Swing Guards

LKJW

LKJW

Joined
Nov 21, 2010
Messages
1,832
I have a few cheetah cubs...and I was just wondering...seems like they don't get much pocket time from other folks...I carry mine a lot. I dig em. I was wondering if it is just my perception or what their perceived limitations are (aside from one blade obviously). I like the guard and the slim nature of the beast. :confused:
 
I have a couple of swing guards, and to be honest, I dont edc them... one is a very tidy Robeson...which I prefer to s/queen, the other is a 70's case...they just dont seem as they would be practical compared to say a trapper ( such as a 1940T or jack)...but this is only my very unexperienced opinion...Im sure the more experienced users will come in with theirexperienced thoughts!!
 
They aren't that practical for most purposes but are interesting knives. I have a Queen that is beautifully made and a joy to open - there is a certain style about the way that guard snaps into place.

Anachronistic but delightful nonetheless.
 
While I can admire how the swing guards work, I don't - and won't - carry one. When I use a knife, my fingers or thumb naturally move forward to the back of the blade many times in various ways, depending on just what I'm doing and the sort of control I'm after. And the swing guard is right in the @#$% way.

(Note: there are also legal issues in some areas carrying a knife with a guard like this. At least police in some areas view carrying such as implied intent to use it on someone -- rather like carrying a straight razor or icepick.)

I *do* actually like the Cheetah - and especially the Cheetah cub due to its 3 1/2" size. I think they're very attractive knives and would be very useful -- but first order of business for me would be removing that darn swing guard.
 
Last edited:
OK, thanks. Never really thought about it like that. I carry so many different knives, I find it fairly easy to adjust. Kind of like, I ride a motorcycle and have a stickshift car. Totally different ways of operating a clutch,etc. But they both become muscle memory...the guard does change your grip, but I kind of like it and it doesn't feel weird to me. What y'all are saying does make sense though.

I never even thought of the guard seeming threatening. :eek: And man, they're fun to play with. :thumbup:
 
I had the same problem as zerogee, so i cut the top of the guard off on a Queen one i have... much improved for handling, but its a pain to open now as you have to manually arrange the guard to click into place.... The way the guards upper section cams on the bolster is what pushes it into place normally; oops.

Otherwise, I am not a fan of lockbacks, but they are nice knives. My Dad prefers guards on fixed blades and locks on folders so i got him a cheetah a few years ago and it gets a lot of use from him. I carried the Queen for a bit, its a nice size and blade profile, nice and slim in the pocket... just not my cup of tea.


You might enjoy the review/comparison I did of the Case, and Queen;
Comparison; Queen and Case Large Swing Guard Lockbacks

I also have one i modified to a wharncliffe blade, and then eventually a thumb stud, its a cold weather/gloved hand knife in my truck; Easy to open with the stud to pull, and i welcome the guard with cold slow hands.... I call it the Wharn-Cat

stud3.jpg


stud1.jpg



G.
 
That's pretty cool, IT. I often wish I had a folder that was easy to open with MC gloves on.
 
I have about a dozen or so new full-size Cheetahs, and a mid-70s Ka-Bar version as well. I like the looks of the pattern, although I don't really carry them at all.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have a few, including a Case-Ruger just like the one shown above, but don't actually carry one. Larger and heavier than I prefer to carry.

AGswingguards.jpg


cheetah-1.jpg


SwingGuardcomparison1.jpg
 
I just got a KA-BAR catalog and they've got this Union Cutlery Dog's Head Swing Guard in D2. Looks like it would make a pretty good folding hunter. Really cool looking knife, but a bit out of my price range, however.

6110.jpg
 
I have about 20 different Swing guards, Case, Bulldogs,and Marbles. I occasionally do carry one of the smaller Case Cheetah Cubs around and it serves me pretty well. I think I will carry my old Redbone Case Cheetah today to church.:thumbup:
 
Just as in the "Toothpick" thread, a couple of Shatts. Also from the File & Wire series w/ ATs-34 blade steel.

Dave
P.S. I don't carry this pattern much either. :eek:

IMG_0421.jpg

IMG_0422.jpg
 
Gotta admit, I like the spear point blade a lot better than the clip point on this pattern.
 
Like a lot of us knife freaks, I like the 'worry bead' effect of having something nice (bone, etc) to occupy my hands (rubbing my thumb on the scales, etc). Especially since I quit smoking. I find the cub is one of the nicer knives for "worrying". Yeah, that's kind of a dumb reason, but that's how it ends up in my pocket a lot of times.

I do have one full sized cheetah, but it never gets carried. Too big and ungainly.
 
Funny about swing guards. My grandfather used to call them a "pimp's" knife. He had said that they were really popular after WWII for a spell.
 
I had a cheetah cub in my pocket today but it usually sits on a shelf while one of two stockmen sits in my pocket. It's the only swing guard I own. Not sure why I don't carry it more often. I guess it's too pretty and it feels too light to be tough.

Frank
 
I know it is not a real popular pattern, but I dig it a lot. I have a few full sized swing guards I've put on here before, but I never put these up for some reason.

cubs3.jpg


cubs2.jpg


cubs.jpg
 
swingguards are interesting to see & operate but the function is lacking when compared to other locking types.--dennis
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top