What gives ?

O

orangef900

Joined
Mar 8, 2003
Messages
13
Is the slipjoint the redheaded step child of knife lovers ? The number of posts here are low, albeit good reading and informative.
I was there were more.
 
Na, all the other folders are the red-headed step children of multiblades. :D

Eventually a lot of people come back to carry or adjunct their large folder carry with a multiblade. I think the reasons can vary, but the ability to have use of more than one blade in a small package/profile, the appreciation of the difficulty in making them well, the nolstagia of carrying and using an interesting pattern, the huge variety of styles and materials, and the vast majority of the makers (both factory and custom as well as fellow collectors add to the enjoyment of messing with these puppies.
 
Maybe it's because many of the slipjoint fans are too busy using and enjoying their knives in the real world instead of trying to hunt down the "next-big-thing-with-a-blade" in cyberspace. ;)
 
I think that there are a lot of people who carry traditional knives but don't participate in forums. They own one or two knives that they use regularly, but are not hobbyists in the same way that we are.

For example, I have a friend who carries a Case trapper. The first time I saw him use it, I was of course very interested to see it. He has owned it for nearly twenty years, but didn't know the manufacturer, blade steel, or handle material. And, when I talked to him about it, he wasn't all that interested. To him, it was just a sharp, useful tool. Like a screwdriver in the toolbox, no big deal.

Personally, I love the traditionals. I slice apples and open mail more often than I remove sentries.

:)
 
It would be interesting to see figures of the total number of traditional knives sold annually vs. the latest high tech models.

I think tarsier may have a valid point, there's probably a lot of regular people who use traditional folders as they were just another tool. I never heard of a "screw driver" forum but there's a lot of screw drivers out there!

Collecter
 
You could consider annual sales and total accumulated sales over the years. I´ve seen the Schrade middleman advertised as America´s number 1 selling pocket knife, I wonder how many of them have been sold.
 
They always have slip-joints as well as multi-tools and Swiss army knives but not too many tactical folders. Theres a lot to be said for a nice slip-joint. They cut like the dickens and tend to draw compliments rather than gasps. I always have one in my pocket.

Frank
 
Originally posted by SilverFoxKnows
...and tend to draw compliments rather than gasps. I always have one in my pocket.

Frank
Click to expand...

Well put Frank.

The turning point for me came when I was at a cub scout campout with my son and everyone pulled out their pocket knives and started whittling. I pulled out a Stellite bladed, carbon fibered, titanium masterpiece, and it couldnt even whittle a stick. (It was a fine knife, just not the right tool for whittling or simple cutting tasks.) I went back to the drawing board, did some research, and discovered a world of knives and knifemakers that I didn't really understand or appreciate. Now, many slip joints later, I have a real appreciation for traditional knives and the artists who make perfect renditions of them today.

But then again, it has been awfully quiet around here lately.
 
One thing that may be a problem here is that you have to be registered and logged in to BladeForums just to see this forum. In fact - if you're not logged in, you cannot even see that this forum exists in the forum listings. Perhaps not the best possible approach to growing a forum and increasing participation.

I should mention that there's quite a bit of traffic over on the Slip-Joint forum on KnifeForums, if you'd like to visit sometime.

-- Dwight
 
Yep. Lots and lots of people are like your friend. They were given or they purchased a good looking classic pattern knife that looked like a knife should look. They have no interest in collecting, discussing knives, like we do, they just want a good user. The handle material, the blade steel, don't really matter.

I see it a lot. They will reach into ther pocket and pull out a traditional folder, a Case, a Buck, a Schrade, and do the job, then put it away. I always ask about the knife. A present from Dad, left to them by Grandad, the wife got it for them, or it was for sale at a hardware shop.

I wonder, is this a lot like some hunters? The don't want a high-tech 'black gun', they want one like Dad's or their favorite uncle. A traditional type gun that is quality and will work every time and they know it. And they don't like new-fangled 'black' knives with thumb studs or holes, or whatever. A knife with no liner? Looks cheap to them.

Yep, you're right, Tarsier, most of us hardly ever have to take out a senty.

Phil
 
My entire collection is slipjoints, old, older and some single blade customs. I will never lose interest in multi-blade pocket knives and usually carry a vintage Case knife that is just below what I collect... in other words been sharpened a tad, a little pitting...character. I picked up a rough Case XX 6333 1940-64 in Louisville a couple of years back that has very full albeit poorly stored blades and the bone quickly developed a beautiful color and sheen. I have a few modern slick openers, but have never considered them a collecting item.
 
Most of my friends has knfes on themselves when they hunting,fishing, campig, Building and so on bekause they need it to get the jobb done. Its common that they dont care about the knife that much bekause its for example their fishing that is the main interest. They care more about the fishingrod and the flies than about the knife. Its just for kleening the fish when the funny part is done. I know hunters that dont care much abaut either the rifle nor the knife. They just want the dog and themselves to do a exelent work with for example the moose. Some people carrys a folder for edc but only uses it and never pick it up to look at or play with. Then there is a small part of us that loves our knifes so much that we give them extensive place. Many of us dont realy use them more than other people. We also have a lot of knifes to rotate so if you do want to know how sturdy a knife realy is after intensive use its probably better to look at this other people that gets a lot more use for their few or only knife.
 
Originally posted by NirreBosse
...so if you do want to know how sturdy a knife realy is after intensive use its probably better to look at this other people that gets a lot more use for their few or only knife...
Click to expand...

That's one of the most rational comments I've read in ages - because it's so true. Someone who considers a knife to be ONLY a tool will use it often and use it hard. (I'm going to start paying more attention to what non-collectors are carrying.) Even us knife knuts will tend to "baby" our EDC's, sometimes without even being aware that we're doing it.

My own interests have gradually been steered towards slipjoints and lockbacks because, in my case, I have become more knife-educated and more selective by accumulating the "fad" folders for the first few years and just learning.
 
So I think That you can get the best user answers from people who dont own many knives but use them for real work. The answers is hard to get though because they dont talk about their experiences. They also dont care about the sort of knife so most often they use whats in the store and not what is desireable. They just dont test what you want to know about.

There are some advantages with knifecolektors also.
First you get to know how good the knife holds up to frekwent opening-closing and how good the edge takes the tuch of skinn gently feeleng if the edge is still sharp (even if you didnt use it since last time you tried it).:D :D :D

And its posible to know a little by experience and a trained eye. I realy like to use knives but I also like to read and talk about them and know about new ones and see pictures of old ones and this forum is just perfect.
 
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