I carried a knife as a kid and then did not for a while. Started again a few yrs ago and started making folders(linerlocks) 2 yrs ago. Now making slips. I had nothing to design from other than printing pics from the internet and then drawing or interpreting them to my own style. They tended to be large as, it seems, most modern or customs are nowdays. I ordered a couple slips off ebay to figure out how they made..split springs, locking(Cattaraugus) and a couple gents folders(whittler, double ended, etc.) To my amazement the taditional older knives all seem to be very thin in profile, short, many 1/16" blades, .025 brass liners,etc. The modern customs tend to be larger. Why? Probably so that you can show off your talents in multiple ways..filework, inlays, engraving, etc. The problem is..you need suspenders to be able to carry them. Even the Bose boys call them Back Pockets. They are BPs for a reason. I like the large ones until you have to carry them and of course, you can only do so much with a 1 & 1/4" blade...but...? Whatcha think?
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Traditional vs. modern
- Thread starter John L
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 2, 1998
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- 45,099
I think there's room for all sizes and configurations.
I have several small slipjoints that carry easily in the watch pocket of my jeans.
Others get carried in the back pocket.
Each and every one of them is useful, beautiful and esteemed (by me).
I tend to let my clothing and intended use dictate what gets carried on any given day.
I have several small slipjoints that carry easily in the watch pocket of my jeans.
Others get carried in the back pocket.
Each and every one of them is useful, beautiful and esteemed (by me).
I tend to let my clothing and intended use dictate what gets carried on any given day.
I think pocket knives are like ice cream, some like chocolate, some like vanilla, and then you get fans of rocky road and pistashio mint.
The wonderfull thing about traditional pocket knives is like ice cream, there are so many different patterns, sub patterns, materials, let alone sizes, that there is something for everyone.
For most of my life I was a middle of the road guy. Not too big, not too small. My choice of stockman was the 3 7/8 one. I spent alot of time carrying a scout knife, and I think that was 3 1/2. I had some bigger, like my almost 5 inch Eye-Brand sodbuter, but they were a passing fancy and got replaced with small sodbusters in the 3 and somethng range. But I have never been a suit kind f guy, being a blue collar machinist I were jeans most all the time. I hate getting dressed up. My dad on the other hand was a suit guy. He always had a grey suit on when he went off to work, and he lived his whole life with a 2 7/8 inch peanut. He seemed to adapt to getting everything done with that little knife.
I think clothing worn and life style has alot to do with what the person picks as his carry knife. Suit or work clothes, office or shop. But changing society has alot to do with it as well. The knives that I saw my elders carrying when I was a kid would be scorned by the young adults today. In the 80's Spyderco got the ball rolling big time with the one hand opening knife, in the 90's Benchmade paved the way for the tactical trend, and now its the asisted opener thats hot. For some people today having a knife that you have to actually pull the blade open is like those round plastic things people used to listen to music off of.
Age has a little to do with it. I think alot of young folks want the latest whatever, while an old fart does not really care what others think, he'll use what worked for him way back when. As I have gotten older I have actually went down in size a bit. These days I find a 3 1/4 inch stockman to be almost perfect for my daily use. I have my dad's peanut, and while I like it for sentimental reasons, it can be just a tad too small sometimes. Not often, just once in a while. The 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 seem to be the overall most usefull pocket knife for me. But then I like plain ice cream too, without the nuts and exotic flavors.
The wonderfull thing about traditional pocket knives is like ice cream, there are so many different patterns, sub patterns, materials, let alone sizes, that there is something for everyone.
For most of my life I was a middle of the road guy. Not too big, not too small. My choice of stockman was the 3 7/8 one. I spent alot of time carrying a scout knife, and I think that was 3 1/2. I had some bigger, like my almost 5 inch Eye-Brand sodbuter, but they were a passing fancy and got replaced with small sodbusters in the 3 and somethng range. But I have never been a suit kind f guy, being a blue collar machinist I were jeans most all the time. I hate getting dressed up. My dad on the other hand was a suit guy. He always had a grey suit on when he went off to work, and he lived his whole life with a 2 7/8 inch peanut. He seemed to adapt to getting everything done with that little knife.
I think clothing worn and life style has alot to do with what the person picks as his carry knife. Suit or work clothes, office or shop. But changing society has alot to do with it as well. The knives that I saw my elders carrying when I was a kid would be scorned by the young adults today. In the 80's Spyderco got the ball rolling big time with the one hand opening knife, in the 90's Benchmade paved the way for the tactical trend, and now its the asisted opener thats hot. For some people today having a knife that you have to actually pull the blade open is like those round plastic things people used to listen to music off of.
Age has a little to do with it. I think alot of young folks want the latest whatever, while an old fart does not really care what others think, he'll use what worked for him way back when. As I have gotten older I have actually went down in size a bit. These days I find a 3 1/4 inch stockman to be almost perfect for my daily use. I have my dad's peanut, and while I like it for sentimental reasons, it can be just a tad too small sometimes. Not often, just once in a while. The 3 1/4 to 3 1/2 seem to be the overall most usefull pocket knife for me. But then I like plain ice cream too, without the nuts and exotic flavors.
