Why "slip-joint"?

Peregrin said:
Not by me you won't. If a Balisong thread starts it will likely get moved. That's because there is a dedicated Balisong sub-forum. The occasional Balisong in the EDC thread, as long as it is traditional in appearance, doesn't bother me. The key being traditional appearance. I believe Frank has the same feeling about it. That said don't start barraging the forum with Balisongs. There's a special place for them! :)
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To be sure. I don't own a balisong, nor would I place it here. I just used balisong as an example. My real point, which I implied but didn't get specific about (my fault here) is that there are many so-called modern knives which are based on traditional knives, yet don't have a place here unless you guys say so. [emoji2]

Example: The Case TrapperLock

It's all good to me.
 
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Sometimes it's hard to draw the line, Tom. We try and use our best judgement. Any little comments we leave are more for the education/reinforcement of the guidelines for all members, and not so much directed at a particular member. You guys are great!
 
I understand. [emoji106]

Back on topic: I think I prefer "slip joint" to describe a non locking folding pocket knife. It's so much more descriptive than "pocket knife". Heck, I have a Becker BK24 (fixed blade) I carry in my pocket sometimes. Haha.

On the flip side: what do we call locking pocket knives?
 
interesting, i wonder what i called them before coming on to blade forums or research. i think it was just a nonlocking knife to me. slipjoints were the first type of knives i was exposed to i guess, then came cheap lock backs, then cheap liner locks. then fixed blades, then my first ccc balisong, some cheap button lock autos, then frame locks. now im back to slipjoints, guess full circle. ive definitely spent more money on traditional knives than the others. who coined the term?
 
Primble said:
Never heard the term slip joint until after I came to Blade Forums. I don't have anything against the new name, but, I personally never call them that when discussing pocket knives.
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Ditto. When referring to my pocket knife while talking to a person unfamiliar with knives, I just call it a pocket knife. When referring to my knife here and with other knife collectors, I generally try to call it by its pattern name (but some of those have different regional names).

5K Qs said:
My experience was similar to Jack's. Everyone I knew in our farming community called their folding knives "jack knives", regardless of whether there were blades on one or both ends. We were familiar with the term "pocket knife", but my impression was that was a term used by city folk. And, as Harry points out, we always called non-folding knives worn on the belt "hunting knives".

I first encountered the term slipjoint here at BF, and thought it was a term the "cool kids" used, and not something a novice like me would ever feel comfortable with.
- GT
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:thumbup: No matter how long I collect, I always feel like a novice around here.
 
My own recollection is that I first heard the term 'slipjoint' used around 20 years ago, and I still think that is correct. Prior to the early 1990's, there was no distinction in English Law between a locking or non-locking pocket-knife. That changed after a judge's ruling - http://www.hrcr.org/safrica/arrested_rights/Harris_DirPubPros.htm - which severely restricted the rights of individuals to carry a locking folder. This had huge significance for knife owners, retailers, and manufacturers here in the UK (and subsequently for other European countries), and led to many changes. It was as a result of the discussion around this that I think I may have first heard the term 'slipjoint', something which was previously less important to define.

This paragraph from the case cited above may or may not be relevant, or simply the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary itself (the emphasis is mine):

The magistrate was referred to the definition of a pocketknife and a penknife as set out in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed (1944), vol II at pp 1530 and 1464 which are as follows. Pocketknife: "A knife with one or more blades which fold into the handle, for carrying in the pocket." Penknife: "A small knife, usually carried in the pocket, used originally for making and mending quill pens. (Formerly provided with a sheath; now made with a jointed blade or blades which fit inside the handle when closed.)"
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Possibly, 'slipjoint' is a term which was first coined within the UK knife community in response to this ruling. If that is the case, it is deeply embarrassing :o ;)
 
kamagong said:
At least we know what is meant by the term. What I can't stand is how "traditional" has almost become synonymous with slipjoint in this forum. Traditional is nothing more than an adjective, used to describe a myriad of knives, slipjoints among them. It also includes puukkos, khukuris, resolzas, navajas, balisongs, bowies, etc.
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^^ This ^^
 
rma100 said:
But that definition has nothing to do with KNIVES!
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Lol! Apparently, I lack reading comprehension skills! ...... Or maybe just didn't read it after looking at too many pages looking for the origin of the word. Either way, I think I can make an omelet now. :o
 
Tdhurl1103 said:
Totally agree here. But try posting a pic of a balisong and you'll get warned or infracted upon.

