best edc model

M

Matthew M

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Jul 9, 2009
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I'm kinda new to traditional so I just wanted to ask what the best edc model is for food prep and general cutting task? I have heard lots of good thins about trappers and stockmans but will they suit my purposes the best?
 
Probably a nice single blade like a slimline trapper or similar would work well for your tasks. A small sodbuster would also be a good choice.
(Although it's hard to beat a stockman for all around utility.)
 
I also noticed that case alone has at least 2 steels the cv and the trusharp stainless any recommendation on what is the best for edc?
 
Hard to argue with the slim line trapper. They are available in a few different scale materials, including the traditional yellow.

I have a preference for slip joints with two blades, and have used a Case large jack (6292) for all around use and was very happy with it.

You will never find the perfect knife, but thats part of the fun :D
 
Matthew M said:
I also noticed that case alone has at least 2 steels the cv and the trusharp stainless any recommendation on what is the best for edc?
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That subject is covered quite a bit. Some will own nothing but CV, while others don't really care. They both seem to do very well in general useage.
The big difference is that the CV will develope a nice patina fairly quickly :thumbup:, especially if you are using it for food prep.
The CV, being a carbon steel, can and will rust .
 
Case knives CV is a carbon steel... it will stain and rust but holds a great edge. Many folks here prefer it to the truesharp stainless. If your looking for stainless don't get a CV knife...... I personally prefer the CV because of the staining (called patina)...... gives the knife a well loved look and once it stains it won't rust as easy.
 
Matthew M said:
I also noticed that case alone has at least 2 steels the cv and the trusharp stainless any recommendation on what is the best for edc?
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There is no "best". Just pros and cons. (Edge holding and ease of sharpening versus ease of maintenance etc.)

If food prep is a major intended use, you'll have to decide if you mind the blade taking on a patina (staining) and the potential taste that carbon steel can impart to food it comes into contact with.

In most usage you won't notice a huge difference in performance between the two Case steels though many or most of us tend to prefer the carbon steel in this forum.
 
OK thanks for the info its starting to sound like I need to just get several and find out for myself!
 
On thing to keep in mind is the versatility of 3 blade knives such as stockmen and whittlers. If you use your knife a lot on an edc basis you get a heck of a lot of edges to choose from in those patterns. Like Blues said, there really is no best since the type of use can be the strongest influence on what is best for you. If you find yourself needing longer blades then the 3 bladed patterns may not be the ticket.
 
When this comes up often, I just as often say that it all depends.

Depends on what you wear most of the time, clothing wise. A stockman or trapper won't carry the same way in business casual semi dress pants as in jeans or dockers. By the same tocken a peanut will get lost in a pocket of Carhart work pants.

What kind of environment do you work/live in?

A government office full of politically correct worker cogs will need a little bit different pocket knife than a sheet metal shop or landscapng company.

Finally, what is the most used cutting job your knife is going to be doing 80% of the time? Opening mail and a once in a while UPS box is going to be different than opening nylon taped boxes of machine parts or bags of mulch.

You're going to need a couple different types.
 
Well, I will second the opinion give by several others here. That is, it depends on your environment and what you like. That said, I have carried a yella handled case full size trapper in cv everyday for a year and a half. As many said, the choice of cv or stainless is personal. I have both and like them both. The cv requires a little more commitment in care, but I find it sharpens easier. Unlike most here, I also really like the trusharp stainless. It doesn't stain, requires less care, and I find, performs as well as the cv in most applications. As jackknife said, if your daily environment finds you in an office and a suit, you may consider a smaller carry such as a peanut or a tiny trapper. If you work outdoors or in a shop, something a little larger may suit you fine such as a full size trapper or medium stockman. By the way, is your heart set on case, or are you considering other brands?
 
Check out or try several different patterns that interest you. If possible, go to a shop that carries them & maybe handle some to see what's comfortable to you. That'll at least give you a basis or idea of what you like & work off of that.

For food prep, I'd imagine you'll want more blade length, but even so, you can still get a decent blade length on the main blade depending on the knife.

My Queen #9 Stockman has D2 blades & a 3" main Clip blade (Ideal IMHO). A fullsize Trapper (Typically 4 1/8") should provide you with about two 3.25" blades. Even a mini-Trapper (Typically 3.5") should give you two blades at about 2.5-2.75" or so. My single blade Menefee Back Pocket provides me with a 3 3/8" Clip blade, which can pretty much handle just about anything.

