2 questions about knife use and rotation.

[mmarkh]

When at work I put my beater Endura through hell. Cutting rope, gasket material, scraping, etc. Outside of work if not in the woods I don't use my knives a ton. Like someone else said, I can rip open a bag but will cut it since I have my knife. When in the woods hunting and camping my fixed blades get a lot of use. I have a bunch of knives and try to rotate them but use some a lot more than others depending on where I am.

 

[CID25]

I'll use my knife fairly often, between work, home/garden, and heading out to the woods on weekends and such, theres plenty of opportunity.

I tend to carry for a few months at a time between switching out, unless a particular knife is really working for me.

 

[flying hippo]

1. No. I don't use my knife as nearly as I would like. This is the price I pay for living in a safe convenient urban environment with food in the fridge and a temperature controlled home. I'll cut up a pizza box into confetti sized pieces just for the sake of cutting something up but that's about it. I'm always in an office environment at work and the sad brutal truth is usually a pair of scissors is more useful for me.

But I still always have a knife on me in case our building is attacked by Hun killing Mongols and I need to show off my ninja skills.

I'm considered using my high end knives for food prep just so I can use them but my dollar store kitchen knives are working just fine--and have been for years.

2. I don't have a rotation. I only carry one knife, a small folder (CRK Mnandi), more than a match for any horde of invading barbarians. Everything else stays at home unused but at home I fondle my knives a lot. Does anyone else do that? I'm a little worried I might go blind.

 

[tomsch]

1. Since I work in an office the daily tasks are limited to cutting bagles and opening boxes. Weekends see more back yard work and food prep. I do also cut down a lot of cardboard boxes on the weekend. This weekend will be working on my friends front yard including sprinklers and fixing up landscaping. My EDC will see quite a bit of dirty work then.

2. I rotate every few days. I have a new Hinderer in the mail which I'm sure will see weeks of pocket time straight.

 

[powernoodle]

1. Do you use your knife as much as you would like to?

I carry so that when I need it, I have it. So I say yes to this question.


2. How often do you rotate out your current carry knife for a different one?

Sometimes every day. Sometimes 2-3 times a day. Sometimes twice a week. So I'd say it averages out to almost every day. I have about 10 folders from the arsenal lined up in a cabinet, and I grab what suits me for the day. Some days its a big honker like a ZT0300, some days its more minimalist like a Delica. Its a Spyderco 90% of the time. Today its a Gayle Bradley.

 

[CL01]

1. Probably not, but when I'm working, I do use it often.

2. I usually carry 3 knives on me daily.

2a. Small FB (A HAK), which is an EDC, but rarely gets used (More for SD & weapon retention needs).

2b. Modern folder. For work that gets used the most & typically there's no rotation per se, just what I feel like. It's usually among a few knives & depends on what I'm going to do &/or where I'm going. Usually a Salt, higher end folder (Seb, Umnum, or maybe a custom), an Emerson, & maybe another folder are among the ones I choose.

2c. Slip-joint. Most rotated of the bunch. Right now, I have a group that enable me to carry a different on each day of the week (Production & customs). This group don't get used as much as I'd like. I carry a slippie because they're different & if I'm around a group of people (Not co-workers, though), then I'll use the slippie as they tend to be "sheeple" friendly.

Unless it's for work, I don't think most of us use our knives as much as we'd like. Now, of course, if we go camping, then some FBs usually go along & those get used quite a bit.

 

[Output]

Your knife is a tool. I don't use my ink pen all the time but I carry it anyway...and I'm not going to write on the bathroom wall just for the heck of it or because it is in my pocket. The same goes for my knife. I don't go looking for things to cut or use it on, but when I need it I know where it is. I too take my knife out and play with it at times...or just look at it. I never look for things to cut or use it on though.

I rotate when and as needed per my days needs or requirements. If it is a Saturday I am normally carry something that is less hard-use oriented. During the week who knows what I'll be carrying but it is always chosen with my daily tasks in mind.

I hope that helped a little.

