I think that another factor that contributed to the "tactical fad" is the idea that the average guy needs an indestructable knife that can hold hundreds of pounds on the lock and skin a refrigerator without dulling the edge. You don't. A good slipjoint would take care of almost anything a person would encounter during an average day. Anything beyond that is really unneccisary unless you are either doing extremely heavy knife work or plan to use the knife as a weapon, in which case a fixed blade is really the best choice.
Somewhere along the way we became convinced that "Tactical" knives that are paragons of strength and lethality are the best tool for the average man. That would be about the same as driving around town in a tank. Technological overkill.
I would like to see more smallish knives like the Double Cross that combine the convenience features of one handed opening and locking blades with the looks and sould of an older style knife. Fewer black plastics in handles, more wood and stag. Less alphabet soup wondersteel, more good carbon blades. Seems like a good way to get back the feel of a good knife without giving up useful features.
Really, the most important thing is that people get a tool that they trust and can take pride in owning. Everybody find something that works well for them.
Somewhere along the way we became convinced that "Tactical" knives that are paragons of strength and lethality are the best tool for the average man. That would be about the same as driving around town in a tank. Technological overkill.
I would like to see more smallish knives like the Double Cross that combine the convenience features of one handed opening and locking blades with the looks and sould of an older style knife. Fewer black plastics in handles, more wood and stag. Less alphabet soup wondersteel, more good carbon blades. Seems like a good way to get back the feel of a good knife without giving up useful features.
Really, the most important thing is that people get a tool that they trust and can take pride in owning. Everybody find something that works well for them.