Traditionals in the Trades?

[festerfromnzed]

Maybe not a trade? so to speak,but professional deer culling here in New Zealand spanned 50 odd years...They all carried one of these for skinning chores.......FES

 

[zippofan]

The thread on the new GEC Hawkbill got me thinking about my dad. He was an industrial electrician from the time I was a little kid, and he always had two knives, neither of which I knew the pattern name until I joined here. He always had a TL-29 and later a locking hawkbill. I remember the TL-29 was a Klein, he preferred their tools and told me so. I remember him skinning Romex wire when helping him rewire the house when I was a teenager. he used the hawkbill tip to go through the outer jacket, and the inner curve of the blade for the individual wire insulation. I remember it was effortless for him, yet I'd struggle with my diagonal pliers.
After he passed away mom gave me all his tools but I've yet to find either knife. They used to be in his tool pouch all the time but aren't there now.

Since I've mostly had bench or desk jobs the main use for a knife for me is cutting open boxes and letters. When I was in electronics I had all kinds of specialty wire strippers, 'No-Nik' for each tiny size of wire I had to strip, usually #22 or #24. plus coax and have specialty strippers for that too. My main use for a knife is in Scouting and fooling around in the outdoors on weekends. Making fuzz sticks, tent pegs and just plain whittlin'. When the kids were Cub Scouts I used a knife to rough out our Pinewood Derby cars too.

A friend of mine and member of our Troop is a forester, his usual carry is...a Case Peanut. I know he has a Schrade lockback that goes along with him on the job, but most times I've seen him use a knife it's a Peanut. Another guy from our Troop is a carpenter, he carries an old Bucklite along with his utility knives but told me he prefers the Buck.

 

[knarfeng]

Traditionals in the Trades?

Been too many decades since I worked as a tradesman for me to have a personal opinion on the matter. In the mid 70's, one-handers, if they existed (not sure), were uncommon. Fellas on job sites mostly carried Buck 110s or lookalikes.

Most of the young fellas at church who work in construction carry one-handers or (shudder) razor knives. Now don't get me wrong, razor knives work great. But they lack soul.

 

[rockgolfer]

Been too many decades since I worked as a tradesman for me to have a personal opinion on the matter. In the mid 70's, one-handers, if they existed (not sure), were uncommon. Fellas on job sites mostly carried Buck 110s or lookalikes.

Most of the young fellas at church who work in construction carry one-handers or (shudder) razor knives. Now don't get me wrong, razor knives work great. But they lack soul.

I agree, so much could be done on this front.

 

[wouldestous]

i work for an environmental company. often we will be a subcontractor under a larger grading/earth moving company. so many times im around equipment operators who wont even get off their backhoe or out of their dump truck unless its lunch or quitting time lol.
mostly i see people with cheap modern type folding or cheap razor knives. i guess ive seen a few buck 110 type knives over the years. one guy i work with carries a small old timer 'because thats what ive always carried'. another guy always seems to have some sort of goofy 'stars and stripes' neck knife laying in his truck. another guy has a combo knife/bottle opener on his keychain. the elderly founder of our company carries a very small victorinox with only a small single blade. a lot of guys who work or worked with us dont carry a knife at all and end up borrowing mine.

 

[pinnah]

a lot of guys who work or worked with us dont carry a knife at all and end up borrowing mine.

I just hate that!!!!

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I ride a desk for a living, but I worked retail. Not really a trade, but everyone used box cutters. The only knife I ever saw used besides my own, was a Schrade 110 clone. I think it was the one with the lanyard hole, the 6OT? LB6? One of the receiving guys used it all the time.

