Recommendation? Beginner Advice?

J

Jake Dawson

Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
22
So i got my first knife two weeks ago and its a kershaw shuffle 2. overall im very happy with my purchase.- however, once i held it for the first time i realized its too small to be an all-purpose tool. then it dawned on me, my beginner understanding of knives led me to believe that EDC also means 'it does everything'.- big mistake.

To be honest, i feel like getting my first knife is like a getaway drug, because a week later i got the SOG Sideswipe for absolutely no reason.
fellow veterans of the forum, am i falling down the rabbithole? there was no reason for me to get a 2nd knife- or actually there was: i needed a bigger knife aimed for hard use.
now im looking at a tactical knife for self-defense, and i feel absolutely no remorse for doing so.
Is this ok? what are your thoughts?
 
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Personally though I'd advise forgetting all the tactical nonsense and knife self defence fantasies, buy a Victorinox Pioneer, use the heck out of it for a year and only then decide if you need bigger or tact-cool stuff. You may well decide that you have no actual need for anything more. Ever.

Don't say I didn't try.... :)
 
Jake Dawson said:
So i got my first knife two weeks ago and its a kershaw shuffle 2. overall im very happy with my purchase.- however, once i held it for the first time i realized its too small to be an all-purpose tool. then it dawned on me, my beginner understanding of knives led me to believe that EDC also means 'it does everything'.- big mistake.

To be honest, i feel like getting my first knife is like a getaway drug, because a week later i got the SOG Sideswipe for absolutely no reason.
fellow veterans of the forum, am i falling down the rabbithole? there was no reason for me to get a 2nd knife- or actually there was: i needed a bigger knife aimed for hard use.
now im looking at a tactical knife for self-defense, and i feel absolutely no remorse for doing so.
Is this ok? what are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

what you really need? Bare minimum?

A 4 blade camp knife. SAK is a good choice.

A KA-BAR or Buck 119.

A Buck 110,

A Stanley type utility knife

A good pairing knife.

Or jump into the rabbit hole. Your choice. It’s a fun hobby.
 
Jake Dawson said:
So i got my first knife
...To be honest, i feel like getting my first knife is like a getaway drug, because a week later i got the SOG Sideswipe for absolutely no reason.
fellow veterans of the forum, am i falling down the rabbithole? ...
Is this ok? what are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
so its finally sunk in?
well that's just great!
you're in deep now :-)
giphy.webp

sad to say, there are no bunnies down
the hole...
there are no problems if you quit thinking ...
giphy.webp
 
pnsxyr said:
If you think it's bad now, just wait until you buy your first Chris Reeve...:p

Welcome to the forums Jake! :D
Click to expand...

Thank you pnsxyr and all the other members!
there is something elegant and charming about knives, i can't explain.
ill take a look at chris reeve if yall don't mind xd
 
Jake,
There are lots of decent knives available at a reasonable price point. You just need to decide what are the primary uses that you will have for a knife: opening letters, whittling, opening animals, camping, cooking etc. I would stay away, at least until you have a perceived need or experience, from the plethora of "tactical knife" offerings. I consider much of that to be just marketing hype. To be good at self defence, you need to train consistently over a period of time. Most people are not willing to do that. Focus on the every day tasks that you envision for your knife. A reliable, well made knife with steel that holds a good edge for a decent length of use and sporting a comfortable non slip handle is a good place to start. Take into account the knife laws in your locale. I would argue that there are some some knives that perform a wide variety of tasks well and which have stood the test of time- the Buck 110/112 foldable, Case Trapper and Swiss Army Knife are three that immediately come to mind. They also have the added benefit of being relatively unobtrusive. Have fun looking around and handle a number of different sizes and types of knives from folders to fixed blades- that is a pleasurable part of the experience. There are many members of this forum who are more than happy to share their opinions, but just remember, that they are all just opinions. You need to define what your need and monetary pain theshold is.

Foxdoublegunner
 
The knife hobby can be an expensive one but it is also a very entertaining one.

i would have 3 advices for beginner:
1) don’t do watches AND knives
2) don’t by one knives to prevent or to replace another knives that is more expensive, you will end buying both... take your time, save money and buy the real thing
3) use your knives, safe queens will always end leaving your collection at some point
 
If you want to step up to a knife that is lightweight with a great feel and very high end steel take a look at the Spyderco Manix 2. I edc a Gayle Bradley which is a good knife for jobs around the house, yard, and shop. Neither is crazy expensive, just good every day knives, IMHO. Here are a couple of videos, you will like the guy's accent!


 
Check out Ontario’s Rat I and II, the I being the larger version.
Neither are tactical self defense blah blah, but they are a big step up in quality at an affordable price.
 
Well, you have made a good start satisfying your knife impulses. Get these knives and step back and use them. Basically you need to develop essentially a preference for the size and type of knife you prefer. Myself, I bought a lot of knives in the beginning and you will get support here for your new affliction. Keep in mind your financial resources and try to develop a sense of what works for you. I have purchased tactical knives and they sit in the boxes gathering dust.... If you depend on a knife for self defense and have to use it, you will likely be in a world of financial hurt and probably spend time behind bars until things are sorted out. As others have mentioned, buy a handgun for self defense and it really WILL work for self defense even if you aren't the greatest shot. There is also the likely chance that what ever mofo you are defending yourself against with a knife just happens to know what the hell he's doing and you don't just get cut; you die.
 
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Learn how you'll use your knives. Develop preferences.

Learn about knives... there's a LOT! Some of the most enjoyable time I spend is leading about knives.

Your preferences and tastes will evolve as you learn. Hopefully you don't break the bank in the process!

Welcome and enjoy!
 
Sonnydaze said:
forget defensive weapon...buy a handgun.
A good knife to do most anything would be a basic Spyderco PM2...available from anywhere and many configs and price variations...starting at about 100 dollars. Get one in S30V, and don't look back for a year...
good luck.
Click to expand...
The PM2 is one of the best all around edc users on the market. But it must have been a while since Sonnydaze bought his last one. Price for the base model PM2 now is about 150.00 after a couple rounds of map pricing increasing.
 
I agree with the others here. Any folding knife is not an optimal defensive tool. But if you want a general purpose folder for house chores, EDC, or other tough work that you don’t want to subject your more expensive knives to, I suggest the Recon 1. Doesn’t shrink from any task and cuts extremely well out of the box. Happy hunting, partner.
 
There is a lot to like about the PM2...but that doesn't mean everybody likes it. I bought, and sold, three before I figured out how to make it work for me.
Most of us have developed preferences, some of us carry more than one knife for various reasons. What I would recommend is that you pause your buying for a period, and live with the knives you have. See if you actually use a knife, and for what. Learn to sharpen.
I started carrying a knife when I was 8 - it was a different world then. 45 yrs later, I carry more out of habit than need. I don't look for reasons to use a knife; and may go a week or more without using one...but I would rather carry a knife every day than find myself needing one & not have it. I prefer fixed blades over folders; but can't always carry one.
 
Welcome to bladeforums. Prepare to open your mind and empty your wallet!


PM2 and Manix 2 are great all around knives.
 
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