Choose Wisely (One Knife)

[Piddling]

Having read the whole thread -modulating on what everyone said/showed - I think I would have to go with the Winker Blue Ridge Hunter as my choice (the one that meets ALL your criteria) - followed by Smatchet (or rather Nota) or a Carothers DEF (2-?). I think some of us are still thinking safe queens and not hard working knives when making suggestions. We want our beauties to be great knives. I would hate to have most $XXX or $XXXX safe queens as my only knife. I would want something as stated - HARD working, yet can butter toast. My father used to say - "Pretty is as Pretty DOES!" That's is quite an accomplishment if you can find one!!

 

[nhobo]

 

[scdub]

The spartan(not the buck) because nice medium size, good edge and easy to carry

I almost picked a Spartan too but I don’t own one. If I did (or perhaps when I do) I’d go ahead and give it a trailing point, mirror polish, and handle stippling like I did for this one that belongs to a very good friend:

 

[AlpacaWrangler]

I think I’d go spyderco military.

 

[Hammer67]

All you guys and your fixed blades…c’mon…you’re gonna carry a fixed blade to your kid’s soccer game? Church? Work?

Where I live, a fixed blade knife is no big deal. Wear it with an IWB sheath if you want, and no one knows you even have it on you. Personally, I can't imagine choosing a little folder as my only knife, but to each their own. I don't go to church or kid's soccer games.

CPK DEK1 for the win, in part because it's pretty easy to IWB when needed, which my SDFK isn't. Otherwise, the latter would be my top choice.

 

[Delta-v]

I started thinking this over within the parameters of the OP trying to pick that one knife and immediately went toward a midsized fixed blade. But then I realized I almost never carry a midsized fixed blade. There's a reason for that. I usually carry a ~3.5 in. folder. I would dare say that the knife you carry most of the time now could easily be the one knife you carry for the rest of your life. Because it's already doing everything you really need. So I say a midsized folder. God help me trying to settle on which one.

 

[coolbreezy37]

Where I live, a fixed blade knife is no big deal. Wear it with an IWB sheath if you want, and no one knows you even have it on you. Personally, I can't imagine choosing a little folder as my only knife, but to each their own. I don't go to church or kid's soccer games.

CPK DEK1 for the win, in part because it's pretty easy to IWB when needed, which my SDFK isn't. Otherwise, the latter would be my top choice.

Yea, I’m pretty much sold on this one

 

[Kettleman]

I would dare say that the knife you carry most of the time now could easily be the one knife you carry for the rest of your life. Because it's already doing everything you really need.

I think you are correct in this train of thought. However Im not sure I could commit to it even though I have only carried and used one knife, a Mnandi, in the last 18 or so months, and honestly have not wished one time I had a different one with me.

 

[Mannlicher]

I'd do away with the Geni, and go on about life as usual

 

[luethge]

Ed Martin T3

Not big, not small. Tougher than I’ll ever need. Not a fighter nor bushcrafter but covers both. Fits my hand like a custom glove. 80crv2 holds a great edge..

This might be the one I’d keep if only one was “necessary” ( who are we kidding - none of you, myself included, could just have 1 knife ).

 

[gumpy]

Assuming we have to do ur food prep with this? Prob a 5 inch kitchen utility knife? Otherwise a large seb Magnacut drop point.

 

[Shrub]

Okay, I would try and be more realistic, bit then you came in here with all this genie nonsense, so I get to fantasize if I want!lol

I'll start here with many assumptions. Such as:
1) There are no limitations in design, material, price or availability.
2) I can still have whatever I want and as much as I want of other tools, such as saws, hatchets and hammers.
3) I can still have other multitools and saks as long as they are knife-blade-less.


I want a large classic trapper design for the base. I want it about 4.5" long closed and the blades 3.9" long. No lock. This would be legal pretty much anywhere that's not run by the communist dictator commonly known as the airline.

I want strong, but realistic and useable back springs. With a good snap.

The secondary blade would be a drop-point. Made of a common high quality stainless steel. Identical in size and design to many Case or other common higher quality makers. This way it would be easy to find a replacement if need be.

The main blade, a clip-point, as well as the main pivot, and other screws(because we're upgrading to screws instead of riveted pins), and all other metal components of the knife, would be made from adamantium. Carefully harvested from the skeleton of Wolverine. Bless his soul.

The scales of the knife would be made of grey g-10. Not to stand out too much and be very comfortable and practical.

This would mean that the knife, except for the secondary blade and g-10 scales, which would be replaceable, would be indestructible. I could use the secondary blade for most day to day tasks, but if I need more...

Yeah... I'm digging it...

 

[cbach8tw]

Realistically, a Swiss Army knife. Now, because I like fixed blades, my ML Hudson Bay with an 8 inch blade, or more my more practical mini Hudson Bay with a 5.5 inch blade.

 

[Thorgrim]

I find that a large knife will do smaller jobs, if care is taken, a too small knife is a real pain to do big jobs with. So I'd have to choose the Buck 120. I have more than one of them, but I'd take the 120 Pro.

This. Too many people don't know how to use a big knife and they're laughed-off as unusable or a mall-ninja toy. A well designed big knife in the hands of an experienced user can complete surprisingly small-knife tasks. For example, for years the only knife I used in the kitchen was one of those big rectangular Chinese vegetable cleavers. In short time I could peel small vegetables, cut some fairly complex shapes, and even do some food art using just the heel of the blade.

