Before I knew about knives

[dogstar]

Before I knew anything about 440C, D2, S30V, Spydercos, Kershaws, Douk-douks and Sebenzas, there was a Victorinox Tinker in my drawer. If that was the only knife I ever had, I think I would have been well equipped for most of life's challenges.

Now I have more knives, and they are fun. If I had to choose blades to take camping or working, I still bring the Tinker and some other knife. It's just too good. Sometimes the journey takes you back to the start.

[jackknife]

Before I knew anything about 440C, D2, S30V, Spydercos, Kershaws, Douk-douks and Sebenzas, there was a Victorinox Tinker in my drawer. If that was the only knife I ever had, I think I would have been well equipped for most of life's challenges.

Now I have more knives, and they are fun. If I had to choose blades to take camping or working, I still bring the Tinker and some other knife. It's just too good. Sometimes the journey takes you back to the start.

I know of what you speak. I have had a recent epiphany in this area, and found myself questioning some of my thoughts.

Carl.

[Daddyo16]

Before I knew anything about 440C, D2, S30V, Spydercos, Kershaws, Douk-douks and Sebenzas, there was a Victorinox Tinker in my drawer. If that was the only knife I ever had, I think I would have been well equipped for most of life's challenges.

Now I have more knives, and they are fun. If I had to choose blades to take camping or working, I still bring the Tinker and some other knife. It's just too good. Sometimes the journey takes you back to the start.

I agree. Not long ago I bought an Alox Cadet, and while it is very cool and I carry it, it doesn't see nearly as much pocket time as my Tinker. It's just about the perfect SAK.

[medicevans]

That's a really great sentiment. My dad doesn't "know anything about knives" but he's used the same pre-2004 Schrade since I've been a kid. It may be a "cheap" knife by bladeforums standards, but he farms and I'll bet his cheap knife has seen more real work than a lot of these expensive "better" knives have.

[medicevans]

Ps, I have a Super Tinker and absolutely love it! I have currently misplaced it, otherwise I'd be carrying it right now.

[mnblade]

Before I knew anything about 440C, D2, S30V, Spydercos, Kershaws, Douk-douks and Sebenzas, there was a Victorinox Tinker in my drawer. If that was the only knife I ever had, I think I would have been well equipped for most of life's challenges.

No doubt about it!

[silenthunterstudios]

I don't have a Tinker, but I do put my alox Pioneer and Farmer through a lot of work.

[manowar669]

That's a really great sentiment. My dad doesn't "know anything about knives" but he's used the same pre-2004 Schrade since I've been a kid. It may be a "cheap" knife by bladeforums standards, but he farms and I'll bet his cheap knife has seen more real work than a lot of these expensive "better" knives have.

That's probably true. I feel as though I've "gone around the world" with knives. What's in my pocket right now? A Vic soldier, and a Rambler on the keychain. Less than $50 worth of knives, and I could probably live my life comfortably with that, maybe just one of them. I have a Vic Compact that gets pocket time too. I got the Compact for $2 on ebay, and the Rambler for $3, shipped. My knife needs, and more, have been met with just $5 worth of knives. Considering the vast amount of time and money in knives that have come and gone, high end and low end, it seems insane.

[jackknife]

That's probably true. I feel as though I've "gone around the world" with knives. What's in my pocket right now? A Vic soldier, and a Rambler on the keychain. Less than $50 worth of knives, and I could probably live my life comfortably with that, maybe just one of them. I have a Vic Compact that gets pocket time too. I got the Compact for $2 on ebay, and the Rambler for $3, shipped. My knife needs, and more, have been met with just $5 worth of knives. Considering the vast amount of time and money in knives that have come and gone, high end and low end, it seems insane.

I know what you mean. I've had high end customs, even some Randal's, and never really used them that much. But I just spent a week in Key West with nothing but a Vic recruit in my pocket, and it served admirably. Cut plastic tags off some souvenir t-shirts, opened plastic mustard packs for sandwiches, cut fishing line, trimmed off cigar ends, and did general pocket knife duty. It was all that was needed, and I actually could have go by with less. I think as knife knits, we tend to vastly overdo what we think we need.

Sometimes looking back on a life of knife accumulation, it's like I was in the grip of some kind of temporary insanity. Now I carry some basic pocket knives, but nothing fancy, anymore. A bantam and a Case peanut seem to do most of what I need to do.

Carl.

[sqchram]

Its funny. I have 4 or so, some are hiding, saks. Biggest was a camping, which is...somewhere.

I got into flashlights maybe two years ago, and noticed some real nice knives on the 'post your edc' threads. I've recently gotten into knives. Bought a nice lockblade and am hoping to acquire a few more. But now i've come full circle and when researching multitools sought out a sak that had every implement i would want without ones i didnt. Vic cybertool 41 is on its way along with some dmt diamond stones and a fiskars hatchet.

[Harayasu]

When I got into knives, I bought a lot of them - from traditional to tactical knives - and tried to use them, but I kept returning to the few that were comfortable to use and carry.

