Reb

Lorien said:
Rolf, Will Leavitt really made a believer outta me in the pocket straight knife department.
They'll never fill the role a folder can completely, but a folder sometimes can't fill the role a straight knife can. Depends on what sort of dude you are, I suppose.
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Same here:

 
Ed Fowler said:
Personally I see the knife as a simple tool, for me it is most efficient when it is a natural extension of my hand.

Hold your hand out, thumb up - now extend your index finger as high from the other three fingers as you can. Try to put your hand in your pocket or a glove, you will find the index finger gets in the way. This is why a good sheath is hard to make for a trailing point knife.

Try to do some work with that single index finger extended and you may find it does not work too well. Walk around for a day, keeping that finger extended and you will become significantly more aware of its presence every time it gets in the way or you stub it on something hard.

In my experience the drop point blade is more in tune with my arm and hand when it comes to utility, being able to index the blade and do work with it. My nature may very well be different than yours.

I do not mean to suggest that you should agree with me or that you are wrong because you like trailing point knives, we are all free in the knife community use what you like.

Subjects like this should be discussed and through debate and sharing opinions we will all make individual decisions based on the variables discussed.
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I think that is an unfair analogy, Ed. You can't possibly believe that a pointed-up index finger is at all the same as a trailing point knife. I could easily make the same analogy about guards(I know that you are a big proponent of them) by suggesting to spend the day with your pinky finger down. Folks use trailing point knives all the time and most do not have issues. Your friend states otherwise... that is fine but still anecdotal. Again I could shift it and and point out the fact that I have yet to see a guard on a blade used by folks who make their livelihood using knives all day(I live in a fishing/trades/artisan town). You say sheathing is problematic... I don't understand that either. Yes, I wouldn't put a trailing point into a fold-over pocket sheath but it doesn't take much to make a safe sturdy sheath for just about any knife shape.
 
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We all make our choices based on the best information available to us at the time. My goal as a knife maker is to make the safest knife I can develop for my clients, I share what I believe and try to explain it the best I can.

We are all individuals and that is what makes man what he is becoming.

I have packing house knives with guards on them. The green river works "Russell" made some around 1890, it is nothing new to those who use them daily.
 
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I believe the trailing point it is like the barb of a fishing hook....willing to tangle and pierce out the "control line".
a dropped point put that barb down under the extension of your wrist, neutralizing the threat, and offering the spine to your control line.
Every knife could be dangerous if out of control...both designs can be under control depending on the user awareness.
 
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