The next decade for Traditional Knives...words from the wise desired!

I think there will be an increased demand for customs/semi-customs by moderately priced makers. Those customs that fall in the range of $300 - $400. Using modern steels, unique scales, and popular designs that are big sellers for brands like GEC. Lionsteel has a feature that allows you to design your own knife by choosing blade shape and handle material. Perhaps more makers will offer this type of semi-customizing when ordering knives? I think overseas makers will see continued success so long as quality/fit and finish remains excellent and price point affordable (think JE Made). Unless Case gets their QC issues straightened out, they may end up like Queen. Now that we have YouTube reviews that can expose trends in poor quality control and customer service, it will either encourage improvements or be the nail in the coffin.

I also feel there may be a trend (or at least potential) for budding knife-makers purchasing vintage knives in good condition and refurbish them with new scales, polished up liners/blades/springs, sharpened etc. I would really like to see some old rusty <$40 Schrade, Case, Camillus, Keen Kutter brands get a new lease on life with a total refurb and resold at a reasonable pricepoint.
 
coolhand68 said:
I think there will be an increased demand for customs/semi-customs by moderately priced makers. Those customs that fall in the range of $300 - $400. Using modern steels, unique scales, and popular designs that are big sellers for brands like GEC. Lionsteel has a feature that allows you to design your own knife by choosing blade shape and handle material. Perhaps more makers will offer this type of semi-customizing when ordering knives? I think overseas makers will see continued success so long as quality/fit and finish remains excellent and price point affordable (think JE Made). Unless Case gets their QC issues straightened out, they may end up like Queen. Now that we have YouTube reviews that can expose trends in poor quality control and customer service, it will either encourage improvements or be the nail in the coffin.

I also feel there may be a trend (or at least potential) for budding knife-makers purchasing vintage knives in good condition and refurbish them with new scales, polished up liners/blades/springs, sharpened etc. I would really like to see some old rusty <$40 Schrade, Case, Camillus, Keen Kutter brands get a new lease on life with a total refurb and resold at a reasonable pricepoint.
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Yes, the world of customs is something that I am excited about. Semi as well.
Along with Iionsteel, I think Buck does well in their custom shop offerings.
And your idea of refurbished pieces is definitely appealing :thumbsup:


JohnDF said:
I think there is a good market for American made, well constructed (think GEC standards), traditional knives with traditional construction, with higher end stainless blades, and a decent price point (<$200).
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Let's hope GEC can fill that niche :)
 
I've never really thought of knives as traditional vs. modern. I just kind of lump all moderns together as just another pattern and I like both traditional and modern(but I favor what is more traditional). I think while many people have focused on traditional vs. modern, something new has slipped in virtually unnoticed and is going to take over both...................the replaceable blade(razors) knives (brand Outdoor Edge is really popular). I've really been surprised how many older guys whip these out while processing a deer and then throw the blades in the trash at our deer camps gutting station, and the guys really seem to love these and you here comments how they will never go back to a regular knife ever again. Someone even told me I need to get rid of my knife and get an "outdoor edge" and I will never buy another knife again. While i like both modern and traditional knives, I don't care for these. No sharpening skills required, just use and throw away the blade and refill. As much as I hate to say it, I think this is the future of knives.
 
jec88 said:
Someone even told me I need to get rid of my knife and get an "outdoor edge" and I will never buy another knife again. While i like both modern and traditional knives, I don't care for these. No sharpening skills required, just use and throw away the blade and refill. As much as I hate to say it, I think this is the future of knives.
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Interesting to consider.
Roofers come to mind with their utility blades.

I think this is a good strategy for a "user-oriented" person seeking to get something done. Collectors and afficionados are a different animal. We want a knife to look at and admire, etc. We treat our knives kinda like a car collection, washing them and such, maybe a Sunday drive with dual-quads at 10mpg.
Something else is driven to work :)
 
While I can offer no insight as to where traditional knives will be in the future I can say this: I am 19 years old and I own several GECs and Case etc etc, and I do not know another individual other than my grandfather and myself that carries a traditional style knife everyday. Many of my friends see them as trinkets of the past. Asking me why carry a knife with no lock? It’ll cut me. But I certainly see their value and I will continue to carry and use them everyday.
 
