Do we still have a use for knives?

[BigRott]

Hello,

When knives were first "invented" by primitive humans they were used to do all of the cutting chores. As technology progressed and things like scissors, shears, vegetable peelers, box cutters, letter openers, axes, pruners, saws, etc. came into being the general utility of the knife seems to have decreased. While you can still use a knife to accomplish any cutting task there is usually already another tool to do the job better/faster/easier. Some would say that the only time to use a knife is when one of the other implements is not readily available.

So here is my project for us: list all of the tasks for which a knife is generally accepted as the primary cutting tool. Don't list things that you do with knives just because you like to use knives. I'm talking actual chores for which the knife is the best/only option.

Seems natural to start a list like this with dressing game and cutting meat.

Anyone else?

Later,

MBS


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Nevermind the dog...beware of owner!

 

[Mark W Douglas]

I just plain like KNIVES whether other instruments have come into existance since the invention of the knife. I have the illness and have been told by KodiakPa

before that there is no cure! Just about anything I can get my knife on to cut, gets cut! NOT HUMANS THOUGH

Mark

 

[edrozen]

Possibly the most imporant job of all.... Healing, surgery, that is. Shaving (might be a stretch, but it's still a blade). Whittling. I'm sure there's more. What about putting down flooring or carpet. Gotta have a knife there. I often use a razor blade to scrape gunk off of my aquarium, and painters use them to scrape paint off glass....

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One small step for man, One giant leap for frogs, One mile for fleas.
It's all about perspective.

 

[SB]

scissors, shears, vegetable peelers, box cutters, letter openers, axes, pruners, saws, etc.

This may be semantics, but all of these can be considered knives. At least they're all sharp instruments.

 

[Matt Shade]

I've found that a machete is really the best thing for cutting down cornstalks in my garden.
And I've yet to see a kitchen that doesn't have at least one knife in it.
Chip carving, whitling, pretty much any type of carving requires a knife. They do make some new power tools for it now, but knives are needed to clean things up and finish the job.
I have trouble seeing scissors replace a good camp knife. And chances are they would suck for skinning a deer too

Working on my barn I found the best thing I had for stripping 4 gauge wire was a knife.
Farriers use a hoof knife to trim horses hooves.
Roofers can use knives for cutting tar paper and shingles.
Knives are great for tearing out old carpet, or for trimming new carpet to size.
I could go on all day, but its pretty obvious that knifves are still needed. And besides that they're alot of fun.

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Fix it right the first time, use Baling Wire !

 

[L6steel]

Wait till a rotweiler or doberman gets after your keester and then ask if a knife is still usefull!!!

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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!

 

[PhilL]

BR, you said,"As technology progressed and things like scissors, shears, vegetable peelers, box cutters, letter openers, axes, pruners, saws, etc. came into being the general utility of the knife seems to have decreased."
I'm not anti-technology, I'll use the best tool possible to do a job because I'm lazy.
Let me qualify that, because I'm lazy I'll use the best tool possible that's at hand. Since I always have a knife at hand, that's the best tool for the job.

SB, all those items may have a sharp edge, but they sure ain't knives. How much time would you spend at VegetablePeelersForums.com?

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"Will work 4 Knives!"
Homepage: http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=254126

 

[anthony cheeseboro]

The knife is and will always be useful. I know many people who would never carry a pocket knife or fixed blade but who make regular use of box cutters, scissors, shears, and kitchen knives. People will always need to cut things. Frankly, I think that a quality pocket knife is the most practical tool for the widest variety of cutting tasks. I'd rather sharpen a quality blade than constantly replace razor blades in a box cutter. As I have said many times, we should always stress the usefulness of knives as tools. People need to remember that whether they carry a pocket knife or not, cutting tools are essential to function normally in everyday life.

 

[BigRott]

Hello,

To clarify: For the purposes of this thread, "knife" means the traditional fixed blade or folder we are all familiar with.

I think lazy PhilL has a great point. The other specialty cutting tools are capable of performing certain cutting tasks better than a knife but when confronted with multiple tasks you would need multiple tools. This would quickly prove to be quite inconvenient. Thus having one (or more) knife always at hand prepares you for the largest variety of cutting chores and makes the knife the best choice by default. Perhaps this is the key advantage to a knife over the other implements.

Later,

MBS

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Nevermind the dog...beware of owner!

 

[Mikul]

Cutting food (hands down #1 use).
Chipping wood for a fire.
When building, whittling down something to fit.
Opening a heavy shipping box.

My personal favorite use... wrapping gifts. I've used scissors for years until I couldn't find them one night, so I used my Swiss Army. I was shocked to discover that it was 2x easier than with scissors. I'll never go back. I also use my pocket knife to cut coupons.

 

[burnhamwow]

How about opening envelopes? I hate it when my wife tears open envelopes; it is so messy. Also, I clean my fingernails with knives, pick my teeth (my wife complains, but I tell her don't watch

), and cutting weed-whacker twine.

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Alan L. Burnham
BCC #863

 

[PhilL]

Originally posted by burnhamwow:
I clean my fingernails with knives, pick my teeth (my wife complains, but I tell her don't watch

Same knife? I wouldn't look either! Ughhhhh!