Knife trends you just don't understand?

[prndltech]

I never got bearings in knives either. Washers are simpler, lower maintenance and work fine.

Amen

[Scandi Grind]

I never got bearings in knives either. Washers are simpler, lower maintenance and work fine.

Pretty much the reason I didn't look into getting a Civivi more was because of bearings. I like simple, complexity risks unnecessary failure. Hence fixed blades are my favorite category of knife.

[Brock O Lee]

I don't get knives with bearings. It seems asinine to add more moving parts to what should be a simple tool.

Flippers. Really, any opening method that doesn't allow me to control the opening of the blade through its entire arc. Flippers and bearings belong on toys, not serious using knives. Speaking of controlling the blade..

"Drop shut action". When I got started in the hobby, a knife with a drop shut action meant you had a broken knife. Now I see people complain when a knife's blade doesn't fall shut on its own when the lock is released. I don't understand why people are suddenly against lock springs and detents doing their job.

I’m with you on all points.

[Matus]

I never got bearings in knives either. Washers are simpler, lower maintenance and work fine.

Not so fast. There is one clear usecase that have been driving the industry - the ability of the knife to free fall in on your unexpecting fingers. Most commonly in combination with liner locks. And Spyderco has also payed a tribute with the SpyOpera.

:)

[Spicy Suplex]

Bearings give me anxiety simply on the idea that there's little gaps inside my washers, for crap to get in. Never went past the Civivi Elementum. Uncomfortable knife to hold, too. Looks like the button lock version was better, but I had washed my hands already.

On another note of deployment I kinda don't understand SpeedSafe on Kershaw. I thought it was the bees knees of cool when I was 20ish, but now they kinda frighten me. Much like a flipper, it bothers me as well not to have a certain level of control. I still have my original (ish?) Leek from those times, and I enjoy that it has a manual double lock bar thing, but then that kills the whole point of SpeedSafe at the same time.

To be fair and clear though, I've never had a Kershaw come open on me when I didn't want it to. I just prefer the peace of mind that my backlock is going to do no such thing. So once again it's something I used to understand and now don't, or understand and don't understand at the same time. So it doesn't really matter, we're constantly changing our opinions, evolving, and at least in my case, regarding past decisions with confusion once in a while.

[JD Spydo]

1. Fidgeting with a knife. I grew out of my fidget phase in middle school. I don't understand the appeal of opening and closing a knife repeatedly unless you're trying to break in a new knife.

2. Sharpening choils. The reason they seem utterly nonsensical to me is simple. If you measure the heel of the blade on a knife without one, the area that might not be sharpened as well is smaller than the sharpening choil. Plus they snag on stuff easily. It's so weird to me how popular they are, because it's so much worse than having 1-3mm of edge not as sharp as the rest.



Make it make sense to me, lol.

3. Cleaver style blades on folders. Can't see any advantage vs a wharncliffe.

4. Bead blasted blades. Why? It makes perfectly corrosion resistant steels rust like they're O1. I'll never buy another one for the rest of my life after having bead blasted bladed folders rust within a few hours of carry time.

What are some knife trends you don't get at all?

Yeah I get you completely VIVI. I've also got a similar opinion of "stonewashed" blades as well. Yeah there are some trends that just don't make much sense at all. The older I get the more "Function" oriented I get. If the feature doesn't have an improved function aspect to it I have to just ask WHY???

Also when it comes to aesthetics I also ask how that's going to improve the overall functional aspect of the blade.

A few years back a guy named Martin Gross wrote a book entitled "The Death Of Common Sense". That can also apply to many sectors of the cutlery markets as well. A most interesting thread to be sure.

[James Y]

I really dislike bead-blasted blade finishes. I don't like the look of it, and they're rust magnets.

I'm perfectly fine with stone-washed finishes, especially the way that CRK does it.

Jim

[kennbr34]

I never understood why people want sharp edges. I mean, it's not like you can even tell how sharp it is by the Instagram picture anyway. Plus if you need to open a box, just use your car keys. All it does is create a safety hazard when you're flicking it open and shut all day.

[spoonrobot]

Blade to handle ratio.

I've never considered a knife based on how large the blade was relative to the handle. Seems completely nonsensical to me that it's a driving force for people's opinions on how good a certain knife is or is not.

[zuludelta]

I'm a "live and let live" kind of guy for the most part, so I don't really spend too much time thinking about knife trends that don't directly affect my corner of the knife hobby.

One trend that I couldn't totally wrap my head around, though, was the fact that for a period of maybe 4 years, D2 became the sort of standard budget steel for a large part of the knife industry. I mean, on the one hand, I guess I do get why it became so: it's easily and cheaply sourced in China and it has good edge retention (or as has been oft repeated: "it holds a mediocre edge for a very long time").

It just seems so odd to me that a non-stainless tool steel (with a reputation for being somewhat finicky to heat treat in mass production settings) would supplant 8Cr13MoV as the go-to budget choice for mainstream folding knives, and yet, that's what happened (I would have thought 9Cr18MoV would have taken that position).

[DansGearAddiction]

The biggest thing for me is steel elitism.

I'm tired of people treating knives that are perfectly adequate and have amazing steels as somehow inferior because a slightly better steel came out.

I legit never thought I'd see the day when people complained about a knife in M390 (assuming it has a proper heat treat) because the steel is "boring" or not the latest and greatest (ie. Magnacut, 15V, etc.) or people complaining because a knife "only" has S35VN.

It's one thing to be interested in steels from a metallurgical perspective, but I feel so many people use steel as a spec-brag rather than any type of meaningful functional upgrade.

[Bolster]

Blade to handle ratio.

I've never considered a knife based on how large the blade was relative to the handle. Seems completely nonsensical to me that it's a driving force for people's opinions on how good a certain knife is or is not.

