Anybody Carry a Traditional On the Beach?

Trout Hound

Trout Hound

Joined
Sep 28, 2014
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693
Howdy Y'all,

Well, the family beach trip is coming up in a few weeks, and in my constant quest to find an excuse to buy…err…have a knife for every occasion, I'm pondering on knives.

I'm the type of guy to have a knife on me at all times, even if I'm in swim trunks and flip flops. Up until now, I've carried a modern that I picked up at the Wally World for 13 bucks. I swim in the ocean with it, play in the sand with the niece, all that stuff. When I get back to the house, I wash it off and hose it down liberally with WD-40. If I lose it, or it rusts away to nothing, it's no big deal.

Anyway, I would prefer a (cheap) traditional, so help me brainstorm. Here are my conditions:
  • Under $20, since this knife will very likely end up in a thread titled "Trout Hound's Butt Over Teakettle Giveaway - Restricted to Those Who Can Breathe Underwater." $15 would be even better.
  • Stainless, obviously.
  • Not too small, since I may need to use it with wet hands. Maybe a single blade for simplicity's sake, and easy cleaning.
  • Something that pinches open would be cool. Even better if I can grab the blade and drop it open one-handed. (I know beggars can't be choosers, though.)
  • Something with a bail or lanyard hole would help with retention.
  • Not too heavy. I can't have it dragging down my drawers in the surf. We don't want to traumatize any young children.
Here are the options I've thought of so far:
  • Alox SAK
  • Chinese Buck
  • Rough Rider
  • Current manufacture Schrade
What else? (Doesn't have to meet all the qualifications I've listed. I'm flexible.)

Thanks!!!
 
Rough Rider marlin spike. Big sheepsfoot blade pinches open, the lanyard can hook to the shackle, and near water, you can always find a use for the spike.
 
Trout Hound said:
Alox SAK
Click to expand...

I was at the North Litchfield, SC beach last week (very exclusive :)), and had a Victorinox Classic Alox in the "Orchid" color clipped to my neck lanyard along with my keys. I don't think you need much more at the beach to open a bag of Fritos or whatnot. The lanyard around the neck gave me confidence that my keys and alox Classic didn't get lost.

I would post a link, but all of them run afoul of no deal spotting. But googling Classic Alox Orchid will do the trick.
 
Linerlock Chinese shade gunstock trapper. Single blade Turkish clip. Not exactly what you want, but it would work.
 
I haven't been to a beach in nearly 20 years. My swim trunks have pockets. If I were to carry a pocket knife on the beach, it would be a regular red plastic SAK that had a bottle opener. Because if I am at the beach, I am on vacation and a beer might need to be opened.
 
jc57 said:
I haven't been to a beach in nearly 20 years. My swim trunks have pockets. If I were to carry a pocket knife on the beach, it would be a regular red plastic SAK that had a bottle opener. Because if I am at the beach, I am on vacation and a beer might need to be opened.
Click to expand...

Being as I live in San Diego, it is obvious that the first sentence does not apply to me.

But the rest does.
(Except I don't need to be on vacation in order to need a bottle opener. :cool:)
 
knarfeng said:
Being as I live in San Diego, it is obvious that the first sentence does not apply to me.

But the rest does.
(Except I don't need to be on vacation in order to need a bottle opener. :cool:)
Click to expand...
Last time I was on a beach it was, in fact, in San Diego. Coronado Island, to be specific. That was the last really good vacation we had, in December 2001.
 
vic recruit or sodbuster were in the front pocket of my cooler at the beach 2 weeks ago. inexpensive, stainless, and work perfectly for those kind of tasks
 
I know it doesn't meet all of your desired specifications, but I'm a Socal guy, and when I go to the beach take my around $10 Rough Rider stockman that has a bottle opener on it. It may be a medium but it's fairly large, easy to grab, and can probably pinch open the main blade, though that may be hard with wet hands. Have fun with your family!
 
How about an Opinel #8 Trekking in 12c27 stainless?

3.25 inch
$15
Pinchable
Has lanyard hole

Obviously the wood handles won't last forever in the water though, but great for the sand.
 
The knife you want is a Geo. Schrade Wire Jack.
Easily cleaned, smallish edge, cap lifter, and you don't have to worry about sand getting into places that it is hard to get out of.
10-10-2012scoutwirejackguardremoved001.jpg images (1).jpg images.jpg
Don't worry, it does open fully, lol.
 
I would probably take a basic red SAK. I like the Vic Spartan (they run about $18).

I like NJBillK NJBillK 's suggestion, too. That knife looks like it belongs on the beach.
 
powernoodle said:
I was at the North Litchfield, SC beach last week (very exclusive :)), and had a Victorinox Classic Alox in the "Orchid" color clipped to my neck lanyard along with my keys. I don't think you need much more at the beach to open a bag of Fritos or whatnot. The lanyard around the neck gave me confidence that my keys and alox Classic didn't get lost.

I would post a link, but all of them run afoul of no deal spotting. But googling Classic Alox Orchid will do the trick.
Click to expand...

Last few times I went to the beach I spent the majority of the time whittling a piece of driftwood while my daughter played. I carry an old tinker with the main blade modified into a clip point and the pen blade modded to a wharncliffe, it's not the prettiest thing but it gets the job done.
 
Henry Beige said:
Rough Rider marlin spike. Big sheepsfoot blade pinches open, the lanyard can hook to the shackle, and near water, you can always find a use for the spike.
Click to expand...
I like this suggestion a lot! :thumbsup: The only drawback is it doesn't really meet your lightweight criterion; it's a big, solid knife with some definite heft to it.
91gFH7t.jpg


Turk88 said:
vic recruit or sodbuster were in the front pocket of my cooler at the beach 2 weeks ago. inexpensive, stainless, and work perfectly for those kind of tasks
Click to expand...
I like the Vic Recruit suggestion, too! :thumbsup: This one IS light weight, has the little keyring attachment that you can connect a lanyard to, several useful tools, pretty easy to clean; don't know how paintable the main blade is though.
s7VF15i.jpg

8V50Kpl.jpg


H. Chinaski said:
How about an Opinel #8 Trekking in 12c27 stainless?

3.25 inch
$15
Pinchable
Has lanyard hole

Obviously the wood handles won't last forever in the water though, but great for the sand.
Click to expand...
This is an unqualified sensational suggestion in my book! :thumbsup::cool::thumbsup:
But it raises a question I'd never thought about before: will an Opinel float in water??? :confused:

- GT
 
Hey, here's a question: am I right that salt water and brass hardware won't play well together? I'm thinking a knife could end up looking like the Statue of Liberty before long.
 
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