Interesting post...
My grandfather was a farmer who lived and worked outdoors for all of his life. He had a few pocketknives like an Old Timer, Barlow, and a bone-handled folder all of which were under 3-1/2". Someone carrying a sheath knife or a knife as large as a modern Benchmade Griptillian would be considered a pretentious show-off. But of course someone like my grandfather would never say that out loud either.
As to why custom slipjoints are so large? It's not just custom makers either; I've noticed the same thing from commericial cutleries too, like Canal Street and Great Eastern. Obviously market demand is a factor. If few people buy 3" lobster pattern knives, the makers aren't going to waste their time making them. Cynically, I also suspect that the smaller knives are harder to make. Also, those high-dollar customs are often bought for the sole purpose of lookin' at; even if the knives are carried, aesthetics were likely a primary purchase factor. And it's nicer to look at something that's a bit larger (that's why I buy a lot of fixed blades, even though I don't hunt 
).
-Bob
My grandfather was a farmer who lived and worked outdoors for all of his life. He had a few pocketknives like an Old Timer, Barlow, and a bone-handled folder all of which were under 3-1/2". Someone carrying a sheath knife or a knife as large as a modern Benchmade Griptillian would be considered a pretentious show-off. But of course someone like my grandfather would never say that out loud either.
As to why custom slipjoints are so large? It's not just custom makers either; I've noticed the same thing from commericial cutleries too, like Canal Street and Great Eastern. Obviously market demand is a factor. If few people buy 3" lobster pattern knives, the makers aren't going to waste their time making them. Cynically, I also suspect that the smaller knives are harder to make.
Also, those high-dollar customs are often bought for the sole purpose of lookin' at; even if the knives are carried, aesthetics were likely a primary purchase factor. And it's nicer to look at something that's a bit larger (that's why I buy a lot of fixed blades, even though I don't hunt ).-Bob
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
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- 5,978
I carry a 3 9/16" stockman and don't use it a ton, but it's always nice to have a nice sharp knife when you need it. A smaller one would work as well for me as far as blades, and I like a 3 1/4" pattern very much, but the longer one fits my hand better, and is more comfortable to cut and slice with.
Personally, I think there is value to larger and smaller knives. I carry a Spyderco Manix and a Case stockman with damascus blades every day.
Today, we took the kids up to Oatman, AZ to watch the gunfights and feed the burros. I used the spey blade on the stockman to peel and slice some carrots. The Manix is too big to be a good paring knife.
On the way home, we stopped to get drinks, and realized we had forgotten my 2 year old's "sippy cup." The Manix was perfect to use as a drill to create a hole in the cap of a Minute Maid orange juice bottle for a straw to fit through. The plastic cap was pretty thick, and I would have been uncomfortable "drilling" with the thinner stockman clip blade.
Not everyone carries larger one-handed knives because they are "tacticool." Sometimes a bigger/heavier duty knife is the right tool for the job.
Most here would be the first to chastise someone for using their knife as a prybar, and suggest they use the right tool for the job. It's interesting that so many would eschew a larger knife and castigate those who carry them in favor of trying to "make do" with a knife that is too small for the task at hand.
Today, we took the kids up to Oatman, AZ to watch the gunfights and feed the burros. I used the spey blade on the stockman to peel and slice some carrots. The Manix is too big to be a good paring knife.
On the way home, we stopped to get drinks, and realized we had forgotten my 2 year old's "sippy cup." The Manix was perfect to use as a drill to create a hole in the cap of a Minute Maid orange juice bottle for a straw to fit through. The plastic cap was pretty thick, and I would have been uncomfortable "drilling" with the thinner stockman clip blade.
Not everyone carries larger one-handed knives because they are "tacticool." Sometimes a bigger/heavier duty knife is the right tool for the job.
Most here would be the first to chastise someone for using their knife as a prybar, and suggest they use the right tool for the job. It's interesting that so many would eschew a larger knife and castigate those who carry them in favor of trying to "make do" with a knife that is too small for the task at hand.
Oh, I don't know about that cortopar, its a pretty forgiving bunch here. Not too much castigating goes on with this crowd.
As far as a knife being too small for the job, think of it as a challenge to be creative. Cap too thick to drill through? Okay, just make an X slit like in the lids of soft drink tops in the softer plastic at the top of the bottle below the cap, and push the straw in through there. See? another way of looking at it.
Or you could carry a sak as one of your edc's and have some tools available for those non-cutting jobs. My dad once told me if you were stopped by a problem, walk around it a bit to look at it from another angle.
- Joined
- Oct 2, 1998
- Messages
- 45,099
I've got to backup jackknife on this. This is not a group that tends to pass judgement on anyone's choice of blades, especially when its carry is actually warranted and not for show.
Many of us have a great deal of experience with larger tactical knives. I carried one daily for over twenty years while working in law enforcement. Now I generally don't unless there is a perceived need for that particular style of knife.
Many of us have a great deal of experience with larger tactical knives. I carried one daily for over twenty years while working in law enforcement. Now I generally don't unless there is a perceived need for that particular style of knife.