Are we carrying tougher knives than are needed?

Are you carrying more knife than needed?

  • Yep. I admit it and I'm fine with it. It gives me pleasure.

    Votes: 115 65.0%

  • Yeah, now that you mention it...

    Votes: 19 10.7%

  • No, I use all the capability I carry

    Votes: 35 19.8%

  • Other

    Votes: 8 4.5%
  • Total voters
    177
I had a Buck 303 in my pocket the day I graduated High School. I had a Buck 303 in my pocket my 1st day on the job carrying my journymens crap. I had a Buck 301 in my pocket when I took the Journeymen’s exam. I had a Buck 301 in my pocket for the Masters Exam. I had Buck 303 in my pocket when I left the field and took the desk.

I have a CRK Inkosi in my pocket today. I’ve used it twice this morning to cut out bad two bad / leaking sections of hot water hose and to cut loose and pull a bad and twisted belt from a compressor head. The 301 would have done both of these but with a struggle.

The answer to your question is No.


You do understand you are on forum for knife enthusiasts, Right?
 
Skywalker31 said:
Answered "no."

I actually tried this out for myself this spring when I was putting the backyard garden in and replacing the gravel around the firepit with a little paver patio. I pulled out a sodbuster and figured I'd use that until either I had the yard/garden all ready or couldn't take it anymore.

Long story short I went back to a modern folder before too long. Pocket clip and one hand opening are too useful, especially with gloves, or dirty hands. Most of my Spydercos do cut better, longer. I can really drag locking knives through cuts where there's a lot of material binding around the blade without having to worry about closing or applying force only in a certain direction to keep it open. My modern folders can be safely closed one-handed with no sudden *snap* or blade rap.


IMO, modern folders with clips, locks, and one-hand open/close are real, valuable improvements in design over traditional slipjoints. Can they get overbuilt, yeah, but that's a separate question, and I don't usually carry knives I perceive as such because I don't like how they cut. (It also doesn't mean I won't carry slipjoints - they just get carried with something else. And sometimes I do carry something overbuilt, and then the slipjoint's the better cutter again.)

Now, looking through the knife drawer and realizing I have six Delicas - that's where the hobby comes in, and I won't deny it.


The garden pair this year - tried to make the Sodbuster work but an opening hole and pocket clip are just a huge upgrade. 2.5mm blade stock Delica cuts great too.

z8VzZKY.jpg
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So, I agree with everything you've said here, but really wanted to reply (beyond the simple "Like") to add that that Maserin is a beautiful knife. I have several of the GEC Sodbusters, but I'm thinking it might be time to bring an Italian to the party.

Signed,

A fellow Delica fan
 
Centermass said:
I’ll take “Another question on an enthusiast forum which really shouldn’t need explanation” for a thousand, Alex.
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Kettleman said:
You do understand you are on forum for knife enthusiasts, Right?
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I think he gets it...all you have to do is look at the following quote from the OP. Nobody's gonna steal anyone's lunch money.

I find myself going through these phases where I carry a tactical folder for awhile. I use it rarely, and realize a simple SAK would do me fine and be less conspicuous and take up less room on my clothes. Then, I carry a SAK for months or years. Then get the itch for a tactical folder again. Makes me realize that (for me at least) it is a hobby first and foremost, one that occasionally has another use.
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If we were to close down every thread that was either inane or "asked a question that didn't need to be asked", we'd be shutting 'em down all day long.

And yet when we do, people are "why'd you shut that down, I wanted to make another off-topic joke or remark?"

Be careful what you wish for.
 
I used to like carrying 'hard use' knives. It's fun to think about all the nonsense theyll let you get away with. After a while I kind of came to the sobering realization that unless I'm in the woods my knife needs in adulthood are pretty boring. Also, that the cutting geometry of many of my favored blades was lacking and making my most common chores more difficult than they needed to be.

Lately, I've been carrying around more traditional slipjoints and blades in simple carbon steels with thin geometry. The very knives that got me started as a child that I used to find so boring and mundane have ended up being the most fun and gratifying to use. To me, theres just something hard to describe about the feeling of something so understated being what makes your daily chores more fun.

