Recently became interested...

S

SuzukiGS750EZ

Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
4,563
I've always been interested in traditional knives as my dad has a buck 110 style schrade and I've always loved victorinox knives. The buck 110 was the first " traditional " knife I purchased. I've always loved the look of wood or stag handles. Slip joints have always had a place in my heart. But more recently, while carrying modern folders, I really wanted to go back to the roots of the older generations. Traditionals put me in mind of whittling, working on the farm, cleaning game and sharpening them until they're tooth picks. I've got an opinel that I admire. Many Swiss Army knives. The buck 110 I mentioned. That's about it. I've always looked and loved case knives. To give you a perspective into my edc I'll list them. Mind you I've got over 40 other knives (I know, small collection, I'm very picky). I carry a spyderco Manix 2 xl, large carbon fiber sebenza 21, spyderco carbon fiber caly 3, bench made d2 cabelas griptilian, Kershaw blur black handle blackwash blade, spyderco military, ZT 0561 and a leather man charge tti. Sometimes I'll throw in a victorinox swisschamp or huntsman lite. For fixed blades I've got a JK handmade knives custom and an ESEE 4 in orange/green. So you see I've got mostly modern folders. I just purchased a case 63032 medium stockman as it's been a pattern I've looked at many times, in Amber bone, CV steel. I've had a few barlows and other various slip joints slide through my hands over the years but I always sharpened them, got them in working order and gave them back to the person who passed them onto me as a knife that was no longer usable, which after I was done it was! I really think I can get into traditional slip joints. As much as I'd like a menacing knife in my pocket, I don't think I'll ever need a knife for self defense. I like the idea of being able to drop a knife in my pocket and go about my day. So many less moving parts to get gummed up. A blade that can take on a patina of its own and show its age down the line. I think I need to take my knife carrying back to the roots when people could take care of anything with just a simple slip joint and didn't need ten locks to hold the blade open while they did brainless things and complained that the lock failed and they got cut. I can see many more in my future!
 
Hmmm. The colourful wasp can sting you repeatedly causing great pain yet the tiny, dull mosquito can give you malaria causing a lifetime of suffering and possible death....sounds like you my friend need some bug spray.....err to use a somewhat confusing analogy :). Perhaps GEC is the quinine you seek. Perhaps I've said too much....and yet perhaps not..
Yep probably have..
..as usual.:thumbup:
 
I've recently come back to the Traditional folks, myself. While I have a strong preference for single blade models, my first new acquisition was a 2 blade Congress (half Congress) in birdseye maple.
I still carry my modern folders in my right front pocket, I've just slipped a traditional into my left...and I find myself using it more often than the modern.
Welcome, and enjoy.
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
I've always been interested in traditional knives as my dad has a buck 110 style schrade and I've always loved victorinox knives. The buck 110 was the first " traditional " knife I purchased.

I've always loved the look of wood or stag handles. Slip joints have always had a place in my heart. But more recently, while carrying modern folders, I really wanted to go back to the roots of the older generations.

Traditionals put me in mind of whittling, working on the farm, cleaning game and sharpening them until they're tooth picks. I've got an opinel that I admire. Many Swiss Army knives. The buck 110 I mentioned. That's about it. I've always looked and loved case knives.

To give you a perspective into my edc I'll list them. Mind you I've got over 40 other knives (I know, small collection, I'm very picky). I carry a spyderco Manix 2 xl, large carbon fiber sebenza 21, spyderco carbon fiber caly 3, bench made d2 cabelas griptilian, Kershaw blur black handle blackwash blade, spyderco military, ZT 0561 and a leather man charge tti. Sometimes I'll throw in a victorinox swisschamp or huntsman lite. For fixed blades I've got a JK handmade knives custom and an ESEE 4 in orange/green. So you see I've got mostly modern folders.

I just purchased a case 63032 medium stockman as it's been a pattern I've looked at many times, in Amber bone, CV steel. I've had a few barlows and other various slip joints slide through my hands over the years but I always sharpened them, got them in working order and gave them back to the person who passed them onto me as a knife that was no longer usable, which after I was done it was!

I really think I can get into traditional slip joints. As much as I'd like a menacing knife in my pocket, I don't think I'll ever need a knife for self defense. I like the idea of being able to drop a knife in my pocket and go about my day. So many less moving parts to get gummed up. A blade that can take on a patina of its own and show its age down the line.

I think I need to take my knife carrying back to the roots when people could take care of anything with just a simple slip joint and didn't need ten locks to hold the blade open while they did brainless things and complained that the lock failed and they got cut. I can see many more in my future!
Click to expand...
[added some paragraph spacing so I could read it easier, hope you don't mind]

Well, you've found the right place. The Case 63032 CV is a good enough place to start as any. I've got a couple of them - one in Chestnut CV and the other in Amber Bone CV. They get their fair share of pocket time when I am in the mood for a medium stockman pattern.

If you're of a mind to add more, the Peanut and Sod Buster patterns are very classic and useful. If your budget allows it, you might want to try a Great Eastern Cutlery knife at some point.

You can always continue to carry one of your existing knives as well as a slipjoint. Many here do that (check out the Traditional and Modern Pairings thread). I usually carry a Victorinox SAK along with another slipjoint myself.
 
