To Shield or not to Shield?

[SteelSnob]

Lately I have seen some custom slippies I really liked but one thing stopped me from pulling the trigger(well two things if you count I don't have the money with other custom orders coming up hahah) and that was the fact they didn't have shields. For me the shield ties the knife together and looks beautiful.

My questions to you experienced slip joint afficianados are do you find shields important to you? Does it even matter? Is the shield a deal breaker for you? What does the shield mean to you?

 

[CL01]

It depends. I have some knives with them & some w/o them. Also, certain patterns don't "usually" have a shield, such as a classic Barlow & I think the Sodbuster.

 

[Absintheur]

To me it more a matter of scale material, some material look better without shields...to me at least. Black or yellow Delrin for example looks fine without a shield, as does the courser micartas such as canvas. Also the type of shield itself matter to me to some extent, some shields are better suited to some patterns.

One other aspect is using a shield to balance a bolster. The barlows traditionally have a large bolster on the hinge end. A shield set to the far end away from the bolster can help balance all that metal as in the barlow below. On the soddie the unusual shield placement acts as a way to make the pattern unique. These are both Fight'n Roosters btw.

 

[KnifeHead]

I think if you look at many old knives you'll notice that most of them have some sort of shield. Some knives simply look naked without them but also there are some that don't "need" a shield, as was said, depending on the handle material and/or pattern.

Generally speaking, for most patterns, a knife will benefit from having the appropriate shield.

 

[comoha]

I prefer shields on knives. It's just another point of interest that draws your eye in. I think a knife looks naked without it.

 

[navihawk]

I'm with Robb on this one. A shield doesn't look right on a barlow, but on most traditionals it's a must for me. I can live without them as in a Buck 110 or large lockback. Pinned shields are even better. They don't even have to be fancy. One of my favorite shields is Mooremaker.

 

[Lanza]

I like a shield on bone or wood but I think a nice sag handle should stand alone. Plus three on the barlow.

 

[kamagong]

Depends on the knife. My KHnutbuster, which is an evolution of the traditional sodbuster, doesn't need one. OTOH my Bret Dowell Swayback would look pretty funny without a shield.

- Christian

 

[navihawk]

My canal st. half moon pie trapper in ebony has a brass shield. It has grown on me, but I can't for the life of me think of why someone would put a brass shield on an ebony scaled knife. Everything else on it is white. Stainless liners, N/S bolsters, stainless pins, then the brass shield.

 

[ken erickson]

I voted "other".

I think some knives call for a shield and would not look complete without one. Knives that are meant to replicate a vintage pattern for example that would have had a shield. On the other hand, I think working knives in shadow patterns do very very well without a shield. I have also made complicated, traditional patterns and have been asked to leave the shield off. A pearl stockman comes to mind. If you look at pictures of high end customs in pearl many times you will see that the knife has no shield. I would approach the shield issue on a case by case basis.

Shield delete at customers request

This one would have looked naked without, IMO

I think these do well without a shield
Ken

 

[eygen]

Some knives need a shield, and some don't. I love those silver shields but I don't like the ones Absintheur posted. I'm picky

 

[thawk]

A shield is an important feature for me in choosing knives. I like Kerry's take on it. No shield is better than the wrong look. Don't get me going on big coin shields. Nice examples Ken. Given the choice of a thin oval or no shield on your MOP stockman, I'd take the oval. Just my opinion. I'm sure others might choose differently.

 

[tomcrx]

Great question. I notice that I only carry that have a shield. I never noticed before but the patterns that tend not to have them I never keep or took a liking to, i.e. sodbuster, shadow etc. The few barlows that I like have stamped bolsters which is similar to a shield.

I think shields provide the perfect "worry" spot for your thumb to rub.

 

[Blues]

I generally prefer a shield but it's not a deal breaker for me if the knife is something that sings to me regardless and the scales are handsome in their own right.

Some high end makers don't do shields. (I don't necessarily agree with this oversight on their part, I'm just stating the fact.)

There's room for variety imho.

 

[KnifeHead]

I think the low end "working man's knife" like the Barlow and Sodbuster don't have shields because they were meant to be inexpensive. But, both have little room for shields or they just look kinda silly on those frames. Sheilds are better left off of those two patterns IMHO.

 

[Bastid]

In general I like them and I like unusual ones, but it depends upon the pattern and handle material. Like others have mentioned a barlow or sodbuster with a shield would not appeal to me. Hard to make a cut and fast rule since a lot of shadow patterns look pretty good when they have shields.

One thing is for certain they do not cut any better with them.

 

[dalee100]

One thing is for certain they do not cut any better with them.

Hi

Oh sure, bust my bubble.

I prefer a shield as I think it often adds a point of interest and can be a demonstration of the maker's skill. But like most here, it so depends on the pattern and scale material. And as far as I can see, there are no hard and fast rules about when and where to use one.

Dale

 

[jackknife]

If I were buying one of those wonderful customs I've been seeing, especially of the shadow pattern, I don't want a shield on it. No way. I think a shield on some knives, actually interferes with the looks and the flow of the lines. Kind of like a distraction. Like on a Scagel type of folder with nice stag, or even a soddie type with some interesting texture scales like carbon fiber or natural micarta.

I can live without a shield easy.

Carl.

 

[Blues]

If I were buying one of those wonderful customs I've been seeing, especially of the shadow pattern, I don't want a shield on it. No way. I think a shield on some knives, actually interferes with the looks and the flow of the lines. Kind of like a distraction. Like on a Scagel type of folder with nice stag, or even a soddie type with some interesting texture scales like carbon fiber or natural micarta.

I can live without a shield easy.

Carl.

Methinks the man doth make sense...

By way of illustration...

 

[neeman]

My canal st. half moon pie trapper in ebony has a brass shield. It has grown on me, but I can't for the life of me think of why someone would put a brass shield on an ebony scaled knife. Everything else on it is white. Stainless liners, N/S bolsters, stainless pins, then the brass shield.

I have one in olive wood

Absolutely no need for a shield

It depends on the knife and the material