Really stupid statement.

I have a few SAK's and a few old slipjoints that I keep around for nostalgias sake, but I can't think of anything that a slippy could do better than a modern locking folder.

I love the extra safety and the conveniance of a folder that can be quickly and easily opened and closed with one hand, without worrying about the blade snapping closed on my finger. ....which has happened more than a few times, so I guess I'm one of the "retards" mentioned by the OP's friend. :o
 
Ankerson said:
That's never going to happen. ;)
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Depends what you're comparing. But it's outside the scope of this discussion, regardless. ;)

Or maybe it's not outside. No one will dispute that fixed blades are the safest to use. Building a lock into a folder is an attempt to make that folder safer, the ultimate goal being to make it as safe as a fixed blade. Wether that goal is ever achieved or not, I think it's pretty clear that a properly constructed locked folder is an advancement in that direction, and beats any slipjoint, for any purpose.
 
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BryFry said:
I have a few SAK's and a few old slipjoints that I keep around for nostalgias sake, but I can't think of anything that a slippy could do better than a modern locking folder.

I love the extra safety and the conveniance of a folder that can be quickly and easily opened and closed with one hand, without worrying about the blade snapping closed on my finger. ....which has happened more than a few times, so I guess I'm one of the "retards" mentioned by the OP's friend. :o
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a lock on a heavy duty folder is a must. under worst case use when you just have to have it. when its not used as a knife or when you are in a fight and the foe wants to fold the knife on your hands. real story. mine did not fold on my hand
 
philwar said:
Depends what you're comparing. But it's outside the scope of this discussion, regardless. ;)
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I know, but the truth is if it folds it's already broken before you start. ;)

They can get the lock as strong as they want, but if you pry with a folding knife or put lateral force on it something will give. A folder will never be as strong as a fixed blade for that simple reason, and all locks can fail if pushed hard enough.


I have both, but I prefer fixed to folders. :)

 
Locking folders are absolutely an upgrade over non-locking folders, and they present a much wider range of viable tasks. Anybody arguing that is either stubborn and set in their ways, or doing so for the sole purpose of feeling elite and pretentious.
 
Ankerson said:
I know, but the truth is if it folds it's already broken before you start. ;)
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Yeah, I love cliches as much as the next guy. :D

They can get the lock as strong as they want, but if you pry with a folding knife or put lateral force on it something will give. A folder will never be as strong as a fixed blade for that simple reason, and all locks can fail if pushed hard enough.
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Not disputing this for the current state of affairs. But you can't look into the future. Folders like the CS Pocket Bushman and the ER RAO demonstrate that given time, designers will come up with a knife that rivals smaller fixed blades. I'm not talking about the big beaters, but a small EDC blade like a skinny Gamewarden? I think the RAO is not that far off anymore.

I have both, but I prefer fixed to folders. :)
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I do too. But most of the time, I carry a folder. There's a reason they invented them as well. ;)
 
Ankerson said:
That's never going to happen. ;)
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and they said the wright brothers were crazy...
also in logic there's something they say that I can't recall completely, it goes something like this: just because it has not happened doesn't mean that it won't. but the topic seemed to have been whether a lock is good on a folder or not.
 
J85909266 said:
Locking folders are absolutely an upgrade over non-locking folders, and they present a much wider range of viable tasks. Anybody arguing that is either stubborn and set in their ways, or doing so for the sole purpose of feeling elite and pretentious.
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yes there is that.
 
philwar said:
Yeah, I love cliches as much as the next guy. :D


Not disputing this for the current state of affairs. But you can't look into the future. Folders like the CS Pocket Bushman and the ER RAO demonstrate that given time, designers will come up with a knife that rivals smaller fixed blades. I'm not talking about the big beaters, but a small EDC blade like a skinny Gamewarden? I think the RAO is not that far off anymore.


I do too. But most of the time, I carry a folder. There's a reason they invented them as well. ;)
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I think they can get the locks strong, but when it comes to lateral force I don't think they will ever match a fixed blade. I haven't seen a folder yet that I couldn't loosen up and get a lot of blade play in if I really use them hard.

Give me any folder and in 5 mins I will loosen it up for you. :D

The RAO has a pin that screws in to make it the closest thing to a fixed blade you can get. Remove that pin and we are back to where we started.
 
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singularity35 said:
so do you know what they will come up with say 5 or 10 years from now? but the RAO does have that pin.
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It won't matter what they come up with, they will still be folding knives and will still loosen up over time. It's just the nature of the beast.
 
that may be true but they may perform nearly as well as fixed that it will only make a difference after long hard use. but let me understand what you are trying to say. are you saying that folders are so hopeless that we might as well stop trying?
 
singularity35 said:
that may be true but they may perform nearly as well as fixed that it will only make a difference after long hard use.
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I just don't see that happening with a folder that you could really carry in your pocket.

Now one that was made very strong overall that would come close would have to weigh like 5 lbs or something crazy like that.

In short if one uses a folder like a fixed blade they will be missing fingers and or break the folding knife, it might not happen the 1st time or even the 10th time, but it will happen.

It's just that simple.
 
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Ankerson said:
Now one that was made very strong overall that would come close would have to weigh like 5 lbs or something crazy like that.

In short if one uses a folder like a fixed blade they will be missing fingers and or break the folding knife.
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that's for present state of the art. do tell me how you can make predictions of what can and what cannot be achieved.

another story: first there was the folding knife with no lock. somewhat dangerous. then there came locking folders. somewhat safer. did you somehow predict that folders with no locks would be the state of the art ten years ago?
 
singularity35 said:
that's for present state of the art. do tell me how you can make predictions of what can and what cannot be achieved.

another story: first there was the folding knife with no lock. somewhat dangerous. then there came locking folders. somewhat safer. did you somehow predict that folders with no locks would be the state of the art ten years ago?
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I have been using locking folders for over 35 years. ;)
 
aahh whatever! 10 years ago or 20 or 30 or 40 (Just fill in the blank) years ago you seem to have come to the decision that locking folders are hopeless. and whatever will happen you probably will stick to that decision. so can we agree to disagree?
 
singularity35 said:
aahh whatever! 10 years ago or 20 or 30 or 40 (Just fill in the blank) years ago you seem to have come to the decision that locking folders are hopeless. and whatever will happen you probably will stick to that decision. so can we agree to disagree?
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Compared to a fixed blade?

Yeah they are hopeless. ;)
 
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