Why I like slipjoints

J

jim preston

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Jul 22, 2007
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am typing this on a Dell Inspiron 1525, connected to the Internet wirelessly and playing Bon Jovi at full volume. I am sitting in my large, air-conditioned, art-deco house, watching an episode of Good Eats on the 37" Samsung TV that I told the little silver box to record, which it can do without using any large tapes that have to wound and re-wound.
Obviously, I'm lazy and like convenience. But then, why do I have a slipjoint in my pocket? And why do so many others also have slipjoints in their pockets? When we can get blades with more curves and grooves than the Mississippi river, that have uber-strong points that could penetrate the Virginia's armor plating, and are made out of meteoric steel which is sharp enough to skin the Nemean lion? Are we just ignorant yokels who don't know what's good for them?

Again, I am a modern man. I have "tactical" knives- but most are sitting unused, in my knife drawer, in favor of more traditional patterns (the most tactical knife that I'm carrying on a regular basis these days is an Al Mar Eagle Talon, which has no pocket clip, but does have a thumb stud. Other than that, it is a traditional folding hunter.)

I think I have a good example of why I'm prefering traditional knives these days. And it's sitting on my back porch.

Right outside the door is a lump of shiny steel that's slightly better looking than the Pontiac Aztec. It has about as many switches and knobs as an average car, including a dial readout, and a gas tank.

Is it the newest word in crossovers? No, unless Jenn-Air has decided to manufacture cars. No, this is my propane grill. It has heated many a poor hunk of beast until they were ready to be eaten. It did a pretty good job of it too- and it was fast and convenient.

But, when it came time to grill some steaks for my friends, I didn't reach for this shining bastion of quick and easy heat application. No, I reached for a metal sphere that loosely resembles Sputnik. That's right, the good, old-fashioned Weber kettle grill. Mine is an 18.5 inch model, lit with Kiingsford briquettes, of course.

The steaks were delicious, but why did I decide to grill them on my Weber when I clearly had a faster and more modern gas grill? The simple answer- performance and simplicity. Sure, the Jenn-Air might heat up quicker, but I'm not quite sure how to turn it on. I don't know if all the burners are working, and I can't tell the fuel level just by looking. Also, the steaks on the Weber were easily as good, if not better, than those cooked on the gas grill.

So, what does this have to do with slipjoints? Well, when it comes to BTUs, I'd say both my grills are a bit equal. Traditional knives and tactical knives are also about equal in sheer cutting power. However, like my Weber, my slipjoints leave me nothing to worry about. Sure, I can't open them instantly, but I don't have to worry about slicing my finger out while doing so. Sure, they don't have locks, but they also don't have a lock that can fail. Pocket clips do a pretty good job of securing the knife, but good old fashion friction and gravity do an even better job. G-10 and other rad polymers make durable and grippy handles. Natural materials, like bones, look very good and provide a very good and grippy handle. Delrin, especially my beloved yellow handles, are practically indestrucitible. Additionally, knives with my beloved yellow handles are easily found when dropped. Now, I'm not saying that you can't make tactical knives that can be easily found, but to do it whilst having them looking good, that's a different story. Most slijoints do have shorter blades than most tacticals. Now, while you will have less of a cutting edge, you do get more muncipiality friendliness. Also, with slipjoints, you generally get more than one blade, leaving you with more than one cutting surface. Taking a 3.5 inch single blade, and compare it to the several blades on a traditional, and you will probably achieve equilibrium

Like the title says, this is why I like slipjoints. Simplicity and performance- when it comes to this, I'd say the slipjoint is the best folding knife to fit these criteria. Sure, they aren't prybars, stabbers, or choppers, but they do cut, and cut very well. They look good, and are secure and convenient, contrary to popular beleif. For these qualities, they have earned there place in my pocket, belt, and hand. And I'm sure many of you will agree with me.
 
Sure, they aren't prybars, stabbers, or choppers, but they do cut, and cut very well. They look good, and are secure and convenient, contrary to popular beleif. For these qualities, they have earned there place in my pocket, belt, and hand. And I'm sure many of you will agree with me.
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Great post , an enjoyable read. The part I quoted says it all. They are knives , thats why I like about them. They dont pretend to be anything else. They do what they are designed to do and they do it well.

