Traditional looking knife that has modern features?

P

Puppadore

Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Messages
97
Hello,

I'm looking for a knife to carry some days when I dress a bit classy. But I do not like the modern/sleek executive style knives.

Are there any knives that are under $60, but has traditional look to it, like Case Knives, but it has thumbstuds, thumbholes, flipper tab, etc... and it can lock?

Also need a clip on it.

My budget is set at $60. I like Case Trapperlock but it is out of my budget

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
After a bit of a Google, I would say look at Boker, or Lionsteel. You may need to move that cost ceiling up a ways, to find something that meets your wants.
 
Up your budget and go Dragonfly Pakkawood, it’s a modern that looks traditional (ish).

Really the idea of a traditional with modern features is a bit contradictory, if it has modern features then its modern, not traditional.

Also, $60 is a really low budget for a quality knife, that’s about the floor for anything not made with Chinese nuclear launch code steel...$100 is more realistic.
 
As soon as someone asks for a knife with a low dollar value and a lot of features I have to take pause.

good-fast-or-cheap.jpg
 
Bastler said:
You can look at AG Russell knives. They have barlows and sodbusters with clips, locks and a deep pull that can serve as a thumb purchase.
Click to expand...

Thank you! Thank you Bastler!
I have been searching for weeks and AG Russell is EXACTLY what I was looking for!

I was not looking for a ton of features. All I wanted was a regular inexpensive knife, that happens to look traditional.
 
If you're good with buying a clone, and can stretch the budget a bit, the SMKE Trapper looks nice. It's based on the Pena front flippper trapper
 
I just bought this knife:
A.G. Russell Medium Barlow Lockback with Deep Pocket Clip-Seconds
aglb-cb23wb-ed-bb.jpg

It was right around my budget at $60, but there was a "seconds" option that was at $35. So I took the "seconds" one... I hope it doesn't look damaged! At first I was not going to purchase it because it doesn't have a thumbstud.. but Youtube says u open with one hand. The white one looks sweet, and that one was available as "seconds".

The steel is good for me with 8cr13mov (I prefer this over D2 for budget knives). Only thing is that the blade length is 3", a bit short and handle is a bit thick. Other than that, it has everything I want.

Again, thanks Bastler.
 
P Puppadore , you did well by going to AGR. (Good on 'ya, Bastler Bastler !). I have bought a few of their knives, and with only one exception they have been great. The one exception... they sent me a return envelope for the unsatisfactory knife at the same time they shipped out a perfect specimen. I have bought several knives, from them, and their quality and service has been great. I actually have that Barlow you bought in black "rucarta". It is a wicked, mean slicer as mine has a deep hollow grind.

DO NOT worry about the "factory second" label. I have bought three, one for me, and two as gifts. They put a tiny mark on the blade ricasso... that's it. On all three knives, I took the time to really look them over and never could find the flaw. I called AGR and they told me that the "flaws" were cosmetic only and they never sent out a knife that had mechanical problems. And, their confidence is so high in their seconds they all carry the full AGR warranty.

As a sidebar, I have to say that their traditional "seconds" came to me as much higher quality specimens than most of the "firsts" from CASE, Queen and Boker.

Hope you post back your opinion on the knife you purchased.

Robert
 
Puppadore said:
I just bought this knife:
A.G. Russell Medium Barlow Lockback with Deep Pocket Clip-Seconds
aglb-cb23wb-ed-bb.jpg

It was right around my budget at $60, but there was a "seconds" option that was at $35. So I took the "seconds" one... I hope it doesn't look damaged! At first I was not going to purchase it because it doesn't have a thumbstud.. but Youtube says u open with one hand. The white one looks sweet, and that one was available as "seconds".

The steel is good for me with 8cr13mov (I prefer this over D2 for budget knives). Only thing is that the blade length is 3", a bit short and handle is a bit thick. Other than that, it has everything I want.

Again, thanks Bastler.
Click to expand...
Good choice. I have one of the older variants made before they added the pocket clip. Great knife. I like that these A.G. Russell models have all stainless steel hardware. No brass anywhere on the knife like you'll find on many traditional patterns.
Medium Barlow Lockback.jpg
 
I have a bunch of AGR's traditionals and the quality is fantastic.
On most of them, maybe even the Barlow, they use a coil spring for the lock bar instead of second leaf.
It allows them to fit a larger blade into the handle.

I bought a "second quality" folding hunter in stag and as Midnight Flyer said, they cut a small notch on the inside of the ricasso.
It's barely noticeable. The stag scales are slightly mismatched and I'm guessing that's what made it a second.
 
I'd save a bit and go Trapperlock. I like toothpicks but undecided about assist.
SMK has the Marine Trapperlock for $50 or so says latest catalog.
quick check and Marine version is manual, I think.
 
Maybe CRKT Swindle.
It is a framelock flipper with a clip and looks like a traditional swayback pattern knife. Should also be within the price range.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top