Traditionals -- summary of models such as Stockman, Sodbuster, Toothpick, etc

MTHall720

MTHall720

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Sep 21, 2010
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I am so new to these kinds of knives I am not sure if there is a thread, article, etc which lists the major different types of folding knives, along with a brief summary of what each is like, and common uses. Would love to know what all the major forms are. Is there such a thing?
Thanks to all for your help.:confused:
 
Coming from a whole dfferent knife world, I've learned everything I know about American traditional patterns on this subforum. There might be some guides (I assume the most "natural" suggestion would be Bernard Levine's book) but, honestly, if you open this thread:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...uot-Traditional-Knife-quot-are-ya-totin-today

and browse it, you will find it a much more entertaining way to learn about knives and patterns, and meanwhile stare at many many beauties. It's like a freeshare resource, and daily updated ;)

Fausto
:cool:
 
Collecting Case Knives by Steven Pfeiffer is a book I'd recommend. Although it mainly deals with only Case patterns they are pretty universal excepting the case model numbers. The book breaks it down by pattern and is very informative with excellent color pictures. I love reading my copy.
 
@ fausto: 100% agreed

It´s nothing more to say about that.

@MTHall720: Fell free to surf through this subforum for getting answers...

Kind regards
Andi
 
Thanks do much to everyone
I am really excited to find a whole new type of knife to get excited about. :)
 
MTHall720 said:
I am so new to these kinds of knives I am not sure if there is a thread, article, etc which lists the major different types of folding knives, along with a brief summary of what each is like, and common uses. Would love to know what all the major forms are. Is there such a thing?
Thanks to all for your help.:confused:
Click to expand...

Here are my synopses of each of the patterns you mentioned:

  • Stockman - Offered in various sizes, the original "large stockman" is a full size pocket knife for folks who like to always have The Right Blade for the Job. It has 3 blades, but is only two layers thick. This means that two of the blades are "jimped" (is that the right word) meaning that they are at a slight angle compared to the frame. Sheepsfoot blade (flat, rounded-off end, no real point) is a good all-around utility blade. Spey is good for push-cutting with the tip. The large clip is kind of an all-around blade; not as heavy duty as the sheepsfoot, but long enough for anything, and the sharp tip can handle surprisingly delicate tasks, if it is kept sharp.
  • Sodbuster - Built to a price, and nothing fancy in the handle. It is usually Delrin, a type of super-durable plastic. Single blade and a very comfortable grip shape. Good for heavy cutting, and taking a beating without showing it. It doesn't have a lot of character though (my opinion) and it doesn't exactly make you proud every time you bring it out. I see it as kind of an inefficient use of space, as the Jr. Sodbuster is the same size as a Victorinox Tinker, but with only the one blade. However, it is a thicker, stronger blade than the SAK.
  • Toothpick - Thin handle, and a thin blade. Believe it or not, the blade is pointy and sharp-tipped enough that it DOES make a good makeshift toothpick. The recurved grip shape is pure southern elegance, and it fits in the hand fantastically well. Not ideal for heavy cutting, as the thin blade can be flexy, especially toward the tip.
  • Congress - For folks who like a lot of blades (4) and some of them duplicates of one another. I don't like this patter at all, as the back of the handle doesn't curve outward to fit the palm of the hand.
  • Muskrat - Has a single backspring, and two identical clip blades. One is a back-up, for when the other gets dull from skinning lots of muskrats. Nice and thin, a good usable size.
  • Trapper - Full size knife, with two full size blades, a spey, which is good for push-cutting, and a clip. This is a good skinning knife. Case also makes a slimline trapper, which has a slimmer and thinner grip, and only one blade. (the clip)
  • etc - You have to ask specifically here, as there are dozens of patterns.
 
abcdef said:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/563972-Knife-Patterns
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a cool resource. Would love to see that expanded, completed and made into a sticky. That would be an incredible resource of information (and maybe a good candidate for Wikipedia - seriously).

IMO, "traditional" is a bigger category than "slip joint". Here's an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a nephew when he asked about traditional pocket knives.

STYLES - I think of pocket knifes as fitting into 4 major groups: slip-joints, locking hunters, farmer's or peasant knives and Swiss Army Knives.

The most common pocket knife is the slip-joint, which means that the blade opens and closes under pressure from a spring. Slip joints tend to be well under 4" when closed but can be a bit on the heavy side. There are a gazillion different patterns and blade styles and many of them grew out of different working traditions. (see: slip-joints.jpg) If slip-joints appeal to you, it's worth spending a bit of time looking at the different patterns to get a better idea of which style appeals to you. Both the Buck and Case web sites are good places to start.

The Buck 110 was introduced in the 1960s and attempted to provide the durability of a fixed blade knife in a folding style. These are big knives and are meant to be carried in a belt holster. The Buck 110 became hugely popular among workmen and was widely copied by many US makers such as Kabar and Schrade. The blade locks into position with a sturdy "lock-back" design which requires your thumb to unlock. Over time, smaller versions of the folding hunter became available. Those that are in the 4" range when closed become usable as pocket knifes, but there is a quite a range available from thin to thick. (see bucks.jpg)

Somewhere in between the small slip-joints and the big folding hunters are the farmer's or peasant's knives. The two most prominent examples are the French Opinel and the US "Sodbuster". (see opinel.jpg and sod-busters.jpg) Generally these are about 4" when folded. Their blades tend to be bigger than those found on most slip joints but their joint isn't as tough as brass bolstered folding hunter. They are also known for being light and arguably, they give the most cutting for the least weight of all of the traditional designs.

Lastly, there is the Swiss Army Knife (SAK). I'm including them for completeness. They are generally slip-joints but there's so many of them and the fans are so loyal, they're worth mentioning separately. (see: sak.jpg)
 
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