While they'll work, Barlows & Congresses probably wouldn't be what you're looking for. They can, but again, I'm assuming you're looking for a longer blade to handle ratio. The Congress isn't & the typical Barlow's 3 3/8-3.5", but even so, that should give you a main blade length of 2.5" or so.

Good luck with whatever you decide you get, but chances are, you won't just have 1. I've finally built up my collection so that I have 7 users, 1 for each day of the week. I have some older ones that I don't use regularly, but regardless, I think you'll find that you'll like several different patterns & want at least 1 of them all.
 
Traditional knives are beautiful because each knife has its own personality, depending upon the pattern, size and scale material.

The first thing I do is determine the number of blades I want. For me and most of my EDC knives, two is my magic number. That gives me a primary blade, plus a smaller blade for detail work or poking/scraping around something, or even a second primary blade to use if the first one gets dull. Some like single blades (lighter for the size of the handle), some like 3-bladed knives (heavier per handle size, but more blades on tap for backup or different kinds of chores). Decide how you will likely use the knife.

For single-bladed knives, check out Slimline Trapper patterns, sometimes called Utility patterns and Sodbusters. You can also get One-bladed jacks if you like a smaller overall knife (shorter) than the Slimline Trapper.

For two-bladed knives, check out Jackknives in all their flavors. Jacks have a large primary blade and smaller secondary blade, usually a pen. Serpentine is the standard pattern, but you can get fancy with dogleg jacks, pear-shaped jacks and gunstocks. Barlows and Canoes also have two blades, wtih the Canoe being thin (single spring) but with a very stout primary blade. Want a smaller, delicate knife, look for Pen and Senator patterns. If you want two equally large blades, check out Trappers and Mini-trappers.

Three bladed knives include stockman and cattleman patterns, and the more delicate whittler.

Want four blades? Those are too thick for me to carry, but Congress is a popular four blade pattern.
 
Stockman is good to start your slipjoint EDC finding. Texas Jack is very nice two bladed (a short pen blade is more functional than speyblade in Trapper IMHO ) and Sodbuster or Slimline trapper would be good single blade one. I hear a lot good things from Texas Jack, albeit Stockman is by far most popular pattern in these forums.
 
Matthew M said:
OK thanks for the info its starting to sound like I need to just get several and find out for myself!
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One of the best answers I've heard in a long time. That's always the most fun.

Personally, I have come to really appreciate the scout knife model. I have been using a Remington scout from the 80's, alongside a neo-traditional slipjoint, the Spyderco Bob-T slipit.

Before scout knives, I would've went with the large stockman/cattleman.

As for SS or CV, I choose CV. However, just like I'm sure everyone else on this forum, I could get along fine with SS. The CV holds an edge longer and is still easy to sharpen. A patina adds character as far as I'm concerned.

Have fun. :thumbup:
 
Matthew M said:
OK thanks for the info its starting to sound like I need to just get several and find out for myself!
Click to expand...

Your idea makes more sense than you may realize - you'll probably find that you really like several patterns, and others . . . not so much. The real enjoyment comes from figuring it all out, like 338375 said. My favorite slipjoint is the Stockman pattern, simply because of versatility & utility; and for sentimental reasons, because I inherited one. IMO, Jackknife said it best, as far as your carry options.

For food prep, stainless - Case's 'Tru-Sharp' is pretty good - might be best; carbon steels can sometimes impart unwanted flavors to the food they're used on. I have a Case 'Tru-Sharp' Trapper I use occasionally in the kitchen, and never had a problem with the flavor issue. And the spay blade is a better steak knife than any other we've got.

Keep us posted on what you get.

thx - cpr
 
My advice on the topic of best EDC? A comfortable one. Now, it's up to you to decide which is more important, comfort in the pocket, or comfort in the hand, but comfort is the key. I have many beautiful knives, with one blade, two blades, three blades, different handle materials, etc, that sit in a drawer because they are a pain to carry. They jab me in the leg or are too heavy and weigh me down. If you choose to carry in a sheath on your belt, it makes this part of the decision making process easier. However, comfort is the key. It doesn't matter how good looking the handle is, or how useful the steel is if your going to leave it at home. There's plenty of styles to choose from in the traditional knife world, so you should find your knife pattern soon enough.
 
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