My father is an automotive upholsterer, and I grew up around his shop, and the auto body shops nearby. My uncles are body men, and I have spent some time as a kid in their shop. My father always had his shop shears nearby at work, and never needed a knife. He has only ever carried small pen knives, like the Buck 30? single blade I got him, and a whole slew of Schrade pen blades he was always with (except for when they disappeared in the washing machine and my mother saved them from certain oblivion). He borrowed my Buck 301 and I gave him a Winchester spey blade folder, he likes both, but leaves them in his bag in his truck most of the time. I've never seen him do more than snip some thread or a string, and clean his fingernails, with his knives. He always uses either his shears or a Stanley utility knife he keeps in his tool box. Same for everyone else in the commercial park, they mainly use a utility knife. One guy in the commercial park, a woodcarver and cook, carries an old Imperial scout knife that was his drill sergeants in the Marines for sentimental purposes, and another guy, a mechanic, carries a Leatherman Wave on his belt. He did have a collection of some nice old Schrades.

I have two old well worn Schrade 8OT's, now that I have a later model 881, I might just gift those two Schrades to some guys in the commercial park.

 

[wouldestous]

I just hate that!!!!

lol yeah. what kind of sissy doesnt carry a pocketknife? lol


sounds like theres a lot of utility knives being used out there.
if i wasnt so lazy i would develop a line of specialty utility knives. id have an 'extreme' series with skulls and stuff like that on them, a 'traditional' series with antler handles and stuff like that, a high-tech 'cyber' series with electroplated finish in a variety of colors that would look right at home in ikea, a slim 'gentlemens' series with elegantly understated design and subtly beautiful wood handles, a 'tactical' series with finger guards, nonreflective matte finish and noise-dampening construction so operators will not give their position away. and thats just off the top of my head.

 

[Peter Parker]

I only have one buddy or co-worker that carries traditionals that I know of. Like my late grandfather inlaw he was born in MS and lived all of his adult life here in TX he is 64. He carries an old Boker delrin split back Whittler, and an newer Buck 300 series 4" Stockman. That stockman is about all he is willing to lay down for a knife, and by the way these were both bought in used condition for under $20.00. I'd feel more comfortable if I just use my work mate since we work security togeather and I no longer work in construction, he has a full time job as a machinist.

 

[pinnah]

Pretty sobering thread.

For all the talk about the rugged and utilitarian virtues we discuss about our beloved traditional knives, if this thread is a true indication, then traditional knives aren't being used.

It very interesting to me to hear the discussions of folding box cutter style knives with disposable blades. It reminds me of these two articles on the etymology of the term "jack knife" and the related term of derision, "jack leg".

http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/jackleg/

http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/site/jackleg_jackknife/

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Thank you for sharing these sites and information.

 

[rockgolfer]

Pretty sobering thread.

For all the talk about the rugged and utilitarian virtues we discuss about our beloved traditional knives, if this thread is a true indication, then traditional knives aren't being used.

It very interesting to me to hear the discussions of folding box cutter style knives with disposable blades. It reminds me of these two articles on the etymology of the term "jack knife" and the related term of derision, "jack leg".

http://www.word-detective.com/2012/01/jackleg/

http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/site/jackleg_jackknife/

I really think this is due to the fact that traditionals are not viewed as life saving weapons. My friends and I had a conversation a few years back before I moved(most law enforcement). The consensus was that they felt most people they found carrying a knife was a OHO for defense or worse. I can attest to feeling naked in a sense without a OHO on me at first. But when you really think about the actuality of a knife as your primary defense weapon, well not really encouraging givin a bunch of criminals are in an altered state of mind no less.

I also believe their is a lack of trust in how robust these tools are. I have been thinking about doing a comparison review or video to show how well these tools stand up to hard work. Something one of the big manufacturers could do and spread on the web. I certainly would not have ignored such a video. If the manufacturers want to get the next generations to give their products a try, they need to be pro active.

