuff I shouldn't, but mostly used them for the same mundane stuff I did as a kid. During this time of my life I did appreciate a stout folder. I still considered it's 1st job being to cut stuff, but I did want something that could stand up to light prying, or stabbing, if the situation arose.

Now I'm working on 52, working an office job in a Hospital, and hardly use a pocketknife at all. I've semi-worked back to the knives of my childhood. As a disabled Vet with use in only one arm, 1-handed opening knives are easier to open than my slipjoints. BUT my knife use is light, and I prefer my knives to be discreet. As such my day to day knives rotate through a Spyderco Delica, Rhino, or Chaparral LW, and either a Benchmade 531 or Bugout. Small, light, thin bladed knives that can cut. I don't need them to pry, I have a Griffin pocket tool on my keychain for that. If I need a screwdriver there is also a Leatherman Squirt on my keychain. Right tool for the right job.

As I grew and set out on life's journey I was faced with many choices, I was influenced by the world around me. Sometimes my choices in life were not the best (pointing at you late teens/early 20s) and the same could be said for my knives. While I thought I needed a tough knife to hammer through steel, and pry open stuff, my path in life didn't lead that way. I've pretty much come to a point in my life where I doubt my needs with change. I still get distracted by shiny new stuff thankfully, I just consider my needs & financial situation more now before purchasing. One interesting facet of my knife journey has been watching my oldest son with his knives. I get more enjoyment out of seeing him use them than me now.

I suppose the day I stop enjoying looking at knives will be the day I die.