What makes a knife "traditional"?

I like modernized traditionals for the most part. Some people might balk at the use of modern materials or manufacture methods, but in my mind, it's OK. The way I look at it is that if the cutlers of old had access to these modern things, they would have used them too. Synthetics have been used for many decades. Hardened rubber, celluloid, bakelite, delrin, etc. Micarta wasn't in common use, carbon fiber and G10 weren't available. Go back with a time machine and show George Schrade and W.R. Case some canvas micarta or lightning strike carbon fiber and they'd flip their lids.

I look at it like when people take a classic car like a 60's or 70's Mustang or Camero and put a modern, fuel injected engine. It's not original, and some people would balk at it, but I feel that if auto manufacturers had electronically controlled engines 50 years ago, they'd have used them.

That said, I don't really like the look of screw construction on a traditional knife. I definitely appreciate that you could disassemble for cleaning, and adjust the pivot when necessary, but the screws just ruin the looks for me. Put a modern engine in a classic car, but don't put spinner wheels on it. It looks wrong. That's why I haven't purchased a Lionsteel barlow. They look awesome, well made, M390 steel, etc. But the screws just don't jive with me. It's a conundrum for me.
 
I like it as long as it’s well done. The ranch boss in s35vn, the lionsteels, case/bose collabs. All very cool as long as they are well built. The ranch bosses aren’t perfect all the time which is a turnoff to them but the lionsteels look good in photos.

I still think you can’t beat a good handmade one, which makers have been doing in modern steels and materials for awhile now.
 
SVTFreak said:
I like it as long as it’s well done. The ranch boss in s35vn, the lionsteels, case/bose collabs. All very cool as long as they are well built. The ranch bosses aren’t perfect all the time which is a turnoff to them but the lionsteels look good in photos.

I still think you can’t beat a good handmade one, which makers have been doing in modern steels and materials for awhile now.
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In short, I like them as long as they still feel and look close to what I like about traditional slip joints, and SVT highlighted the ones I like. Having owned the Benchmade Proper and Spyderco "slip joints", I didn't really care for them if I looked at them through my traditional lens. They we're good cutters, and the Spyderco is pretty innovative, but I didn't like them or keep them for the same reason I don't have any other Spyderco or BM knives in my collection now. They didn't feel special to me. But they were good knives, and I can see a segment of the population to whom they would appeal who otherwise wouldn't carry a "big ole' tactical blade" from one of those companies.

Peregrin said:
There was a little bit of discussion on that particular knife in this thread, What makes a knife "traditional"?
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Gary is right, and we may consider picking this up in that thread, for: 1) the sake of curtailing extraneous threads, 2) threads with longer page counts have a way of staying active longer.
 
knifeswapper said:
Is it a backspring? Is it the blade shape? Is it the frame character?

For example, if you incorporate a detent system on a typically traditional knife instead of a backspring - is it still traditional?
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Going by the picture you posted on facebook I would sat it's traditional enough for me. Screws are traditional just not common in this forum. I consider the Fallkniven PC in post #20 a traditional but according to the rules here a Walker Liner lock is not traditional. :(

I would guess the detent system would not be considered traditional either.
It's a nice concept, especially With a clip or drop point.

A modern traditional would describe it.
 
I am waiting for a nice swayback jack with some material upgrades and production level like the Roundhead and Shuffler but I am not sure I would want to see it in the same steal which may seem odd to some. Would probably prefer a single bladed "Gentleman Jack" as I believe they are called but an option of single or 2 bladed might be better option.
 
Once upon a time, you didn't need some fancy titanium coating on your blades to make sure they didn't reflect sunlight and give away your tactical position. Your carbon steel knife just naturally had enough stains and discoloration to do that...

To be honest, I tend to ignore "categories". There are always exceptions to any rules, and at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. A knife like the Russlock is a good example. No mall ninja would accept it as being tacticool, yet is has plenty of features that many hardcore traditionalists might typically disdain. I just see another innovative & beautiful knife! :)
 
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