Modern Traditional Hybrid

ATwistedStaple

ATwistedStaple

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There's two or three forms to most type of knives. We can get custom knives for $2000 with m390 steel and titanium or carbon fiber handles(modern) and we can get full production Spydercos and ZTs with those same materials. Volume and production process dictate the price along with the market of course. The same goes for traditionals. Full custom stag and carbon steel painstakingly made by two hands for $2000 or quickly made by many hands and machines for $100. Ditto for fixed blades, autos and whatever other niche market you can shake a stick at. With one exception. Or maybe more, but I only care about the one. The modern traditional hybrid.

There are quite a few custom makers that do this sort of knife. High end steel and modern handle material in a traditional slip joint pattern. They sell fast and for quite a bit of money. There is no Spyderco, GEC or Bark River for this sort of knife. You can't go to an online knife store and shop for one, sifting trough a variety of in stock models. It's only available in one off customs. I'd like to see someone fill that void.

There's a sister thread to this over in traditional that I started(after a failed first attempt of articulating this thought). I thought it'd be interesting to see how the responses would differ here. Sort of an ambiguous type of knife anyway. I know I've seen some Davisons and Dunlaps in the EDC threads.
 
Cold Steel Lucky
 
That's a fair example, but it's just a single knife. I'd like to see something like GEC or Case(with better QC), but with modern materials. Or the other side of the coin, something like Spyderco, but in traditional patterns. And I mean real traditional patterns, not Spyderco's slip joints.

Just many variations of handle and blade materials in whittlers, trappers and the like.

Also, hate the pocket clip. Fine on a Spydie or ZT, just wrong on a Barlow.
 
I'm excited to get a cold steel lucky when I got some extra scratch. I would like to see some more modern traditionals also. The spyderco gb air is kinda close.
 
At one time I thought the idea was kind of entertaining. But modern knives use the materials that they do because heavier tasks requiring more durability is expected of them. Seems to me that there's not much need for such materials in small traditional slipjoint folders other than admiration and bragging rights, which could explain why it's a pretty niche segment with only custom makers producing them (with the exception, now, of the Cold Steel Lucky.)
 
Hi. I just got done reading your thread in Traditional. A thought or two.

First and probably foremost is that GEC is probably the worst company to suggest making a hybrid. Their target is a very traditional knife audience. The business model is clear and the process changes are prohibitive. They make a quality knife and yeah, "it would be nice" but... it won't happen. That's all that was really said.

Second.

I like the idea of a hybrid myself, and many do. The problem is that everyone has a different variation they would love to see on the traditional pattern. You would like to see modern materials only, some want super steels, some even want pocket clips and one hand opening. Myself, screw construction... actually just a screw pivot would be nice.

So you quite realistically have a slippery slope there.

So, hybrids can be a red headed stepchild without a home to discuss.
 
I replied to your thread in traditionals but since its closed and I did mention there were some moderns I couldn't discuss, I'll add my reply here too with some additions.

I'm not quite sure I get what your looking for exactly, but it might just be my state of tiredness. Modern materials in a traditional pattern slipjoint isn't very common, but they do exist if thats all you're looking for. Marbles has an electrician (TL29) in both black and orange micarta. I think they also have a trapper or two with micarta scales. Colt makes a series of micarta handled knives, some of which have carbon steel blades. Buck has a series of G10 handled single bolster slipjoints which look very cool and modern, while still retaining the traditional pattern. (I'd LOVE to see a folding hunter or 110 made in this style!) For American made, Case has the Carhartt series with canvas micarta, and those knives are quite attractive in my opinion. I don't know of any high-end brands doing this, so unfortunately I don't think there are any high end steels or very much variety to be found in these, and in this area you are right, there is a void. I'm afraid there just isn't enough demand for a manufacturer to pick it up and run with it.

If what you're looking for is more of a meshing of modern and traditional designs, there are some knives made this way, the CRKT M4 and the Cold Steel Lone Star and Mackinac hunters as well as another model I can't remember come to mind as well as a "modernized" Buck 110. I carry a few knives regularly that fall into this "hybrid" category but I really don't think thats what you're looking for.
 
GEC and CSC have also used micarta on quite a few patterns--I even have one on preorder. And some Bladeforums dealers still have stock of some of the older runs with micarta handles. ATS-34 and 154CM have been used by Case on some knives like the Bose collaboration knives and other special runs such as Case Bros and Cattaraugus. Queen also used ATS-34 on some Schatt & Morgan knives in the past. Some of those were runs from many years ago and dealers still have new old stock remaining. Knives branded Tuna Valley with ATS-34 and 154CM steel were made by Queen... and GEC made some for them also but I don't recall the steels... probably 440C or 1095. AG Russell has also used modern materials and steels on traditional knives made in the USA and overseas.

The OP started 3 separate threads and pretty much said he wanted to give negative feedback to people because he didn't like the way the discussion went. It's all a bit over the top. I think the OP is really just looking for agreement rather than discussion. It's OK for people to have different opinions. I think there are some pretty big holes. The $2000 estimate for a custom is an exaggeration. And there are examples of modern handle materials and modern steels on traditional patterns. He gave an example of an orange G-10 single blade trapper. I haven't seen one but Case made a 2-blade trapper with orange G-10 handles. But it's not exactly what he wanted. If there was a single blade in orange then he'd probably want blue instead! ;) I think he got a lot of good comments in the other threads.

I think modern materials and steels on traditional knives is fine. And I already have some. I'm not sure there's a void or a large demand. As I mentioned above, there are some choices presently available. I think modding knives is probably the easiest and most economical route for very specific handle materials. There are a number of service providers on the exchange that do excellent work. And there are wide range of customs at different price points. The average price is not $2000. Tagging along on a production run for a SFO from GEC might also be possibility for specific handle materials.
 
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A traditional pattern with modern materials would be awesome. The customs (T.A. Davidson for example) sell really well at high prices.
 
I have not purchased a custom/handmade traditional or modern folder as of yet. I think there is a market for such a beast, but for me I would prefer to loose the clip and thumb stud and use a leather pocket slip. I very much like traditional slip joints.
 
Buck made a Modern Version of the Buck 110 for it's 50th Anniversary. It's a single nickel-silver-bolstered G-10 handle over Nickel-silver frame, with thumb studs and a pocket clip, using S30V steel for the blade. I think it's called the Buck 110 Lochsa Limited Edition. 500 made. I'm gonna get one!

Too modern for the traditional crowd, and probably too traditional for the modern crowd. Best of both worlds...
 
I also think the Spyderco Kiwi, the original with bone handles, straddles the line nicely. It had double bolsters (a first for Spyderco, I think), a lock-back, jigged red bone, wharncliff blade (not too common for modern knives at the time) and NO CLIP! (another first for them, sort of)

I guess it would be considered a "traditionalized" Modern knife, though, rather than a "Modernized" traditional knife. I just know it got shot down real quick over in the traditional forum as a "traditional EDC" knife. ;)
 
Charlie Mike said:
Cold Steel Lucky
Click to expand...

I ordered one of these last night after watching your yt vid and ApostelP's. I was going to order it anyway but was excited to see other people's thoughts on it. I've been looking for something like this in the traditional section of the forum for ages but the definition for a traditional doesn't encompass this knife.

It's exactly what I was looking for in an EDC monday through friday though! The only alternative would be to have Oeser or Davidson' or one of the other custom slipjoint guys fabricate it. Do you think the guys over in Maniago Italy made it?
 
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