I'm not imposing any rules, or criticizing anyone for carrying more than one knife. I also don't consider it over thinking. It was simply a question, and for the most part just meant as a conversation starter.
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Can you commit to one knife ?
- Thread starter mdsmith
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I'm not imposing any rules, or criticizing anyone for carrying more than one knife. I also don't consider it over thinking. It was simply a question, and for the most part just meant as a conversation starter.
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Victorinox SD never leaves my left back pocket. I want to upgrade to something with a little more cutting power, say a Case Peanut, but I'm a little short on funds and I'll have to wait until I get my new job.
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Wasn't referring to you (or anyone) personally, just giving my own thoughts on the topic since it comes up within the forum quite a bit.
Easy now...Nobody's pointing any fingers.
tongueriver
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I carried a Boker congress for about ten years once, until it literally fell apart, what was left of it. Many, many since then, none for long as a steady partner, but a Schrade 881 stockman has come close, and now a Case/Bose dogleg jack. I have no plans on restricting myself, but some of my favorites don't see much pocket time because they rust too quickly or are just too darn pretty. One woman? You bet! And yes, she is starting to rust a little, but aren't we all? 
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In a word, no, Icould never commit to just one, no matter how many blades it has there's no such thing as a do all knife, it might be better suited toward one task or another but it'll never be the best at everytask, doesn't mean it can't come close.
silenthunterstudios
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I believe that many of us romanticize the old professions, and our forebears. The farmer, the dockworker, the fisherman etc. Our grandfathers, fathers, uncles. If you look at these old professions, these men that "have been around long enough to know what works", one of the main reasons they carried just one knife was because that WAS ALL THEY COULD AFFORD. Most people did not have the luxury of having more than a couple knives for their jobs. A regular pocket knife for work, maybe if times were good, you would use something other than a kitchen knife for camping and processing game, like a hunting knife. An axe for splitting firewood that you might take camping. One good rifle, one good shotgun. I think I am getting ahead of myself here. My great uncle was a rarity in those days, he collected guns and knives. I am lucky enough to have some of his collection from those days (very early 1900's). In all practicality, if you had one good tool, why would you need another one.
I know that I, for one, have gotten myself complicated in many matters, not just knives. I need more structure and balance in all aspects of life, knives being just one of them. It is a romantic notion to look at my family and friends that only carry one knife, or have only carried one knife.
However, being a knife nut, I needed to carry about three folders, and two fixed blades, I might only use one or two during the week.
If carrying one model is good for you, then great. I think we gravitate towards the slipjoint because we romanticize the age that they were prevalent in. That's all part of the fun, and where these threads originate.
I know that I, for one, have gotten myself complicated in many matters, not just knives. I need more structure and balance in all aspects of life, knives being just one of them. It is a romantic notion to look at my family and friends that only carry one knife, or have only carried one knife.
However, being a knife nut, I needed to carry about three folders, and two fixed blades, I might only use one or two during the week.
If carrying one model is good for you, then great. I think we gravitate towards the slipjoint because we romanticize the age that they were prevalent in. That's all part of the fun, and where these threads originate.
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I can't do it. No way. No how. I just like knives too much to commit to one the rest of my life.
That said I do have a small stable of knives that get a regular amount of use. My two primary carries are a Hiroaki Ohta wharncliffe and a S&M harness jack. I carry the S&M during the week and the Ohta on casual Fridays and the weekend. On Sundays and other dress-up special occassions I carry an ivory handled Bret Dowell swayback. While at home I carry either a Kerry Hampton KHnutbuster or an old Imperial cattleman. The KHnutbuster is a special knife and the only one that I have any sentimental attachment to and for a while there it looked like the KHnutbuster was going to be "the knife." I suppose it is. But I nearly lost it during my commute to work one morning and I decided that I couldn't bear to lose it. So now I only carry it at home and am basically acting as a caretaker for it until my daughter claims it for herself. I also have a Eye Brand stockman that I like to use when hiking or going on trips. I like having the versatility of having three blades in those instances and this is the one knife that would hurt the least to lose.
So while I may have more than one knife, I am pretty certain that these six will all be strongly associated with me. I may even add a few more through the years and that's okay, it'll be one of the things my daughter remembers about her knifenut father.
