Tactical VS. Traditional

I'm mainly a tactical guy but do carry (to change it up) traditional as well.
I'm a former LEO so rescue knives are big with me.
 
Cutlover said:
Unless the I am missing something, that is quite obviously a traditional. I don't see a thumbstud, flipper, button, frame/liner lock, or anything else that would hint as tactical. The cutout at the edge looks cool though.
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It's a one-armed man blade on a Queen trapper, quite traditional indeed. I was addressing an earlier point about one-handed opening vs. two-handed opening with a traditional that somewhat blends the lines. :)
 
stabman said:
No, they most certainly are not.
Well done serrations cut very well...perhaps you have only encountered the crappy type (of which the vast majority admittedly are).

Just because you don't personally have need of a feature does not make it a "marketing gimmick", whether the product is a knife, a car, or a toaster oven.
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This. I've tried to cut very hard rubber with a SHARP plain edge and it just slid off. Full SE from Spyderco? Cut right in without an issue. I mostly carry plain edge, but serrated edges can do pretty much everything a plain edge can do and one or two things that it can't. I don't feel at any disadvantage with my SE Pacific Salt in my pocket.
 
pinnah said:
My understanding is that the Buck 112 Ranger has it's name in "honor" of the aircraft carrier USS Ranger. My understanding (could be urban/internet myth) was that the Ranger was in port in San Diego and a fight broke out in which a sailor was stabbed with a Buck 110. The ship's commander issued an order limiting blade length of utility knives to 3" and Buck responded with the Ranger.
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Modoc ED said:
Never happened.
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ED,

It took me a while, but I found the place where I heard this story referenced. Another BF member claims to have heard this directly CJ Buck and another heard it from Al Buck.

See:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-s-Anybody-ever-see-one?p=5880219#post5880219

See also post #8 in that thread.

Quoting from that post...

I actually spoke to Chuck Buck at the BCCI event about the origins of the 112. He told me that there had been a knife fight onboard the USS Ranger and that the two men involved were using 110's. The CO of the Ranger issued a new rule saying that no knives would be allowed with blades over three inches long. When Buck got word of that they simply shortened up the 110 and made the 112, naming it the Ranger in honor of the aircraft carrier of the same name.
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I started out as a traditional knife guy... I liked the connection to something of an earlier time... I liked the look and styles of traditional blades. However, what I found appealing wasn't practical in what I need in an everyday work knife. I use a knife at work all day, all week, and I grew to find traditional knives frustrating... everything from non-retention of edges to blade-play.. tired of the constant issues regarding, as well as CONSTANT re-sharpening during my workday. I've gone through Case, GEC... carbon steel, stainless, CV... all kinds of fixed systems and hand-sharpeners too. Traditional knives just don't cut it (and it aint my sharpening skills) Eventually, I tried something new.. a Spyderco Manix 2 and the whole reality of a daily work knife changed... BIG TIME. This lead to a Paramilitary 2, a Delica 4, and then a Stretch 2. Now I'm TOTALLY a modern guy... a Spyderco freak if you will. Now, I've finally got daily work knives that WORK. A Spyderco knife I don't have to sharpen for an hour, cut a piece of paper, and then won't even cut a tomato. Spyderco knives basically killed it for me as far as traditionals go. Now, this is just my discovery and journey as a knife guy, I'm not trashing traditionals, nor Case or GEC etc...
 
On the average workday, I carry a stockman for most uses. I like being able to dedicate different blades to different uses. I have one that's razor sharp and clean for food and first aid, one that's sharpened to a less acute angle for heavy duty cutting on harder materials, and one that's constantly covered in adhesive and grime from cutting tape and other dirty/sticky tasks. That's all on one knife that disappears into a pocket. That's pretty cool.
1419006295_09.jpg


On the other hand, I also carry a modern one-handed folder most days too. Sometimes I need to cut, poke, or lightly pry something and I only have one hand free to retrieve, open, use, close, and put away my knife. This is where the modern folders really shine. They don't have to be enormous or aggressive looking either. One of my favorites for office carry when I'm going to have to look professional is a SOG Twitch II with wood scales. It's classy and modern, without looking "tactical."
sog_TWI17CP.JPG



It's not that one style of knife is better than the other; they both have their uses. Why settle for just one?
 
I read this whole thread (along with a few other similar threads) and the discussion seems to boil down to this:


**Who should buy "traditional"?**


* People who prefer small and/or thin blades (though this isn't necessarily exclusive)

* People who prefer multiple blades or tools

* People who think they look better

* People who prefer easy sharpening (not necessarily exclusive)

* People who prefer in pocket carry (not necessarily exclusive)

* People who feel social discomfort carrying a modern folder

* People who want things to be how they used to be


**Who should buy "modern/tactical"?**


* People who prefer locking blades (not necessarily exclusive)

* People who value corrosion resistance and edge retention (generally speaking)

* People who think they look better

* People who prefer one handed opening (not necessarily exclusive… but c'mon)

* People who prefer to clip a knife to their pocket

* People who find comfort in carrying a knife that can kill/incapacitate other people


**Who should buy both?**


* Discerning BF members like you!
 
