Caught With Your Pants On

A

ArfinGreebly

Joined
Apr 3, 2008
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There's a thread running at the moment that postulates an end-o-the-world scenario where you get to grab one knife and that knife has to do you for whatever you encounter and for an indefinite time -- probably for "the duration."

A number of us mentioned the unlikelihood of something like that happening, for the simple reason that we are -- if we are dressed at all -- pretty well equipped daily, and to get down to a single knife we'd have to disrobe.

This prompted a line of thought framed more like this: what's the most likely "stranded" situation going to leave you with if you're caught off guard, away from home, in a situation where you either have to get home or have to camp out or trek some distance to safety?

In other words, it's a normal day, you're equipped the way your normally are, and . . . something . . . happens. Rain storm, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, landslide, 50-car pile-up, flood, forest fire, or just your average cemetery re-animation event.

There you are, caught with your pants on.

On a typical day, how does that leave you equipped?


Any given day, if I found myself cut off from my normal logistics channels, I would be carrying something along these lines:

2008_0817-Knife001.jpg


2008_0817-Knife003.jpg


2008_0817-Knife004.jpg



On the day that those pictures were taken, I also had one of these in my jacket pocket (the yellow one):

2008_0220-Knife-12.jpg



Pick a day, any day, and throw some kind of large-scale unexpected event and, so long as I'm wearing pants, I will be equipped as you see above.

The actual knives might be different from day to day -- like today I carried a large sodbuster instead of the Swede 92, and a large Buck stockman instead of the Double Cross, and a keychain Leatherman Style instead of the Peanut. Tomorrow the stockman will be replaced with a Kershaw Pack Rat.

But call in a meteor strike, brew up a catastrophe, and you will find me with four or five of something: at least one full-sized blade, a medium blade, and something small. And the Leatherman Wave you see above, along with the EKA/Wenger SAK (which are always with me).

So, when you're caught with only what's in your pockets and on your belt, what is it that you will have to depend on?

 
Two knives, usually a fixed blade and a folder. A small single AA flashlight, cellphone, wallet, watch, ring, keys, gloves. Get me to my car and it's a different story. I don't travel too heavy.
 
well this is what i had on me today running errandsDSC00042.jpg
what that doesnt show is the b.o.b. in the explorer ready to go. complete with all my fishing gear, shelter i.e. the car and other means. also more mags and ammo...
 
I usually have 2-3, a locking folder, slipjoint and usually a "belt" knife; either a fixed blade or large folder/multitool in a pouch. I carry a flashlight sometimes but I have to get into the habit of doing it more often.

A knife(s) and flashlight are the best things to have in a catastrophe.
 
Depending on the pants I have on, I will have a S&W 340 M&P plus 3 or 4 of these:
DSC08345.jpg


If I have access to my truck, add Glock 23C plus, an Ontario Spax, a Leatherman Wave, a Busse NMFBM, a Busse NMSFNO, a Busse HG55 and a Busse BAD. I also keep a BOB in my truck.
 
SAK Huntsman/Leatherman Wave AND Kershaw Blur/Modded Cold Steel Voyager XL Clip Point

I always keep 2 on me.
 
On a normal day I will have 2 knives; a slipjoint in my left front, and a large "tactical" style knife in my right front pocket. I also carry a Leatherman Juice S2 in my right rear, inside a wallet pouch, as well as my cell phone in a horizontal belt holster.

Atm, a disaster would find a Benchmade 275BKSN Adamas in my right front, a Rough Rider Camp Knife pattern slipjoint in my left front, the aforementioned Leatherman, and a Blackberry Storm in my cell phone holster.

Oops, forgot my 4Sevens Preon I that always go out with me.
 
This is what I've got...every day pretty much unless I split the difference and carry one large folder instead of the Izula / Delica combo.

P1050672.jpg
 
Unless I am asleep or in the shower, I always have at minimum an ultralight folder with me (usually a Spyderco Dragonfly II) as well as a 1xAAA flashlight.
I also keep a neck knife on a countertop that I must pass by to reach any exit in my house, so unless that countertop itself is on fire, I'm grabbing that as I pass by.
Also kept on said counter is 10' of paracord, which I bring along on my daily dog walk.
So, if I am out walking the dog, I will have all of the above with me (unless it's raining, in which case I probably decided to leave the flashlight at home.)

If I am out and about anywhere else, the ultralight folder gets replaced with one that is a bit larger and more beefy, but by no means a hard-use folder.
I would say about half the time I also include a fixed blade of some sort; neck, pocket or belt carry.
My Leatherman PST typically gets some pocket time for these outings as well, unless I don't plan to be gone for all that long.
Keychain includes a small pry bar, some duct tape and a capsule filled with ground cayenne (a naturally tasty hemostatic agent!) And I've got a few bandaids in the ol' wallet.

I think that about covers it. Yea. So if I am grabbing anything while running out the door due to a disaster, I think it'll be a bag filled with more than just one knife.
 
