Traditional Knife Categories & Reasons for Owning

KBA

KBA

Joined
Apr 27, 2014
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Ok, collecting is not the focus of my post, nor is being a one knife person. It is more of a focus in the subcategories of reasoning in owning knives.

As a user I think I have my bases more than covered in the knives that I own. Yet, maybe I'm missing something.

I have my multitools from pocketable, to key chain, to sheath.
I have my rotation of carriers.
I have my woods/hunting/camping tools.
I have my gentleman's carry.
I have my modern one handers. (These are not traditional)
I suppose I even have my collection and heirloom pieces.
And, I have my oldies but goodies.

What other reason can you think to own a knife? Is there a category that I'm missing?

What two knives do you have for each category: pics are always welcome (other than the modern one hander of course)

Out of the categories what would be minimum a person could own to cover all bases if possible.

I'll get some pics up of mine asap.

I know there are knives we just enjoy having and just enjoy buying but let's see what categories there are.

I'm already anticipating a few answers from some such as: a multi-tool, an Opinel #8, and a Buck 110 is all that is needed. Or, a Puukko, a GEC 73, and Kukuri. Let's keep it open to discussion.
 
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Well I could probably get by just fine with only a multitool, and I did for years before I went from knife user to knife "enthusiast".

But my biggest complaint about my Leatherman was that it sucked as a knife. It was a skinny little blade with a big, heavy, blocky handle with no grip. I was always scared it was going to slip and cut me.

I like traditionals because they are fine slicers. I carry a Texas Jack and use the big blade for most tasks and save the small blade to use like an xacto knife. That covers 99% of daily use type stuff.

A SAK is a happy medium between leatherman and blade-only traditionals, and I carried one most of my childhood. The only problem with SAKS for me is that my most used tool in a multitool is the pliers, 2nd most used is probably the micro screwdrivers, so a SAK kind of falls short there.

A small fixed blade is great to have as a skinner but a good traditional pocket knife is a very close substitute.

I don't have much use for large fixed blades, unless you're talking about a machete but that's a yard tool, not a carry knife. I also appreciate good fillet knife, but that's also a pretty specialized knife.
 
Didn't Kephart recommend one fixed and two folders, of which one blade on the smaller folder should be kept, paraphrasing here, "surgically sharp" for any required use in relation to injuries, even including removing a splinter? Could be wrong, and don't know if that's a useful contribution, KBA. Will think more on the subject, no matter how much it hurts my head. :D ;)
Thanks, Neal
 
A traditional edc isn't going to be a modern one hander so that's out, a traditional edc isn't going to be a multitool so you'd still need one of them.
Any traditional edc will make a great gents knife, they can be oldies but goodies, and it can also be an heirloom piece if you take care of it.
The problem is that a gentleman's folder really won't handle the woods / hunting work and vise versa, so you'd need a minimum of 3. A traditional edc, a multitool ( a sak is a knife with some tools, while a mt is a tool with a knife on it ) , and a woods / hunting blade likely a fixed blade.
BTW I don't really think you missed any categories.
 
I almost started a thread entitled: "If I'm Honest With Myself: A Case for the Full Size Stockman" a few weeks ago....but I was lazy and didn't:o

Basically, I was gifted a wonderful old school Old Timer 8OT in a GAW here some time back. If I am absolutely honest with myself, that knife could realistically do everything I require of a knife in a given situation short of some far-out TEOTWAWKI situation. Granted, as I sit here I have a Leatherman on my belt, a mini-trapper in my watch pocket, and a small Bowie in my back back pocket. Today I have used the trapper to open up a package. That's it. But there are days I will use every tool I carry and then some.

However, if I really ask myself the hard question of "What knife could I really and truly get by with"? A large stockman would be hard to beat. Big clip blade for big work, sheep's foot for utility stuff, spey for delicate tasks or what have you. Actually, I have two family members who do just that. My grandfather, to my knowledge, hasn't carried anything other than a Stockman for in 60 years. I've seen him open boxes, score lines, use the spey blade to lightly pry off a paint can lid. He would use the tip of the clip point in a pinch grip to dig splinters out of my fingers when I was little. I would't call it a gentleman's knife, but rarely have I deemed a man gentlemanly based on his knife choice alone;)

As for hunting goes, I guess it depends on what you are hunting. Once again, to use my grandfather as an example: when my mom was very little, her family had very little. My grandpa would use an old 16 gauge to hunt the scrawny rabbits in he fields around the property in order to supplement their meat. He didn't have a hunting knife. He didn't even use a butcher knife. He had a pocket knife (probably some form of Stockman), and he never gave two thoughts as to if it was the best tool for the job. It simply dressed the animals so his family could eat.

So, I suppose if I really wanted to cover my bases, I would say that as a contractor, I really do need my Multi-tool. However, the classic an well cared for Stockman would probably be a great contender for most of the categories.

