Do your Expensive EDC’s stay at home? Or do you carry less expensive EDC’s?

[Arian29]

my expensive knives get carried regularly. Cheap ones are actually used more.

(of-course, expensive is a relative term, perception.)

 

[HwangJino]

I live dangerously lol

https://imgur.com/7A1snZh

 

[facehugger]

let the pictures speak for themselves

 

[DocJekl]

Hi all. Bike Doc here.
I was wondering who leaves their expensive knives home and carry alternatives? I am impressed with some $60 well made knives I’m not afraid to use.

I often buy multiples of a knife, and set 1-2 aside as a safe queen while carrying the others. I also like to carry a < $100 knife with my $1000 knife, but I use them for different tasks that are suitable for each knife.

 

[hhmoore]

I'm similar , I have an extra SHF watch handle landing today so I can carry it without scratching up my pristine one!

I did that. When I received my green SHF Plague Doctor, I immediately decided I didn't want to use it...so I bought a blue one and immediately stuck that in my pocket

 

[Wolverine666]

I’m a big fan of buying doubles. One to stock and one to rock. Just ordered two Civivi Bannerets as a matter of fact.

 

[Knives&Lint]

I only have a handful of knives that would be deemed (relative to this forum) as more expensive (CRK, Hinderer, Les George), and they get used. For example, my Hinderer Jurassic was my main hiking/outdoor folder for quite some time. I also carry my Sebenza as my one carry knife when I travel back home to Florida for weeks to a couple of months at a time; where it may be called upon for a variety of tasks from farm work, to home renovation, to camping.

The exception is when I have an entire day planned around a particular task and a particular knife may be ideal for that task. Most notably, on the water I will carry a Salt knife. Or if I'm doing something like ripping out carpet I'll opt for a K390 Spyderco. If my day consists tough work where stainlessness is imperative, I'll go with my Para3 LW in S90V. Etc. Still, on many of these occasions I'll still just roll with the the Sebenza, as it makes such a great work knife and just feels like a high quality tool when using it.

I'll add that there's no right or wrong way to hobby, and this is just what works for me personally. The "use your s4!t" zealots can get a bit tiresome at times. I actually admire other's safe queens and office carry, and I think it's cool when someone loves a knife enough to own a pristine back-up. It's just not for me (subject to change ).

 

[awesome14]

I edc a SAK S557. I've had 2 in the last 24 years. The blades are notorious for not holding an edge. But it only takes 3 minutes to sharpen one. And I also use a steel a couple swipes/day. I wouldn't want to build a freeway overpass with it. But it's become an extension to my hand. It's about a $70 knife. When I'm in the boonies I edc a Buck 120 with micarta and S35VN. BUT I have about 30 folders and 10 fixed.

 

[P.08]

I am a collector at heart. I collected German and US military pistols for years as well as fighting knives and some Japanese swords. So while I own some expensive knives I find a Cobratec or now a Kershaw Livewire in my pocket. I did carry a Hogue OTF for a while though. Some things you just appreciate for their aesthetic value.

 

[Boattale]

I have one knife I don't regularly carry. Actually only once so far. Everything else is on call.
View attachment 2496957View attachment 2496962View attachment 2496969

BTW, it's not that this knife is too expensive to carry - I have other knives that are more expensive that I do carry. It's just the pristine beauty of a well made classic knife that keeps me guarding this knife's condition. Not sorry either.

 

[DocJekl]

I only have a handful of knives that would be deemed (relative to this forum) as more expensive (CRK, Hinderer, Les George), and they get used. For example, my Hinderer Jurassic was my main hiking/outdoor folder for quite some time. I also carry my Sebenza as my one carry knife when I travel back home to Florida for weeks to a couple of months at a time; where it may be called upon for a variety of tasks from farm work, to home renovation, to camping.

The exception is when I have an entire day planned around a particular task and a particular knife may be ideal for that task. Most notably, on the water I will carry a Salt knife. Or if I'm doing something like ripping out carpet I'll opt for a K390 Spyderco. If my day consists tough work where stainlessness is imperative, I'll go with my Para3 LW in S90V. Etc. Still, on many of these occasions I'll still just roll with the the Sebenza, as it makes such a great work knife and just feels like a high quality tool when using it.

I'll add that there's no right or wrong way to hobby, and this is just what works for me personally. The "use your s4!t" zealots can get a bit tiresome at times. I actually admire other's safe queens and office carry, and I think it's cool when someone loves a knife enough to own a pristine back-up. It's just not for me (subject to change ).

Well, I have a PJ Inkosi that I didn't want to get snail trails all over, so it was used around the house only, until Kettleman sold me a KnifeArt Inkosi that I've been carrying and using for 3 months now.

