Recommendation? EDC dilemma

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SuzukiGS750EZ

Joined
Dec 30, 2008
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4,563
So as most of you know, I recently got a 110 in elk and nickel. I bought a horizontal leather sheath I carry over my left hip. That week i also bought an elk/ nickel buck bladeforums 301. I'd like to carry both. Dilemma... I don't want to bang up the 301 in my pocket. I EDC a victorinox minichamp without a keyring in the pocket I'd carry the 301 in. Left front pocket carries my cell phone. My watch pocket is also consumed. I also carry a keybar with my card key fob hanging off the end of it in the same pocket the minichamp is in. How do I carry my minichamp or 301 without banging either up?

Also, how durable is elk as a handle material? How about those nickel bolsters?
 
Elk is very durable. Considering what those animals do with their antlers I don't think you need to worry about hurting it. I don't like my nicer knives scratching in pocket with other things so here's my suggestion.


This has been my main method of carry for years. Knife rides horizontal next to wallet and doesn't have any hard surface to rub against, stays out of the way, is comfortable and easy to get to (except when you're sitting down). And I don't sit on the knife, because it's off to the side. This is the back right pocket.

IMG_6311.jpg

The last few days I've been trying out a slip again. Normally I am adverse to slips because they are slow to get the knife out and make your pocket more bulky. I'm trying the slip for two reasons; one is to give extra protection to the nice bone on this old schrade I've been carrying and reason two is because the pebbled bison leather slip looks good with my new wallet of the same material. This particular slip (the ones KSF gives out with gec purchases) works really well so far. The cutout makes it faster to get the knife out and it doesn't fit this particular knife too tight which makes extraction and return fast and easy. Right now I really like this setup.

IMG_6310.jpg
 
Elk is a tough and stable handle material, from what I've seen here on BF.
My only knife with Elk is the 2018 Buck 301 forum knife, so I don't have a lot of long term personal experiance with Elk covers ... unlike a considerable few here.

I'll second the pocket slip solution.
I think Horsewright Horsewright makes one that attaches to a belt loop, so it don't wind up in the bottom of your pocket, for a reasonable cost.
A custom sheath to carry both your 110 and 301, might be an option if there is anyone local to you that does that kind of work.
 
afishhunter said:
Elk is a tough and stable handle material, from what I've seen here on BF.
My only knife with Elk is the 2018 Buck 301 forum knife, so I don't have a lot of long term personal experiance with Elk covers ... unlike a considerable few here.

I'll second the pocket slip solution.
I think Horsewright Horsewright makes one that attaches to a belt loop, so it don't wind up in the bottom of your pocket, for a reasonable cost.
A custom sheath to carry both your 110 and 301, might be an option if there is anyone local to you that does that kind of work.
Click to expand...
A sheath to carry both would be AWESOME. the 2018 forum knife is the 301 in question
 
View attachment 1252732
I stitched this bad boy up out of a piece of buckskin I had laying around after finding myself in similar dilemma and perusing the forums here. My biggest issue though isn't so much banging up a knife but keeping the gobbeldygook out of the thing since my pockets are always full of sawdust and whatnot. It's far from pretty but it works, whatever knife I have stays upright in my pocket and up off the bottom. The ones Horsewright makes are a far better example though.
 
I just dug around in my box-o-stuff and pulled out a slip from AG Russell, it's the medium size in black leather. I'm not sure how big a 301 is but it's supposed to hold most knives up to 4 inches closed. I got it for my gec 92 but it doesn't fit (hence the homemade abomination in my previous post). If you think it will work for you drop me an email to get me your shipping info and I'd me happy to send it somewhere it'll be used and appreciated.
 
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SuzukiGS750EZ said:
So as most of you know, I recently got a 110 in elk and nickel. I bought a horizontal leather sheath I carry over my left hip. That week i also bought an elk/ nickel buck bladeforums 301. I'd like to carry both. Dilemma... I don't want to bang up the 301 in my pocket. I EDC a victorinox minichamp without a keyring in the pocket I'd carry the 301 in. Left front pocket carries my cell phone. My watch pocket is also consumed. I also carry a keybar with my card key fob hanging off the end of it in the same pocket the minichamp is in. How do I carry my minichamp or 301 without banging either up?

Also, how durable is elk as a handle material? How about those nickel bolsters?
Click to expand...
This thread has some suggestions that would suit your situation.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/traditional-carry-systems-methods.1665889/
 
My first suggestion is to carry less items. The other is a Hitch & Timber setup for multiple or single items.
 
The elk near the bolsters on my forum knife, where it was ground flush, shows some gray discoloration from being in with my keys, coins, and prytool. It's not a big deal to me, I took it for a week of camping in the rain, but it isn't as pretty as it was. I've been thinking about trying a tea stain on it, but haven't gotten motivated when both it and tea it were handy.
 
I call these folding knife pouches or buckaroo pouches is how lots of folks know them. Not my idea they've been around for a long time. Here's how they work:

xUbTDiE.jpg


iBR2L0E.jpg


There's a slit at the end of the thong and the pouch back feeds through the slit once its around your belt loop:

YStfWNy.jpg


Then just drop it in your pocket.

ijk7SgC.jpg


Need your knife? just tup on the thong. The pouch comes out and ya pinch the bottom and the knife comes out of the pouch.

l0jz3Tz.jpg


These are very common among working cowboys as they allow you to get to your folder even if you are wearing chaps or not:

yqqIhuQ.jpg


9R3Jr93.jpg


tdJVtI5.jpg


Anyhoo its a simple idea thats been around for a long time because it works. I wouldn't worry too much bout the elk. I've made hundreds and hundreds of knives with elk handles for people that really use stuff tough. I don't recall ever having to repair an elk handle.

gFqlC2l.jpg
 
Horsewright said:
I call these folding knife pouches or buckaroo pouches is how lots of folks know them. Not my idea they've been around for a long time. Here's how they work:

xUbTDiE.jpg


iBR2L0E.jpg


There's a slit at the end of the thong and the pouch back feeds through the slit once its around your belt loop:

YStfWNy.jpg


Then just drop it in your pocket.

ijk7SgC.jpg


Need your knife? just tup on the thong. The pouch comes out and ya pinch the bottom and the knife comes out of the pouch.

l0jz3Tz.jpg


These are very common among working cowboys as they allow you to get to your folder even if you are wearing chaps or not:

yqqIhuQ.jpg


9R3Jr93.jpg


tdJVtI5.jpg


Anyhoo its a simple idea thats been around for a long time because it works. I wouldn't worry too much bout the elk. I've made hundreds and hundreds of knives with elk handles for people that really use stuff tough. I don't recall ever having to repair an elk handle.

gFqlC2l.jpg
Click to expand...
Your posts are exactly where I got the idea for mine... Except with far better execution
 
I haven't carried an Elk handled knife long enough to comment on the durability but I did drop this Buck 503 on a concrete sidewalk before I even used the knife. Dropped it right after I finished taking the initial pictures after receiving it. I was standing up and the knife probably fell from a height of about 4 feet.

This pic was taken after the drop. If you look closely you can see the dings on both bolsters and a small ding on the blade spine near the nail nick. I'm not sure exactly how the knife landed but there is no damage whatsoever to the Elk slabs.

IMG_5146.JPG
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
A sheath to carry both would be AWESOME. the 2018 forum knife is the 301 in question
Click to expand...

There was a slip available at the time the BF 301s were sold.. I got 1.. Look around or maybe call BUCK to see if any are hanging around..
John
 
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