Modern and Traditional, History and Future? (Speculation and Breeze-Shooting)

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boy&hisdogs

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Dec 9, 2015
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So what do you guys think will be the next big thing in pocket knives? Decades from now when today's kids are old men collecting vintage Benchmades and Spydercos, what will they be turning their noses up at that just isn't being made like they used to?

Let's consider the evolution of the pocket knife in general:
First, the friction folder. Then the slip joint was the pocket knife for a couple hundred years, until the Buck 110 Dynasty from the 60's through the 80's, and in the 90's things started getting tactical with half-serrated blades, pocket clips, liner locks, and now we have spring assists, flippers and titanium frame locks. Plus, with the advent of online shopping, forums and YouTube, we now have more home/custom knife makers than ever. On the big business side of things, we have CAD, CNC and cheap foreign labor. Today is a great day to be a knife buyer. A custom knife these days is as easy as shooting a PM to one of a dozen makers on several forums. Or, if you're more budget minded, you can hit up DHgate and get a pretty convincing knockoff of just about anything for the price of a burger and a shake. Not that you should, but at least it's an indication of how easy it is to make a pocket knife these days.

The main attributes of a pocket knife are convenience and usefulness, and probably always will be. The majority of trends and advancements in pocket knife design have been better/different locks, better materials, and easier opening. As much as we enthusiasts might think of them as "man jewelry" their primary function is still one of practicality.

Of course autos have been around for a long time already, but there seems to be a decent push towards legalization/normalization of autos, and net-positive shift in 2A rights in general, at least in the US. That might be the next big thing, I bet the cool kids of tomorrow be looking back and laughing about how their parents and grandparents thought of "switchblades" as hoodlum terror weapons and our old guys to-be will politely decline, since a real flipper is so much more satisfying than some dang ole button. :p
 
I don't think the evolution of steel has reached it's apex yet, but then again, many makers still use the old stand by's of 1095, 440c, et al.

I thought I was up to speed until a company used Cru-Forge V as a knife steel. My understanding is it was never used for knives before. I think there is still more to come.
Also, beyond titanium and carbon fiber, I believe that a newer, lighter, stronger, more durable handle material is on the horizon as well.

I'm reminded of an old Star Trek movie where they used "transparent aluminum" for a wall to hold a whale. Who knows what will come up in the next 20-30 years.

It's an exciting time if you're into knives..................
 
This topic has little to do with traditional patterns. (note: flippers are a modern development.) But, it's a good topic to discuss, just not in Traditional. Moving to General.
 
Can we please predict in our lifetime for...
A blade material which would actually hold an edge forever?
Doesn't require the slightest bit of maintainence,
Weighs next to nothing,
Has a "sticks to any surface" something for carry/wear,
Has a built in chip tracking device to put a permanant end to "lost knives",
Dirt cheap and would last more than a lifetime
With free replacement parts thrown in if so required.
 
I think you may see electronics built into knives.

I also think there is more to come with regard to new steel mixes as well as cheaper more efficient manufacturing techniques.

Wood > stone > bronze > iron > steel > ...what? (ceramics, plastics, super duper steels)
 
Hale Storm said:
I don't think the evolution of steel has reached it's apex yet, but then again, many makers still use the old stand by's of 1095, 440c, et al.

I thought I was up to speed until a company used Cru-Forge V as a knife steel. My understanding is it was never used for knives before. I think there is still more to come.
Also, beyond titanium and carbon fiber, I believe that a newer, lighter, stronger, more durable handle material is on the horizon as well.

I'm reminded of an old Star Trek movie where they used "transparent aluminum" for a wall to hold a whale. Who knows what will come up in the next 20-30 years.

It's an exciting time if you're into knives..................
Click to expand...

The funny thing is transparent aluminum does exist now!! Aluminum Oxynitride

It is a great time to get into knives, there are so many great steels out there right now! Great handle materials for that matter too, but, I am a huge fan of wood handles. Mixing old and new is a great way to go, huge fan of that. I have a flipper with wood handles and carbon damascus blade and pocket clip, has an "old fashion" look to it, one of my favorites.
 
I think the 'next big thing' is going to be a new generation of steel processing techniques. Just as powder metallurgy is today's 'big thing', some new method will come along and give us even better alloys. I think we'll soon figure out how to efficiently create manipulated variable alloys, which will replace steel lamination (e.g., high carbon/low chromium core, transitioning to low carbon/high cromium surface), and/or combine that with variable heat treatment (hard edge, soft spine).