I have a fantasy that someone will start making traditional patterns with modern materials (high-end steels, titanium, CF, etc.), a discreet pocket clip, and maybe a simple button lock. That would probably piss off most fans of both traditionals and moderns but I would buy ALL THE KNIVES.
 
Why not both?



(One could argue the fixed blade is a traditional made with modern materials)
 
I mostly prefer folders that go in my pocket to be 3.5" or less, a max width of 1.25" , and don't like them too thick. I also prefer blades with a max thickness of 3/16 ( the thinner the better ) , I don't like flippers or assisted openers , I prefer lockbacks most if any lock at all because I'm a lefty, I'm not concerned with deployment speed, and im not interested in expensive materials that won't make my knife cut better.
This mostly leaves traditionals, so that's what I have the most of.
Coated blades aren't a deal breaker, and things like g10 Micarta or frn don't bother me either. pocket clips and thumb studs also don't bother me, as long as there's one on the left side.
I would have to say that modern folders aren't completely off the table, it's just a pretty small table.
 
_nw said:
I read this whole thread (along with a few other similar threads) and the discussion seems to boil down to this:


**Who should buy "traditional"?**


* People who prefer small and/or thin blades (though this isn't necessarily exclusive)

* People who prefer multiple blades or tools

* People who think they look better

* People who prefer easy sharpening (not necessarily exclusive)

* People who prefer in pocket carry (not necessarily exclusive)

* People who feel social discomfort carrying a modern folder

* People who want things to be how they used to be


**Who should buy "modern/tactical"?**


* People who prefer locking blades (not necessarily exclusive)

* People who value corrosion resistance and edge retention (generally speaking)

* People who think they look better

* People who prefer one handed opening (not necessarily exclusive… but c'mon)

* People who prefer to clip a knife to their pocket

* People who find comfort in carrying a knife that can kill/incapacitate other people


**Who should buy both?**


* Discerning BF members like you!
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I would say this sums it up decently, but I don't think one can sum it up perfectly because everyone will have exclusions and exceptions.
 
SpySmasher said:
I have a fantasy that someone will start making traditional patterns with modern materials (high-end steels, titanium, CF, etc.), a discreet pocket clip, and maybe a simple button lock. That would probably piss off most fans of both traditionals and moderns but I would buy ALL THE KNIVES.
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When I first started looking at modern knives, these were pretty much my leanings. Early users were SOG Twitch II and Twitch XL which cover these things without the high en steels. I have since settled for the most part with the side locking Vic SAK Adventurer. The clip is not a necessity for me, but it depends on the size and shape of the knife. I believe the boy scout version is still offered.
 
I tend to carry a Spyderco of some sort and a traditional too. I use either one depending on the job, and possibly the Muggles that are present. I would stick with modern if I had to choose, but oddly enough I took a count and only have 17 modern blades out of 50 that I got since joining BF.
 
SpySmasher said:
I have a fantasy that someone will start making traditional patterns with modern materials (high-end steels, titanium, CF, etc.), a discreet pocket clip, and maybe a simple button lock. That would probably piss off most fans of both traditionals and moderns but I would buy ALL THE KNIVES.
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I've seen a few traditionals that use nicer steels but they are hard to find, A.G. Russel has a few in VG-10 on my my list but I wish more patterns were available.

The rest of your requirements seems like you've basically described a modern folder with a lock or a slipjoint with that can be opened one-handed like a spyderco urban or one of the boker slipjoints.

I think if you had a knife with a standard traditional patter, a pocket clip, and a lock is going to make a big knife. Also, slipjoint traditionals can eb on the smaller side so a pocket clip would need to be pretty small I think. It seems like ones you get under something like 2.5" or maybe 2" blade size you start running out of room to incorporate a lock or a clip.
 
Case makes Trapperlock and Mid-Folding Hunter patterns that look traditional but have a pocket clip on some models, liner lock, thumbstud. The Trapperlock uses a detent and no backspring. I am not sure about the Mid-Folding Hunter. Steel-wise, I think they have only been offered in Case CV carbon and 420HC stainless.
 
I have a foot firmly in each camp. I think each style has something to offer and I think it would be very limiting to buy & use only one type.
 
onojoe said:
Hey Guys,

I have been acquiring a few more traditional knives lately. Curious to know how members feel about traditional knives and tactical knives. Do you use one or the other exclusively? It brings up another thought, what is a tactical knife. For me it is a single bladed knife, with a lock, and a pocket clip of some kind.

I'll start off with my thoughts.

My collection is probably 75% tactical 25% traditional. I just find tactical knives to be easier to use on a day to day basis.

And for purely an intellectual exercise I am going to post the exact thread on the Traditional Knife Forum and the General Knife Forum

Edit: You guys have brought up a good point, tactical has certain connotations, maybe "Modern VS. Traditionals" would have been a better descriptor. It just didn't sound as good.
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My concerns for a tactical would be quick deploy solid lock penetrative tip and non slip handle, slim pocket fit or something like that.

which I think is just mostly fundamentally better knife design.

For a traditionals I go for slow opening multiple tools and a non threatening look.

But not all knives follow my guidelines.
 
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