why so many folders on market ?

P

picard

Joined
Jan 7, 2005
Messages
40
why do I see a lot of folders on the market right now? Is fix blade knife being phased out slowly or is this just marketing efforts by manufacturers?
 
Fixed blades will never fade out and folders seem to be overwhelming majority when it comes to carry. They are made smaller, stronger, and competively priced. There is also the legal issue of carrying a fixed blade in some jurisdictions. Right now some of the folders being produced rival the fixed blade in terms of strength. I would much rather carry a strong folder than a FB for everyday use. A FB is not practical unless it is a smaller knife (sub 4" blade). There is also a certain niche that folders fill when it comes to use. There are knives that are made for one specific purpose or that can fill a dual role. I hardly carry a FB on a daily basis and most of my FB's are carried in the field (hunting, fishing, hiking).
 
Cuz you can't have just one. Kind of like a Lays potato chip.

Truthfully not everyone needs a fixed blade and fixed blades are not as socially acceptable unfortunately. Come to think of it I can't remember the last time I saw someone carrying anything but a folder. Sign of the times? Perhaps so.
 
Folders seem to be all the rage over the last few years. I only collect fixed blades although I do have a Vaquero Grande and a large drop point Twistmaster (who doesn't?) and one Barry Wood (semi fixed folder). I'm pleased that the new fixed blades that are being introduced are really quite nice and there are still a good number of custom fixed blade makers turning out fantastic knives.
 
Folders are just more practical all around. Truth be told, I'd really like to EDC a small fixed blade a lot of the time. It's stronger, it's cheaper, and it's faster. Conversly, flipping open and closed folders is very addicting. Take the axis lock for example. Out of the 20 something knives I own, only one is a fixed blade, and it was a gift from my father. Don't get me wrong, I want more fixed blades, but it's hard for me to justify a knife that I effectively can only use a few days out of the year. It's just this blasted unwritten social rule.

This might change soon, however. Provided Spyderco and I get some issues worked out, I'll probably be buying a Vagabond this summer...it's a smaller fixed blade (three inches) that has its own sheath inside the hilt. You can really just toss it in your pocket, and it's legal to carry, small enough to scare....fewer people....
 
averageguy said:
and a large drop point Twistmaster (who doesn't?)
Click to expand...
I always say, "You'll learn something new every day if you stay awake!" and I just learned what a Twistmaster was....I'd never heard of the model before. Thanks!:D
 
It is simply a matter of changing market demographics, the percentage of hunters in our society is shrinking and the percentage of urbanites is growing.

Hunters accounted for a large portion of the fixed blade sales while the urbanites seem to prefer folders so the shift in production in inevitable.

Even I am going to have to ramp up my folder program to serve that growing market.
 
I agree with George.

Urban carry is easier to do with a folder. More people live in urban environments.

There is also the added factor of collectors;

1. liking mechanisms so they can play with and not only look at their pieces.

2. Liking to carry their collection pieces with they so they can enjoy them more. (smaller)

3. Taking up less space. (smaller)

4. Providing greater variety (eg; slip-joints, many lock styles, balisongs, many opening styles).

5. Social acceptance by urbanites. (smaller)

sal
 
I carry a fixed and a folder. I carry my 9" fixed blade often. It scares people that would otherwise have had a boring day. They can go home and say "honey, there was a freak at the gas station...." Plus, you never know what hellion you'll have to fight off while in grocery store while making a mad dash for the next Blue Light Special. For more basic use a folder is hands down the way to go though. Portability and secrecy are king for most folks. The fixed blade will never go away. There are things you just can't, or wouldn't want to do without one, but with many of the knife laws it's about all you can do.
 
I decided about 6 months ago to NEVER buy another fixed blade.

They are neat, pretty, and strong..........but.......not "carryable."

I'm a city snicker and have very few places I can use a fixed blade.
 
Lavan said:
They are neat, pretty, and strong..........but.......not "carryable."
Click to expand...

It depends. A Spyderco SPOT or Perrin LaGriffe can follow you lots of places. A Swamp Rat Howling Rat, either in its leather sheath or a kydex aftermarket sheath, has been my pocket-carry EDC for a little while now. Spyderco's version of Perrin's 'Street Bowie' is another great pocket-carry.

So as long as it's legal to do so, the sheeple factor is easy to get over. Everyone who knows me knows I'm a weirdo and using a fixed blade as my EDC lets others know I'm a weirdo without even having to know me.

The downsides are the loss of extra pocket space and not having a techy lock with which to fiddle (such as the Compression Lock). Luckily, I also EDC a Spyderco Meerkat and get to fuss with its Phantom Lock.
 
Heh, I'd ask the reverse. after a hunting knife, and somethign to open your mail. Why so many fixed blade models?
 
Hehehe, that's like asking "why so many different cars?" :rolleyes:

Guess it has something to do with freedom of choice....
 
Andre said:
Hehehe, that's like asking "why so many different cars?" :rolleyes:

Guess it has something to do with freedom of choice....
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was just going to say that. Or how about, when we were kids why did we have to have 20 or 30 different match box cars? Wouldn't one do? :) Or why did I need to have hundreds of baseball cards? Knives are just collectable toys for adults. :) The more the better!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top