I bought a used Shirogorov F95 R18 that I had to put on a new edge as it couldn't even cut skin, and I carry that often; but I have other Shiros that I keep pristine as collectors pieces. Other people might have made this F95 a safe queen, but I purposefully bought a used one that I would not feel bad carrying. Same with a Shirogorov Aquatic F3, where I have one for carry and one for the safe (along with the other 3 elements), a small Inkosi and small Sebenza that I carry a lot, I bought them used and I'm not afraid to carry them, but it's nice to also have a pristine one around too. But I have one Shiro F3 Emerald Micarta that I started to carry right away, while my Hati Gen 3 Halloween is a safe queen.

I have 6 Herman Sting, and only 2 of them have been EDC, but others might not have carried any of them at all. I bought extras with the idea that I would wear one out and save the others for later, and for my collection.

Today it's the KnifeArt Inkosi in the right front, and the F95 in the right back pocket, and Bechmade Shootout on my weak side left front.

 

[David Mary]

I've tended toward carrying less expensive folding knives. Folders are a Resilience in 8Cr13MoV that I reground to serrated and more MIlitaryesque blade shape and a Plainedge S35VN Resilience that I reground to 4" leaf shape blade, and also shortened the handle on. I'd probably swap it for 8Cr13MoV as well, since I really don't mind that steel (and I regrind it so thin that it has great performance regardless of being lower wear resistance) but when I tried to sell it nobody grabbed it, so back in the pocket it went.

Knives&Lint your K390 Stretch is beautiful!

 

[ShaiHulud]

If I made the kind of money to spend on high end knives (and wanted to) I would carry and use them, I'd carry a 3k rockstead and use it if I could afford one, Knowing myself now, the sheen of a well-used knife is an accomplishment.

 

[jux t]

I’ve largely moved on to backpacking forums due to the strain on my back from carrying my safe around.

 

[DavidABQ]

I’ve largely moved on to backpacking forums due to the strain on my back from carrying my safe around.

That is a wise decision. Safes are very heavy.

 

[Knives&Lint]

Knives&Lint your K390 Stretch is beautiful!

Many thanks! I originally just picked it up to give Spyderco's K390 a shot, but it quickly became a favorite. I purposely used it for my fruit cutting for a bit before adding the mustard patina and then put a subtle fade dye on it just to play around.

 

[SALTY]

Great topic.

I do not have many "expensive" knives - certainly not by BF standards but I do have knives that are more "valuable" to me than others. I mean that in the sense of either sentimental value or hard to replace - such as discontinued, etc. When there's a knife that I really like, irrespective of price, I will obtain duplicates with one being used and the back-up(s) sitting in storage. I do this with knives even if they aren't expensive. Case in point would be the Becker BK15 and BK5 (both discontinued) but trailing points that I really like. I also rarely carry my grandfather's (RIP) Buck 110 but certainly enjoy owning it. Likewise for the well used (though not by me) Box Elder Sebenza that my friend gave me because he "just didn't use it anymore."

Some knives, though not high priced, are "valuable" to be because I really like carrying and using them - such as the Cold Steel Recon 1 folder - I just really like the knive and will sometimes carry one of them in conjunction with a loaner/beater so that if someone asks to borrow my knife and breaks the tip or otherwise does something stupid with it at least a knife that I don't care so much about gets damaged/lost or whatever. Ditto with my beloved Pacific Salts - really enjoy carrying and using them but they rarely, if ever, get loaned. I've got back-ups for them as well. My Recon 1s and Pacific Salts are "valuable" to me.

Separately, but related, is what I believe to be the single biggest threat, at least for me, to a folder - loss. One way to mitigate the injury of losing a knife thats "valuable" to me is to carry something like an older AUS 8 Voyager or something similar because it certainly gets the job done and if it turns up missing it's easily replaceable and certainly not heart-breaking.

We all approach and carry out this hobby (sickness?) differently and what I do brings enjoyment (and utility) for me.

YMMV

Happy Hunting!

 

[jkulysses]

Guess it depends on what you consider expensive or nice. I will use like a paramilitary 2 for cutting things that might mess the blade up versus one of my nicer knives that cost hundreds more. In general though I don't tend to cut things that damage my knives. When I think there may be zip ties and stuff needing cut like for Christmas or a kids birthday party I usually carry a PM2 or something else in that price range. I don't really have many sub $100 knives these days.

 

[Captiva]

This thread drove me to upgrade my office letter opener.

 

[droddy386]

OK - getting more specific - If you had a >$3,000 Shirogurov, would you carry it and use it to cut things up, regrind it - or would you just bring it to gun shows to flip it off?

[pry with it, take the risk of hitting a staple in a box, dropping it on concrete, can't get it repaired in the country, etc. other concerns?]