I'm glad we have so many knife options for everyone to find their ideal knife though. I think part of the whole knife enthusiast experience can be seeing your tastes change over the years until you come back full circle, if you do it long enough.

All that to say, I think its good medicine to carry what makes you happy, and I think it's good to challenge your tastes. If we only carried what knives we needed our entire lives, we'd lose many opportunities to appreciate what that really means at a deeper level.
 
Ever seen 127 Hours? Imagine having to cut your own arm off with a SAK Classic. :oops:
Granted the chances of anything like that are very small, but I'll happily carry more knife than I "need".
 
Smaug said:
I was just perusing the EDC thread and came across this daily carry pic. Back in the day, my dad and granddad would carry either a traditional slipjoint or a SAK and that would address all of their needs. I was thinking that old Buck slipjoint would do most of what I need, and whatever's missing would be done by the SAK.

We now carry a heavy-duty locking folder + fixed or + SAK or multi-tool. The companies selling these to us advertise them as being capable of heavy-duty cutting all day long. Who among us are really doing that? (and it doesn't include LOOKING for things to cut, just to use our knives!)

I find myself going through these phases where I carry a tactical folder for awhile. I use it rarely, and realize a simple SAK would do me fine and be less conspicuous and take up less room on my clothes. Then, I carry a SAK for months or years. Then get the itch for a tactical folder again. Makes me realize that (for me at least) it is a hobby first and foremost, one that occasionally has another use.

Am I surrounded here with warehouse workers, farm workers and guys who spend all day in the woods?
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My Dad and grandfather also carried only a slip joint knife out on the farm and ranch Usually a stockman but they also had other fixed blade knives they used for various purposes that required more blade. So their slip joints didn’t cover everything they needed. I’m guessing yours did too and maybe it wasn’t as often or as noticeable. Around the farm and ranch there’s some things that an ordinary slippy isn’t enough tool for the job.
 
Yes, in the sense that I don’t NEED a 20CV flipper on bearings, especially one that is .160”+
BUT, for some jobs I’ve had in the past (warehouse/factory stuff), a knife that can be opened and closed quickly with one hand is a major advantage when you are running around like a maniac.

So, more than enough knife? Yes,
More than enough convenience? No, just right
 
I usually make it a point to carry one “light duty” knife (bugout, lil native, skyline) and one “heavy duty” knife (socom, adamas, AD-15). In most cases I will reach for the light duty, but there are definitely many cases where the only option is a heavy duty (as a new homeowner, I find myself doing random hacking/prying). So personally, yes the light duty serves 90% of purposes, but when you need some extra oomph without worrying about damaging the blade, I appreciate the heavy duty blades. Also, I’m not really a fixed blade guy so it’s nice to have a foldable hammer in the pocket
 
irsh said:
Ever seen 127 Hours? Imagine having to cut your own arm off with a SAK Classic. :oops:
Granted the chances of anything like that are very small, but I'll happily carry more knife than I "need".
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Yeah, and he would’ve been better off telling someone where he was going so he didn’t have to cut off his arm. But cutting off your arm works too I guess.
 
I’ll give a for instance for my response. My dad and grandpa kept a big machete on the back of the tractor and some other farm equipment for when the vines and weeds got built up on the implements they used that machete to cut the weeds and vines off and the occasional rattle snake that would get hung up in the weed debris. On the combine they also kept a shovel. They also had corn knives or hawk bill knives in the tractor and truck tool boxes for various tough materials like conveyor belt and matting. I think they stashed knives around in different places like I do.
 
Quiet said:
So, I agree with everything you've said here, but really wanted to reply (beyond the simple "Like") to add that that Maserin is a beautiful knife. I have several of the GEC Sodbusters, but I'm thinking it might be time to bring an Italian to the party.

Signed,

A fellow Delica fan
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It doesn't have GEC's polish, but the price reflects that. Makes a great user sodbuster and an interesting alternative to the usual delrin Case. 👍
 
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