Switching over to traditionals

[NMpops]

In my early days as a LEO (1978 before pocket clips) we were not allowed to carry anything on our belts we were not issued. As it was difficult to impossible to retrieve anything in your front pocket, a small Schrade jack rode in my shirt pocket. I got on just fine. When Spyderco came along I bought a Workman and one sort of tactical folder or another rode in my back pocket til I retired. Now they are also retired.
Sent from my Ally

 

[Smaug]

I agree mostly with the others here.

However....

Do keep one tactical folder, maybe a smaller one with a 3" blade or so. In case you change your mind, or really are more likely to be in a situation in which it might be helpful.

You've got a few good traditional knives coming. The Sodbuster is a very sturdy folder. The joint is very tight, but has a lot of friction. But the blade is thick enough and sturdy, and it is highly unlikely to close on you in case you bump the blade somehow on a back swing when chopping at something. On the other hand, this knife is AWFULLY bulky for what it offers. A Victorinox Tinker, for example, offers probably 90% of the sturdiness, and a good deal more quality and utility.

The slimline trapper is a great design, in my opinion. The blade is long enough for cutting and peeling fruit. The handle shape is very comfortable; kind of reminds me of a really nice steak knife handle. The handle is also long enough to grip in a couple of different ways: one way, with the thumb on the back of the handle, lets one push a bit harder for tougher cuts, for instance on thick rope. Then, the more typical hold where the knife is kind of sideways in the hand for gentler work. I like mine so much, I think I'm going to also try a conventional, two-bladed trapper at some point.

I'm not so sure about the back pocket. That's a big knife. I guess if you're on your feet all day, carrying it in the back pocket isn't such a bad option. It would be kind of like an XL slimline trapper at that point.

Now that you've opened your mind to traditional knives, you will probably start to realize that you don't always need a big blade either. A 2" blade that is razor sharp is also good enough for most day-to-day duties. The Case Peanut is a super-popular knife here....

Also, if you haven't considered it already, you might consider either a Swiss Army Knife or multi-tool. They are the MOST useful, at the expense of some character.

I have all three of these knife types in my collections. Actually, multiples of all three types. I switch back and forth a bit between the multi-tool/SAK and traditionals. One has more character and more appeal in the looks and feel department, and the other is just so dead useful that it is hard for me to discount solely based on function-before-form aspects.

 

[The Government]

After years of buying tactical ridiculously over built folders and never needing them for more than simple cutting chores I finally just decided to start carry slipjoints. I sold off a few of my tactical folders and placed orders for a few slipjoints today. I ordered a Case Sodbuster, back pocket and slimline trapper. I also ordered a GEC Serpentine. I'm very excited about these knew knives and actually carrying more job appropriate knives. Who really needs a Manix 2 to open a package or cut fruit?

The transition is nice! Enjoy it. :thumbup:

I still carry modern knives because I am a full blown knife-nut, but not 100% of the time -like I carry slip joints.

If my pants are on, I have a slip-joint.

 

[bladeblabber]

I made my "transition" from modern tactical folders to traditional slipjoints in November of 2011, about 4 months ago. I don't know exactly what it was that made me realize that i didnt need a 3.5" locking, one handed folder. Maybe it was partly jackknife's stories along with just reading threads in this forum. But anyways, i went to my local knife dealer and bought a case pen knife with yellow derlin handles and CV steel. I inteded to just carry it during weekends and off-days from work but I started carrying it all the time. So now its been 4 months and that case pen knife has been the only knife I have carried. I have never needed anything larger or stronger.

the transition feels a little bit strange at first but you'll get used to it quickly.

 

[singin50]

You will be happy to gain some great history and knowledge with the traditional slippies.

 

[reader1]

My family gave me knives for cutting chores at a very early age. Knives were tools. They were always sharp.

I saw many knife fights. I never saw a winner walk away without being cut, unless he had ambushed (blind-sided) the loser.

When I could no longer open my Large Schrades, I switched to one hand openers for about twenty years. I worked hard to find non-black blades without holes and pocket clips.

While I do like carrying beautiful elegant slicers, I see no reason not to have a One Hand Opener in one pocket.

My sincere thanks to all on this traditional forum for your willingness to share your knowledge, experience, and especially your photos of your many beautiful, and sometimes wonderfully old knives.

Mike H.

