Tactical vs traditional

LOL. Those are both fantastic knives, and you will be happy with both, I guarantee. The thing is, you will learn to take advantage of the design of either one, and you will quickly adapt to such great knives, even though they are so different. Really, flip a coin. :D
 
I carry both. Recently it's been an old Schrade stockman from (I think) the sixties, a Spyderco Native, and a Cold Steel Scimitar.
 
BigBeefChief said:
It worries me that so many people seem to view knives as weapons and not tools. Many folders can be open 1 handed; do you really need to do it in a fraction of a second? If you're hoping to use your knife as a self defense weapon, you're deluded. Sell your knives and buy some running shoes. Running like a coward is the self defense of the true survivor.
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I have no delusions of using a knife as a weapon, except in the extreme last resort, yet I still prefer and carry modern knives with assisted opening and flippers because they are more useful to me. When I'm holding things with one hand and trying not to drop or have them slip or something one handed fast opening is what I need, not well maybe i can get this slip joint open one handed this week, without dropping it in the pond i'm working over... Will I use onone when appropriate and I don't need the one hand advantage sure. I have a SAK and leatherman Juice for those times. But I also have the modern folders (I have no use for 'tacticool' crap) because they are functional, and I also have EDc fixed blades because they are the ultimate in one hand "opening" :)
 
For myself, the slippies that slice best are my SAKs. The geometry is excellent. But I still love slip joints and still carry a penknife, an SAK Executive.

But I also EDC my Umnumzaan. And often a Spyderco as well, for whatever specialized cutting I may need to do. My carrying a one-hander has nothing at all to do with viewing it as a weapon. I notice some advocates of traditional patterns like to say the only reason for one-handed knives are as weapons. To say that's the reason for everyone who carries/uses them is ridiculous.

I would also mention that there's plenty of one-hand openers that slice very well. My FFG Delica will out slice any of my Case knives. Someone else may disagree, but this is my experience. And my Umnumzaan is an excellent slicer, especially for its size, due to its thin edge geometry.

Jim
 
Try a Chaparral or Al Mar ultralight, or some other thin blade (3/32", 5/64"). A pocket clip does not mean the knife blade can't be thin.
 
Buffalohump said:
The Mini-Grip is superior to the Case in every way. The clip will make sure it stays clipped to your pocket and won't slip out and get lost. It will also make it easier to extract. The lock will make sure the blade wont close on your hand. The thumb stud will allow you to open it quickly with one hand. The steel won't rust and it will stay sharper for a LOT longer. There is a lot of nostalgia in the knife world but a pocket clip, a lock mechanism, one hand opening and superior steel trumps warm fuzzy sentiment every which way.

Its got nothing to do with tactical. These are hard-nosed practical improvements that make sense for working knives or any other kind of knife.
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This is basically my thoughts on the subject as well, but I still carry a case peanut along side a modern folder everyday. Why? Because I like it. Traditional knives do have their place, but you can't argue with progress, and all of these features that differentiate modern knives from tradionals (locks, one hand opening mechanisms, pocket clips etc.) ARE progress whether some people like to admit it or not. Tactical has nothing to do with it. Modern does not equal tactical. Tactical knives are fighting knives, self defense knives, that sort of thing. Modern knives employ a set of features that improve in almost every way upon traditional slip joint designs. Unfortunately the term tactical seems to have become synonymous with modern, thus turning those already skeptical of modern knives even more away from them. For me, in terms of traditional vs tactical, I would take traditional as I don't really like aggressive looking knives or cheesy mall ninja marketing. But when it comes to modern vs traditional, modern wins just due to evolution of features. As I said before though, I carry both, because I like to.
 
I always love these thread because the people that prefer slip joints immediately start insinuating that every piece of new technology seen in folding knives since forever is completely unneeded and unadvantageous. If this conversation were to be had several hundred years ago slip joint fans would be telling people that these new-fangled metal knives have no advantage over flint knives.
You can prefer slip joints but to continually try to make it sound like modern folders are worse off because of new technological advances is asinine.
 
Since I have owned and used both I will throw my 2 cents in. While the mini-grips pocket clip, lock and one hand opening ability does make it superior to the Case in certain areas. Easier to carry and because of the pocket clip, safer because of the lock, easier to retrieve/draw and open because of the pocket clip and thumb stud or hole. The stockman will cut and slice circles around the mini grip. I'm not sure which one will hold an edge better but the cv is very good stuff. My mini grip had a blade of 440c and I don't think it was much better than the cv if any at all. The cv will be easier to maintain as far as sharpening and more forgiving to abuse. Once it forms a patina rust isn't much of an issue with reasonable care.
If you are comfortable with deep pocket carry and don't need the one hand opening ability go with the stockman. If not, go with the mini-grip. Or even better, get yourself a Spyderco Delica and the stockman. That's what I would do.;)
Jim
 
Lycosa said:
I've been where you are and I EDC, for now :), a Case Sodbuster. It's a worker and a tactical knife.
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Just get a heavy duty slipjoint, a Sodbuster or a Barlow.

I miss being able to take a knife apart and the extra sturdyness in the screw together construction of a tactical.

I love whipping my slipjoint out whenever I want at work and getting approving looks more often than fearful ones.

One hand openers have a bad rep. A completely undeserved rep which shows ignorance on the part of the morons which display it but, at my age, I'm not gonna swim upstream if I don't have to.

Plus, slipjoints are beautiful knives.

One hand opening is only an issue for me if I'm helping out in the warehouse. I keep a liner lock in my locker for that.

Say, what's the "sheeple shock" factor of a big Buck.
 
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