Traditional Pocket Knives explained by a couple of Millennials

[cody6268]

I'm 22, and never really got tacticals. Yes, I do have a blunt-tipped Eickhorn (designed and built for combat medics) on me most of the time; but only because the knife is easily opened, with one hand, and was bought with the intention of cutting myself or livestock out of a bind. The only reason I like the things is that A: they have a pocket clip that makes them easily accessible and B: they almost always open with one hand. Meaning if one hand is in use, or caught up (and my left hand is my primary hand anyway), the tactical knife clipped to my right side can be flipped open and used. So, emergency use is my primary reason for carrying one. And to tell the truth, I rarely ever deploy it. Most of the time, my SAK or traditional get it done. Mostly, the Eickhorn is a rope knife. For large folders, I've always been partial to the Buck 110 and 111mm SAKs. Traditional folders are well made, easy to care for, and sharpen. Tacticals just don't have the feel of a traditional. The smooth action, great snap, and hand work just don't show on many tacticals; though the Eickhorn is excellent. I have a CPM-154 Buck and a D2 Queen. They are very difficult to sharpen and maintain. With a plain old carbon steel traditional, a few strokes on the old soapstone and you're good to go.

The one thing that makes me seem singled out is my interest in SAKs. Most of the traditional guys I know personally could care less about them. I feel Victorinox does a better job on SAKs and their features than other manufacturers.

On another note--I saw some kid, about my age, carrying two cheapo tacticals on the outside of his pockets (I think replicating something out of some dumb TV show). It's that kind of stupidity that makes us knife nuts look bad.

[steve99f]

But you're biased QT, everyone knows that.

[Steve Warden]

They also mention how more discreet the traditional slip joints can, as opposed to the obtrusive tacticals. I've been carrying a pocket knife IN, not clipped to, my pocket for a bit more than five years now. No one has said a word when I've brought it out to use. Something clipped to my pocket would certainly be noticed and scrutinized when deployed. And I work in a school for kids with behavioral problems!

[DM11]

Since I work with a lot of millennials that video did not surprise me any. At least they like knives. Who dresses like that and wears a hat like that? Wannabe rap gangstas thats who. Especially the hat thing. Which is a lot of young men. I see it a lot even here in Kansas of all places.

[eveled]

I do believe they hit it when they gave the reason many of us carry traditional slip joints - nostalgia. It's what we grew up with seeing others carry, then carrying ourselves. To each his own. I'm just thankful traditional slip joints can still be found and purchased.

Now if someone will inform them that the "loop" is called a bail!

Actually, there is a generation gap here as well, because in my grandfather's time it was called a shackle. My... how I love traditional slipjoint knives.

I was taught bail as well but the old timers called it a clevis or a shackle and I’ve head it called a staple.

[Unk]

I guess a better question would be - why do you need to carry a foot long, $200 knife that you can deploy in two nanoseconds?

I mean, if you want to, that"s fine. More power to you. I own some tactical knives myself.

But I have carried an in-pocket traditional pocket knife for most of my 57 years. Since 2012, my EDC has been a Case 63090 medium stockman that is 3 1/4" long. I have yet to find anything knife related I couldn't do with it, other than clean a deer. And I could probably do that with it if I really needed to.

[Steve Warden]

I guess a better question would be - why do you need to carry a foot long, $200 knife that you can deploy in two nanoseconds?

I mean, if you want to, that"s fine. More power to you. I own some tactical knives myself.

But I have carried an in-pocket traditional pocket knife for most of my 57 years. Since 2012, my EDC has been a Case 63090 medium stockman that is 3 1/4" long. I have yet to find anything knife related I couldn't do with it, other than clean a deer. And I could probably do that with it if I really needed to.

Why carry a foot long knife you can deploy in 2 nanoseconds?
Why have an assault rifle that can throw out 200 rounds in the blink of an eye? Because you want to and you can. It's still a right, and while we still have the right, carry what you want. There's coming a time when you won't be able to.

[samb1955]

I guess a better question would be - why do you need to carry a foot long, $200 knife that you can deploy in two nanoseconds?

I mean, if you want to, that"s fine. More power to you. I own some tactical knives myself.

But I have carried an in-pocket traditional pocket knife for most of my 57 years. Since 2012, my EDC has been a Case 63090 medium stockman that is 3 1/4" long. I have yet to find anything knife related I couldn't do with it, other than clean a deer. And I could probably do that with it if I really needed to.

Why carry a foot long knife you can deploy in 2 nanoseconds?
Why have an assault rifle that can throw out 200 rounds in the blink of an eye? Because you want to and you can. It's still a right, and while we still have the right, carry what you want. There's coming a time when you won't be able to.

I'm afraid that time may be coming sooner than we'd like too.

[stockman]

17 minutes long no way would I watch that.

Harold

[fergusontd]

My EDC is a Case Trapper lockback, and from time to time my 301 Buck. I've been carring traditional folders for over 60 years and don't intend to stop. I do have a Benchmade 585 I carry sometimes when I have to drive and be in a bad area in a big city for personal protection but don't use it for daily chores. I think that alot of young people carry tacticals because they think it's cool. ftd

[peanut740]

I got bored after a few minutes. I do with a lot of young folks.Ferg,if I need a tool for personal protection, it is going to make a lot more noise than a knife.

[samb1955]

I got bored after a few minutes. I do with a lot of young folks.Ferg,if I need a tool for personal protection, it is going to make a lot more noise than a knife.