 

[avoidspam]

I started out with Spyderco, picked up several and admired their engineering. Every so often I would pop an Opinel in my pocket and appreciate the way it sliced and how comfortable it was in the hand. There seems to be a drive for thin, pocket friendly knives from most modern makers which tends to make them uncomfortable to use for tasks like whittling. I kept trying to find Spyderco's with thinner blades together with fatter handles (not easy!). In the end I settled with a Delica 4 Ffg with G10 liners, as close as I could get! My next problem was the pocket clip, my job involves picking up heavy items with both hands, meaning my arms would brush past the clip as I lifted. Several times I had to search around a field, luckily finding it.

Finally, the steel. S30-v is wonderful at keeping an edge but once in a while I would slip, hitting a nail or concrete. Removing chips from this kind of steel is a pain in the posterior! Although the 1095 of my GEC's needs a bit more TLC, at worst it rolls. So much easier Having said that I've been impressed with the laminated 3G steel offered by Fallniven, having convexed the edge it seems reluctant to chip. Now I carry a GEC #73 on work days, switching to an Opi or the Fallkniven TK4 when I know it'll get a bit muddy and rough

Sam

 

[LKJW]

I still have some one handers. Haven't carried one in ages. My Leek will find it's way back to my backpocket, but lately...naw. I mean, fishing, sure it's handy change a lure on heavy test while holding the rod...whatever, but sitting down and dealing with it ain't tough. And my PAL EO Jack opens fine with gloves, I can 'drop' it open one handed. And it cut my toe like warm butter. It's gonna be riding with me a while...we bonded.

 

[VictorKilo]

Tore up my wrist (dominant side, naturally!) last week, so I'm glad to have my "tactical" flippers and thumb studs to see me through - but as soon as I stop screaming when trying to open it, the swayback jack is making a return. There's nothing day-to-day that I'm not comfortable doing with a sub-3" slippie. With that said, I'm feeling much better about my locking one-handers right now. All the best with your traditionals, B Hess. If you start missing one-hand openers, try out a Case Russlock!

 

[johnny twoshoes]

I think I shared this story a while ago, but I'll share it again.

I work on a produce and I use a knife just about every other minute. I carry more than one because I have to loan knives out all the time, it's like they never knew what a knife was until I started working there. Anyhow, one of the fall jobs we have is to cut and bundle corn stalks for the folks who like to decorate for the season. I myself see it as a waste of money, but they look great on an old porch. We cut the stalks down with a couple of old machetes, so it's down right traditional as it gets. I work with the owners grandson a lot and he is into knives. When I first heard that he was a collector I thought that was cool, but then he showed me some of his collection. It looked like he watched Kill Bill or some other Hollywood movie and decided to buy one of every tactical knife or samurai sword shown. I get that samurais are traditional, but he is the whitest samurai I have ever seen.

Anyhow, he brought in one of those flipper knives to show me, it was as black rifle as you can get. He said he had "just sharpened it", so it was ready to go. We use jute twine to bundle the stalks together, so there is a lot of cutting in this job. You wrap the twine around your arm until you have a sizable bunch, then you take out a knife and cut them. I turned around to see my co-worker pull out his flipper knife and flip it open like some kind of bad@$$, I just smiled and turned around. I was using my #53 Fur Taker Trapper, I slipped it out of my pocket and I pinched the wharncliffe blade open. That 1095 blade slid right through that bundle like it wasn't even there. I closed my knife and turned around to get started on bundling the stalks, thats when I see him with his black rifle knife trying to bludgeon the twine to death. He looks up kind of embarrassed and says, "I just sharpened it, it should be cutting this". I reached into my pocket and pulled out my Trapper, I handed it over to him so he could how sharp a knife is supposed to be.

He opened it and said, "I like how you made the blades black", I had to roll my eyes at this. He went over and put his knife in the truck and, he used mine for the rest of the day. He would comment on how sharp it was, ot how he liked the wood handles on it. He reminded how much he liked my knife..... a lot.

 

[Ken44]

I carry both a traditional and a one-hander most of the time. The traditional does ~90% of my cutting. But, sometimes I gotta hold something with one hand, while I get my knife out with the other. The one-handers are handy that way.

I do the same.
I always have a traditional in my left pocket, and often another smaller one in my right watch pocket. I also keep a clip on knife in my right pocket.
I hope to go trout fishing on opening day this sat, and I sometimes only have my right hand available when a rod or trout is in my left hand.

I've had traditionals in my pocket since grade school(I'm 51), and always will, but I've also come to appreciate the handiness of a one-hander.

 

[Humppa]

Welcome to the forum!

