What You Need to Know About Traditional Knives

Traditional knives are among the top knife types in terms of collectability, interestingness and historical significance, and they stand out in their own category. Talking about traditional knives is almost a subject that requires expertise in itself.

What are Traditional Knives?

This term primarily refers to knives that are described as "conforming to tradition". According to this definition, Finnish Puukko, Japanese Kiridashi, Alaskan Ulu and the like are a few of the traditional knives.

But generally, when we say "traditional knives," we mean knives produced in America during the period of Western expansion and industrialization, specifically from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. This is the period when mass knife production first began and flooded the Western world with portable cutlery. Although the knife industry has advanced greatly in recent years with technological innovations, these early production knives, namely "traditional knives", still remain popular.

How Do You Recognize a Traditional Knife?

First, by studying the mechanism. The slip link is a mechanism that relies on the spine of the blade to hold the blade open, closed, or sometimes half open (known as a half stop). These types of blades do not lock open or closed, so we do not call them "locked". To close it, simply push the blade into its back. Traditional knives may use different mechanisms, but the most common is the slip joint. Nowadays, more complex locks and mechanisms have become standard. However, slip joint knives are often used as a nod to the traditional style or due to some legal obligation. You can usually tell the mechanism by the design of the blade.

Traditional knives often use old-style hardware and materials. Pins are used instead of screws, spacers instead of spacers, and brass liners instead of steel. The handles are usually made of natural materials such as wood, bone, horn with brass or silver backing. Knives are usually made of simple carbon or stainless steel, although in rare cases Damascus steel may be used. Traditional knives stick to old-school materials and construction because they preserve the old style.