When do slipjoints/traditionals excel

Can you imagine one of Jackknife's stories being about a Kershaw blur????
It doesn't sound, or even feel right.

I tried the tacs out and what exactly is the benefit? So I can open a knife two seconds faster, now what??
I enjoy that the stag on my toothpick knife will hold the warmth of my hand while I clean a few trout out. I don't get that from some metal speed knife, it just doesn't have any life, any soul. A traditional knife is a time keeper, a good friend, a symbol of a loved one, they are so much more than knives. Once you really get into them I think you'll come to the same conclusions that we all have.
 
Traditional knives have a lot more "tradition," hence the name... I think if a Buck Vantage were made with a pretty Case red bone handle, I would love that knife something fierce. Now I think traditionals win in aesthetics and memories hands-down. Traditional knives "wear" much better, so after years of service, it should look even BETTER than the day you got it (only if you take care of it). On the other hand, I think modern folders win in convenience (pocket clip, one-handed opening, break-down maintenance) and price (super steels can be found much cheaper on modern folders). I think both modern and traditional knives have there place.

I use traditional knives when I need to carry something small (Schrade OT mini stockman). And then you MUST use traditionals when you are cleaning fish or out hunting (Buck 110) -- this is just an unwritten rule. I usually use modern folders (Buck Vantage Pro, Kershaw Leek) for EDC, because I do like the one-handed opening and the pocket clips.
 
For me it's all about the combination of form and function. This style of knife was designed to be great at cutting, and that's just what they do. They weren't made to be sharpened prybars or to chop wood. At the same time they are more appealing to me from an aesthetic standpoint. I can appreciate a well made modern folder, but handling a slip joint of equal quality really makes me respect the skill of the cutler who assembled it. Although they may seem simple at first glance, there are still a lot of pieces that have to fit with tight tolerances for the knife to look and function correctly.

Another benefit is that since different makers offer a lot of the same patterns, the most popular ones are available in a big variety of steel and scale choices.
 
What do they excel at?

Namely, cutting. :D

Modern knives have gotten to the point of it being considered a "slicer" instead of "hard use" when it's only 5mm thick, which for traditionals is pretty darn thick! So when you whip out an insanely thin ground slipjoint with a mirror edge and cut something. You will know the difference. And you will wonder what all this "hard use" fuss is about. Not to mention keeping up a nicely heat treated carbon steel edge is a dream when you learned to sharpen on S30V....

Everything about them screams character to me. My bolsters are a bit scratched from riding in pocket with change and keys, but not ugly. The blade might be a bit spotted or stained, but not ugly. The bone or wood might change color a bit, and be worn smooth from years of use, but that just shows that it's loved.

I still love my Spydercos, but haven't regularly carried one in months, when I got my first non SAK slipjoint. (But SAKs are great, too :p )
 
First of ... Put some shoes on and come back - we miss you. Secondly traditionals from the shape to the steel to the materials have more soul than any other style of knife out there. But where they really excel is hiding away in your pocket- then bursting onto the scene to take care of your cutting chore quickly and efficiently before slinking back into the depths of your pocket.

My SBJ is small enough to slip into jeans, dress slacks, shorts, comfy pants... It rides along nicely in ever pocket I have...some of the thumbers I have need a belt all by themselves.
 
IMO they are less threatening, cut better, are more comfortable, and are interesting.
I think it's nice to be able to carry the same pattern that my great grandpa carried. In traditionals, people take more pride in their work, and strive to get it perfect every time. They are making for us what Grandpa woulda been proud to carry in the 20s and 30s, and his grandpa before him.
I carried a Case mini trapper in yella, CV for 3 years straight. That basic pattern has been passed down in my family since the early 20s. It now gets rotated with a Buck 55.
 
I took a short divergence into the "modern" knife world a few years ago but came full circle very quickly. I found I could do most anything with an old slip joint that I could do with a assisted opener. I have found that I do perfer single bladed knives though, so lean twards those designs. I have never had anyone give me the hairy eye while using a slip joint, but people gasp when the Leek flicks out! I have never cut myself on a traditonal that has auto opened in my pocket either! I love the feel of a good slip joint better than any modern folder I have handled.:D
 
I'd rather drive a 57 chevy than a 2012 Camry. (Not really, but knives don't need gas...anyway, that illustrates my stance).
 
I was thinking about this thread, and a few things came to mind.

