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
This thread is starting to give me the vapors...

faint-black-and-white.gif
 
I hate to admit it but an inexpensive Buck or camillus slip joint does most of my cutting tasks at work (opening up boxes of parts, cutting tire patches, occasionally cutting hoses, gaskets, etc). If I need more knife than that, there’s a fixed blade floating around my toolbox.

I still love and do usually carry a ZT or Benchmade, but realistically if I sold all of my open handed “latest and greatest” folders I could get by with a SAK or a buck 110. I’m not marching off to war or hacking down trees in the Amazon.
 
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?
Click to expand...
I think it's a great observation but it is an observation made in the wrong place. I love overbuilt knives and they have absolutely no advantage in daily life (Of course, there are people who use it and need it, please do not talk about black swans for every small example, you are not Popper). I think collecting is an irrational thing. Most of us have a knife that will last several lifetimes.There are people here who carry a new knife every day and will not return to the beginning of the cycle after a year. I think what should be surprising is that people are still looking for justification here. In my opinion, there is no job that Spyderco PM2 or Cold Steel Prolite, for example, cannot handle on a typical day. If you want to be more stylish and of high quality, you can spend your life with a Sebenza. That's why the knife is a kind of accessory here, and as with every accessory, variety is demanded.
 
King of the Cheese said:
People that aren’t hobbyists will gravitate to what is practical.. typically. I carried a Spyderco dragonfly in the army.. later in career had a delica combo edge. There were a total of zero occasions I required anything tougher. Interestingly, it is the people that have a tactical-oriented hobby/personality that have never been in the military that will be the first to tell everyone what knife Navy SEALs need to carry, or what knife would be best in a war, etc. Fantasy vs. reality.
Click to expand...
I carried a Victorinox Tinker in my Army days. It was a nice compliment to the bayonet.

DocJD said:
Things on my SUV that aren't really "needed" most times : seat belts / airbags , brakes , turbo , all-wheel drive , tools and emergency gear , etc .
Click to expand...
I'm calling BS on that one! (bolded)

Kettleman said:
You do understand you are on forum for knife enthusiasts, Right?
Click to expand...
Yes, no need to get all uppity.


stevejams said:
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
Click to expand...
For the purpose of this discussion a Bugout, L'il Native or Skyline are heavy duty knives. I compared them to typical SAKs and traditionals.

abraves said:
Cutting wise I could probably get by with a slip joint but I’m hard on my knives and often use them for stuff not intended for. As a construction superintendent I’m always digging, prodding and prying into drywall or whatever. I will and have cut myself bad when a slip joint closed on me. Like others have said I carry what I want. Are they overbuilt? Yes just like a lot of other stuff we use.
Click to expand...
Seems like you could use a SAK, and do the poking and prying with something other than the knife blade. ;-) Maybe along the line of a Trekker, with the heavy duty locking screwdriver?

whereismyknife said:
I think it's a great observation but it is an observation made in the wrong place. I love overbuilt knives and they have absolutely no advantage in daily life (Of course, there are people who use it and need it, please do not talk about black swans for every small example, you are not Popper). I think collecting is an irrational thing. Most of us have a knife that will last several lifetimes.There are people here who carry a new knife every day and will not return to the beginning of the cycle after a year. I think what should be surprising is that people are still looking for justification here. In my opinion, there is no job that Spyderco PM2 or Cold Steel Prolite, for example, cannot handle on a typical day. If you want to be more stylish and of high quality, you can spend your life with a Sebenza. That's why the knife is a kind of accessory here, and as with every accessory, variety is demanded.
Click to expand...
I would consider those knives (bolded) to be heavy duty knives. Comparison knives were traditional slipjoints and SAKs.
 
Blues said:
I had the pleasure of seeing that marker in person when visiting Tombstone years ago.
Click to expand...

So did I in '74 when I was just a kid! That little rhyme has just stuck with me since then. Still have the original photo I took with one of those 110 film cartridge cameras somewhere...
 
Smaug said:
I would consider those knives (bolded) to be heavy duty knives. Comparison knives were traditional slipjoints and SAKs.
Click to expand...
Maybe you shouldn't. PM2 or prolite (These are just examples. I chose these because they are popular and serve every need) is lighter and easier to carry than most slip joints and SAKs you can buy today. Therefore, today these knives are in the same position as what slip joint meant in the past. In the past, people did not carry slip joints because slip joints were enough for them imo. They carried it because it was the most accessible and cheap option. You can buy a prolite very cheaply today. It is light, thin and has a solid locking mechanism. There is no reason why you should choose a slip joint (except for those related to the law or maybe you just love it). In addition, today there are very strong pocket knives that are classified as heavy duty. Therefore, prolite or pm2 Or similar knives must be classified as light duty. So my answer is this: No, I don't need all these knives and all these heavy-duty knives, but damn, I love them all. It makes me incredibly happy to have a folding monster in my pocket that I think will knock down a tree. Believe me, most of the time I take this type of knife with me, I don't even take it out of my pocket. I also carry a small alternative that will not disturb people.
 
Blues said:
This thread is starting to give me the vapors...

faint-black-and-white.gif
Click to expand...
I'm getting verklempt.


giphy.gif


I was concerned at first carrying my new Seamus Nor'Easter which is a double detent flipper, as in no lock. The second detent holds it open similar to a slipjoint, except with a flipper and bearing pivot. Quite fun.. And honestly, most cutting tasks I don't don't require a stupid secure lock.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top