I think that trend will continue until we eventually figure out how to quickly and efficiently manipulate individual atoms to create steels one atom at a time. Perhaps via electric, magnetic, or chemical deposition (or some combination thereof), then simultaneously heat treating with lasers or high-energy radiation... We'll eventually be '3D printing' knife blades instead of cutting and grinding them from stock.
 
To me staying Sharp and ease of sharpening that pre 1974 Old Timer and Westerns has yet to be recaptured.
 
As power sources get smaller and more efficient, they will eventually allow us to carry sources of focused, coherent energy in our pockets.

But we will probably never be able to make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs. :D

In all seriousness, I agree with others that metallurgical chemistry will continue to increase both toughness and wear-resistance, potentially leading to edges which are a few molecules thick. But it will be very expensive.

There will be new lock mechanisms, and new handle materials, with material properties that we can't imagine.

At the same time, there will also be a growing movement of people who embrace "traditional" knife designs, like friction folders and slipjoints. "Fusion" pieces, incorporating traditional construction methods and "modern" materials, will be a big thing, but only for a time, until somebody discovers an old method of knife construction called a "hidden tang", which allows knives to be built without that "ugly steel stripe" down the middle. It will the the "next big thing" for a while, until something else comes along. In short, what was old will continue to be new again, in an unending cycle.

There will also be a brief fashion for using something called "wood" for making knife handles and scales, but it will also be, very expensive.
 
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I've gone through "cutting edge" stuff like MT OTFs and full custom megafolders but I've come back to time proven designs... Bowies and slipjoints.
 
Charlie Mike said:
I've gone through "cutting edge" stuff like MT OTFs and full custom megafolders but I've come back to time proven designs... Bowies and slipjoints.
Click to expand...

OTFs you say? Maybe someone will come up with a zero-play, super strong OTF mechanism, and that will become the new "flipper".

I know I'd sure carry one, but seeing as I live in California, I'm not yet willing to buy a knife that I couldn't carry outside my house! But if I could it would be an Ultratech, white one with a black blade and hardware.
 
boy&hisdogs said:
Of course autos have been around for a long time already, but there seems to be a decent push towards legalization/normalization of autos, and net-positive shift in 2A rights in general, at least in the US. That might be the next big thing, I bet the cool kids of tomorrow be looking back and laughing about how their parents and grandparents thought of "switchblades" as hoodlum terror weapons and our old guys to-be will politely decline, since a real flipper is so much more satisfying than some dang ole button. :p
Click to expand...

I predict more polarization with regards to knives as the "tools versus weapons" debate rages on. Some areas will elect to allow almost anything, with a culture like the OP describes in the above quote, others will harness various types of "security" technology, such as x-ray/metal detecting scanners and enforcement drones/droids to ensure that their respective areas are 100% free of anything that might scare the most sensitive person into thinking it is a weapon.

Much of this guessing depends on the future economy, and whether most people live in a world or plenty and relative peace, or if we go back to a more "unstructured" and harsh state of life. If we move towards a more technologically oriented world, where jobs are specialized, I see knives as being less acceptable by the majority of the classes who will be hiring trade-laborers to do any work that involves actual, physical work. If we move to a world were the artificial controls that those in power have set up fail, then knife use will become far more common, as a majority in those post-industrial nations will be forced to experience real physical labor in their daily lives as they struggle to farm, repair, salvage, and survive.

On a lighter note, maybe will will see more rare metals being used in knife designs as the future equivalent of a "replicator" becomes reality. Solid Gold Buck 110 anyone?
 
I'm thinking nanotechnology... Raiden's high frequency sword.
 
A high frequency blade is actually a really exciting concept to me. And I appreciate the MG reference.
 
I'd like to see OHO on traditionals while maintaining a decent back spring, like the Vic 111mm series. I'm thinking of oho in the 91mm series. I don't think oho means the blade has to be locking or has to be clipped to your pocket. I have a Buck Slimline that's great but the spring is weak and I'm afraid to carry it in my pocket without the clip as I'm sure the blade could pop open just enough to stab my fingers when I reach into my pocket. Case does have the Trapperlock which is close to what I'm talking about, but it has a clip. Since it doesn't have a screwdriver/caplifter I wouldn't get it anyway.
 
I'd like to see, and I think we will, more development in durable ceramics.

Zieg
 
Hale Storm said:
I thought I was up to speed until a company used Cru-Forge V as a knife steel. My understanding is it was never used for knives before. I think there is still more to come.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that Cruforge V was specifically designed (in consultation with bladesmiths), as a knife steel. For forging. Basically a flavour of 52100 (aka SR101) that worked better for knifemakers who forged out their blades. Weren't Kevin Cashen, and others (Stacey Apelt?) involved?
 
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