Looking for simpler times?

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

Slipjoint Addict
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
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I had a long diatribe ready to ask a simple question, but I figured it's Friday, I'll spare all of you the gory details. Basically, my stomping grounds are restricted to central MD/PA. I might get a little further out from time to time, but that's it. I participate here, on Facebook in slipjoint groups, and try to spread the good word of not only the peanut, but traditional knives in general (no pun intended). For years I have been giving knives to family and friends, to which they take great delight in teasing me, but still don't pass up the knives. Anyway, while I've given them quality modern folders, I see them going on their own to pick up Buck, new Schrade, SAKs and other assorted knives from the big box stores (I try my best to steer them toward online dealers and brick and mortar knife shops, but no dice). I wouldn't say it's a resurgence in buying old timey knives, I don't know if it's because I'm in the metropolitan Baltimore area and people are worried about laws (just an example, I want to keep this here in Traditional), or because people are trying to add some sort of artificial, I don't know, simpler time. Anyway, I've noticed it among my circle of friends, and some family. Sure, some have Rough Riders or Frost knives they got at a gun show (a dig on Frost, not on Rough Rider, those are some nice knives). At least they leave the Super Knife in the work truck etc.

I was wondering if I'm just getting my hopes up. I know that some will look at me and go, it's just Buck knives and jack knives, everyone around here carries one. But some of you are like me, and are perplexed by the gradual shift from modern one hand folders and utility knives back to old timey knives.

And no, these are not hipsters I'm seeing with old knives, although that's another topic in and of itself. Heck, this time last year, I was just happy to see someone using a knife as a tool.
 
I have tried to push toward carrying a knife among my friends and family, traditional of course, but with little success. However I havent seen any hipsters with old knives, I never imagined I would see that
 
I don't really have a large circle of acquaintances who are into pocket knives of any kind, or at least that I know of. Couple of guys at work who hunt. They prefer fairly typical modern folders. Nothing really tactical in nature, just decent knives.

The only traditional convert I have made is my wife, who now carries a Vic Alox Electrician that used to be mine. She gets a lot more use out of it than I do any of mine, so glad she's got it. She doesn't seem to have any interest in modern type knives, even though I have tempted her with pink handled Kershaws and Benchmades. No go. Not getting that Electrican back. Meanwhile, I have some nice pink-handled knives in the drawer.

I live in the southern US, so people carrying pocket knives is not an especially unusual concept here.
 
I don't see a shift one way or the other. It's nice to "feel" how you want, but I think that's generally internet forum based. If GEC and Case seem to be selling like hotcakes, that doesn't really mean that the average American guy/girl isn't buying a crap blade at Home Depot or Lowes. And I like both traditionals and "moderns", high quality of either kind. But honestly, I haven't seen another guy open a knife in front of me in ten years. So, who really knows?!

EDIT: I have seen a knife opened, I forgot, my Father-In-Law, fishing, many times, Shrade old hunter.
 
I see traditional knives gaining in popularity, and that includes younger folks as well. (At least in my area) I frequently see kids with a Case sheath or something similar around town. The local feed store recently brought in a Case and a SAK display case:)
Yes, I said feed store so I live in the country...but hopefully this is a growing trend in others areas as wel!
 
Go buy what you like use it around others and when they see it they will want one. I would start on the Sheep with SAK or a Barlow.
 
Around here it's pretty rural and even Omaha is considered a smaller town as compared to large urban areas, but I see many pocket clips on guys I'd say in the 30ish and younger age group. Some older guys once in awhile. But I'm not really sure if the older guys carry a slippie or not. Here in my small town about everyone I know in my older age group carries a pocket knife. Usually a Buck, Schrade, along those lines. Nothing too fancy but they're well used and sharp. But they are much like myself, began carrying a pocket knife as a youngster and always have. It was pretty much expected. Even your teacher would ask a boy once in awhile to borrow his knife to cut something. Now you get expelled for a plastic knife to spread your peanut butter at lunch time. Sad times.
 
