iKnife Collector
Knife Pattern Collectors
All over the world knife patterns. Different types, size, styles…
We will talk about old traditional and new knife patterns. If you know pattern which nobody really knows, please give world to know!
Patterns and Modern Folders: are we putting too much or too little thought on this topic?
I’m curious should we actually be trying to categorize modern folders as a new breed or do many of the familiar traditional pattern names actually fit these new knives. I bring this up because I have a tendency to watch a certain late night cutlery show and one of the hosts often refers to some of the larger knives that are despairingly called “crapticals” as “Folding Hunters.” When you think about it -- regardless of the quality of the knife, if it had nickel silver bolsters and wood handles instead of molded plastic and was bright and shiny instead of matt-black, I would call these five inch folders a folding hunter myself?
(the S&W is slightly bigger and bulkier that your 5 inch LB but is it a stretch to call it folding hunter?)
And so many of the so-called Rescue knives are nothing more than a serrated Hawkbill or Rope Knife!
I recently bought one of those Zombie Knives that has green skull camouflage. It’s an assisted opener, with a can opener on one end a classic stiletto style blade. (It was moment of weakness, I have a lot of those!) Everything about the knife screams Stiletto! But it doesn’t look like a classic stiletto! It’s camouflaged-even the blade! it has aluminum scales! For crying out loud -- It even has a pocket clip! How can I call that a stiletto? But then else should I call it!??!
(Sure the blade is slightly serrated and it a little heftier than my Italian Automatic but what else can you call it?)
So are the modern designs, especially the single blades ,really nothing more than Jack knives, folding hunters, stilettos, hawkbills, etc.? And when these same knives have other devices added such as can-openers, seat belt cutters, or extra blades are they also nothing more than a multi-tool.
Plus are some of the knives actually not really nothing more than knives from non-Western cultures that have been introduced, modified and made new to Westerners? (For instance the Karambit!)
Sure these modern folders might open with one hand or be spring assisted openers, and they might have a belt clip! They may have handles and liners made with anything from non-traditional super plastics to titanium. And their blades might have finger holes and strange new shapes. But in the end are they a totally new concept in knives or are they just Jack knives in never before imagined skins!
Tobias Gibson
Jan said:
"In reality a teardrop pattern is a jackknife and using that description and that type of frame. Yep Spydies would fit well in the category. Although I would think you would have a hard time getting a spydie collector to call it that "
And i would agree with that statement. My point is for the people who don't collect by brand but by pattern. Are there modern folders that also fall with the pattern you collect? My guess is nine times out of ten there is , especially if you collect single blade knives.
Anoher side by side example. Below is a 100+ year old Marlinspike knife and modern era Marlinspike knife.
The Camillus with bone handle was known as pattern 6353/1905 three piece clasp knife back in WWI. Fury refers to their knife with the Black Aluminum handles as pattern 32206, Locking Marlinspike. It is a copy of the Myerchin's P300 Sailor's Tool. The black handle one is often called a Tactical Folding Spike Knife. Strange considering the three piece clasp knife was made for combat and the other was designed for civilian use.
But to get to my point. I didn't pick up the Fury because it was made by Fury or because it is a modern folder. I bought it because I collect rigging knives (marlinspikes) and despite the major differences between the two knives they are both marlinspikes. It never even crossed my mind that the Fury was a tactical knife, I just thought it look like one ugly fish!
Apr 11, 2015
Lars Ray
Throw some skulls on that Fury and you'll have a Tactical Zombie Spike...to better aid your rigging needs during the Zombie invasion.
And while I (for the most part) understand your commentary and even agree with you, I got your ten dimes here that says if you ever run a late night Knife show, you'll need new crazy names to sell your product too!
Just sayin'.... :-)
Apr 11, 2015
Ugly Old Guy
A modern has:
1) A Pocket Clip
2) Factory 1 hand opening; for example, a "Spidie Hole" or flipper. (the only exceptions being the one-arm knives, which pre-date the US Civil War, and an auto/switchblade, which were made prior to 1900, and "butterfly" knives, also made in the 1800's or earlier)
3) With few exceptons, screw or bolt together construction. (there were some single and multi blade knives made c1920 to c1960 that used screws/bolts rather than pins)
Basically, a "Traditional" folding knife is one that takes two hands to open (with the exceptions of the one armed, auto/switchblade and butterfly knives), and would have been well known and in use prior to 1970 or so. (this would include the Buck 110 and variants (1964) and its later clones.)
Generally traditionals have pinned construction, and, traditionals also commonly have more than one blade.
Just my 0.000025 cents worth.
Sep 11, 2017