- Christian
That said I do have a small stable of knives that get a regular amount of use. My two primary carries are a Hiroaki Ohta wharncliffe and a S&M harness jack. I carry the S&M during the week and the Ohta on casual Fridays and the weekend. On Sundays and other dress-up special occassions I carry an ivory handled Bret Dowell swayback. While at home I carry either a Kerry Hampton KHnutbuster or an old Imperial cattleman. The KHnutbuster is a special knife and the only one that I have any sentimental attachment to and for a while there it looked like the KHnutbuster was going to be "the knife." I suppose it is. But I nearly lost it during my commute to work one morning and I decided that I couldn't bear to lose it. So now I only carry it at home and am basically acting as a caretaker for it until my daughter claims it for herself. I also have a Eye Brand stockman that I like to use when hiking or going on trips. I like having the versatility of having three blades in those instances and this is the one knife that would hurt the least to lose.
So while I may have more than one knife, I am pretty certain that these six will all be strongly associated with me. I may even add a few more through the years and that's okay, it'll be one of the things my daughter remembers about her knifenut father.
- Christian
silenthunterstudios
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One woman? You bet! And yes, she is starting to rust a little, but aren't we all?
In that regard, yep, you only need one. :thumbup:
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There's NO WAY I could carry the same knife everyday!
I carry the same combo of knives! 1 blade Custom &
2 blade Production. Or I carry a 2 blade Custom &
1 blade production! But I change each knife in either
combo all the time!! I try and carry the combo that
will be the best for that day's task!! Most of the time
I'll have up to 4 knives with me! 2 slip joints in my pockets
1 fixed blade in my truck!! I'm in and out of my truck all
day everyday!! and I keep one at my shop it's my shop knife! lol.
Good luck!! with just one knife!!
Jason
I carry the same combo of knives! 1 blade Custom &
2 blade Production. Or I carry a 2 blade Custom &
1 blade production! But I change each knife in either
combo all the time!! I try and carry the combo that
will be the best for that day's task!! Most of the time
I'll have up to 4 knives with me! 2 slip joints in my pockets
1 fixed blade in my truck!! I'm in and out of my truck all
day everyday!! and I keep one at my shop it's my shop knife! lol.
Good luck!! with just one knife!!
Jason
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I carry more then one knife but I have been carrying my Case Stockman that my grandfather gave me for my 13th birthday every day scince I recived it. It is one knife that no matter what else I am carrying its in my pocket.
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One of my great-grandfathers was a Boston stevedore/dockworker in the early part of the 20th century. From the tales I've been told it didn't sound very romantic.
As to the "age they were prevalent in", careful there fella, some of us resemble that remark!
I think the very fact that we are on this forum, or that this forum even exists, shows that for US, the one knife for life thing can never happen.
Forum = discussion site.
Topic = knives.
We talk about knives, share pictures of our knives, post pictures of knives we want, talk about what our forefathers carried, used, what they accomplished with them, etc. We make up stories about knives (Jackknife) and are totally and completely smitten with knives.
OF COURSE we can't keep it to just one knife after all that!! Haha.
To those that see it as a tool, no other knife is needed, nor is there a need to discuss them. It's like me and a wrench. I don't care if it's made in China, Russia, Australia, Mars, Jupiter, the Crab Nebula, etc. If the wrench works, let me use it to turn this darn bolt!! Haha. Now there MIGHT be a forum out there devoted totally to the mighty wrench. For me, this forum would be a waste of time because I could care less about wrench makers, origins, different models, etc. It is just a tool I won't ever even look at until I need it. Some people view knives that same way. It's just a tool. Where is it made? Who cares, as long as the edge is sharp.... and even THAT doesn't always matter.
However, like I said, to those of us that reside within the pages of this forum, there is NO WAY ON HELL we are ever going to carry just one knife.
Oh, we try. Many have, and many more will, but there is too much temptation within these posts for that.
Friggin evil forum!!
LOL.
Forum = discussion site.
Topic = knives.
We talk about knives, share pictures of our knives, post pictures of knives we want, talk about what our forefathers carried, used, what they accomplished with them, etc. We make up stories about knives (Jackknife) and are totally and completely smitten with knives.
OF COURSE we can't keep it to just one knife after all that!! Haha.
To those that see it as a tool, no other knife is needed, nor is there a need to discuss them. It's like me and a wrench. I don't care if it's made in China, Russia, Australia, Mars, Jupiter, the Crab Nebula, etc. If the wrench works, let me use it to turn this darn bolt!! Haha. Now there MIGHT be a forum out there devoted totally to the mighty wrench. For me, this forum would be a waste of time because I could care less about wrench makers, origins, different models, etc. It is just a tool I won't ever even look at until I need it. Some people view knives that same way. It's just a tool. Where is it made? Who cares, as long as the edge is sharp.... and even THAT doesn't always matter.
However, like I said, to those of us that reside within the pages of this forum, there is NO WAY ON HELL we are ever going to carry just one knife.
