KnifeHead
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2006
- Messages
- 5,565
...and the word "traditional" comes from the word "tradition" which has some of the following definitions(as found on Websters.com):
tra·di·tion [truh-dish-uhn]
noun
1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.
2. something that is handed down: the traditions of the Eskimos.
3. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.
4. a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.
5. a customary or characteristic method or manner: The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.
When it comes to cutlery, there is a very hard lesson to learn. The lesson is one of traditions, history, and customs. I know it's a hard lesson to learn because I am still learning things about old knives and I am fifty-freakin-four!
I choose to learn. I think this forum is as much about learning as it is about sharing and showing off the various types of cutlery that we have managed to acquire. I learn something from every thread I read, rather it's "Hey, look at my antique shop find" or the 100th "Grandpa's pocket knife" thread. (BTW, I stopped learning about patina and half-stops a while back...just sayin
)
But seriously, what prompted me to write this is there are people that come here to show us their stuff and/or ask questions that appear to be quite reluctant to learn the traditions, history, and customs of cutlery. Dudes...LOOK UP THERE AT THE TITLE OF THE FORUM!
There are lots of folks here that have more than a few hours of pouring through cutlery reference material that might know something about these things. I know that if I post a comment here in these forums, that there is somebody out there with more knowledge about the subject than I have and I EXPECT TO BE CORRECTED IF I SAY SOMETHING CONTRARY TO THE TRADITIONS, HISTORY, AND CUSTOMS OF CUTLERY. I don't know everything about them but I have studied a little bit and rely on my buds here to back me up when I'm correct and correct me when I'm wrong. That's part of learning process.
To make matters worse, there seems to be a trend among some contemporary knife companies to use popular, traditional names for their products when they look nothing like their namesake. Don't get me wrong, they are probably great knives, but, keeping the aforementioned forum title in mind, NAMES MEAN SOMETHING HERE! Please don't be surprised and/or offended if someone posts a followup comment that says something like, "That is not a muskrat...this is a muskrat" and follows that statement up with dated reference material and images explaining a potential mistake. And please, if you have evidence pointing out a flaw in a followup comment, stay with it and put up your reference material. This is how we all learn.
I've read the comment, "These things are evolving and ever changing and improving with time so why so narky on the name thing" or "Oh well, it's a great knife so who cares what it's called?". OK, let's run with that. I propose we create a sub-forum called "Whatchamacallit Cutlery". Therein you will post your various and a sundry sharpened items where you may call them whatever you like. No one will question what you call them and everyone will say things like, "that's a great trapper" (when it's really a stockman) and you'll say, "huh, I never thought about calling it that but who cares what it's called, it's a great knife". No one will get narky on them for calling it a stockman because in the Whatchamacallit Cutlery Sub-forum, all names are acceptable.
Blues and Bastid, I am formally requesting the new Whatchamacallit Cutlery Sub-forum, a veritable shangri las of knifedom where one an all may call sharpened things whatever one will and we will all be of one mind in the land of milk and honey and happiness and cleans our mind of all stuffy traditional mumbojumbo. To get in the mood for this change, I think I will change my ID to KutleryThoughts, burn incense and wear lots of silk stuff and practice saying "OOOOHHHHHmmmmmmm" a lot.
tra·di·tion [truh-dish-uhn]
noun
1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.
2. something that is handed down: the traditions of the Eskimos.
3. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.
4. a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.
5. a customary or characteristic method or manner: The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.
When it comes to cutlery, there is a very hard lesson to learn. The lesson is one of traditions, history, and customs. I know it's a hard lesson to learn because I am still learning things about old knives and I am fifty-freakin-four!
I choose to learn. I think this forum is as much about learning as it is about sharing and showing off the various types of cutlery that we have managed to acquire. I learn something from every thread I read, rather it's "Hey, look at my antique shop find" or the 100th "Grandpa's pocket knife" thread. (BTW, I stopped learning about patina and half-stops a while back...just sayin
)But seriously, what prompted me to write this is there are people that come here to show us their stuff and/or ask questions that appear to be quite reluctant to learn the traditions, history, and customs of cutlery. Dudes...LOOK UP THERE AT THE TITLE OF THE FORUM!
There are lots of folks here that have more than a few hours of pouring through cutlery reference material that might know something about these things. I know that if I post a comment here in these forums, that there is somebody out there with more knowledge about the subject than I have and I EXPECT TO BE CORRECTED IF I SAY SOMETHING CONTRARY TO THE TRADITIONS, HISTORY, AND CUSTOMS OF CUTLERY. I don't know everything about them but I have studied a little bit and rely on my buds here to back me up when I'm correct and correct me when I'm wrong. That's part of learning process.
To make matters worse, there seems to be a trend among some contemporary knife companies to use popular, traditional names for their products when they look nothing like their namesake. Don't get me wrong, they are probably great knives, but, keeping the aforementioned forum title in mind, NAMES MEAN SOMETHING HERE! Please don't be surprised and/or offended if someone posts a followup comment that says something like, "That is not a muskrat...this is a muskrat" and follows that statement up with dated reference material and images explaining a potential mistake. And please, if you have evidence pointing out a flaw in a followup comment, stay with it and put up your reference material. This is how we all learn.
I've read the comment, "These things are evolving and ever changing and improving with time so why so narky on the name thing" or "Oh well, it's a great knife so who cares what it's called?". OK, let's run with that. I propose we create a sub-forum called "Whatchamacallit Cutlery". Therein you will post your various and a sundry sharpened items where you may call them whatever you like. No one will question what you call them and everyone will say things like, "that's a great trapper" (when it's really a stockman) and you'll say, "huh, I never thought about calling it that but who cares what it's called, it's a great knife". No one will get narky on them for calling it a stockman because in the Whatchamacallit Cutlery Sub-forum, all names are acceptable.
Blues and Bastid, I am formally requesting the new Whatchamacallit Cutlery Sub-forum, a veritable shangri las of knifedom where one an all may call sharpened things whatever one will and we will all be of one mind in the land of milk and honey and happiness and cleans our mind of all stuffy traditional mumbojumbo. To get in the mood for this change, I think I will change my ID to KutleryThoughts, burn incense and wear lots of silk stuff and practice saying "OOOOHHHHHmmmmmmm" a lot.
) that prompted this post and for the most part agree with you . I have tried to learn and absorb as much as possible as quickly as possible. On the other hand I try and keep in mind that not everyone throws themselves into a hobby with the fervor that many here in traditionals have done. I figure everyone has a different learning curve, while others happy to own a traditional pocket knife have no interest in the history, evolution, terminology or nuances of the cutlery business. I for one am happy that this online community is made up by this broad spectrum of folks!:thumbup:
Although, if you can get past the proper and factual history of the actual patterns being completely ignored in favor of silly names, then it does become somewhat entertaining. 
