Is it just me, or have knife inovations hit the wall ?

[Toejammer]

Over the years I've noticed a lot of supposed "new" patterns come out that simply look like re-hashing of old ones. And when they are truly new, they tend to be way out there, like Gil Hibben fantasy knives. (love Gil Hibben, but some of those United Cutlery designs look like something a Klingon would carry) (love Klingons too, they're very misunderstood)

How long has it been since we saw a truly new innovation, like the "spidey hole" or Axis lock technology ? For awhile tactical style knives were on an assisted opening craze, which seems to have been taken over by the flipper craze now. With traditional folders it seems to be the same patterns w/ new steel options and handle materials. And let us not forget, Damascus ....

I think Frank Zappa once said something to the effect of "Every note and chord worth playing on the guitar have been found, they just don't get used because they sound like #%*!" Are knives getting to that brick wall ?

[knife7knut]

It is possible but I think the reason is that knife design and innovation is "evolutionary" rather than "revolutionary". This is true in virtually every facet of life. For example;when I was growing up in the 1950's I loved custom cars and hot rods and would wait expectantly each month to see what new ideas were being tried on cars.
At the car shows people who were building these cars were trying to "stretch the envelope" by making all sorts of modifications;some of which were truly hideous.It seemed to follow the old axiom that if,"some is good and more is better than the most must be the best!". This went on for years until people finally tired of seeing these vehicles that served no real purpose and were totally incapable of ever being driven.
Times changed people started building cars that were good looking and practical and were driven to shows instead of being hauled on a trailer everywhere. Multi-colored paint jobs were replaced by monotone paint in subtle colors;chrome was kept to a minimum,and interiors were practical and muted.
This lasted for awhile until people started building cars with 1,000 plus horsepower engines and steamroller sized rear tires that were impossible to drive and used more fuel idling than most cars did on a long trip.This is still prevalent today although many people have opted out in favor of electric or hybrid vehicles although the trend has now begun to see how much horsepower you can wring out of an electric motor.
Along with all this has come an evolution in the automobile.Putting aside all the nonsensical vehicles there has come a marked improvement in the average vehicle that puts it light years ahead of the vehicles I grew up with.
Are there still,"revolutionary" vehicles abounding? Of course but for the most part they will eventually fall by the wayside. And so it is with the knife business.We will still see the crazy and absurd designs but out of those will eventually come another new innovation.We just have to be patient! Rant over.

[RevolverGuy]

I think some of the knives that have shown innovation go under the radar. We have gotten to the point where we have longer lasting materials. We have better steels now too but that may be a whole other topic. The last innovation that caught my attention came out just a few years ago. The CRKT/Ken Onion Homefront. An EDC that field strips and disassembles completely. Ken Onion also designed some interesting pocket clips with CRKT (see the Windage). A knife is essentially a blade fixed to a handle. There is only so much you can do with that over hundreds of years. We have a lot of patterns and designs to choose from today, and even with that I still lean toward more "traditional" patterns.

[Railsplitter]

The latest innovation that caught my attention is a "Hideaway" pocket clip. I think it's roughly about 2 years old. It's somewhat similar to the "Windage" pocket clip mentioned above.

It's unobtrusive when you don't need it yet it's always there when you do. You just push the tab opposite the clip and it pops up so you can clip the knife to your pocket.

It's spring loaded so as soon as you pull the knife from your pocket the clip snaps back flush with the handle.

[hardman]

Now that IS a neat innovation Railsplitter. I like that. Not the same thing, but I do have a pocket clip that pushes into the barrel and out of the way on a NEBO Big Larry Pro 500 Lumen Work Light.

I have an interest in knives made for First Responders. Some innovations in that field include carbide glass breakers (some spring loaded), blades designed as seat belt cutters, and a cut out in the frame designed for use as a portable oxygen tank valve wrench. But even those are mostly ten years old now.

What I would like to see is someone develop a superior blade design intended for opening those infernal PET "blister" packaged products. I have sctually damaged the purchased product trying to open those doggone packages. I have a few ideas as to what such a blade would look like.

[Toejammer]

The latest innovation that caught my attention is a "Hideaway" pocket clip. I think it's roughly about 2 years old. It's somewhat similar to the "Windage" pocket clip mentioned above.

It's unobtrusive when you don't need it yet it's always there when you do. You just push the tab opposite the clip and it pops up so you can clip the knife to your pocket.

It's spring loaded so as soon as you pull the knife from your pocket the clip snaps back flush with the handle.

That's pretty slick ! I knew there had to be some innovations out there flying under my radar.

[Ivoryman]

I'm not into tactical at all, had a few years ago, got rid of them. To me they were going overboard with innovation, too many new and improved steels, ball bearings, bronze washers, titanium washers, ceramic bearings, frame lock, liner lock, axial lock, bolster lock, slide lock, push button, back, mid, front lock, pocket clip tip up, tip down, reversible, studs, holes, posts, levers, flipper, autos, assisted, blade shapes, this that the other ad naseum. But that seems to me to be what tactical guys want: something different, new technology, space durable materials and everything better. Nothing wrong with that either, if that's what you like and are into, great. But it's just my opinion here, nothing more, but what I like about traditional knives on the other hand are the opposite in a way. Same old technology and patterns, but new handle materials like giraffe bone, kudu bone, camel bone, wildebeest bone, fossil ivory, mammoth tooth molars, hippo teeth, exotic bones, woods, stone, plastic, micarta, horn, you name it. Really more handle material variation than the tactical stuff. That's what makes them appealing to me. I never get tired of seeing a new, more beautiful wood, antler, ivory, bone, stone, horn, tooth, etc. even on an old pattern. Every stone, bone, tusk, tooth, wood grain and antler are different from the next. Every G-10 or Delrin or man made cover is not. Never. I get sick of plane jane anything but love the different look and variety and beauty in a different natural piece, the sky is the limit. Never get tired of looking at different traditional knives. But I yawn and eyes blur over after a few tacticals.