The more advanced and intricate daily life becomes , the more I find the simplicity of the slipjoints and lockbacks appealing.

Yeah , I like the simple things. The opening of a well made slippie , the racking of my 1897 shotty and the sound of a pre series 70 Colt Commander chambering a round.

In this day and age , when your computer is outdated before you plug it in , the slippy soldiers on , and will never be outdated.

thanks for sharing. :)
 
Nice Post.

I think traditional slip joints offer something that all the "modern" knives in the world never will ................ the feel and the look of the natural materials like bone, stag, pearl and ivory.

There is something about the look and the feel of natural handle materials in your hand. Sure, some rubbery, sticky compound might be grippier, but it's not stag.
Yes, there's the flash and the dash in tacticals, but the feel of pearl or ivory can't be replaced with cold steel or G-10.

Then there is the intrinsic value and the actual value of good stag, or mammoth blue bark, or black pearl. When all the tacticals are in the tool box, or the basement drawer, the ivory knife will still be on the dresser top, or in that special place reserved for things of lasting value.

Even bone, simple and elegant, comfortable and functional, will always be more valuable and prized than any plastic or metal hi-tech multiblade knife.

The older I get, the more I like simple things. The more life I live, the more I want even fewer things ....................... and those fewer things I want to be of time-tested value, comfort and usefulness.

Now, I like lots of other knives and designs and such.
But I prefer simple slippies.

Again, nice post.
Thanks for sharing.

Keep Care,

Pappy
 
Good points and well put. Thing about these knives is that although 'traditional' they are also timeless and that's a priceless quality.
 
Seems like preaching to the quire :D maybe - hopefully some tacticool guys will read this... but I'm trailing off.

Thats a good post, and it expresses my feelings, though I dont have a new computer (I can barely run XP on this one) and no high end TV either, but one can get by easily with some simple things, that do only one thing but do a pretty dang good job at that, instead of doing a halfassed job at 5 or 6.

Peter
 
I agree totally. I've been into pocketkives since my teenage years. For years I was an ardent traditionalist, always collecting knives that reminded me of my grandfather. I kind of got away from them the last several years in favor of tactical knives, mostly for backpacking and camping. Recently I came to the conclusion that there is no "heart" in many of those designs, and recently sold most of them off. I'm back collecting traditional slipjoints, almost to excess.
 
Ha, ha. Yeah. Four in the last month alone. Now five, that would be out of control....:D
 
Great post, and definatly expresses my own feeling on the subject. And I still do have the old black weber out back.

To me, a slippy is the most simple tool to get the job done. No lock's, spring assists, or gimicks. Just a blade, and a backspring to hold it open under normal use. The only moving part is the blade that you pull open yourself. If I had to carry any folding knife under dirty conditions, it has to be a slip joint. And I don't think that is true in just this day and age.

Even back in the 1870's they had spring opening knives, and other fancy gadjets to open knives. In the early 1900's, Hammer Brand, and other American knife companies marketed spring opening blades to tradesmen, stressing how handy they were. But for some reason they just never cought on with mainstream working men. Locking mechanisims go way farther back than that. When John Wilkes Booth was killed at Garrets barn, he had a folding lockblade pocket dagger on him. Yet the most popular selling folding knife from 1900 to 2000 was a smallish one or two blade jack. This changed a little after 1963 and the Buck 110 came out, but I recall in the mid 1970's in Las Animas county Colorado I still saw many a good 'ol cowboy with a Schrade Old Timer in the pocket of his jeans. The local feed store had a big Schrade display cabnet, and the turnover of the 8OT stockman was huge. It seemed to be tha local favorite. I guess the working cowboy found three blades and a simple knife more of a pull than the single lockblade.

But most of all, I think a very great deal of the attraction of the traditional pocket knife is it's a link with thiose who came before us. It's a knife like grandad or dad used.

That's good enough for me.
 
Great post! Good read that jogged all kinds of wonderful memories!
Many thanks from here!
 
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