Sorry! Late night posting. I don't personally carry more than one knife, it's repetitive lol. I could see a SAK and a slip joint, but then why not just carry a SAK? To each their own. It'll be nice to put a patina on it. I've only owned two carbon steel knives and I love watching a patina form. For some reason case seems to stick out to me as traditional, but I'm sure as I use it I'll be able to tell a better built slippy from the case, not to say it's a slouch. Much like I did starting with folders.
 
Welcome to the porch.

We like a lot of different manufactures here, but many like GEC as they are a smaller outfit who makes a wide variety of patterns in small runs and they have about the right demand and people who care that they tend to turn out nice knives.... though like any other manufacturer, they may not be perfect. I love GEC, but my most carried knives tend to be Case. We like Queen, USA Schrades, Canal Street, Buck.... and many others. What I'm really trying to say is, if you like Case, you'll fit in.

Many of us carry more than one knife for no other reason that we like knives. No big deal there.

Traditional vs. Modern? Nothing wrong with modern, but I find that I just like the old school stuff and if I need something more robust than a slipjoint, a traditional fixed blade or even a Buck 110 is where I turn.

Again welcome aboard.
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
...I could see a SAK and a slip joint, but then why not just carry a SAK? ...
Click to expand...
Oh, there's no logic to it. I really don't need to carry a pocket knife at all, except for occasional convenience. If it was all about what I need and minimizing what I carry, then probably the Vic Cadet would be plenty. Or just a Case Peanut or something similar.

But I'm a knife hobbyist for whatever insane reason, so I like to carry the objects of my interest around with me. I carry the Vic Cadet all the time, and add one or two other slipjoints to the rotation just for fun. If it were purely about the practicality of it, I would have about 3 or 4 pocket knives and have long ago stopped posting here.
 
There is something minimalist about carrying a small knife or a single blade knife. You have to be more thoughtful and contemplative about what you will use it for, but it's easier than carrying around a tool box on your back.

And depending on the knife, sometimes it's just fun to take it out for a task and have someone comment on it, say something like "hey, my dad or uncle used to carry one like that". That's pretty darn cool right there.
 
I just recently bought a Queen #69 single blade Barlow with a clip point blade. At 3-1/2", it drops into my watch pocket, and I forget it's there. The D2 blade gets and stays very sharp. Best little single blade knife I've had.
 
Hey Suzuki,

Sounds like you are off on the right foot, and some knowledgeable folks have already chimed in. I recently sold most of my moderns (kept two of my favorites for me, one for my son) and carry a GEC (of one pattern or another) for any daily task that should arise.

I have a #73 single bladed scout coming tomorrow, w/ horse cut bone and a liner lock. I plan on making that my "go to" edc... while l like my couple moderns, and I always carry one, I will always reach for my traditional first in normal circumstances... Which is just about always. They remind me of my grandfathers.

Check out GEC; they cost a little more, but they are haunted by a rich past--they are made now just the way they were made way back when.
 
Great to have you join us here. For the vast majority of us a simple old slip-joint traditional pocket knife can handle 98% of what you need a pocket knife for. The right tool for the task at hand is common sense. It won't do everything perfectly, but it gets the job done just fine 98% of the time for typical daily tasks.

I use my Barlow for everything, from slicing the morning bagel to opening the mail and packages, cutting hay bale strings and it's my steak knife at the end of the day.
 
I'm in the same boat as the OP, albeit with a smaller modern collection. I'm really liking the simplicity of the traditional as well as the heritage factor. I still love my modern knives and carry them in conjunction with my traditional around the house, but at work in a safety conscious environment a traditional is less likely to raise eyebrows when I'm cutting up my lunch or opening mail.
 
I have many knives as well, but only recently got back into carrying, using, and collecting traditionals. It's much more pleasurable.

I'm into Case knives as well.
 
I have to say, in the last day... I'm in trouble. I want a trapper now lol. I really love traditional knives I guess I just never explored them. I love the buck 110, it's just so heavy...
 
The Case Mini Trapper is such a great knife. The GEC 48 is similar. I'd check those out.

Some like the wharncliffe secondary, but I much prefer the spey even if it isn't as sexy looking. Straight edge plus belly is great especially since the primary clip has a good point.
 
As much as we like the old time looks and feel of a gradational pocket knife, or the feel of some nice wood or jigged bone, and knowing our grandfathers would recognize the knife as something they would carry, there is yet another real world advantage. Sometimes it's nice to have a knife with two or even three different blades, with two or even three different edges on them. I remember my old man telling me that when you walk out the door in the boring, you never really know what you will have to deal with before you get home at night. Most traditional pocket knives give you a choice of blades in one small handy pocket size package.

14472954655_9c4f8d407a_c.jpg
 
The Case Sway Back Jack is definitely one to check out. I'm a big fan of barlows, but the SBJ has won me over.
 
jc57 said:
[If you're of a mind to add more, the Peanut and Sod Buster patterns are very classic and useful. If your budget allows it, you might want to try a Great Eastern Cutlery knife at some point.
Click to expand...
Sodbuster for sure and the Peanut is a great little knife. I would also try to add a Muskrat and a Trapper.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top