Oh, we try. Many have, and many more will, but there is too much temptation within these posts for that.
Friggin evil forum!!
LOL.
silenthunterstudios
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One of my great-grandfathers was a Boston stevedore/dockworker in the early part of the 20th century. From the tales I've been told it didn't sound very romantic.
As to the "age they were prevalent in", careful there fella, some of us resemble that remark!
No disrespect intended. I have heard a lot of tales from my family over the years. Lemme tell you, most of the old timers on my fathers side started working in the mines when they were 15 or younger, they certainly were not romantic times either. But, I think you got the gist of what I was trying to convey
.
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I have heard a lot of tales from my family over the years. Lemme tell you, most of the old timers on my fathers side started working in the mines when they were 15 or younger, they certainly were not romantic times either. But, I think you got the gist of what I was trying to convey
I hear ya. Knife fights sound a whole lot more romantic (on paper or keyboard) than they are in reality too.
Voltron, that was an excellent post imho. :thumbup:
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My thoughts exactly! I was going to give a flashlight example instead of wallet. I understand their usefulness and I have a few. I usually have one nearby, but don't even know what brand most of them are. But there are lots of guys who are really into them. To me they are just a tool. Different strokes for different folks.
And while we're (kind of) on the subject: I don't understand the people who say they are going to try to carry the same knife for X amount of time. Why torture yourself when there are so many knives to carry?
And I really don't understand the ones who are always looking for the perfect knife to replace all the others. I think there are hundreds of perfect knives (or more), and I want them all!
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I commend those who do and are happy with it, but carrying and owning, that makes it impossible to commit to one. It would be ridiculous for me to even consider it. Maybe I could compromise to one knife per day, or even per week, but I often choose base on what I might have an opportunity to cut that day, or which might be an approximate selection for brandishing based on the occasion.
xbxb
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In my OP, I wasn't so much asking if you guys could carry just one knife for the rest of your life, I was just asking if there was one that never left your pocket. You could certainly carry more than one at a time.
@ Silenthunter - We must be around the same age. I can totally relate to the fact that one of the things that drew me to slipjoints is that they are reminicent of a much simpiler time when they were used by hard working men who needed them to man a living. To be totally honest, while I love knives, I could probably get by pretty easliy without carrying one.
While I know that I will never be able to stick to one knife,that I've bought, I think the right knife with sentimental value would probably never leave me. I will likely be recieving one such knife in December. My wife accidentally spilled the beans that my 14 month old son is "buying" me a Case yellow pen knife in CV. I'm sure that one will hold a special place in both my heart and my pocket.
@ Silenthunter - We must be around the same age. I can totally relate to the fact that one of the things that drew me to slipjoints is that they are reminicent of a much simpiler time when they were used by hard working men who needed them to man a living. To be totally honest, while I love knives, I could probably get by pretty easliy without carrying one.
While I know that I will never be able to stick to one knife,that I've bought, I think the right knife with sentimental value would probably never leave me. I will likely be recieving one such knife in December. My wife accidentally spilled the beans that my 14 month old son is "buying" me a Case yellow pen knife in CV. I'm sure that one will hold a special place in both my heart and my pocket.
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When I first read the title my answer was no. Then yes maybe - one on Monday, another on Tuesday etc.
I guess the closest I will get is the SAK classic under my monitor in my office and a Queen Dr knife in my desk here at work. While my one daily knife is in my pocket.
Then there are the knives in my briefcase. The ones on my desk and numerous places at home (not including the drawer where I keep my carry knives).
I have a friend who collects and has been into customs since 1972. He lives a few blocks away and says he loves to come over, since he never knows what I will have laying around the house for him to check out saying it is like a mini knife museum.
I am sick I tell ya. (and I am not looking for a cure).
I guess the closest I will get is the SAK classic under my monitor in my office and a Queen Dr knife in my desk here at work. While my one daily knife is in my pocket.
Then there are the knives in my briefcase.
The ones on my desk and numerous places at home (not including the drawer where I keep my carry knives).I have a friend who collects and has been into customs since 1972. He lives a few blocks away and says he loves to come over, since he never knows what I will have laying around the house for him to check out saying it is like a mini knife museum.
I am sick I tell ya. (and I am not looking for a cure).
silenthunterstudios
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I don't know if I could get by without one, but sometimes, my Vic classic is enough to get me through my day
. I work in an office where most knives are not allowed, but I live on a small gentlemans farm. I try to get in as much hiking and fishing as I can. You wouldn't know it to see my big frame . I am 31, just throwing that in there.
I am sick I tell ya. (and I am not looking for a cure).
Same here man!