Why have locking single-blade folders replace stockman/barlow/pen style knives?

[jpm2]

When climbing and reaching from scaffold or standing on the top rung of a ladder the last thing I want to do is dig in my pocket searching for the opinel and then having do something weird to open it.

Add having gloves on and it would be damn near impossible.

 

[Sosa]

^ tru dat.

 

[kershawguy13]

Because I most often need my knife when I'm in the stock room, and in that situation, I often have something in one hand already, so one handed opening is pretty much mandatory. Likewise, I have enough crap in my pockets as is, I don't need more crap rattling around in there, so pocket clips are likewise useful. And while I don't find locking blades mandatory, I do feel better/safer knowing the blade IS locked.

Has nothing to do with being "tactical", iit has nothing to do with "use as a weapon", it has nothing to do with "self defense", it has to do with functionality.

Yes, in the old days, people got by with Barlows and stockmans. And they also got by with horses and wagons, and soldiers got by with muzzle loaders. Times change, better tech emerges.

All of this.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I usually don't jump into many threads like this, and nothing against you Hickory, but I hear stuff like this so much it just has started to grind my gears haha. I do a lot of audio engineering, lighting, stage setup, etc. for bands (some pretty big names lumped in there) and when you've got "X" amount of time to get wire ran and tied and whatnot that saved time is important, especially if its a larger scale show (think Rammstein). The more efficiently I can use my time the better; for the client and myself. Its not just because of "being in such a hurry." My time is valuable to me so the better I can utilize it efficiently the more it pays off in the end.

To end this lengthy post, I carry a traditional from time to time as more of a beater just because I know if its something sketchy/risky I need it for its a lot easier to replace a $30 Case. On the other hand I'm quick to give away said Case knives to non-knife havers as well haha.

I was referring to non work edc as it can be different when your on the clock, but When your just out and about or around the house it's a different story.

My only problem with modern knives is that so many people who use them have dismissed traditionals all together, and I wish a lot more people would use both ( people do like both, but not enough )
I like and carry both , but have realized that I don't actually need ( like the convenience though ) my knife to be locking or one hand opening .

 

[Sosa]

I'd own a lot more trads if the gecs I like weren't snagged by flippers.

 

[Bill1170]

Modern folders came to me later in life, my late forties. The revelation was one handed opening and closing. It's a lot safer than two-handing a slip joint way up a ladder to cut something. And a lock lets me scrape with the spine, plus cut corrugated safely.

 

[davek14]

Many good reasons to like either. In matters of taste there can be no disputes.

*One* thing I like about trads is that they are lefty friendly "out of the box".

Moderns have the advantage of getting more knife and better steel for your money in the budget range. This is negated for me by right hand only construction.

 

[ATJ999]

I love traditionals, Too bad I have been a ninja assassin for ten years, traditionals are just not work-friendly for me!

Seriously though. I have come seconds away from buying a traditional, but I live on a farm and one hand open/close is exetremely important! Pocket clip is a huge plus too. I just know a traditional will just rattle around in my pocket and not get any use. My leatherman or maybe a swiss army knife is as traditional as it may get for me, besides fixed blades of course. I do have a lot of classic looking flippers.

I love traditional folders, but I also love my automatics or my flipper with s90v or 20cv blade, steel lock insert, adjustable detent, pockets clip, and finger choil. If I two hand open knives, or had the time to, I would get a slip joint in a heart beat!

 

[Pomsbz]

Why do all cars have power steering now days? You're not a race car driver so why are you in such a hurry to make turns? Plus you're missing out on a good workout.

I like that, puts into perspective some of the nonsense being touted as 'knife philosophy'. Saying this as someone who only carried a traditional.

 

[Pomsbz]

A couple of aspects not yet mentioned from my personal experience. For those with weak, arthritic, etc hands, a slipjoint can be quite difficult to work with. Aside from that, larger folders are far easier in general to hold for harder cutting tasks where a small traditional will let your fingers know about the fact they were not designed for the job. On the flip side, in many countries with knife phobia and/or strict knife laws, a slipjoint is far more people friendly.

 

[Mannlicher]

I usually have two knives on me. I like my Spyderco, Benchmade, and other single locking blade folders, but I also like, and use more often, a slip joint, more traditional folder. Case Sodbuster, GEC multiblade, SAK, or one of my older folders.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I was referring to non work edc as it can be different when your on the clock, but When your just out and about or around the house it's a different story.

My only problem with modern knives is that so many people who use them have dismissed traditionals all together, and I wish a lot more people would use both ( people do like both, but not enough )
I like and carry both , but have realized that I don't actually need ( like the convenience though ) my knife to be locking or one hand opening .

My advice? Stop worrying so much about what other people carry and use. There's easily enough interest in both styles to keep companies putting out new knives.

 

[LowKey]

I was referring to non work edc as it can be different when your on the clock, but When your just out and about or around the house it's a different story.

My only problem with modern knives is that so many people who use them have dismissed traditionals all together, and I wish a lot more people would use both ( people do like both, but not enough )
I like and carry both , but have realized that I don't actually need ( like the convenience though ) my knife to be locking or one hand opening .

To a certain extent I actually agree with your point about having a work and non-work knife, however, you have to remember that the members of this forum represent a small percentage of knife owners and that most people are going to buy just one knife and they expect it to do everything.
I think you are completely overlooking what a huge resurgence there has been in the popularity of traditionals. Any time GEC releases a new run they sell out in days if not hours. Aside from that why are you so worried about the fact that other people may not like the same things you do?

