Slip joiny knives instead of tactical folders

Very interesting topic and replies. I agree with what has been posted before this, but why not try to encourage your peers to venture away from the norm. Get a Douk Douk or Opinel and let your friends try it out. Encourage them to put them though some cutting tasks, whittle, slice fruit or whatever. Your buddies may not convert but I bet they will have more respect for you and your choice of knives. Explain the connection you feel with your knife and perhaps they will want to feel what thats like when the cool factor wears thin on a thick bladed tool with less soul and history to it. Inform them that knives like the Douk Douk were the tactical knives of a different era.

Food for thought anyway.

Chris
 
I'm one of the older guys you would expect to be more into traditionals, and I am, but it doesn't have to be an all-one none-of-the-other thing. I own and enjoy both modern and traditional knives. My main daily carry is a medium sized slipjoint of some kind, but I have several decent moderns that I'll carry when the need is there, especially when doing home improvement chores. I've got a couple of moderns that are perfect for that, and having one-handed opening locking blades is a huge benefit when you're up on a ladder or holding another tool in the other hand.

A true indication of maturity is when you begin deciding on things for yourself and stop letting other people's opinions control you. Influence you, sure, that's how you learn from others. So I suggest, for your consideration, that you follow your brain and heart and buy, carry, and use what you want and what works for you.

Ever notice how the truly cool people aren't the ones trying to follow the crowd? They are the ones just doing their own thing and the crowd notices and starts following them.
 
There's a lot to be said for tradition, mostly personal taste (or making a statement), that said, Its hard to see a practical reason for a slip joint, other than taste. I was always taught, and do treat my folders (locking) with an eye towards what if it did fail (become a slip joint unintendedly). and in some circumstances (who you are, where you are, what you're doing, legal enthusiasts, etc, etc, I avoid ever having to use mine, but in public, open my tactical (plain gray) with two hands, cup it as much as possible and ease it back in my pocket asap. Whereas I liked & enjoyed showing off what I carried 25 years ago, now I do everything possible to avoid it. But it does have a small gray clip (and little else) showing. (most of the time) but whatever makes you happy, I always liked to be different, I just like to be different discreetly more as I get older.
 
A lot of guys carry modern folders because that is the easiest thing to find at the local sporting goods store in terms of what most people would consider a practical EDC. Their also under impression that smith & wesson, mtech, tac force, etc make good knives because it seems like everyone carries them so they can't be junk. Definitely doesn't mean their right, they just don't know any better. Than there is the fact that most younger guys think the whole "tacti-cool" stuff is cool.

Most knives that I see that aren't poorly made modern folders are usually Buck 110's and in my area and the belt sheath advertises too much your carrying a knife and if your a young male that's just drawing attention to yourself. Where as the pocket clip doesn't draw anywhere near as much attention. Than there are a few swiss army knives in stores but they are still hard to find unless you know where to look and a slip joint in your pocket draws no attention and I can promise you a lot more people carry those than you think, it's just that there is nothing to draw your attention to it as it's out of sight.

And I be blunt I am in college and though older than you, let me give you some advice. Don't follow the crowd if you like slip joints and it works for you carry it, and same things with other things in life. At the end of the day your the one living with your decisions whether they be rewards, consequences, etc it is all a journey. You mind as follow your own road instead of someone else's and enjoy the ride. And if that's not motivation enough, every girl I know will take the guy with self confidence to be themselves over the guy who will follow the crowd to try to fit in (minus the few who just want a guy to manipulate, but that's another story).
 
When I first became a cop, I carried tactical knives because I was sure I would need to cut myself out of a train wreck or stab myself to freedom through a horde of drugged up psycho vagrants.

Then I grew up.
All I ever have to cut is paper, envelops, string, thread, remove staples, scrape chewing gum off my boot, and all sorts of other mundane and unexciting tasks which are made easier by having a sharp slim blade. I carry a peanut on every shift now.

Oh and lunch. Cutting food is one of its most regular uses.

If you get grief from your mates, explain that you aspire to be a gentleman. They are supposed to be your mates, if they don't get it, they're not your mates and you're better off without them.

And by the way, there is a collective wisdom here in the traditionals that has amazed and intrigued me, I feel constantly humbled by it.