I enjoy my modern folders. Life is too short to not like what you like. However, when it comes down to pure enjoyment and viable tool use, it's really tough to beat a traditional slip joint. If pressed, I'm sure I could decide which of my ZT folders would be my be-all-end-all choice for a modern knife. I'm 90% sure a Leatherman Rebar could handle my tool needs for most any situation. A 15" khukuri could be used almost as the sole tool to build a cabin (we actually had a guy on the HI board do something like that). However, I just don't see how a classic three bladed Stockman can be a bad choice for the multitude of life's daily knife needs...and look good doing it.
 
Well, I think I have covered every conceivable category multiple times, so now I can be honest and say I buy knives because I like them and I am in good enough financial shape that I can indulge myself once in awhile.
 
Oh I know exactly why I prefer stockman patterns. These are the knives my father and grandfather carried. The buck is like dads. The uncle Henry is my late grandfathers. Cleaned more rabbits than I can count.



So my collection of stockman grew and is still growing.



I do have 3 Davison's that I carry when I carry a traditional doing work, when they gonna get beat up and scratched. Two I had made. One I picked up. Especially in shop around the cars. No pocket clips! The red and CF are double blades and very useful knives. The orange was my first custom knife.



I am currently trying to design a stockman that I want to have custom made. I want it to be useful, useable, and not easily chipped etc. Maybe it will be the one that bumps all others from my pocket once I decide on all details and get a maker? I doubt it lol

I have a couple more I like. A green 74 gec, a 72 lock back, couple others. Some I use when cooking at work, some I use when I want something light. I have 2 or 3 that only get carried to church, date night with the wife, etc. And when working in the woods I usually add my sebenza to the pocket also. But boy do I like my stockmen (or is it stockman?).
 
One category that I just thought of is a comparison category. For example some may buy a certain knife just to compare it to others of that pattern. Not really a collection but an accumulation for research purposes
 
Are you looking for reasons to justify buying more knives or something?
 
The only other category I can think of is "dedicated fighter"... which admittedly I have no real-world use for--but that didn't stop me anyway.
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Even more so, the old Case V-42 or a Randall model 2.
 
Pay attention to a fellow member named jackknife, I believe he pretty much carries just a peanut, Sears 4 way driver, a p-38 can opener, and flashlight.
I've gotta have my lm fuse and mini 24" tape measure, but if I didn't I'm sure this would be a perfect edc kit.
 
I like knives. I buy knives that pique my interest. Most of the time those knives have traditional origins, other times they are of more recent design. I don't really consider categories, though I do on occasion buy purpose-built blades.

For example -

chopper
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carving tools
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A kwaiken. Think of it as a Japanese sgian dubh as they have a similar raison d'être.

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desk knife
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EDC and my favorite belt knife
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Sunday go-to-meetin' knife
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Perhaps my favorite knife, a bowie. She's not very practical, but every time I pick up this knife it both brings a smile to my face as well as sends a shiver down my spine. It takes a lot of skill to build a proper fighting bowie, one with a large blade that is strong enough to do its work yet not so overbuilt so that it feels like a club. It's a bit scary handling a knife this big and sharp.

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First, I too think you covered all the categories. But, I like knives and have a lot more than I need, all of which are or were users, no safe queens. At one time I was a devotee of Spyderco, Benchmade other OHO knives but years ago made to conversion to traditionals and never looked back. Still have the OHO and a few fixed blades but they are rarely used. These days I carry and use only traditionals mostly stockman, jacks and SAKs. Yes I consider the Swiss Army knife a traditional folder, its just a form of the the old camp knife. Most days a medium Case Stockman and a Victorinox Pioneer or Farmer is all I need.
 
Aias said:
The only other category I can think of is "dedicated fighter"... which admittedly I have no real-world use for--but that didn't stop me anyway.
wvy0aw.jpg


Even more so, the old Case V-42 or a Randall model 2.
Click to expand...

Gorgeous set up! :thumbup: I've always want a Randall. Ive just never saved long enough. ;)

Aias said:
^
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That is a gorgeous bowie.
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Agreed. I have always enjoyed Christian's knives. His post have certainly influenced my choices
 
Thanks Brett--that Randall (and one other) was a long time coming. I watched the auction site a long time once committed, and waited for one that went for the going price... they are pricy enough, I didn't want to pay above that. I got lucky, twice... the model 16 SP1 above and this model 5-6. The 5-6 auction was won on the day my fourth baby was born--so it is very special to me, and will be hers one day. --Anthony
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KBA said:
One category that I just thought of is a comparison category. For example some may buy a certain knife just to compare it to others of that pattern. Not really a collection but an accumulation for research purposes
Click to expand...

I've done this with GEC 15s, 18s, 77s, and 14s. While I definitely prefer the single blade 15 over the two-blade, I've yet to find a combination that works for me with the 15 & 77. I prefer the single blade 18 but the two-blade 14.

I basically have two categories for my knives: workers and pocket jewelry. I carry the same Peanut, #14TC, and SAK Executive everyday. The Peanut and SAK handle 99% of my daily work. The TC gets used when I want to look at it. ;)
 
One category that you might want add, that is near and dear to me, cuz I really like to eat - kitchen knives. :D

Like Steely_Gunz and SVTFreak, I agree that it's hard to beat a large stockman for pure versatility. It'll serve one well when working, hunting, whittling, admiring - and even cooking on occasion.

Jeff
 
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