I just returned from a 3 week camping trip in Sweden en Norway and I rarely needed more than the Farmer in my pocket. I still love knives, but do not feel the need to buy all of them anymore.

[Ed G]

" … I still love knives, but do not feel the need to buy all of them anymore."

I am starting to feel inklings of the same thing myself. I am realizing that I do not NEED that next/new knife just because I really want it (for whatever combination of subliminal motives … ) …

~ Edge

[jackknife]

When I got into knives, I bought a lot of them - from traditional to tactical knives - and tried to use them, but I kept returning to the few that were comfortable to use and carry.

I just returned from a 3 week camping trip in Sweden en Norway and I rarely needed more than the Farmer in my pocket. I still love knives, but do not feel the need to buy all of them anymore.

It's a strange feeling to get to that point. I got there some years ago, and stopped buying knives. I got to the point where I could stop and admire a knife, but felt no need to buy it because it wouldn't do anything my edc pocket knife didn't do. I ended up giving away most of my knife collection to family and friends. Now I only keep a few old favorites on hand to rotate in carry. Just having spent several days in Key West on vacation kayaking, fishing, and knocking abut, a Victorinox recruit was all I needed. Another lightbulb moment.

Carl.

[rankor]

My first SAK was a Tinker. I bought it at retail price at my college store some 21 years ago ($26). I've always had it on my person until recently when I lost it .

I've since purchased a Small Tinker which is now one of my EDCs aside from my SAK Compact. I may go up the chain and get the Super Tinker w/scissors and hook. That pair of scissors comes in pretty handy.

[Steely_Gunz]

There is a bit of Zen to "coming full circle". I started out with a simple Victorinox knockoff as a kid, I moved on to flea market junk, I got educated and started checking out better brands, I got involved with the fine folks on the board when I was in college, I've been absolutely privileged have input on some of the makers designs (just like everyone else posting).

I have amassed quite a few very nice knives over the years. Some of expensive pieces of super steel. Some are hand turned customs made by men whom I am proud to call friends. Some come from Colorado, some from Japan, some from the dirt floor of a shop in Nepal. I appreciate them all. Most have a good story behind them. Some are simply priceless to me.

At the end of the day, I get along just fine with a SAK in my pocket or multi-tool on my belt. I have no doubt that I could easily live out the rest of my days sporting just a simple rugged tool. For my day to day, I have rarely found myself in need of the "right knife for the job", but I have often been lucky enough to have the right tool.

[Carloxicus]

Man, I'm lovin this thread.

Question for you guys though, would you rather have the Recruit or the Bantam?

[jackknife]

That's a tough call for me. I love the bantam, but I also love the recruit. I' ve carried both, and used both extensively. The bantam rides just a tiny tad better in dress pants, but it's a small margin. The recruit give me a spare knife blade, and I like that from my background of loving traditional pocket knives like stickmen and jacks.

Since I don't live my life in dress pants, the recruit gets a slight nod over the bantam for the extra knife blade and thicker tools. I just had a vacation in Key West with only a recruit for a pocket knife, and it worked out just fine.

Carl.

[Carloxicus]

That's a tough call for me. I love the bantam, but I also love the recruit. I' ve carried both, and used both extensively. The bantam rides just a tiny tad better in dress pants, but it's a small margin. The recruit give me a spare knife blade, and I like that from my background of loving traditional pocket knives like stickmen and jacks.

Since I don't live my life in dress pants, the recruit gets a slight nod over the bantam for the extra knife blade and thicker tools. I just had a vacation in Key West with only a recruit for a pocket knife, and it worked out just fine.

Carl.

Thanks for the speedy reply.

I love the small blade on SAK's even though most people think it's superfluous. I just really admire the control that it gives the user of the knife. That said, I also love the combo tool. In my experience, it makes a better can opener than the traditional one.

I'm about to buy either a Bantam or a Recruit (nylon of course because of its rugged toughness), and that is my dilemma. Haha.

[Steely_Gunz]

I got along very well with a Bantam until I lost it. I moved on to a Waiter as I have been burned more than once at a party where there is no corkscrew to be found. I never go to a social engagement without a corkscrew now

[James Y]

For nearly 10 years, until around 1997, I carred an old-style Spartan (with harder plastic handles and no tweezers/toothpick). I had bought it for my dad for Xmas in 1981, but he gave it to me when I moved to live in Taiwan for several years. During that time, it was my only knife. I didn't baby it, and I really didn't take very good care of it, either. It got a lot of gunk in it due to the high humidity and sometimes dirty environments I used it in. The only maintenance I did was occasionally oiling the pivot areas, and wiping off the large knife blade if I cut fruit or some other edibles with it.

I also carried it after I returned to the States. I finally got around to cleaning it up, and even the walk and talk was restored to some of the blades that I thought had permanently lost it! Other than the usual wear/tear, scratches, a slight crack on one handle scale, it operates almost like new to this day, although I've retired it in favor of other models.

Jim