The knife pattern I've carried most in my life, has been a three blade stockman. Started while I was in the army, and even when I semi retired my old Buck 301, the 303 was carried for a few years. I had a few years of fooling around with sodbusters, a few jacks, a barlow, and then a few years ago settled on the peanut for my life of retired gentleman sportsman. Okay, so thats about 25 years for the 301, about 7 or 8 for the 303, about 5 to 6 years fooling around with different patterns, and 4 or5 steady with a peanut. Not counting the once in a while carry of my dad's old knife. So that makes it about 30 something years with a Buck stockman of some sort. Over three decade of having a knife with 3 different blades on hand, sharpened to a different degree. And over time, I used each one of those blades.

There's just no modern knife that can give you the versatility of a stockman. Just imposable. Just too much cutting tool in small package. Even going down to a 2 blade jack of some sort, barlow, Texas jack, trapper, that second blade on hand gives you an option in cutting that a single blade knife just can't match. It's nice to have that second blade sharpened to a steeper angle for those times when you have to cut something that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, it's going to muck up your knifes edge. You can use the back up second blade, and still leave your main blade clean and sharp.

Having spent most of my life carrying a multi blade knife, then try to carry a single blade like a sodbuster, I feel a vague sense of unease. I need at least a second blade.

Carl.
 
For me, it is a combination of things that draw me to Traditional knives. As many have posted, they are not intimidating if used around non knife people. Many have multiple blades, and can be sharpened or used for specific tasks. One of the knives I carry at work is a SAK. On it, I have the main blade dedicated to food use only. Many are better cutters due to the dimensions compared to One Hand Openers. This is not to say One Handers don't have their place, I carry one of them at work as well, and own many others. No, for me, I think the main draw of Traditionals is they remind me of a simpler time. A time growing up, learning skills without realizing I was learning. Of watching my Dad use a stockman for various tasks, of my Papaw teaching me how to sharpen a kinfe. Of a time without a care, outside with my KampKing or an Ulster Stockman in my pocket.

Yep, Traditionals win the nostalgiamultiuseeaseofcarry category, hands down.
 
I assume that the strongest points have already been mentioned here (pocket friendliness, people's reaction to them, blade geometry, aesthetics, history, variety).
There's one more thing to them, and you already noticed it. It's the passion shared by those who like these kinds of knives. You'd have a hard time in finding such passion in modern folders users.
I can't give you a reason for this. It's all the above mentioned features...but not just that. Still, it's a fact. And if you forget about Elliott's warning, and stay around this subforum for a while, you might get caught into the same trap soon, and still not be able to tell the reason why. :rolleyes:

Fausto
:cool:
 
jackknife said:
The knife pattern I've carried most in my life, has been a three blade stockman.

SNIP

Over three decade of having a knife with 3 different blades on hand, sharpened to a different degree. And over time, I used each one of those blades.

There's just no modern knife that can give you the versatility of a stockman. Just imposable. Just too much cutting tool in small package. Even going down to a 2 blade jack of some sort, barlow, Texas jack, trapper, that second blade on hand gives you an option in cutting that a single blade knife just can't match. It's nice to have that second blade sharpened to a steeper angle for those times when you have to cut something that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, it's going to muck up your knifes edge. You can use the back up second blade, and still leave your main blade clean and sharp.

Having spent most of my life carrying a multi blade knife, then try to carry a single blade like a sodbuster, I feel a vague sense of unease. I need at least a second blade.

Carl.
Click to expand...

You're tellin' the gospel again Carl!

My first "big boy" knife after my Boy Scout model came in about '66 and it was a slender, three bladed large stockman. Not these big beefy guys we see now like the railsplitters, etc., it had a slender case, and long slender blades. That was a cutting machine - it was easy to sharpen and the thinner blades were a dream to use.

Got a trapper for a birthday gift. Didn't like it as I could never figure out what to do with that long skinny blade (CASE model) that was at a more acute angle to the handle. I never skinned anything with it, and never got any use out of it. That was my first and last trapper.

Bought a CASE stainless stockman as I thought it would solve my "rusting in my pocket from too much sweat problem". It never rusted, and it was CASE's first dive into stainless. It was awful, and when finally sharp, exposure to air seemed to make it dull. Back to CASE carbon.

Got a two bladed CASE Jack I still have today somewhere around '75. Most excellent work knife. One large clip point and a small secondary blade to keep razory. Perfect for a construction worker that specialized in carpentry. The small spear blade was perfect for needle points on my pencils for precision trim marking, and was equally adept at cutting a notch in my cigars. Carried that damn thing almost every day for about 10 - 12 years.