Welcome to the porch. :)

Paul
 
Carry what you want to carry. I carried a wide array of one handed openers, to the top of the line Swahili workers and Aragorns folders. I still have about 5 one handed openers but I had to go through tons of them to find that I like a good thin slicing blade, that of a slipjoint. The fit and finish amazes me on these knives, much more so than super steels and super frame locks used to. I still have a few of the Swahili workers and bosses, and they are top of the line when it comes to one handed openers. I just get more satisfaction in using a slipjoint or old lockback.
 
people's tastes evolve, and tactical → traditional is generally more common than the reverse. I think it boils down to people really evaluating their needs and what they find aesthetically pleasing.

If you had told me three years ago that I'd be EDC'ing a sodbuster slip joint today, I'd have said you were crazy.
 
I, personally, will probably end up carrying a tactical folder in my front right pocket with a stockman in my backpocket.
I have a Queen Country Cousin and there is not a better knife in my collection. It is one of my top 10 favorite knives.
 
I don't always carry a slip joint

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But when I do, watch out!
 
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I think what you carry has a lot to do with the time period you grew up. I grew up around traditionals, in fact, there weren't really any "tactical" knives back then. That is why I am drawn to them.

However, I try to keep an open mind, and almost every day I clip my Benchmade Mini-Grip on my pants pocket. In my pocket, there's always a traditional slipjoint. Best of both worlds, and I can produce the "appropriate" knife for the required task.

As an aside, you may get less grief from people as a younger person when producing a traditional slipjoint as opposed to a modern tactical folder.

As others have said, carry what makes you happy. Don't feel like you have to march in lock-step with everyone else like some mindless drone. I find that people who march to the beat of a different drum often end up leading the band.

Glenn
 
pipedreams308 said:
1. Carry what you need.
2. Carry what you enjoy.
3. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing.
4. Welcome to Traditionals!
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Todd is very right.
Oh, and if you feel a bit different than the people around you...stick around here a bit...you will find out that we all are a bit different than the rest :D

Fausto
:cool:
 
quattromori said:
Todd is very right.
Oh, and if you feel a bit different than the people around you...stick around here a bit...you will find out that we all are a bit different than the rest :D

Fausto
:cool:
Click to expand...

"We are all individuals!"

"I'm not."
 
Carry and use both, as many of us do. I carry a traditional almost 100% of the time, but in certain situations I add a modern OHO.
Then I am sure to have exactly the tool I want for the job at hand.
 
I've been carrying a modern in my main front pocket, and a small Toothpick (Case slip joint) in my watch (or coin) pocket of my Levi's. Best of both worlds.
 
21 here, and I've recently made the conversion from modern Spydies to pretty much exclusively traditionals.

And boy, am I loving it!
 
Jccrigger said:
I'm 18 and I've carried tactical kvives and haven't thought anything about slip joints until I recived my first one which was a case yellow stockman which was in 2010 and ever since then I have used that and the tactical knives but I eventually converted to using and carrying nothing but slip joints with the exception of a few traditional lockbacks and when I get on the forum the only thing I look at is the traditional knives section. But anyway the point I'm trying to get to is I don't know how I feel about me carrying slipjoints well of corse I feel great about it but I also feel different about it because most the kids my age are carrying different tactical knives and I feel that the traditional knives appeal to me more but I want to know what's your opinion on my situation....much appreciation
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I'm close to your age. First off, and I hate grammar freaks as much as the next guy, but you should consider more punctuation (especially when using electronic media, the eye still has trouble focusing on screen text, so no punctuation aggravates that). If you like traditionals carry traditionals. I mean you know what they say "don't give in to peer pressure" and all that. I guess it goes for knives as well. The majority of my "peers" where I am right now don't carry a knife, so I have a different but similar problem. Do what you like. I also thought I was going to be a traditional guy for a bit, but realized you don't get as much function for your money in many cases. I now like traditionals because you can get them super cheap and beat them up (rough rider) or get a good one that will fill many roles and last a lifetime (SAK), but mainly stick to modern knives.
 
If you mainly carry modern knives, then you should be posting about that in General Forum, rather than in the Traditional Forum.
 
knarfeng said:
If you mainly carry modern knives, then you should be posting about that in General Forum, rather than in the Traditional Forum.
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He said he mainly carries traditionals, but his friends mainly carry moderns.
 
Good for you, OP! :thumbup::cool: Folks who carry things for others are called bellhops, valets, or caddies... ;) Carry what works best for you and what you enjoy!

Modern one-handers just don't crank my tractor like they used to. I still have a few and own a couple I'd rather not let go but for the most part, I think traditional folders have a lot more soul...

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Plus, traditionals don't gnaw on my pockets like a pack of rabid ferrets... :D

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Oh yes they did! That there is the inevitable conclusion of totin' G-10 and pocket clips...

-Brett
 
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