Unfortunately with age came tremors, so I'd choose a decent 4" fixed blade. The griz is going to kill you anyway. Or not. The outcome of that is strictly up to the griz.

 

[Thorgrim]

Spyderco Para2, Cruwear

I'm inordinately fond of mine. Did you get yours with the canvas micarta scales? I hated those when I first unboxed it, now I wouldn't want anything else. I probably need to buy another in case something happens to this one.

You know, a fixed blade based on this knife ought to sell in the thousands.

 

[pholder]

I'm inordinately fond of mine. Did you get yours with the canvas micarta scales? I hated those when I first unboxed it, now I wouldn't want anything else. I probably need to buy another in case something happens to this one.

You know, a fixed blade based on this knife ought to sell in the thousands.

Yes, I purchased with micarta scales , like it so much I purchased a second one to put away. I rubbed mine down with mink oil. Darkend it up a bit. Love this knife

 

[Thorgrim]

All you guys and your fixed blades…c’mon…you’re gonna carry a fixed blade to your kid’s soccer game? Church? Work?
I mean, unless you live & work on a farm or forest….or you’re Crocodile Dundee….

For me the Stockman pretty much covers a lot of EDC situations and is much easier to carry than a fixed blade.

View attachment 2103643

When I got lung cancer and things were looking 50/50 at best, I gave away every knife I had of any value to people I knew would appreciate them. I have a bone Case large stockman in carbon steel that I told myself I'd keep untill my grave, because if I need a knife it's hard to imagine a task it won't do and do well. And since I'm old and have a new iPhone, I can't seem to email the pic to my PC so I can post it here, but I'm sure almost everyone here knows what a bone handled large Case stockman looks like). It's got some patina on it now, and I need to find a time to give it a little TLC so some day a much younger man might find out what a good all-around knife it is. Certainly, there are better steels and better knives, but it's hard to beat the big stockman for everyday jobs.

 

[Thorgrim]

I started thinking this over within the parameters of the OP trying to pick that one knife and immediately went toward a midsized fixed blade. But then I realized I almost never carry a midsized fixed blade. There's a reason for that. I usually carry a ~3.5 in. folder. I would dare say that the knife you carry most of the time now could easily be the one knife you carry for the rest of your life. Because it's already doing everything you really need. So I say a midsized folder. God help me trying to settle on which one.

I just discovered Spyderco a year ago, and after 2 in K390 I discovered the Cruwear PM-2 with canvas micarta scales. I don't think I've carried anything else since I got it, it just fits me. I may later try one in a more wear resistant steel, but this thing holds an edge almost as well as my K390 knives. I'm a bit fussy about knives as to how they work - I have R.A. and/or inflammatory osteoarthritis, plus "trigger finger"* at times, and a right thumb that was dislocated in my teens and not put back in place properly so now and then it jumps partially out of joint and I damn near hit the ground until I can reset it. Very few thumb studs work for me, I prefer either a flipper or a prominent "Spidey-hole" as a one-handed opener. Because of these hand problems (the left hand doesn't matter, because as Gallagher says "why does my right hand work and my left hand's a flipper?") I'll only order from a dealer that has a good return policy, and I usually explain my problems briefly in the comments section - or email them before ordering to be sure I can return it if it doesn't work for me. There's usually nothing wrong with the few knives I've sent back, it's just my messed-up hands which I further abused for 15 years as a coal miner. At 70, and with a penchant for rough jobs/sports until well into my 50's, I guess I should expect problems like that. The new Spyderco Military 2 looks good to me because now that knife can be carried tip-up, but it's a big large for everyday carry. Then again, I might love it if it comes in some really good steels.

So ... any suggestions for my next knife?

 

[Stixmagill]

Mora Kansbol

 

[Hackenslash]

I just discovered Spyderco a year ago, and after 2 in K390 I discovered the Cruwear PM-2 with canvas micarta scales. I don't think I've carried anything else since I got it, it just fits me. I may later try one in a more wear resistant steel, but this thing holds an edge almost as well as my K390 knives. I'm a bit fussy about knives as to how they work - I have R.A. and/or inflammatory osteoarthritis, plus "trigger finger"* at times, and a right thumb that was dislocated in my teens and not put back in place properly so now and then it jumps partially out of joint and I damn near hit the ground until I can reset it. Very few thumb studs work for me, I prefer either a flipper or a prominent "Spidey-hole" as a one-handed opener. Because of these hand problems (the left hand doesn't matter, because as Gallagher says "why does my right hand work and my left hand's a flipper?") I'll only order from a dealer that has a good return policy, and I usually explain my problems briefly in the comments section - or email them before ordering to be sure I can return it if it doesn't work for me. There's usually nothing wrong with the few knives I've sent back, it's just my messed-up hands which I further abused for 15 years as a coal miner. At 70, and with a penchant for rough jobs/sports until well into my 50's, I guess I should expect problems like that. The new Spyderco Military 2 looks good to me because now that knife can be carried tip-up, but it's a big large for everyday carry. Then again, I might love it if it comes in some really good steels.

So ... any suggestions for my next knife?

Dude, the real question isn’t about a knife, it’s how are you doing with your cancer?

The choice of “The One Knife” seems silly and shallow when the Real World comes knocking on the door. It’s good to see you posting. I hope you’re on the heal.

If you like larger Spydercos, check out the Shaman or Native Chief.