"Modern" slip joints

C

CuttnStuff

Joined
Nov 22, 2019
Messages
75
More companies are offering what I would call "modern" slip joint knives, and by that I mean slip joints with modern materials for blades and scales, and that don't follow classic design patterns.

Three examples are Benchmade proper, Chris Reeve Impinda, and Tactile Bexar.

What are your opinions of modern slip joints? Do slip joints have some benefits? Or are would you never consider a slip joint because only you trust locking knives, especially for hard use? Or are locks not really very useful because you don't trust them anyway?

Most of my knives are locking, frame locks in particular, but I still treat a knife as if it could close on me if it fails.
 
I like the modern slipjoints quite a lot. I never end up carrying knives that don't have a pocket clip, but I think traditional knives are both more people friendly and are generally far more handsome. I think some companies have managed offerings that offer the best of both worlds and I'm always eager to see what new twists they come up with.
 
My hobby is cars. I’m around mine, and other folks, quite a bit. Pocket clips are a menace to finished materials, body, seats, consoles, steering wheels, door panels. I avoid them like the plague. I do enjoy the occasional modern, especially shiro’s. Got a couple sebenzas, but non clipped slip joints are my go to. I enjoy many styles of them, but when it comes to “modern”, I’m a huge fan of the lionsteel offerings, especially the warhorse. M390 and Titanium, two blades (a clip point and a wharncliff), and a variety of scale materials.
 
Isham Blackstar

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I like modern slip joints and I always get excited when I see something new announced. My favorites are from LionSteel but I've been thinking about getting a Fox Gunstock Recoil as well.

LionSteel Best Mans. Two great blades and the 2 blade variant has a fantastic in-hand feel.
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I also really like the LionSteel Otnat (reverse tanto) The nail nick might appear oddly placed but it's actually in the perfect spot for pinching the blade open.
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It's been around for a while but the spyderco ukpk is an excellent one handed slip joint. That said, unless I'm somewhere that specifically prohibits locking knives I'd probably opt for a locker.
 
I love a good slip joint. The temptation to not trust them as much without a lock is there, but I have never had an issue using one of the multiple I've owned for the majority of the things I use knives for. I think locks are a bit of a safety blanket that aren't as necessary as we sometimes think. Unless you're used to being careless with your knives, which I'd guess most here aren't. One of my favorite modern slip joints I got a couple months ago is the HEDesigns Falcon in full ti and anodized bolsters.
 
awjones said:
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Interesting that the pivot looks almost like a Strider. That’s a chainring bolt as is found on a bicycle.

Does it require an 1/4” hex key on the opposite side?

It only piqued my interest because my Park Tools CNW-2 arrived Thursday and is a perfect fit for my two Striders. Looking at yours it appears you’d have grind the center finger of the tool off in order to fit.

Amazing that neither are actually proprietary pivots. Both sides can be found in any bicycle shop. Ingenuity!
 
Growing up, back in the Dark Ages before color TV, slipjoints were all that were available until Buck introduced the 110 in 1963. I carried Case folders then. Still appreciate a well made slipjoint: Buck, Boker and Schrade stockmen and Manly's Wasp. I'd exclude Bear & Sons though. shoddy construction.
 
My first knife, when I was 6 years old was an Imperial Barlow. I see myself closing the circle as an older, retired guy with a modern Lionsteel or Pena or maybe a custom Barlow pattern. Whittling, cutting myself, forgetting where i put it. all the stuff I did when i was 6.

I have a few years yet
 
Never had too much concern for a change in safety of using a slipjoint, even under harder use. I was always taught that if you are putting downward force on the blade, you might be doing something wrong to start with. As for the modern ones, I think a lot of it comes from concerns with legality as well as maybe a bit of nostalgia while still wanting some of the benefits of more modern designs. I know the Spyderco UKPK was specifically made to be legal under the UK's very strict laws on knives and some folks feel that the slipjoint designs of older times were less "threatening". I have a few models that fit the bill for modern slipjoint from Spyderco's P.I.T.S and UKPK all the way to the Twosun models 123 and 221.
 
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