A couple of aspects not yet mentioned from my personal experience. For those with weak, arthritic, etc hands, a slipjoint can be quite difficult to work with. Aside from that, larger folders are far easier in general to hold for harder cutting tasks where a small traditional will let your fingers know about the fact they were not designed for the job. On the flip side, in many countries with knife phobia and/or strict knife laws, a slipjoint is far more people friendly.

These are excellent points. Reasons like this are why I get annoyed with the one size fits all mentality that some people have on both sides of this debate.

 

[22-rimfire]

A couple of aspects not yet mentioned from my personal experience. For those with weak, arthritic, etc hands, a slipjoint can be quite difficult to work with. Aside from that, larger folders are far easier in general to hold for harder cutting tasks where a small traditional will let your fingers know about the fact they were not designed for the job. On the flip side, in many countries with knife phobia and/or strict knife laws, a slipjoint is far more people friendly.

There are large traditional knives as well. Not all modern designs are "large" and not all are really designed for "harder cutting tasks". I do think that folks that like modern knives tend to buy a larger pocket knife than a predominant traditional knife carrying person.

I think most everyone interested in knives should try some designs that they normally wouldn't purchase and use. This goes for me as well....

 

[Moondrop]

I do agree. However, when the hottie in the office asks for a knife to cut a loose string on her sweater I rarely see anyone come out with anything other than a Leek, Mini-Grip, Spyderco, etc..

Well, again, it's quicker and simpler. Oh, and maybe tell the hottie in the office not to cut loose threads on her sweater or eventually it may unravel (Weezer was totally right) . There is a way to fix pulled threads on those kinds of things.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

There are large traditional knives as well. Not all modern designs are "large" and not all are really designed for "harder cutting tasks". I do think that folks that like modern knives tend to buy a larger pocket knife than a predominant traditional knife carrying person.

I think most everyone interested in knives should try some designs that they normally wouldn't purchase and use. This goes for me as well....

This is good advice. Keeps the hobby fresh.

 

[pinnah]

Yes, but there's an alternative now that requires negligible practice and totally negates the effort and concentration needed. If one thing requires tremendous amounts of training and practice and the other offers immediate proficiency to amateurs one is, by definition, more convenient. You can decide it's speed all you want, that does nothing to make it true.

Shrug. This could be a matter than I'm older than you and have had traditional knives in my hands longer than you. But for the life of me, I don't find a noticeable difference in effort and concentration on opening.

I do notice a HUGE difference in the amount of concentration need to one hand close modern liner/frame/mid locks (and traditional lock backs) compared to slip joints and friction folders. The former can't be one hand closed without putting my fingers in harms way of an active blade while the latter can.

I agree with you completely that modern knives are much easier for novices to learn. That's an excellent point I hadn't considered and you are spot on in pointing that out.

I can only add that I've found some things in life that are easy to learn, some things that are always hard, and some things that are hard to learn but easy to do once learned.

Putting a workable sharp edge on a basic steel using a whetstone is hard to learn. Just look at the knives in your friends kitchen drawers or inspect the edges of 99% of SAKs in circulation. But, once learned, it's very easy and it would be wrong to say that just because it takes some practice that it's hard (or impossible).

[Priming white gas stoves and using down-tube shifters on road bikes are other things that are hard to learn but easy to do, once learned.]

Last though on the word "convenient"... I find it convenient to have a knife that I can deploy in just about any setting without upsetting people. The large Sodbuster and the Opinels are convenient in this way whereas most traditional lock backs (very much including the Buck 110) and pretty much all moderns I've handled tend to scare a few people.

In the end, I think convenience is pretty context driven. For general EDC use, I find knives like the Sodbuster and Opinel much more convenient overall. They are easily (and I do mean easily) opened and closed one handed, which is very useful when working around the property and the shop, they carry better than a pocket clipped modern for me in a rear pocket and they can be used without scaring people as easily as moderns (and big traditional lockbacks) do.

 

[Lycosa]

The pocket clip and "so-called" better steels.
rolf

 

[DShiflet]

I find it convenient to have a knife that I can deploy in just about any setting without upsetting people

I get exactly that...with literally ANY modern folder. Sorry, I don't buy this theory of people being "scared" of knives. I've pulled out karambits, I've pulled out big 5 inch bladed Cold Steel Voyagers, pulled out automatics, you know how many people were upset or scared by them? Not a one. Had a few people ask what kinda knife I had, had a few people say something like "nice knife", had one ask if the auto was legal(they are, here), never had a one be "scared" of them. And I CAN open an Opinel or Sodbuster one handed, as long as I'm paying attention and being careful, but it's nowhere NEAR as easy OR as safe as, oh, literally ANY KNIFE with a thumbstud, flipper, or opening hole, not even freaking CLOSE. You can claim they are, and you can claim the earth is flat too, and I will treat each claim the same way.

 

[pinnah]

When climbing and reaching from scaffold or standing on the top rung of a ladder the last thing I want to do is dig in my pocket searching for the opinel and then having do something weird to open it.

I've owned several pocket clip style knives and non-clipped large traditionals. I carry my traditionals in my right rear pocket and run a seam up the pocket to keep the knife sitting upright. Having used both, I find rear pocket carry to be much easier for me to manage. I find that clipped knives tend to catch on things, wear out pockets fast, are harder to put back in the pocket (need to catch the clip just so), and of course, pretty make it impossible to use the pocket for anything else.

Add having gloves on and it would be damn near impossible.

Rear pocket carry works just fine for me with gloves on, as does one hand opening/closing of large traditionals. YMMV.