[tongueriver]

I'm not into tactical at all, had a few years ago, got rid of them. To me they were going overboard with innovation, too many new and improved steels, ball bearings, bronze washers, titanium washers, ceramic bearings, frame lock, liner lock, axial lock, bolster lock, slide lock, push button, back, mid, front lock, pocket clip tip up, tip down, reversible, studs, holes, posts, levers, flipper, autos, assisted, blade shapes, this that the other ad naseum. But that seems to me to be what tactical guys want: something different, new technology, space durable materials and everything better. Nothing wrong with that either, if that's what you like and are into, great. But it's just my opinion here, nothing more, but what I like about traditional knives on the other hand are the opposite in a way. Same old technology and patterns, but new handle materials like giraffe bone, kudu bone, camel bone, wildebeest bone, fossil ivory, mammoth tooth molars, hippo teeth, exotic bones, woods, stone, plastic, micarta, horn, you name it. Really more handle material variation than the tactical stuff. That's what makes them appealing to me. I never get tired of seeing a new, more beautiful wood, antler, ivory, bone, stone, horn, tooth, etc. even on an old pattern. Every stone, bone, tusk, tooth, wood grain and antler are different from the next. Every G-10 or Delrin or man made cover is not. Never. I get sick of plane jane anything but love the different look and variety and beauty in a different natural piece, the sky is the limit. Never get tired of looking at different traditional knives. But I yawn and eyes blur over after a few tacticals.

X2!

[Mumbleypeg]

Some good thoughts I-man, and along the same line as some of my thoughts. IMHO the one thing that drives innovation more than anything else is competition. Arguably the most innovative time period for traditional pocket knives is the last half of the 19th century and the first half of the twentieth century, not coincidentally the same time as the heyday of competition. There is a great list of cutlery inventions just in the introductory pages of Goins' Encyclodedia. Cutleries looking for an edge (pun intended) were willing to hire innovators or pay for patent rights. As usual, follow the money!

Unfortunately in today's marketplace with a few exceptions most makers of traditional-style cutlery have gone out of business. Case has made a niche for themselves in the exotic handle covers market, and some attempts at innovation like the Russlock . Chicom makers have taken over most of the market. Competing with them on cost is a no-win proposition because they're not in it to make profits - they have cheap labor and are willing to lose money to gain market share, at least until they kill off all competition. Innovation is not their strength - copying others is.

Which pretty much leaves the only place for innovation being the higher end tactical and custom markets, where there is still some competition. The others can't afford to pay the costs of innovation when it's an all out battle just to keep the lights on.

Ken

[knife7knut]

What I would like to see is someone develop a superior blade design intended for opening those infernal PET "blister" packaged products. I have sctually damaged the purchased product trying to open those doggone packages. I have a few ideas as to what such a blade would look like.

You probably already have a tool that will accomplish that task very readily.Either a "rooster nutter" or a manicure tool like the one pictured.Both work very well for opening those packages without damaging the contents.

[Mumbleypeg]

Gary, I find a sharp spay blade to be a great blister pack opener. Slices right through the plastic "blister" without penetrating into the contents. After all, that's what it was designed to do, and does it well. Tip of a sharp sheepsfoot does a pretty good job also.

Ken

[harryekarmun]

here is something different and i think it is very practical, not just a gimmick variation of auto opener

[royal0014]

Looks very gimmicky to me
What purpose does four pivot points serve on a single-blade knife ??
Except maybe to pinch your hand ....

[harryekarmun]

hello royal0014 google it and watch the video of the mechanism in action

[1967redrider]

New crucible steels, the relaxation of "switch blade" laws and innovative tacticals have sparked interest in knife collecting for those not interested in traditional folders.

Here's a short SMKW vid of the CRKT Provoke-

[Madmarco]

Besides the unnecessary complexity of the CRKT "Provoke" it's butt-ugly, no offence to it's owner! The most unusual knife design that I find useable is this CRKT "Psych" with it's bolster lock system. It's not your ordinary folder yet quite simple to operate, a far cry from their "Provoke" with all it's pivot points. I suppose one can learn how to use the knife properly, but unfortunately it's still gonna be butt-ugly, again no offence! The "Psych" is about as far into new technology as I wanna go! Teriffic thread T.J.!

The fully closed position!

The top bolster has been shifted up by depressing the button and pushing the bolster up one-handed with your thumb!

The bolster has been swung outwards very much like you would use the flipper on an A/O knife!

The blade is now fully extended but the bolster has yet to be pulled down into the locking position!

The knife is now fully opened and locked and is as solid as a fixed blade knife!

[fergusontd]

Don't get me wrong I like Case, but Case knives only changes handle material and no new patterns for quite some time. Are there any innovations in the works? ftd