Walk and talk

bodog

bodog

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Can someone explain what this is? I see it mentioned a lot and am wondering what specifically it's referring to.

Thanks
 
From gec.

Walk and Talk
An old-time expression describing the action of a pocket knife blade. The tang end of the blade moving along the spring is the”walk”, and the snap of the knife at the end of the opening or closing cycle is the "talk".

Generally, you want a nice smooth walk, meaning the metal has a good finish, won't wear out due to imperfections, and just feels good. And a nice snap just feels and sounds good. And soft spring in closing might dampen the talk, yielding almost a mushy feeling when closing. Sometimes even not closing the blade so the tip is completely covered.

Some people don't like to let their knives snap shut. Personally, as long as the edge doesn't contact the back spring, I like to hear it talk.

I'm a newbie also. I'm looking forward to seeing what others can add or correct.
 
It's just a way of describing the way a knife feels and sounds as it is being opened and closed. I would think it is most applicable to slipjoints, since you are opening and closing against the pressure of a backspring. A good "walk" is a smooth, consistent feel of the pressure of the backspring against the tang as you are moving it to the open or closed position. You tend to feel this in your fingers as you hold the blade while opening it, and in the palm of your hand against the spine of the blade as you are closing it, or against whatever surface you use to close yours.

The talk is the click of the tang run-up against the end of the backspring when it fully opens, but moreso that little "clack-ping" sound as the kick strikes the backspring when closing. Unless you ease your blade closed all the way, it's from when you get to that point where the friction against the tang is overcome by the backspring to snap it to that final closed position.

Best way to understand it is to open and close some different knives, and pay attention to how it feels and sounds. You can tell the difference between different knives, designs, and makers. And at some point you discover that there is a certain combo of feel and sound that is more pleasing to you than others. That's when you discover what "good walk and talk" means.

Square-tang knives (half-stops) have a significantly different walk and talk than cammed tang knives, so almost need to be compared to each other as separate categories. And you may find that you prefer the walk-and-talk of one category over the other.

It's hard to describe to someone without sitting down with a handful of knives and showing someone what you mean, knife by knife.
 
That's a great post, John! :thumbup: Very clear and instructive, and the last two paragraphs (about incomparability across tang shapes and the value of experience) were issues that I hadn't considered before. :cool:

- GT
 
I thought it was that swagger in your step, and wanting to tell everyone when you finally got that grail you've always wanted in your pocket :)
Seriously though, great explanations above.
 
I love a good walk and talk as long as its not so tight as to be a nail-breaker. However, I have gotten out of the habit of letting my knives snap shut. I have a laguiole that Andy Roy gifted me...man, I don't even remember how many years ago. He warned me that if you snapped it shut, the blade edge WOULD smack into the frame and bugger the edge a bit. Of course, I immediately closed it in such a way as ding the edge he had repaired before sending it to me:grumpy:

I have since sharpened it and have never had it over travel since as long as I make sure to open and close it quietly. I also have an old Okapi that would dang near TRY to cut through the pin when I shut it. I actually put a small shim of leather over that pin to give the edge something to cut into. I've also got a Case mini-trapper where they over polished the shoulder at the bolster so it doesn't stop before whacking into the frame and a Mercator that has cut a decent gouge in the plastic due to me snapping it shut without checking.

I love the good talk of a well made blade snapping shut as you close it against your thigh...but so many of my traditionals won't tolerate the action, that I am constantly closing ALL of my folders (even the super-tough moderns) two handed and quietly.
 
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