Can a knife be out of date?
Can a knife be out of date?
Not if you start your own trend!
I just received a package from Shieldon Knives containing three very well-made folders for my review.
To be clear, Shieldon reached out to me and asked if I’d like to review anything from the linked catalogue. I selected a few of the most "tactical,” but they sent me 3 of the most versatile EDC knives: the Bulbasaur, Empolean, and the Kite.
Each one an excellent choice, and each one “dated” in their own way.
First, the Bulbasur (great name), a modern Shilin Cutter knife, has a great profile and grind, but with its zombie green and black contoured G10 handles, fancy pivot treatment, and shiny steel liners, it seems like a knife from 2008, aesthetically.
Then the Empolean, with its inoffensive drop point EDC blade profile and totally neutral handle, seems like it’s from the height of the minimalist EDC era of 2017, and their recent Kite, which features a front flipper and outstanding bar lock, seems to be chasing after the current (2024) EDC trends.
But the Kite will also seem dated in years to come. Why?
I think that’s what happens when companies chase after trends instead of seeking to set them.
With production schedules and setup time, it could take a large manufacturer too much vital time to get a “trend knife” to market. By the time the knife hits the market, the dominant trend has changed.
So, yes, a knife design can look quite dated, but in this knife junkie’s opinion, only when your design choices are superficial and you chase trends to please the market.
Am I dishing on Shieldon?
No, they make excellent knives, and I am especially fond of their OEM work.
But for in-house design teams that are just trying to keep up with the trends, start your own instead, and you’ll see upstarts trying to follow in your innovative footsteps.
Knife Junkie Out!
Be sure to support The Knife Junkie and get in on the perks of being a Patron, including early access to the podcast and exclusive bonus content.
Shayne Gables, Edgy American Blades: The Knife Junkie Podcast (Episode 532)
Shayne Gables, Edgy American Blades on YouTube and Instagram, joins Bob "The Knife Junkie" DeMarco on Episode 532 of The Knife Junkie Podcast (https://theknifejunkie.com/532).
Shayne reviews and discusses knives and the knife community on his YouTube channel. He is often upsetting the applecart, speaking truths that ruffle the feathers of his fellow knife world analysts. He can frequently be found in YouTube jail.
Shayne has taken his love of well-considered and well-made knives and bent it towards his own knife-making outfit—Edgy American Blades.
Find Shayne and Edgy American Blades on YouTube and on Instagram.