The under 30 crew also grew up with pocket Knifes being Banned by their public schools. When I started school fall of 1972 I had a Colonial 2 blade Jack knife and I had one in my pocket every day since.
 
deltaboy said:
The under 30 crew also grew up with pocket Knifes being Banned by their public schools. When I started school fall of 1972 I had a Colonial 2 blade Jack knife and I had one in my pocket every day since.
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I think this has a lot to do with things...
 
I live in the suburbs of Chicago. Moved here from the 'burbs of Detroit.

I don't see knives anywhere. I have plenty of customers that have a Kershaw from the Snap-On truck in their pocket but they're only knives in the academic sense. They fold. They have a point. They look like a knife. Most of them use it as a folding pry bar or screw driver.

I'd love to see a growing trend of traditionals around here. Whether hipster or no.

If you're seeing one where you are, good on ya SHS.
 
coolio said:
But honestly, I haven't seen another guy open a knife in front of me in ten years.
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This. And it makes me very sad. I don't know of another person in my office (about 60 people) besides me who carries a pocket knife, either traditional or tactical. My dad usually has a knife on him and I've given him several over the years, but no neighbors or friends carry knives.

My brother-in-law, an avid hunter and fisherman, was probably the last person I knew personally who was a knife person. Sadly, he passed several years ago. This past Christmas, my sister gave me two of his well-used carry knives, a Buck Cadet and a Schrade Old Timer medium stockman. I was very touched by this and am proud to carry them now.
 
I haven't seen that shift personally but I think it's awesome. I am pretty much sick of "tactical ninja pocketknives" My everyday carry for several years now is an old Camillus 1095 TL 29 knife from the 70s that I found in perfect condition at a gun show. I carry it in a pocket in a leather slip I made from deerskin to keep it from getting ground up. I wouldn't trade it for any of the "new" stuff. The first time I saw the complete line up of Rough Rider knives (yeah, I know) I remember being shocked to think that they believed they could sell those old vintage designs today. They're selling the heck out of 'em. We surely do live in interesting times. I think maybe it's like vintage cars. People see them and smile just because it looks like some kind of art - instead looking like generic suppository like all our cars today.
 
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I live in rural Iowa. Most people farmers and blue collar folks carry modern folders with a clip. Pocket clips are as common as baseball caps. I have seen more traditional style knives for sale in sporting goods stores of all types. In my close circles of friends, flippers are in. I like them as well. However I appreciate craftsmanship and the idea that American hands had a part in its happening, not a bunch of robots. I may have opened a few of my friends eyes with the quality of GEC and the keen edge of 1095. A lot of my friends are into tactical or bushcraft stylings and I still get some odd looks. I am 31, I consider myself a bit of an old soul. I like tradition and quality craftsmanship. That's what brought me here.
 
Ratbert said:
My brother-in-law, an avid hunter and fisherman, was probably the last person I knew personally who was a knife person. Sadly, he passed several years ago. This past Christmas, my sister gave me two of his well-used carry knives, a Buck Cadet and a Schrade Old Timer medium stockman. I was very touched by this and am proud to carry them now.
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The best knives are the ones with memories and a history. The priceless one's don't have to be expensive to be valuable.
 
I'm hoping the trend continues. I still have modern folders that I carry daily, but they are accompanying my traditionals.

I have become nearly obsessive compulsive about carrying too many traditionals.
 
I don't see a lot of change in what is carried and how much, myself. Traditionals do seem to strike a chord with many however. People are so used to the normal run of knives offered that people will often ask to look closer at a nice little slipjoint.
 
I'm not perplexed at all with the shift and my shift in interest in general. Traditional knives have soul just like blued steel guns have soul.

For most of us, traditional knives are all we need. I have been carrying a SAK for 30 years and I doubt that is going to change. The other knives come and go from my pockets. With moderns, I just can't get excited about metal scales. The same is true for the non-handled fixed blades even though I have tried to like them. I like them simply because I like knives, but I don't like to USE them.
 
In this area you still see a lot of people carrying traditional knives. Even the younger crowd, I see a lot of Buck 110's and even some fixed blades on their belts.
 
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