A radical theory, and leaving the world of expensive modern knives behind

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My bowie is thinner behind the edge than your butcher knife.
 
Well this was an... interesting thread. It was a long read, though, so I'll write up a quick synopsis for those who like to skip to the end.

OP- Old style butcher knives in old steels are better at everything than any other knife! Anyone who thinks otherwise is stupid and knows nothing about knives! FIGHT ME!

Other forum members- Well that's taking it too far.

OP- I AM THE MOST SKILLED AND BESTEST AT ALL KNIFE RELATED TASKS! I have felled and hewn mighty redwood forests using only a small pocket knife, turned splitting mauls into workable straight razors and could out-knife ALL of you with nothing but a piece of mild steel in my godlike hands!

OFM- Those are some extremely bold claims. You really need to back that up with some proof or it comes across as nothing but big talk and bs.

OP- *stammering and backpedaling* I refuse! I will not post one single picture as proof of anything, nor will I accept any challenge to prove my obvious superiority! Believe me!

OFM- Uuuhhh... No.

OP- How dare you not take all my divisive opinions and bragging as gospel! You should be bowing before my greatness! I hate internet forums! I'm leaving forever!

OFM- Uh... Bye then...

Did I miss anything?

Good to see the Gastonian argument system alive and well...
 
Well, this has been a good example of why I dislike internet forums.

My final word here: anyone who can afford web browsing devices can afford to experiment with thin-stock working knives and see for himself that they are better and more practical for nearly anything he ever does with knives in real life in comparison to the thick, heavy, obtuse, overpriced knives that YouTubers try to sell people. Although, if you don't actually have to use knives professionally like me, I suppose you could get away with holding counterproductive opinions and taste for your entire life without serious issues.

Goodbye.
You make some good points:
  • For cutting stuff thinner is typically better
  • 100 year old knife designs can be excellent and perform their intended tasks well
  • Many modern knives are thicker than they need to be, which negatively impacts cutting performance
  • No knife will perform well if you can't keep it sharp
  • Old carbon steel knives can perform very well
I don't think anybody is disagreeing with those.

It's not reasonable to presume that all modern knives are not an improvement. There are thin, modern kitchen knives with far better steel that will out-cut older carbon steel by a lot. A thin, modern folder will out-cut traditional folders and is better in every way (for me). Spyderco Chaparral for example.

I think you need to acknowledge that modern knives can be better than older ones. Some of them are not.
 
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I cannot see myself maintaining an ATV trail or cutting overgrown branches in a trail with a Henckels friodur,much less a 100 year old butcher knife.Good luck even finding one,wouldnt even be worth the effort.
 
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Well, this thread got me through two cups of coffee. Then I pulled out my Case Large Stockman and sliced up my morning apple and managed to eat about 3/4 of it before I got here, to the current end.

Now me? I like to share my experiences, thoughts and opinions with others, especially the so-called clueless, in a positive manner in hopes of igniting a passion or perhaps helping with education, at least one man's perspective of it. At the same time, I like to read and interact and sometimes even engage in healthy debate about knife and knife type stuff with others in an effort to test my own beliefs and hopefully learn from them in the process.

I think knives and knife stuff is cool. There's plenty of people out there who look down on the hobby so why needlessly inflame those within it while simultaneously missing opportunities to learn and grow yourself?

Ah well, by the time I finished typing this I've eaten the last of my apple. Time to get some stuff done...
 
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I melted down? That's funny. I'm sensing really bad emotional maturity all around here. That's the trouble with this hobby. Just like with firearms and martial arts, it attracts a certain... type.



What would that have to do with anything? Why haven't you or anyone attacked any of the points I made or logic I used even once yet, seeings how you're intent on turning this into some kind hostile debate? If you think I'm wrong about something, I might like to know what that is and why.

The unintentional irony here is amusing in the extreme.
 
Come on Marci, you know that to reduce a redwood forest to splinters, a SAK classic is woefully inadequate. You need at least a Case peanut!:eek:

I used the pen blade on my Case Peanut to single handedly break down 7 sperm whales Tuesday on a whaler. Only stopped to strop the blade using some whale oil rubbed on one of the teeth of the mighty beast. Spent Wednesday giving the Keynote Speech at this year's International Scrimshander's Convention.
 
is this what OP was really trying to say? Seems to me it was so, which begs the question; "then why participate"?:confused:

Something tells me his view of the forum would have been quite different if he had received the bootlicking, fawning, and adoration from all of us that he was looking for with his wild nonsense claims. I imagine then, then it would be have been alright. LOL
 
I used the pen blade on my Case Peanut to single handedly break down 7 sperm whales Tuesday on a whaler. Only stopped to strop the blade using some whale oil rubbed on one of the teeth of the mighty beast. Spent Wednesday giving the Keynote Speech at this year's International Scrimshander's Convention.
Bravo! Teach those whales who's boss.

Since we're talking about a butchery I have some authority since I did just process an entire cow for eatin' with a magazine cover (we all know about paper cuts). And yes it was that fabled Blade magazine old Gassy was so fond of citing.
 
TL;DR a $20 butcher knife designed in the 19th century is better than anything you own for any purpose.

I've been collecting hundreds of knives of every description for 15 years, since I was a child, including countless survival and combat knives costing hundreds of dollars. I have been an avid hunter, fisher, hiker, and prepper for my entire life. I am also a professional butcher and use my own knives that I personally sharpen for 50 hours per week at work. I've cut more stuff in more ways and with more knives than virtually anyone.
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Something tells me his view of the forum would have been quite different if he had received the bootlicking, fawning, and adoration from all of us that he was looking for with his wild nonsense claims. I imagine then, then it would be have been alright. LOL

That's true for all of us! :D Key thing is, is that we don't expect the bootlicking, fawning, and adoration from all.

I mean, for Scagel's sakes, I realize not all you people are sophisticated enough to recognize my genius! So I don't hold that against anybody.

:D

Shame is, as many have said, that our young friend choppa made some valid points. Shame he couldn't apply to his valid points the wise words of, I think it was, Saint Anselm of Cantebury who wrote

"Yeah, well, that's just like, your opinion, man."
 
There is little tangible performance difference between a 400 series knife that could have been purchased during the great depression and one made of any steel invented since. Design and the skill of the sharpener constitute 99% of it. All other factors being equal, you'd have to be a professional who uses knives every day like me to even notice any difference between a knife made of CPM3V and a >$50 knife from one of the major manufacturers of western kitchen and meat processing cutlery. Most knife enthusiasts are so ignorant of and terrible at sharpening that there is no possible way the steel selection in their knives could make any difference in performance whatsoever. Perfect example, I went to thanksgiving with a guy who is an avid chef, and was bragging about $300 Japanese damascus knives he had and how well they perform. I handled them, and the factory edges were distant memories, couldn't even slice paper. I asked him if he owned any water stones, and he didn't know what I was talking about. This kind of abysmal cluelessness about edges and sharpening is typical of nearly every single person I have ever met who was interested in knives, and that is one reason why I chuckle at the notion of some kind of revolution in blade steels. A piece of mild steel from Home Depot in my hands is better than any knife ever made in the hands of the average blade guy out there.
You are the ultimate knife expert, a god amongst men, all other knife users must bow to you, and whatever else you need to hear. What is the point of this thread? To prove your superiority in all things knife use and knowledge related, while simultaneously disparaging the rest of the ignorant, uncultured swine that comprise the knife community? Enjoy your knives, and everyone else will enjoy theirs, effectively using the very knives you decry as inferior, and stuff will still get cut, chopped, and sliced.
 
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