Gift advice for non-knife friends

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RH

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First, a quick story. This weekend I'm over a friend's house, where he is cutting out a small notch for a screw head in a strip of wood cabinet trim. The tools he's using? A tiny drill bit and a steak knife! Why? "My Dad had the router" :rolleyes: (Mind you, this guy has every hand & power tool known to man, but no pocketknife). First he was drilling it like a dentist would drill out a filling, and then using the steak knife (holding it partly by the blade of course, for leverage) to scrape the edges out. I decided - he needs a pocketknife.

In addition, I meet regularly with this guy and a few others for a men's breakfast/bible study. None of them carry a knife of any sort, and I think now would be a perfect time to get them all a little something for Christmas.

Here's the question: Given that the cost would be about the same, should I get them a tiny lockback (MiniBuck, Gerber LST type) or the tiny SAK (with blade, scissors, nail file)? I'm leaning towards the lockback, because I dislike non-locking blades, and I think a sturdy locking blade is more useful than a flimsy blade, scissor, and nailfile. Keep in mind, it would be a accomplishment if these guys start to carry anythying - there's no way they'd carry anything bigger.
 
I lean towards the small lockback. Say a Spyderco Ladybug or something. Maybe get the initials of your bible study group engraved on it, or a cross. Something to make it more special, but still keep the cost reasonable. Good luck.


Blades
 
Victorinox Recruit (~$12 online) with a white Photon II (also ~$12 online) attached.
Has two blades, can opener, bottle opener, flat head, phillips head (half a phillips head, anyway, on the can opener blade), tweezers, and the famous toothpick.
They'll use it every day.
I have given these and they go over very well, as do colored Leatherman Micras (~$16-20) for the ladies (particularly the blue).

I gave two men at church plain Micras a month or so ago, and they say they use them constantly for the scissors and the (great) tweezers.

Every person on my Christmas list will be receiving some sort of knife or multi-tool this year (except the 2 yr. old). Most will be Recruits or Micras. And Photons all around, too.
 
I am a big fan of SAK's, but I will have to advise for the small lockback.

Like the really small Gerber.

Or, if something fancier is called for, the small buck locbacks are very nice.

Good idea.
 
I have given SAK's to alot of non-knife people over the years and have never really had anybody not like them. I guess it's the one positive hangover from the show Macgyver. (I hated that show) but it did do alot for the image of pocket knives.
 
SAK... small lockbacks... What gives???

If you really cared, they'd have one of these in their stockings.

ds2.jpg


:eek: :eek: :eek: :D :D :D
 
i like the leatherman micra for something like that. the blade doesn't lock, but if you open the blade, and close the micra up, the blade can't close on your figners. plus, the scissors are more substantial, and more USEFUL tools than the tiny SAK. (i've got both, and prefer the micra to the personalized SAK... which has a lot of sentimental value anyway)

(also, the blade feels more substantial)
 
....but does it have scissors???? :rolleyes:


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
I do think the LM-Micra is a good choice....really handy little guy!!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what the [NEED]"
 
It ain't mine :(

Borrowed the image from TAD
 
Small Urban Shark, Vapor, Chive, SOG Sculptura, something a little different than your basic lockblade, if you think they'd be receptive to it. Otherwise, you get to keep 'em yourself!

Better idea-SEBENZA'S ALL AROUND
 
Since they are Non-Knife Individuals I would recommend starting them with the Leatherman Micra.

They will probably be more likely to carry the Micra than a Lockback even though the Lockback might be a better knife.

Once they get used to carrying the Micra you can go with the Lockback.
 
Maybe just a classic slipjoint. Like a Case peanut or small stockman. These knives scare no one and I use mine all the time.
 
Last year, around this very time, I had to do some shopping for the in-laws, who were coming down for X-mas. Mind you, these are two of the biggest non-knife owners I ever met. They prolly have matching t-shirts in their closet that say "No Use For a Knife". Seriously.

Anyways, I dash up to the top of this very page, and click on "Store". This of course, takes me to One Stop KNIFE Shop, where you would think I would strike out big time. But I keep looking nonetheless.

These two people are avid golfers, so when I come upon the Swiss Army Golf Tool, I am intrigued. Divot repair tool, cleat cleaner, ball marker, and all the other associated SAK stuff is neatly packaged in there. Cool.

A couple of pages from there, I encounter the Photon keychain light. What a neat thing. So with a nod and a wink, up the chimney.....
No no, that is another story. So with a fecal matter eating smirk, I click "Quantity 2" and "Buy it".

Along comes X-mas.... the in-laws crack open the gifts and are completely stoked. Now they carry the lights and the SAKs happily wherever they may go. I learned 2 things during that shopping endeavor:

1> 1SKS is a healthy place to shop, even for the most politically correct, knife fearing individual. and

2> "Mother-in-Law" is an anagram for "Woman Hitler". Don't ask me about the second one. Just one of those laws of nature I guess.
 
I would think about getting your buds a knife that can potentially age with time, taking on the reassuring nicks and dings that make a pocketknife YOURS, while remaining as strong and reliable as ever.

With that said, in the small lockback category, I'd consider either the Buck Gent (525) or the Buck Executive (526), which is a few bucks more. The Executive is my dress-up knife and I've never failed to have folks who see it ask to hold it, ask where they can get one, remark on it's sleak design and pocket-ability, etc.

Buck also makes a couple of sweet little wood-handled slipjoints, the 705 and 709, both in the $26 range. I carry a 709 most days and really love it. These two models also come in plastic-handled versions, the 305 and 309, and they're around $20.

With one of these Bucks, your pals get a small, affordable knife that'll "age" nicely and one that they can count on for a lifetime.
 
Get them a knife that will help them at work.
If not that, do they have certain hobbies that would benefit from a use of a knife.
 
My recommendation would be a Spyderco D'Alton Holder Toad. What a great little knife. Small enough that it wouldn't bother anyone.
 
I'm not sure why I'm posting, but I'll also "vote" for a Leatherman Micra. Mine is with me 24/7 (in my key wallet), and I find it to be very usefull.:).
 
I don't know about those Micras... The way VG handles one, it's sure to be on the banned weapons list soon enough :p
 
I'd go with a classic looking pocket knife. But, one with a modern touch to it. . .

Kershaw Double Cross ! :D
 
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