Easy EDC/ Hard EDC

[Shorttime]

I'm trying to get an idea what "routine" cutting tasks the Bladeforums members use their knives for, by asking you to think about the easiest and hardest things you cut on a regular basis.

I know that a lot of folks here have at least five knives for every possible cutting task: that's a given.

I also know that some people carry more than one knife, and they have them sorted by roles, and I give you folks credit for being more organized than I am! If you carry more than one, please play along, but tell us what each knife is for.*

For me, it's mostly one knife at a time, but that's because my "routine" cutting jobs are not very difficult.

The easiest, I suppose, would be trimming the occasional strong from my pocket: doesn't require a lot of physical strength, but it is nice to have a knife that I find easy to control.

The hardest job is corrugated carboard: thick, fibrous stuff that tells you right away about the edge geometry of your knife, and where any hot spots are on the handle.

So what are your routine cutting tasks?


*Some of you carry a knife for self-defense, and I respect that. Since this is a PG-rated forum, please be careful with your wording when talking about that knife. It helps keep the mods happy, and we all want that.

 

[The Aflac Duck]

I typically carry 2 knives: 1 large folder with a 3.25"+ blade, and a small traditional with a blade under 3".

The large folder is for quick and "harder tasks" such as cutting wood, thick plastic, cardboard, copper wire, steel wire, scraping plaster/drywall/concrete, light prying, and many other construction related tasks.

I carry my traditionals for "public use" or "fine cutting". For example: cutting open a package at the local post office. I keep it clean and very sharp for fine-cutting jobs like first-aid (splinters and other small things) and food prep like cutting a steak. A smaller blade is easier to maneuver for small jobs like cutting strings out of my boots and such.

 

[Moondrop]

Lately, I've been carrying a Mini Pendleton for cutting open packaging, cardboard, etc., or anything where the knife might get dirty, like whittling sticks while I'm walking my dog or deadheading flowering plants. Sometimes I carry a Buck 102 in its place.

I carry a Secret Edge that I've found works great for food--apples, slicing a frozen pizza into portions (after it's been baked, of course), etc.

I have a Hold Out III in my bag along with a Vic Huntsman, just in case I ever somehow walk out of the house without grabbing the others, although that hasn't happened yet.

Recently I've also been trying out a couple of traditional slipjoints after having posted in a thread not too long ago that I've never been able to warm up to them. I blame a combination of the Rough Rider thread in the traditionals sub-forum and finding a Buck 371 at my local walmart for that.

 

[f250]

I often carry multiple blades, but there's not a whole lot of rhyme or reason to which blade gets used for which task. I used to do landscaping, which adds a whole new category of hard use cutting...sod,pvc pipe, burlap root ball containers, and cutting heavy packaging and organic materials. For all those tasks, I would use a fixed blade or one of my better loved, worn blades I didn't mind dulling or scratching up.

Now I have a totally different job and cutting cardboard boxes occasionally is the hardest use any of my knives see unless I'm camping and wood processing. I honestly don't consider that hard use, I just think of that as normal pocket knife use. I use everything from my spyderco farid k2 to a sak cadet for any of those tasks.

The only reason I carry multiple blades is either because I just want to, or I keep a smaller blade for using around people who would get scared off by my other one.

I guess the short answer to your question is for me, I see all the uses you described as falling under the same category. I'm sure others are different, but that's me. I like putting scratches and wear on my blades. Gives them character

 

[JR88FAN]

Personally, a cutting tool is a cutting tool, and I only need to carry one.

I try to find the sweet spot between blade length, steel, ergonomics, strength (confidence in the knife that it will perform and not fail) and overall utility.

I do the following:

Break Ice.
Pry open frozen sliding locks. (alot)
Pry Wood.
Lots of corrugated cardboard.
Chop wood.
Carve wood.
Cut Plastic/Metal/Rubber/Drywall/Rope.
Strip electrical conductors.
Mild food prep.

Almost forgot the most important thing I do, and that's constantly sharpen pencils and pencil crayons for my kids.....because apparently, I do a much better job then a pencil sharpener?!?!

And a bunch of things I can't remember because I don't do them a ton....

I like to use one knife. (So carry the same knife for a long time)
This way I learn it's in's and out's and I have found that any hand tool becomes an extention of your hand if you use the same one for a long period of time.

I also don't have the time (or want to worry about) to make sure I took 'the best knife' to wherever I am going or doing.
Life is a bit too spontaneous for that.
It's also not very practical to carry a back-pack full of tools with you wherever you go.

A solid folder that has the ability to do multiple tasks, and is clipped to my pocket 24/7 is the idea cutting tool for me.

 

[Big_jack]

Boxes, cut zip ties, cut vegetables from my garden and general yard work. That's typical stuff. I've cut small wood, and branches, and wire but that's rare. And is also why I'm looking for a good camp knife.

 

[powernoodle]

Basic stuff like boxes, clam shells, a rare zip tie, etc. I could get buy just fine on daily basis with a SOG Flash 1 or Leatherman PS4, but I like to have a larger EDC blade in my pocket just in case.