What is your favorite decade of American production knives?

Kohai999

Kohai999

Second Degree Cutter
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
12,554
Mine is the 80's because of the trick lock mechanisms(like the Rolox, the midlock, the liner lock...) the designers(Blackie Collins in his prime, Al Mar, R. W. Loveless) and the quality, that seems to be gone from some of the companies(Gerber was KING back in those days)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
The 1980's was great because of the rise of specialty cutlers(Spyderco, Sog, Al Mar, Benchmade, Cold Steel, etc....) that weren't afraid to take chances with designs. That, plus the greatly expanding custom market, forced nearly everyone in the trade to try and be innovative.
 
I'm old - but I think the good times are rolling right now.

New blade alloys, new knife designs, new lock designs, and users - at least on this forum - that are more knowledgeable due to easy access to both technical and practical info on knives.

Look at the creativity in knife designs and new blade alloys offered by just Spyderco alone. Users have never had the array of choices that they have today.

If there's a down side, it's the dwindling number of US manufacturers that haven't kept pace.
 
Yeah i think this era is gonna be great for knives. As stated makers are forced to come up with new and interesting ideas in order to compete with the market. However this does mean that many have contracted their knives out to countries like taiwan and Japan.
 
Busse in the last 1/2 of the 90's.

Pretty much customs at (high end) production prices.

Good stuff!

Rob
 
gud4u said:
I'm old - but I think the good times are rolling right now.

New blade alloys, new knife designs, new lock designs, and users - at least on this forum - that are more knowledgeable due to easy access to both technical and practical info on knives.

Look at the creativity in knife designs and new blade alloys offered by just Spyderco alone. Users have never had the array of choices that they have today.

If there's a down side, it's the dwindling number of US manufacturers that haven't kept pace.
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Hey STeven, While I will admit the 80's were good, I'm with gud4u. These are the good old days. :p

In the 80's, we didn't have the internet to be able to communicate about the good things in the industry. No forums.

The shared knowledge offers all of us greater depth and understanding.

In the 80's, we didn't have the steel technology, like; powdered metals, nitrogen based steels, lasers for cutting steel, etc.

In the 80's we didn't have mosaic damascus.

In the 80's, we didn't have foundries like Crucible coming to knife shows or foundries like Hitachi and Takefu making sophisticated knife steels.

We have far more lock choices to work with now than we did in the 80's.

Besides, in the 80's you were just a little kid. ;)

sal
 
I don't know about favorite decade for production knives . . . but my favorite decade is the 80s!

Great movies, great music, and great pop culture! Reaganomics baby!

Plus, Sal's right. For me, I am a child of the 80s.

Andy
 
Sal Glesser said:
Besides, in the 80's you were just a little kid. ;)

sal
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Sal,

I graduated from high school in 1984.

I did my first 3 years of US Service duty from 1987-1990.

I turned 24 in 1989, hardly a little kid, those are the salad years for a martial artist.;)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I like the variety that's available now. I agree with Sal that it's nice to have all this information at your fingertips--I can easily find information about custom knives, the latest factory offerings, khukuris from Nepal, or puukkos from Finland all from the comfort of my own home. Plus I can find the knife I want pretty easy. A few years ago my only options were to go to Walmart/Target/Lowe's or the local mall or gun store and choose from their limited selection. Now I can go online and pick up knives of unbelievable quality and incredible prices. It's a good time to be a knife nut.
 
Kohai999 said:
(Gerber was KING back in those days)
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I still have several brass folders and silver knights. That was all I knew back then. I miss things being simplier back then, regardless of knives.
 
I would have to say the 70's, early 80's with Buck hunting knives. Still my favorite production knives. Although I like the older ones compared to what Buck is making now.
Scott
 
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