 

[Stich2442]

Pinnah, I think it comes down to do you carry a knife in your day to day life or not, and if someone does is it a OHO, trad., or multitool. Out of about 20 guys at work 3 carry a knife day to day,( everyone else, either a utility knife or are asking to borrow mine), me ( trads) owner( OHO ), and another fella( Leatherman) it carries over to outside of work. Speaking only for myself I have carried a knife everyday since I was 6, but I think we are at a point where knives being carried are frowned upon, looked at as a weapon and not a tool. I think we here are a unique group, I don't think I know anyone outside of the good folks here that are interested in knives. Maybe it's a generational thing, or even cultural? I have had people comment at work about my Opinel calling it a pig sticker,I see it as a useful tool that can take a razor sharp edge and make my life easier at work, tackling task that a utility knife has just to short of a blade to use effectively. Just some food for thought

On a side note the fella at work that carries the Leatherman is about 8-10 years younger than me and always tells me that his father carries the same kind of pocket knives that I do and uses them for everything, home & garden, breaking down a rabbit and in the kitchen.

 

[DrPenguin]

.... I think it comes down to do you carry a knife in your day to day life or not, and if someone does is it a OHO, trad., or multitool.

Yeah, I had a long winded reply typed up but in a nutshell this is it.

I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of traditional knives in the trades. Utility knives and multi-tools are the going thing there and will be for a long time. I use a traditional at work and there are places where it shines over other types of knives but in the end I am still using an $80 knife in places a lot of folks wouldn't.

But there are areas where the traditional is just plain the best tool you will find. Every try to skin a squirrel or dress a pheasant with a thick bladed modern or tactical? A word of advice: Don't, you'll make a mess. A big one. Traditionals are also the ticket when you get past the point of quartering a deer and need to debone and slice the steaks. Fishing is another area where I seem to like the performance of traditionals over anything else.

Why am I bringing up all of this outdoors stuff? Because it goes back to what Stitch was saying about it being more about whether a guy carries at all or not. Back home hunting and fishing are cultural, they are ingrained in everyday life. And I see the same knife getting taken out when a guys is getting ready to prep the day's catch as I do when he needs to open a box. They are alive and well in this area where a small, easy to carry knife is called for.

I have never seen a guy try to field dress a deer using a modern or tactical folder. Not once. Every single time I have seen it done (and believe me when I tell you I have seen my share and then some) it was with a hunting knife (fixed blade) or a trapper or locking traditional. Every single one. And when you get past that to the point of slicing the meat the thin blade traditional is almost always used.

The link between hunting/fishing and the traditional knife is much stronger in my experience than the one to the work place.

Will

 

[DrPenguin]

PS: I just remembered ONCE that a deer was field dressed with something other than a trapper, locking traditional, or hunting knife... it was me. I shot one without actually being on a real hunt and ended up having to field dress it with an old Case congress about a hundred years old. Forgot about that one.

 

[pinnah]

The link between hunting/fishing and the traditional knife is much stronger in my experience than the one to the work place.

I very, very much agree with this.

Although note that Buck is selling a heck of lot of drop point hunters these days: Vanguards, Bucklite Max, Odysseys and such.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I do have to say, that my Grandfather (a farmer, airplane/car mechanic) carried only traditions. I never saw him with a one handed opener.

My father also only carried traditionals until recently. He usually carries a small spring assisted leek now. He was raised as a farmer.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

If our friends and relatives were to take a gander at the knives in our pockets, let alone our collections, they would see a lot of "once in a lifetime" knives. I mean that these knives are considered hand me downs, which would sit on the mantel piece or in a china cabinet, because they are too nice to carry. I've had friends and relatives ask why I would carry such nice knives, in regards to knives from Case, GEC, Queen etc that I haven't given a second thought to carrying and using. Utility knives and multitools are tools, and are treated as such. I believe that knives like we carry and collect may just be considered too nice by many to actually use everyday.

 

[richstag]

Maybe not a trade? so to speak,but professional deer culling here in New Zealand spanned 50 odd years...They all carried one of these for skinning chores.......FES

One of my all time favorite photos anywhere on the web. Just awesome content there. It doesn't get any better.

 

[gruntmedik]

I carried this Old Timer, and a 1985 SAK Soldier as a Grunt in the USMC. Lots of Buck 110's and SAK's carried by others. Now, I carry a SAK and a Spyderco Tenacious in my flight suit at work. I see a few other SAK's at work.