Back on topic. I never heard the term slipjoint until I came on this forum. I just thought they were pocket knives, or folders. And I have used the "slippie" term as well. I may not stop. Lol
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Peregrin said:
Not by me you won't. If a Balisong thread starts it will likely get moved. That's because there is a dedicated Balisong sub-forum. The occasional Balisong in the EDC thread, as long as it is traditional in appearance, doesn't bother me. The key being traditional appearance. I believe Frank has the same feeling about it. That said don't start barraging the forum with Balisongs. There's a special place for them! :)
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Tdhurl1103 said:
To be sure. I don't own a balisong, nor would I place it here. I just used balisong as an example. My real point, which I implied but didn't get specific about (my fault here) is that there are many so-called modern knives which are based on traditional knives, yet don't have a place here unless you guys say so. [emoji2]

Example: The Case TrapperLock

It's all good to me.
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My explanation to folks who ask, is that if the knife would be considered a normal design by someone in ~1965, then it counts as traditional. Aside from the barlows with razors, that leaves out one hand openers, even if they have some features that would be considered "traditional", such as bone covers. It also leaves out pocket clips. It leaves in Buck 110's and their offshoots.

Why 1965? Because, to my mind, prior to the 70's and the proliferation of clips, Walker locks, holey blades, and thumb studs, the designs had not changed all that much for over a hundred years. We do cut the SAK crowd some slack by counting those as lobster designs. As long as they are not one hand openers, SAKs count as traditional.

On the other hand, we have had any number of threads about traditional knives from other countries over the years. I don't think I would move a thread about traditional balisongs. But a thread about a modern balisong would get moved "tout de suite". I actually posted in the modern and traditional pairs thread showing a split handled knife that was the traditional design.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...l-and-Modern-pairings?p=14788383#post14788383

Now as for the slipjoint question. I've been here almost 10 years, so pre-BF knife memory is a bit hazy. However I've been interested in knives for decades. And I think I heard the term "slipjoint" prior to joining BladeForums. But, it certainly is not a term I grew up with. I MIGHT have first heard it in the 90's.
 
Like most of you, 'slip joint' is a relatively new term to me. Growing up pre-Internet, what I knew about knives was simply what I was taught by my father which was more focused on how to use the knife and how to care for it, rather than what to call it. And so, pocket knife was the generic term that my friends and I used for any folding knife whether it had a locking mechanism or not. There simply wasn't any need for us to distinguish beyond that.

That said, I suspect Jack might be on to something with his hypothesis that the origin of the term is related to knife laws, or if not that, then my guess is that the term sprung up as folks like us began to gather online to discuss our interest in knives and felt the need to more specifically identify what we were talking about. Aside from discussions with you good folks here, however, I still refer almost exclusively to whatever knife I'm carrying in my pocket simply as a 'pocket knife'. And furthermore, I can't ever recall anyone in the real world asking if they could borrow my 'slip joint' or my lock-back'. ;) :)
 
It seems to me that prior to 1965, there was no need for a bunch of adjectives to describe knives. Pocket Knife or Hunting Knife, there you have it. With the advent of "moderns" came the need for quantifiers. Of course 1965 saw the introduction of the Buck 110, a Lock Back. And a folding knife in a sheath! That was the first need of new adjectives. A little later came Flippers, Assisted Openers, Tacticools, and whatever else. These needed a whole new vocabulary. We'll blame it on Blackie Collins!
 
A slipjoint has a blade that is not locked, but its joint is free to slip into/from preferential positions. English is not my language, but the concept behind this name doesn't look funny or strange to me as long as you consider the term joint correct for the hinge-like pivot mechanism. But i have never heard of raised eyebrows for the ol' saying "oil the joint" ;)
 
i thought jack knife refers to a specific knife in it of itself tho, as does clasp knife....
 
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