I am one of the completely nonsensical people who pays attention to ratios, and they inform my purchase decisions. I don't think of size ratios in terms of "good knife" or "bad knife," but as a dimension, with in-pocket compactness on one end and (usually) grip comfort or grip security on the other. I own the range from Compact Calys to Big Handle Yojimbos.

Seems I'm not alone, either. In the February survey I ran (n=377), 53% of Spyderheads expressed a preference one way or the other. 41% wanted max edge that could fit into a handle, and 12% said they preferred large handles relative to edges.

Likewise, weight ratios don't distinguish "good" or "bad" knives either, just knives that are more appropriate to lightweight backpacking or EDC, vs knives that have heft and a feel of authority, which folks like Apollo distinctly prefer. I think ratios are legitimate factors (among others) that can help enthusiasts pick a knife that suits them.

[ladybug93]

The biggest thing for me is steel elitism.

I'm tired of people treating knives that are perfectly adequate and have amazing steels as somehow inferior because a slightly better steel came out.

I legit never thought I'd see the day when people complained about a knife in M390 (assuming it has a proper heat treat) because the steel is "boring" or not the latest and greatest (ie. Magnacut, 15V, etc.) or people complaining because a knife "only" has S35VN.

It's one thing to be interested in steels from a metallurgical perspective, but I feel so many people use steel as a spec-brag rather than any type of meaningful functional upgrade.

i have this nagging conspiracy theory that pops up in my head occasionally where all the knives are the same two steels (a stainless and a tool steel) just stamped with made up different designations and all the different attributes are simply the power of suggestion and confirmation bias. it's all just a social experiment and we're the monkeys rattling the cages over falsely-perceived minor differences. i know this isn't true, but it gives me a little chuckle when i see those conversations about the various steels and their properties vs other steels that are less popular.

[StuntZombie]

Bearings give me anxiety simply on the idea that there's little gaps inside my washers, for crap to get in. Never went past the Civivi Elementum. Uncomfortable knife to hold, too. Looks like the button lock version was better, but I had washed my hands already.

On another note of deployment I kinda don't understand SpeedSafe on Kershaw. I thought it was the bees knees of cool when I was 20ish, but now they kinda frighten me. Much like a flipper, it bothers me as well not to have a certain level of control. I still have my original (ish?) Leek from those times, and I enjoy that it has a manual double lock bar thing, but then that kills the whole point of SpeedSafe at the same time.

To be fair and clear though, I've never had a Kershaw come open on me when I didn't want it to. I just prefer the peace of mind that my backlock is going to do no such thing. So once again it's something I used to understand and now don't, or understand and don't understand at the same time. So it doesn't really matter, we're constantly changing our opinions, evolving, and at least in my case, regarding past decisions with confusion once in a while.

I'm with you on the Speedsafe, and I had actually considered an auto when Virginia relaxed its laws. It's a real shame, because I enjoy some of the knife designs that used the Speedsafe, but they weren't built in such a way that the spring could be removed without compromising the function of the knife.

[RugerNurse]

Someone on YouTube in the comments was saying that the Buck 110 needs to be retired because it uses 420HC. I like Buck’s steel. Everyone wants magnacut (which I like also) but pretty soon our grandkids will think we are crazy for still thinking it’s a good steel and not getting with the times and using ultracut or 100V. I appreciate the new types of steel, there is something for everyone, but don’t bash someone for using something old if it works for them.

[Murphy Slaw]

Yea. Just cause I'm old, doesn't mean I'm crazy.

Wait.

What were we talking about...

[Brock O Lee]

[JD Spydo]

The biggest thing for me is steel elitism.

I'm tired of people treating knives that are perfectly adequate and have amazing steels as somehow inferior because a slightly better steel came out.

I legit never thought I'd see the day when people complained about a knife in M390 (assuming it has a proper heat treat) because the steel is "boring" or not the latest and greatest (ie. Magnacut, 15V, etc.) or people complaining because a knife "only" has S35VN.

It's one thing to be interested in steels from a metallurgical perspective, but I feel so many people use steel as a spec-brag rather than any type of meaningful functional upgrade.

Dude I hear you loud & clear concerning a steel like M390. I still carry my M390 MILITARY model quite often and I personally love M390 as an everyday EDC. Yeah you can take anything to totally ridiculous levels and the steel snobbery can get way out of proportion. And I'm a guy who likes the advent of the SUPERSTEELS. But everything should be put into perspective for sure.
Heck most non-knife people I encounter are more than satisfied with a VG-10 blade I might give to them. That would have been a Cadillac of a steel back in the 60s or even the 70s too for that matter. You would be hard pressed to name any cutting jobs that couldn't be done with VG-10 or some steel of similar status.

Again I'm grateful that we've got all those newer/better blade steels to choose from>> but it is most certainly getting out of hand at times too.

[Subverto]

Right now I'm really scratching my head at the current trend to make knives in steels that aren't 15V. 15V is clearly the best steel available, so every knife should be made in 15V.

[vivi]

Blade to handle ratio.

I've never considered a knife based on how large the blade was relative to the handle. Seems completely nonsensical to me that it's a driving force for people's opinions on how good a certain knife is or is not.

I used to agree with you here but the Resilience is starting to change my perception. After carrying one for a week it's tough going back to my Military or Manix XL's. Their cutting edge is so much shorter because of the choils.

I know a lot of people here love their index choils, but to me its started feeling like wasted space, because I rarely use them.

If it were a small difference in cutting edge like comparing a Police to a Military, I wouldn't care. But the Resilience has a full inch more cutting edge than a lot of folders with the same sized handle, which becomes very noticeable during use for me.

It's still not a deal breaker for me, but I've started paying a little more attention to this design aspect.