I use my hard use knives hard...
That's the way: enjoy, but use 'em hard. Sometimes when I'm tempted to get too attached to my prettiest blades (I'm sure that some here can identify), I remind myself they are not Precious Moments figurines, they are just tools.
BTW, I've been thinking that it's high time I take my new Spydie Native 5, with the s35v FFG blade, take it out, drive over it on the blacktop a few times to scratch it up good, then use it to pry some rusty nails out of my old shed, then cut up some old scrap wire, just to break it in and see if it's tough enough for backpacking duty. Just kidding!
Certainly agree with those who prefer to use specialized tools when available: axes, saws, prying bars, chisels, scraping tools, screwdrivers, hammers. For me though, these tools AREN'T always available, especially not when backpacking, hunting, and during EDC. Often I have to make due with a choice among just a couple of blades, especially during EDC. If I can find a tool on my Leatherman S2 MT that will accomplish a job, I'll use that. If I need to do something that would normally be abusive to a knife, but if I can improvise and use something else, or even delay doing a job until later, I'll try to avoid abusing my blades. But when I have no choice, absolutely I will use my EDC knives for anything necessary. I've used knives for all kinds of stuff: prying off lids, cutting wire, cutting open food cans, batoning wood pieces, turning screws, cutting boxes, dressing game, cutting metal, slicing fruits/veggies, cutting brush, cleaning fish, whatever it takes. My Mini-Rukus s30v folder is scratched and beat to snot, because it is my normal go-to blade (I do try to concentrate the most abusive tasks on just a couple of my blades, no point wearing them ALL out faster if I don't have to). I would not call the Rukus a "beater", because it's still a great-performing knife with a great Axix lock, a beautiful flat-ground 30v blade, and nicely sculpted Micarta grips, it's an awesome EDC folder. Yet it looks like a used tool, because it is.
One general point to make here, on the idea of using the right tool for the job and saving your blades: I found in the last few years that always carrying a multitool (which I never used to, but now I am never without one) can really save your blades from a lot of abuse. In addition to the MT, I'm also thinking about adding one of those small pry bars from CountyComm.com, because with the pry bar plus the MT, you've got a LOT of tool capability in a very small package, and not only do these "save" your blades from needless abuse, they also work better when you can use the right kind of tool for a job. Only reason I haven't done the pry bar until now, I so rarely have to pry anything, it just doesn't seem to warrant carrying that heavy little chunk of steel in my pocket at all times, if I only use it once a year or so.
