What makes a knife "traditional"?

I truly wish I was eloquent enough to express my thoughts on this subject in the well written way so many of you have done, but alas I am not.
So instead of anything technical, reasonable or sane I will simply say that the difference between traditional and modern in my mind is...Soul.
A traditional slipjoint is more then the sum of its parts. It’s a history and a spirit that doesn’t exist in any modern knife I have ever owned.
Now before anyone gets excited remember I said “sane”. I know these feelings are in my head and one shouldn’t have an emotional response to a tool but...
I cannot pick up an old knife and not “ feel” it. They all have a story behind them be it of the man or woman that made it or the man or woman that carried. It’s a romance from a time passed and when I pick up a new slippy I know it’s just a matter of time before it has a story.
 
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I'd need to dig for that patent but sounds right about the patent, Lloyd.

Regarding Mike's knife...

Patterns are typically defined by handle shape and blades. In some cases, the handle alone defines the pattern. For example a Wharncliffe knife is defined by the shape of the handle and doesn't always have a Wharncliffe blade. And the big bolster differentiates a barlow from a regular jack.

Mike's knife is pretty much straight up "Easy Opener" with the twist that it's also a "shadow". Knives without any bolsters are "shadow" patterns (2nd down on the left). It's a "shadow" version of an "Easy Opener" (3rd from the bottom in the middle column). If it didn't have the easy open notch, it would be a "swell end jack" (3rd column).

For some reason, knives without bolsters seem to get lumped in as sodbusters or modern knives. For example, I don't think the "Proper" is a sodbuster at all but it often gets compared to one. I'm not sure what it is.

I do think Mike's knife is traditional. I know what pattern it is.

mxR7OXe.jpg
 
LastRodeo LastRodeo Im not saying it doesn't go against the rules I am saying from an individual perspective. I think we would all answer the first question yes but then some might say no on the example others would still say yes.

It really is a subjectively defined a term because we all have a different perspective on what a traditional is and isn't and some may have a quality that is difficult to define. I understand those saying the LionSteel Roundhead isn't a traditional to them in fact to a degree I would agree with them. In some ways I feel a true traditional comes from either a design that can be dated back several decades but this is also tricky when you have new unique designs that have a very traditional feel to them such as the Case Russlock which I am not sure where that falls to the forum. To me the Russlock more traditional than the Roundhead and this is primarily due to the pedigree as we could say of coming from Case who is generally recognized as one of the few remaining traditional manufacturers and the knife continues to give the air of a traditional.
 
It's definitely an EZ Open Jack pattern. But it's doesn't look like a traditional EZ Open Jack pattern. None that I've seen, anyway. To me, it's a modern take.
 
MerryMadMonk said:
It's definitely an EZ Open Jack pattern. But it's doesn't look like a traditional EZ Open Jack pattern. None that I've seen, anyway. To me, it's a modern take.
Click to expand...
At first glance, I thought Mike was announcing his next GEC #85 SFO.

What about it doesn't look like a traditional EZ open jack from your perspective?
 
circa 1850
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Here are a couple of more recent (2001) shadows from Case...

gunstock shadow
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small canoe shadow ("baby butterbean")
lfAhOZg.jpg


stockman shadow
pGsbYF6.jpg


One from Schrade/Keen Kutter
VJtOdDL.jpg
 
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Yep, I know what shadow patterns are. Got any old pictures or old line drawings of an EZ Open Jack without bolsters.

Again, I'm fine with Mike's take.
 
I do not know if it exists. It might but it's not as common as with bolsters.

The photos were not directed specifically at your reply. I often see any knife without bolsters get compared to a sodbuster. In particular, I had the the recent posts about the Proper in mind. I think shadows get mistaken as sodbusters since people are more familiar with sodbusters than "shadows".
 
Herein lies the conundrum our forum faces every day:
Mike's knife isn't really traditional, but it still meets the definition of this forum.
 
I wish that very traditional looking knife was five feet away from me right now!

,,,Mike in Canada
 
To add another wrinkle 99% of the discussion is focused on American knives but other countries also have "traditional" knives that have also evolved. Take Fontenille Pataud which is famous for a variety of French patterns. Are these (some of their versions of a Laguiole) traditional? xlaguiole-nature-single-hand-range-dark-ram-horn.jpg.pagespeed.ic.N2vPAKCR1z.jpg xlaguiole-gentleman-single-hand-opening-range-stabilized-poplar-burl.jpg.pagespeed.ic.rrHPgVx1wE.jpg
 
I stumbled on Collector Knives Facebook today, (I generally stay away from Facebook). Mike had an image of a teardrop easy open concept on there, says M390 and detent. Maybe I missed it but don’t recall discussion here about it. I like M390, I like my eurobarlows, and have Shufflers on reserve. Not getting rid of my GECs, but I like the modern stainless steel, light weight with traditional looks. How do you feel about the the mix of modern and traditional?
 
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