Rediscovered the stockman pattern. Why did I ever leave? Like you, I have noodled around with other patterns, especially Barlows. But always, I seem to come back to the stockman.

And for Christmas, what did I get.... a new EYE brand stag handled medium stockman. What more could a guy ask for? I'm in love all over again. And this knife is so pretty that when I take it out to use it, I actually have people ask me if they can see it and handle it. You can tell the level of craftsmanship, the level of precision of the end result (I did get a good one!) and the attention to detail used to make this knife even if you aren't a knife nut.

So I carry a traditional because I always have, and have found nothing else to beat the utility of a jack or stockman for my use. And as a craftsman myself, I truly appreciate having a fine example of great craftsmanship in my own pocket. It pleases me to own it, and pleases me to carry it.

Although usually have one tagging along with my traditional, I get no such pleasure out of a larger working knife screwed together from milled out pieces that are designed, manufactured and assembled in such a way as to make fit and finish a nominal concern. These knives are assembled, and any parts of liners, scales or bolsters that stand proud are simply sanded flush. So much for craftsmanship in manufacture.

And I don't get any joy out of watching G10, nylon, FRN, plastic, micarta, or other materials of their ilk age and wear. I like wood, bone, stag, and have even liked some Delrin on occasion. All of those (even some Delrin) help make a traditional have its own character and charm. Never saw Micarta or FRN with charm...

If I had to have just one knife to carry, I would carry a stockman traditional as I know that if I used it as a knife (not a screwdriver, pry bar, etc.) it would do all I needed it to do and then some. They did for years for me, and still are.

Robert
 
For the same reason I prefer mechanical watches to quartz. There is a soul in a traditional knife I just don't get the sense of in a modern tactical. Both will do the job, but one is just "warmer" to me. The other is just a tool.
 
No one takes a second glance at my SAK or peanut, the old slipjoints I pick up have a lot of character. I like modern one handed openers, but they just don't have that, reverence maybe, that slipjoints do.
 
Everyone in this thread summed it up nicely!I have nothing to add that has'nt already been covered.I started out carrying slipjoints,went to one handers for a number of years,then went full circle back to slipjoints.It was my first and best love when it comes to knives.I do love my SAKS and Buck 110s though!:)
 
Like others have said, you get multiple blades in a small easy to use tool. Stockman is my favorite pattern. I don't usually have to use a knife very hard, just really cut and maybe scrap a little.

I have a few modern folders. I usually carry a small one with a traditional. There have been a few times when I am holding something that I can not let go of (say a piece of rope) and using a knife one handed is simpler.

And, for me traditionals give me a comfortable feeling.
 
The overall feel of a traditional just makes it hard to put down.

Somewhere someone felt modern knives should feel like a brick in the hand , with sharp corners , flat scales ,90 degree angles everywhere.

Traditionals flow , they flow in the hand , in use and in appearance.

I look at a lot of modern knives and you can just tell they will never get used like a trad will , just don't have that hand comfort.

My friends say carrying/using a slippy makes me old , but when their oversized ultrathick uber-tacs won't cut what they need... they know I will be standing there to make quick work of it with a Soddie or my John Lloyd......

and they know all too well the laughter that will ensue once I finish their task for them.

Tacti-cool < tradi-cool :D
 
Since my last post on this thread, came other thoughts, I myself have about traditionals. I can add nothing more, than what is already said here.

Nice thread ...

Kind regards
Andi
 
jackknife said:
There's just no modern knife that can give you the versatility of a stockman. Just imposable. Just too much cutting tool in small package. Even going down to a 2 blade jack of some sort, barlow, Texas jack, trapper, that second blade on hand gives you an option in cutting that a single blade knife just can't match. It's nice to have that second blade sharpened to a steeper angle for those times when you have to cut something that you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, it's going to muck up your knifes edge. You can use the back up second blade, and still leave your main blade clean and sharp.

Having spent most of my life carrying a multi blade knife, then try to carry a single blade like a sodbuster, I feel a vague sense of unease. I need at least a second blade.

Carl.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Yep, no single bladed folder I own can compare in versatility to any of the Stockman I own. Three distinct and useful shapes. And I also get an uneasy feeling when I carry only one edge. It's taken me a couple of years to get used to having "only" 2 blades on a Peanut.:)

When and where do Tradtionals excel? It's pretty simple to me, they excel at life.

Dale
 
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