I definitely agree with a gun over a knife as a weapon but you never know when laws will change. Next thing you know we'll probably have to pass a background check to buy a knife, and grocery's.

[fergusontd]

I agree guys, but when I'm driving it's for my job. I drive for a local car dealer to pick up or deliver cars, sometimes in bad areas, I also refrain from carring lots of cash or credit cards. Concealed carry is not an option when I'm on the job. ftd

[XX Case XX]

Something clipped to my pocket would certainly be noticed and scrutinized when deployed.

_____________
Mike

[OSCAR]

Too young and too dumb to appreciate the history of traditional knives. I own some of the “newer” and even a few “tactical” (whatever that means). I collect all sorts as I like the variety BUT nothing beats a traditional in my opinion. They survived hundreds of years. I doubt the new designs will last that long. Perhaps they have more modern things going for them, but traditional knives are being made better and with better steels than in the past. Hopefully the few remaining makers will keep the tradition going. They are getting better not stranger looking. The millennial morons are probably the only knife fanciers buying slime green zombie knives. I think I will wait until I actually meet a zombie before wasting money on that garbage.

[jerryd6818]

They talk about being able to take the "modern knives" apart like that's a huge benefit. What? I don't ever recall wishing I could take my knife apart or felt the need to do same. It's just a different generation with a different take on the world around them.

[cody6268]

They talk about being able to take the "modern knives" apart like that's a huge benefit. What? I don't ever recall wishing I could take my knife apart or felt the need to do same. It's just a different generation with a different take on the world around them.

And neither have I. I took one Spyderco (UKPK) apart in mid 2017 to clean it because I got sand in it. It's currently apart, missing the entire pivot, and I've never managed to get it back together. I don't see a point in needing to "field strip" a knife. If I want a knife I can easily clean, I bring a fixed blade, preferably a Mora with a plastic sheath. For me, anything a "modern knife" can do is doable with a fixed blade. Mora sells rounded tip models also. And most are under twenty bucks and have excellent steel. I have traditional knives that see regular use and are still just as tight and strong as the day they rolled out of the factory, nearly all of them made before 1980. Yet, regularly do I have modern knives (and Leathermans) that have had screws loosen up on their own with regular cleaning and oiling. The scissors in my Leatherman Surge no longer work right because of it's Tamperproof Torx screw loosening up. In that regard especially are pinned traditionals better. Only in really neglected, really abused examples have I seen any with loose blades.

[Steve Warden]

Too young and too dumb to appreciate the history of traditional knives. I own some of the “newer” and even a few “tactical” (whatever that means). I collect all sorts as I like the variety BUT nothing beats a traditional in my opinion. They survived hundreds of years. I doubt the new designs will last that long. Perhaps they have more modern things going for them, but traditional knives are being made better and with better steels than in the past. Hopefully the few remaining makers will keep the tradition going. They are getting better not stranger looking. The millennial morons are probably the only knife fanciers buying slime green zombie knives. I think I will wait until I actually meet a zombie before wasting money on that garbage.

So not agreeing with your stand on traditional knives make one a "dumb...millennial moron."

That's kinda harsh, don'tcha think?

[OSCAR]

Not because they disagree sir. But because they lack class. And I guarantee that they think the same as us for not sharing their love of the new wave of modern knives.

[New_Windsor_NY]

I wasn't going to watch the video because, putting it simply, I don't care. I did watch it and I still don't care. The left hasn't taken over this country, YET. We still have the freedom of speech, of expression. We also have the freedom to watch what we want to watch and to buy what we want to buy (for the most part). These guys weren't putting anyone down. They weren't saying modern knives are better than traditional knives. I think they were just expressing their opinions and I feel they did it without insulting anyone. At LEAST they like knives. Maybe I watched a different video. Life's to short, don't sweat the small stuff. Just my "freedom of speech" opinion.

[OSCAR]

Perhaps I was a bit harsh. Every person is entitled to their opinions. And if they like cutlery I suppose they cannot be all bad. It’s not that I dislike many of the new knives coming out. It is that I don’t want to see them displace the traditional stuff that many of us collected for decades.

[Steve Warden]

NWNY

[jerryd6818]

I wasn't going to watch the video because, putting it simply, I don't care. I did watch it and I still don't care. The left hasn't taken over this country, YET. We still have the freedom of speech, of expression. We also have the freedom to watch what we want to watch and to buy what we want to buy (for the most part). These guys weren't putting anyone down. They weren't saying modern knives are better than traditional knives. I think they were just expressing their opinions and I feel they did it without insulting anyone. At LEAST they like knives. Maybe I watched a different video. Life's to short, don't sweat the small stuff. Just my "freedom of speech" opinion.

Excellent! Thank you.

[markpreston]

I just watched the follow up video...they poked fun at themselves for being rather uneducated regards to slip joints. I remember when I got a copy of Levines guide to knives in the mid 90's. I poured over it like it was a bible and I was in seminary school. I bet over time as their knowledge of traditional knives increases so will their fondness for them. In 20 years will Case and Buck still be around as we know them today? Lots of old knife companies are now just memories. We better give the youngsters a chance in my opinion.....My gun buddies all say the same thing about firearms.

[Unk]

Why have an assault rifle that can throw out 200 rounds in the blink of an eye? Because you want to and you can. It's still a right, and while we still have the right, carry what you want. There's coming a time when you won't be able to.

Steve, you are correct - as I said , more power to whoever wants to carry one. I own some tactical knives and autos and have carried them, and also own a couple of ARs and an AK. In retrospect, I didn't word that exactly the way I should have.