Within 20 years, dollars (CDN, EUROs and USD) will be worth 5% of their current respective values, and traditional pocketknives will be worth 200 times what they are worth today!!:eek: We will welcome in a new form of economy!!:rolleyes: " I'll give you 100 pocketknives for that house"!!:D
Collect as many as you can now, and you won't regret it!!:(:oops::D
 
waynorth said:
Within 20 years, dollars (CDN, EUROs and USD) will be worth 5% of their current respective values, and traditional pocketknives will be worth 200 times what they are worth today!!:eek: We will welcome in a new form of economy!!:rolleyes: " I'll give you 100 pocketknives for that house"!!:D
Collect as many as you can now, and you won't regret it!!:(:oops::D
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Wife: You bought another danged pocket knife???
Husband: I'm saving towards a new house, honey. :D:thumbsup:
 
Where will traditional knives be in the future?
Come with me on a journey back in time.
Back to the dark murky past...yes the 1970s!
See the old time manufacturers grasping at new ideas ,new materials, the latest priduction systems...modern and new designs....they thought would be better for the brave new world of the future...well many were wrong werent they and didnt ride the wave....now that we are in that future....lets look at what happened....like vinyl records ..trad knives never really went away ....CDs and video have been abandoned...trad knives have maintained well...the mind boggling explosion of new acrylic scales is one modernity that has been adopted and absorbed by traditional knife makers...modern production systems also....
Are trad knives at an evolutionary dead end? almost but that doesnt mean they are dying out ...
 
JohnDF said:
Wife: You bought another danged pocket knife???
Husband: I'm saving towards a new house, honey. :D:thumbsup:
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Wife: Im leaving you ,taking the house and kids and a lot of your stuff...but you can have your knives....Its in the hands of family lawyers who ironically are going to make more than 4 times the value of your knife collection.!
 
Jiki said:
One thing I believe is that if you buy a GEC today and throw it in your pocket, it will not be ½ used up in 10 years. So buy 2 and you will have a quality knife for the rest of your life.
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That all depends on how much and how hard one uses their knife.

315 said:
Edited to add: The $14ish I paid for a Schrade 34OT in the early to mid 80’s would cost $36 today, according to an inflation calculator. But I’m too cheap and won’t pay more than $20 for one in good to great shapeo_O
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(My reply is a bit off topic but I can't help it, you brought up schrade:D) The last listed retail price for a 34ot was $33.45. They would definitely cost a bit more now if they still made them. All of mine cost around $20 or less, most still have the factory edge and are unused. Hard to beat that value but the more I get the less I like to pay for them. Thankfully it's still easy to find good 34OT's (and many other models) 15 years after they went under.
 
Interesting to see the thread responses, valid points all around.

One thing touched upon that may drastically affect traditionals in the next decade is politics. With radical political reaction to every incident, I could see a repeat in America similar to what happened in Japan in 1960, where a single event involving a samurai sword almost ended the production of small traditional higonokami knives due to banning knife carry in schools and other places. One article mentioned higo sales are almost all export now, and very few people in Japan carry them anymore (I just bought another higo and was reading up on the history of the pattern).

New York has had restrictive ‘gravity knife’ laws or whatever for a while, which you would think should help the traditional knife market there. Interesting to ponder what the American knife market would look like if that type of legislation made it nationwide. Let’s pray it never happens.
 
The gaping maw of politics ....what a shame so many of them are not good politicians.
 
meako said:
Wife: Im leaving you ,taking the house and kids and a lot of your stuff...but you can have your knives....Its in the hands of family lawyers who ironically are going to make more than 4 times the value of your knife collection.!
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Then hopefully you meet a great girl and the first thing she says when she sees your knife collection is "COOL!"
 
ddavis said:
New York has had restrictive ‘gravity knife’ laws or whatever for a while, which you would think should help the traditional knife market there. Interesting to ponder what the American knife market would look like if that type of legislation made it nationwide. Let’s pray it never happens.
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If we were to head to greater restrictions, it would spell doom for the knife industry.
If this new generation can't carry a weapon-class knife, they probably won't carry one at all.
There are exceptions of course...
 
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