 

[mk.ultra]

I figured I'd make one thread instead of two since they are sort of related topics. Just 2 quick questions for those of you with a collection of "user" knives (not safe queens/collectibles).



1. Do you use your knife as much as you would like to?

I find that living in a suburban area, I don't get as many opportunities to use my knives as I would like. I spend more time playing with them while sitting in a chair or car than I do cutting stuff. And usually when I need it, it is to cut open a package or some other boring task. I feel bad for my knives because they don't get to have too much fum. Am I alone on this?




2. How often do you rotate out your current carry knife for a different one?

Every day? Weekly? Monthly? More than once a day? I have 6 user knives, and I usually carry a different one every day. I've been thinking about going monthly with them just to subject them to a wider variety of tasks.

1. Yes, actually. I almost get excited to go to work because I have to open so many boxes and packages for my job I also use my knife to open the few packages I get (I don't buy all that many knives right now), and for food preparation. I don't, however, use knives outdoors nearly as much as I want to...due to certain circumstances I don't really have any friends to go hiking/backpacking with.

2. I rotate through the few folders I have on a daily basis.

 

[dsmegst]

1) Ever since I started to EDC a folder, it's been there when needed and I don't go looking for things to cut w/o reason. So Yes.

2) I tend to stick with what works for me until I find something new. Currently, it's a small Sebenza 21. It was a Sage 1 before that, Bob T. and Native before those. The only time I switch is when circumstances change. Formal occasions or out doors activity may call for something different.

This means 90% of my knives don't get used in any fashion.

 

[somber]

Wow, I'm surprised by a lot of the responses here.

1) I use my knives daily, and extensively. I'm a waiter so I use my fixed blade for a lot of prep work and generally use my folder for everything from getting wax out of candle holders at the end of the night to cleaning tape residue off of surfaces. Definitely no factory edges on these knives anymore... So I would say I use them as much as I would like to.

2) I have about six knives total but I only carry the same two consistently. The other knives I either have around the house should I not have one on me or they're in bags with other gear.

 

[spoonrobot]

1. Do you use your knife as much as you would like to?
2. How often do you rotate out your current carry knife for a different one?

Yup yup. I use mine several times a day just cuttin' stuff, sometimes at work, sometimes around the house. My knife gets so much use after a few months the blade shows very obvious shrinkage from all the sharpening.

I don't. My last EDC I carried for 8 months. Average is about 6 months before I retire the knife completely for something new. I've found the longer I carry a piece the better I get at using it. Which helps at work where speed and precision are important.

 

[Gadgetaholic]

1. Do you use your knife as much as you would like to?
2. How often do you rotate out your current carry knife for a different one?

1. No, I am also living an working in an urban environment and don't have nearly as much of a need to use my EDC gear as much as I'd like. I love playing with gadgets and would welcome more excuses to do so.

2. I never rotate my daily carry - I have put a lot of thought into what I want to have on me and I carry exactly what I want to. Occasionally I make a change when I buy something new that is better than something I have been carrying, but then I stick with that change.

Around a decade ago I purchased a Victorinox Cybertool, after a couple of weeks I decided I didn't like the lint & grit that got into it while in my pocket so I bought a Victorinox belt holster for it. I have been carrying that SAK on my belt pretty much every day since then and after a decade it is still in excellent condition (the pen still writes even). A few months after getting the Cybertool I decided that it was really handy having a useful tool like that on me so I added a Leatherman Wave in a holster on the other hip. I have also been carrying my LM Wave nearly every day since. A year ago I bought a Leatherman K502x and I have been carrying that every day since then.

Most of the time when I need to cut open a box or package I use the small blade on my SAK. Anyone around that isn't into knives and may not like the sight of a big folder would be unlikely to be bothered about a small blade on a SAK. But I do have bigger and better blades available if I should need them. I like being well equipped even if most of the time I don't need much of what I am carrying, I would rather have it available and not need it then need it and not have it available.

 

[Gadgetaholic]

Pretty much the only time I use my knife is to open packages containing more knives.

I think that you'll find around here that is a good use of a knife and would be considered a perfectly valid reason to own the knife.