Being a one knife guy

I carry a different knife most everyday. Everything I own gets carried. Who gets in the pocket for the day depends on what I'm planning on doing that day. At work I carry a smaller knife like a peanut because I work in an office. Weekends the larger knives come out to play like the trapper or copperlock. That is the great thing about owning several knives. You get to pick the one that probably meets your need for the day. Years ago I carried a small stockman everyday. Can't say I really ever NEEDED a different knife. However certain designs do work better for certain jobs.
 
I'm pretty sure like some other guys I have ADDS so no matter how good a knife is I'll want another! The good thing is since this last purchase of another GEC I have a lot of contentment going on so we'll have to see how long it last!
 
I agree with alot of the comments in this topic. I find that I have more of a "knife system" instead of the "one-knife" idea going. My system that seems to work for me best is my combination of the following. A stockman pattern for most daily chores in my front right pocket. A SAK in my front left pocket for the tools(corkscrew, screwdriver,etc.) that aren't on my stockman but are handy to have available. Lastly, I still always carry a large (4" plus) modern locking folder, usually a Cold Steel, clipped in my right rear pocket next to my wallet. The large folder is from my days as a street cop when having a reliable one hand opener is good for emergencies or self-defense. Just my 2 cents.
Paul
 
must say i also tried the one knife thing but it just did not work out too well. ever since i started carrying my vic alox soldier i could not do with out it. now, i simply carry my soldier and a case 3318 medium stockman and manage to stow both knives comfortably in the watch pocket of my jeans. have found that i prefer using the stockman for nearly all cutting chores over the blade on the soldier.

back in my day as a street cop, a small, inexpensive pocket knife served me well as i would never dream of using a knife for self defense purposes.

interestingly, before we graduated from the academy, we were issued a dime--no kidding, a revolver and a rosewood night stick. we were told that if we needed help to use the dime. if using the stick just aggravated the person and you could not find a phone, then just cancel the guy's ticket right then and there.
 
What I am carrying usually depends on what I am doing. But nearly always have a low riding Buck 179 clipped in a back pocket, irregardless of what else I may be carrying. Its sorta like it isn't there.

A Buck 110 in a horizontal belt sheath for hunting season. Maybe a western muskrat slippie for other times (which is a stainless copy of a Schrade 77 improved muskrat). Love those two identical blades.

Can't be just one.
 
I am definetly not a one knife guy. My work requires me to use my knife on gross nasty germy stuff, harsh chemicals as well as stuff that needs really a sharp edge. I find my knives separated between work and play knives, just because of cleanliness. I don't want to slice an apple with a blade that I cut the hair out of a drain with. Yuck!! On the other hand, I dont like to baby my knives so I will interchange them for a month or two making my work knives into weekend knives after a good disinfecting!
I try to keep my collection to a minimum but my definition of minimum keeps growing.
 
I EDC'd only a Vic Bantam for several years, then a Waiter for about six months. What happened is that I would see all those luscious traditional knives in the knife drawer and long to use them. I finally gave up, put a tiny Vic on my keyring (for opening drink bottles and such), and am happily rotating through the other pocket knives in my collection.
 
Like some others here, I have always wanted to find "the one". The one that I could carry everyday for the rest of my life and never even consider carrying something else. I would like this for two reasons:

1. Just to have that warm and fuzzy feeling of having a trusty companion, almost like a gook luck charm.

2. To have a piece of me to hand down to my son. Sure, he'll end up with an assortment of somewhat used knives, but to me it just isn't the same as getting that one knife that you know never left your father's side.

I agree that just by owning several knives the dice are really stacked against you commiting to just one. I have noticed though that out of all of my knives there's only about 4 that really get carried, so I started thinning the heard by giving some away to friends.

The thing that draws me to traditional knives is the connection they have to the men of a simpler era. Unfortunately, like so many other things I admire about them, their ability to carry just one knive is something that I just can't seem to grasp.
 
I guess I would call myself something of a serial monogamist when it comes to pocket knifes.

Unless I'm heading out to do a particular kind of work that really calls for multiple cutting tools (it does happen) I really only need one knife with me at a time. I really never carry 2 knives. Just don't see the need.

Which knife is another question. I have 3 knives in my standard EDC rotation: an Opinel #8, an Ulster Camper and a Schrade 5OT lock back. All have carbon blades. Each has their own charm and story for me. All of them are very office friendly. All of them pop hair off the back of my hand!!
 
dannyp said:
That's because you're a "knife guy". The "one knife type of guy" you speak of is the kind of person that isn't really into knives, just a regular guy who wants something to cut with. He doesn't get all hung up about whether or not it has the greatest steel or fancy scales, he just wants it to be reliable, affordable, and useful. The other thing he has going for him is that it's probably the only knife he owns. That would make it much easier to stick with the same one.

As "knife guys" we are interested in every little detail concerning design, materials, and craftsmanship. This leads us to want to try out different kinds of knives from a variety of makers. Inevitably we will like more than one specific knife, and I see no reason to limit myself to just one when there are so many to choose from.

It's not a problem that I have, because I don't consider it to be a problem.:D
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As someone stated earlier, I feel this is an excellent and quite accurate perspective for me. It does help me feel a little better, because I too struggled with trying to carry only the most recent "must have" knife until the next "must have" showed up, and then what? ....
One thing I have definitely discovered is that after a time, I tend to rediscover a knife I haven't carried for a bit, and then I carry that for a while ... at this rate, it'll take a few lifetimes to wear these things out, and I see that as a plus ...

I've decided to choose "not a problem" as my answer too. Thanks, dannyp.
 
Just sticking to one knife per day is difficult for me :) I love the idea of being a 'one knife guy' as it seems to add some magic to the knife being carried, but it's not something I can do. It would be silly of me having over a hundred pocket knives not to carry them once in awhile.
 
I keep telling myself that I just haven't found the one yet, and when I do, being a one knife guy is something that will just happen naturally. My yellow peanut has been the one for a little while now, but there are times when I prefer something with a little more heft. I'm about to order a Case soddie jr. in CV.... maybe that will be the one. :D
 
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