I just thought about myself. I was in the same way, as you. I started with the big folders, like this one (ok, totally overbuild and not often use, guess why?!)

But now, I keep theese monstrosities in the box. Slippies are more nice to handle and they have much more soul than such a "thing".

I use to carry a slippie. And maybe a multitool. But one-handers I haven´t carried for about two years. Too bulky.

Something like this I prefer nowadays

Welcome to the propably coolest subforum in the world wide web!

Kind regards
Andi

 

[BRL]

"Need" is irrelevant. "Want" is what being a knife lover is all about. And every once in a while I "want" to fish a hugeass steel and micarta monstrosity from where it was clipped to the edge of my pocket, place my thumb against the stud, and press; the thunderous WHOCK of a ridiculously overbuilt tactical folding blade slamming into place like the fist of an angry Thor lets those envelopes, cardboard boxes, and apples know in no uncertain terms who has evolved past Great White Sharks and Yeti to hold a place of dominance at the very top of the food chain.

But yeah, most of the time I carry a GEC Conductor.

 

[300Bucks]

If society would let me I would carry a small straight knife. A buck 102 would be about right in a nice sheath. But I carry different knives on different days. I sometimes carry a small Buck Vantage, which would be called a one hander, it clips low in the pocket. But other times I carry a 303 or 309 , a TL-29 or a SAK on Sunday for the pillips screwdriver. In hot weather my pants seldom have a watch pocket where I would stick the 309. If forced to have only one I would take a 303 Stockman and feel like I could meet any challenge. (Don't say anything but my second one only choice would be one of the SAKs with metal sides and one or two special blades.) I carried a 303 stockman or a 112 Ranger in an outdoor job for 30 years and would be happy doing so again. So you see, one knife can get by but why do so as a volunteer....300Bucks

Edit. I believe in the saying 'Never take a knife when a gun is available" I would take a Hawk to a fight over a knife also.
If I was going to play Surviorman then would have hand filling stockman or small straightknife and a small axe.

 

[TLARbb]

I have both types and mostly carry traditionals, but there are times when a one hand opener is very handy to have on your person. When I joined BF in 2010, my favorite knives were a 194OT and a BM mini AFCK. They are nearly the same size and do the same tasks pretty much equally, but the mini AFCK is a lot easier to open. I still like it, but leave it in the desk most days and carry traditionals with a mini copperhead the most often carried.

Ed J

 

[pertinux]

"need" is irrelevant. "want" is what being a knife lover is all about. And every once in a while i "want" to fish a hugeass steel and micarta monstrosity from where it was clipped to the edge of my pocket, place my thumb against the stud, and press; the thunderous whock of a ridiculously overbuilt tactical folding blade slamming into place like the fist of an angry thor lets those envelopes, cardboard boxes, and apples know in no uncertain terms who has evolved past great white sharks and yeti to hold a place of dominance at the very top of the food chain.

But yeah, most of the time i carry a gec conductor.

~ p.

 

[pinnah]

I carry both a traditional and a one-hander most of the time. The traditional does ~90% of my cutting. But, sometimes I gotta hold something with one hand, while I get my knife out with the other. The one-handers are handy that way.

I can open these "traditionals" one handed, no problem. With most of them, I can close them one handed too.

The trick with lockbacks is to pinch the blade with your thumb and fingers and use the edge of your pocket to catch the end of the handle. Push down and out against the pocket lip to open the knife. With the Opinel's, this is easier if you modify the handles to make them easy openers.

Opinel's are a cinch to close (very safely) one handed. With lockbacks... it's a bit dicier but usually possible.


Folders by Pinnah, on Flickr

 

[tomsch]

I have and appreciate both. I do have a crossover that slides into my pocket like a slip joint. Is a combination of exotic wood and modern materials. Can be opened with one hand but looks more like it has a thumb nick. It is small, slices well, locks, and is 100% flawless in construction. I have a small collection of custom traditional knives and this one beats all of them in assembly tolerances. It is my go to knife. On the flip side there is something magical about my inexpensive case swayback jack in CV.

 

[quattromori]

I have to say I've been pretty lucky...I didn't have to switch cause I never really carried a modern folder with one hand opening, except for a Vic OHT in the outdoors (before I gave it away).
I don't use my knives that much, and I don't really have a need for a one hand opener. I'm pretty fine with one knife, and usually with just one blade.

Fausto

 

[GRIM 62]

Welcome aboard,but beware,traditionals are just as addicting as any other form of knife knuttery!