ArfinGreebly said:
But call in a meteor strike, brew up a catastrophe, and you will find me with four or five of something: at least one full-sized blade, a medium blade, and something small. And the Leatherman Wave you see above, along with the EKA/Wenger SAK (which are always with me).

So, when you're caught with only what's in your pockets and on your belt, what is it that you will have to depend on?

Click to expand...

I expected to see a pic of a folding stock AK in your pocket. I guess I only carry one EDC knife: could be a CRK Umnumzaan, one of several Para2's, Emerson CQC-7, BM 690, and a G19 Glock.
Sonny
 
If I'm off work, one of these will be with me:

002-6.jpg


024-1.jpg


If I'm outside the home you can add a S&W 36. If I'm working you can swap the knife for a composite JYD and the S&W for a Sig P226. This is in addition to the small multi tool and flashlight on my key ring. If I'm in my can there are numerous tools, lights and a small Fiskars hand axe.
 
ArfinGreebly said:
There's a thread running at the moment that postulates an end-o-the-world scenario where you get to grab one knife and that knife has to do you for whatever you encounter and for an indefinite time -- probably for "the duration."

A number of us mentioned the unlikelihood of something like that happening, for the simple reason that we are -- if we are dressed at all -- pretty well equipped daily, and to get down to a single knife we'd have to disrobe.

This prompted a line of thought framed more like this: what's the most likely "stranded" situation going to leave you with if you're caught off guard, away from home, in a situation where you either have to get home or have to camp out or trek some distance to safety?

In other words, it's a normal day, you're equipped the way your normally are, ...
Click to expand...

That certainly was a roundabout way of asking "What's your EDC?" :)

Today it's a Vic Classic.
 
I could never carry all that stuff on my person, always have a knife on me though. I have a emergency pouch/first-aid kit and 2 lights in the vehicle, seatbelt cutter is within reach as well as a MT.
 
These four are on my desk right now as I type this in the office:

Untitled-1.jpg


I'm frightened to actually do an inventory of what I carry on a daily basis between what's on me, what's in my lunch bag, and what's in the car... :o Let's just say there's a lot of items I have readily available!

This thread is a good wake up call for me; I really have to scale things back and carry less.
 
WOW. And I get kind of embarassed when people find out I not only have a small slipjoint on me, but a larger, modern pocket knife as well.

What's the benefit to carrying 3 or 4 one handed openers that are all almost exactly the same size????

To each his own, :P

Any given day, there is about a 95% chance I will have my Spyderco Military CPM M4 on me. And then there's a good chance I have my SBJ, or 2011 BF EO Jack or Opinel or something. Though mostly it's the SBJ.
 
Well I have more substantial knives in my backpack in my trunk but if it's just what's in my pockets about the only thing you'll find bladewise is a SAK Electrician.
 
A Cold Steel Mini AK-47, and a lighter.
Sometimes matches instead of a lighter when im felling old-school
 
marcinek said:
That certainly was a roundabout way of asking "What's your EDC?" :)

Today it's a Vic Classic.
Click to expand...

It's funny that I didn't realize that myself until I was nearly done writing that.

:o

However, on review, I decided to let it stand, since it was less about the daily mundane applications and more about the possibility of the unexpected (or emergency) events that can cause us to re-think what we carry.

I've carried a single knife -- heck I carried a little gent's folder with a blade under two inches -- and did so happily for twenty years. I only added a Leatherman after my job became more hardware oriented, and only started carrying other knives when I decided to try new stuff. In the course of testing things, I found that some of the stuff I was testing was handy enough to keep in the daily load-out.

I didn't start to contemplate the "emergency scenario" possibilities until some time later, and that further influenced my carry habits.

If I have access to my truck when "teh stoopid" happens, I will have access to all manner of tools, and not less than eight more knives (including an SP8 machete and an Opinel #12).

Another pending change is a backpack. I have never carried one, but my new job situation requires that I park a block and a half away from the office. The days of strolling less than fifty feet to the door (from our private parking lot) are over, and lugging a laptop and lunch and technical literature is a pain, so I'm going to pick up a shoulder bag or sling bag or backpack to make that walk less awkward.

And what backpack would be complete without at least one blade assigned to it as a permanent fixture? C'mon, be honest, you know a backpack isn't complete until it's been properly accessorized. :D


It's one thing to "depend on" your knife in an office environment, quite another to depend on it in the midst of a random event.

Hey -- maybe the random event won't require the use of a knife. Maybe it will come down to the quality of the shoes you're wearing. However, I'm not gonna be the guy who starts the shoe thread. :)


I would imagine that for most people, the idea of being prepared for emergency nonsense is a stretch. Those of us who live in areas where the state driver's manual suggests carrying a knife in your car as part of your emergency gear might be inclined to look through different eyes. There are places up here (Inland Northwest) where a simple car breakdown can turn into a survival experience.

I am reminded of the question asked of the man with the pistol on his belt: "are you expecting trouble?" "Why, no, ma'am, if I were expecting trouble, I'd have brought my rifle."

And so it is here. If I were expecting trouble, I'd EDC a full-sized fixed blade.

 
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