Slip joints vs other folders

[dan oliver]

Guys: Does it seem to anyone else that slip joints seem to have nicer workmanship, for the money, than other folders of similar size and at similar price points? And if that is true, what is the reason?

Thank you for your consideration.

 

[SVRIDER1]

I don't know why, but you are right or at least that has been my experience also. The last two knives I bought were an amber bone large cv case stockmen and a large case trapper and together they cost about half of what I would have spent on a tac folder. Their quality, f&f and detail seem to be way above also.

 

[Ed Gordon]

Slipjoints - traditional style folders have a bit of character and soul to me. The carbon steel ones get a patina and really age to be one of a kind and become yours. If you hand them down to someone then you are giving a bit of your history and experiences to them. They are a lot nicer to look at and the natural handle materials feel better in the hand. I only cut a few things a day so even if the slipjoint has less than the best current steel I still need to touch it up only every weekend or every other weekend. That just gives me an excuse to mess around with it and open all the blades and admire it. I usually carry some type of modern folder and a favorite slip joint or two.

 

[babakanoosh45]

I agree with the OP in that $ for $ it seems a production slipjoint knife is made of more visually pleasing materials than the Tacticool knives of today. I for one have become more drawn toward the natural materials such as Bone and Stag rather than G-10 and Titanium. Also the simplicity of the traditional style knife seems more appealing to me these days. I still have my G-10 and Carbon Fiber Super Steel Bank Vault Locking 9" O/A Pocket Swords. But as of late I am always on the hunt for a Bone slabbed Carbon Steel Jack Knife or Sodbuster or Stockman....

 

[Reeek]

I agree with the OP in that $ for $ it seems a production slipjoint knife is made of more visually pleasing materials than the Tacticool knives of today. I for one have become more drawn toward the natural materials such as Bone and Stag rather than G-10 and Titanium. Also the simplicity of the traditional style knife seems more appealing to me these days. I still have my G-10 and Carbon Fiber Super Steel Bank Vault Locking 9" O/A Pocket Swords. But as of late I am always on the hunt for a Bone slabbed Carbon Steel Jack Knife or Sodbuster or Stockman....

Damn, Dude

 

[TThom]

I agree with the OP in that $ for $ it seems a production slipjoint knife is made of more visually pleasing materials than the Tacticool knives of today. I for one have become more drawn toward the natural materials such as Bone and Stag rather than G-10 and Titanium. Also the simplicity of the traditional style knife seems more appealing to me these days. I still have my G-10 and Carbon Fiber Super Steel Bank Vault Locking 9" O/A Pocket Swords. But as of late I am always on the hunt for a Bone slabbed Carbon Steel Jack Knife or Sodbuster or Stockman....

Beast...

 

[slimshaneee]

I'll give ya $300 for the whole bunch!! :O

 

[babakanoosh45]

The reason I posted the photo was to show the swing toward traditional style knives in my collection. I at one time had a couple dozen Spyderco's and several Benchmade's and some Al Mar's as well as some of the larger Kershaw's. Know days I really enjoy the Bone slabbed Slipjoints. I try to give all my knives some use. Some I really gravitate to but they all get used at one point or another. A Soddie or Barlow can get me through just about any day. That's All.

 

[scraphogg]

I have a couple stockman knives and a buck 110. I have handled a couple of the newer knives of newer build materials. their good quality and all but dont have any warmth to them. man made scales feel cold and empty to me. the bone and woods in my knives make me feel good when i hold em.

 

[knarfeng]

Guys: Does it seem to anyone else that slip joints seem to have nicer workmanship, for the money, than other folders of similar size and at similar price points? And if that is true, what is the reason?

Thank you for your consideration.

Different cost breakdowns:
Uber knife:
- designer fees - royalties for known designers.
- new tooling for each knife because each design is unique
- uber steel that is harder to process. Harder to machine, takes fancier heat treat equipment.
- good craftsmen to put them together.
- patent fees for unique features
- lawyer fees because somebody stole your design.

traditional knife
- hand finish time - excellent craftsmen.
- reuse the tooling - lower cost here. (tooling is expensive.)
- traditional styles. Don't have to pay royalties to name brand designers.
- standard steels that are easier to process. Plus only use a couple of steels, so don't have to play with the heat treat system to go from one batch to another.
- no lawyers to fight design thieves.

Look at the Case designer series. Case has done several and the knives are MUCH more expensive because of the royalty fees and special tooling required to produce a unique design. Also look at the Case knives that use exotic steels. MUCH more expensive because those steels are harder to process.

Yes, I know that Queen uses D2 almost exclusively. But most folks have to rebevel the edge because the edge angles are so oblique. (oblique angle gives you less grinding to perform.)