Hesitant to use your EDC?

Consider yourself lucky to have the choice. My workplace requires us to use a company provided utility knife. No rules against carrying our own knives (yet) we just can't use them.
 
Abrasoka said:
For cutting tape and boxes at work I have a Meyerco assisted box cutter equipped with a Benchmark ceramic blade. Just don't the sense of using my AFCK for that kind of stuff when the ceramic blade lasts for months at a crack and never seems to dull.
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Never regretted using my mini HS for everything - you name it, it's done it. It's the best part of having it. Only regret not buying more.

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jasonbroni said:
Guys... Let me try to defend myself - I use that thing from everything from prying those safeties off of lighters to stabbing beer cans and twisting (opposite the mouthpiece for a better pour).. all I was saying is, "do I really want to totally take some edge off of my super sharp knife, or should I just use a box cuter?" I chose the box cutter. After reading all of the responses I do actually think I'll cut that box next time. But don't think I'm afraid to use my knife - I LOVE using my knife!
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Use it with whatever you're comfortable using it for, man. It's your knife and as long as you're using it safely, more power to you. Personally, I use my knives on cardboard a ton, so a large box won't make me blink (I just used my Manix 2 XL to reduce a cardboard box about 6'×2'×1' to its component parts) but if someone passed on their knife to use a razor knife for the same task they ain't wrong. In fact, to be truly true to the truth, they're the one using the more specialized tool designed more specifically for the task. Pocket knives are compromise tools by their very nature.
 
I see no reason to ruin a dedicated EDC carry knife with repetitive everyday tasks. That's what Leathermen, Swiss army knives, cheap folders, and folding utility knives are for.
 
bld522 said:
It certainly is wonderful to read all this feedback from those who are willing to tell others how they should use their possessions. I'd say most of the replies are from the "if you don't use your knives, you got no reason to live" crowd. I, on the other hand, say use your knives or don't use them precisely the way you want to. They're your knives. You paid for them. Do with them as you please. And pay absolutely no attention to those who would tell you to do otherwise.
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You're right. Telling some one how to use their knives is about as silly as some one asking how they should use their knives.
 
Well you have probably seen these box knives of mine too often in this forum but . . .
I would have had my knife valet :p hand me one of the two top ones. If the box was dirty then I would have him hand me the carbide with the 1.2mm blade. If fairly clean even if the box was thick I would have went with my favorite with the Stanley 0.4mm blade.

Cutting boxes with anything else is . . . well . . .

The 0.4mm is like the Ferrari of box knives HIGH SPEED / LOW DRAG.
So
even if I had two or three "Real" knives on me that is what I would use for the box.
Boring huh ?

 
I went to replace some laminated procedures that were stapled to the ceiling

Pulled the knife out that at the time I was carrying (ti lock) slipped the blade under the first staple to pry out of the wood and stopped what I was doing and took a minute to find a flat head screw driver.

That story is so lame I shouldn't of posted it, I had better stories 20 years ago for you fellas

I'll cut most anything but no prying or scraping
 
While I don't hesitate at cutting cardboard for fear of dulling my EDC's blades,
Some people like to whittle sticks, me being a city man I actually like to whittle cardboard, it's very therapeutic plus excellent testing material for my knives!
I can always easily and quickly re-sharpen them on my belt sharpener.

Something similar happen to me few month back, I hesitated to use my knives!

I like to clean/wash my blades, especially folders, right after using them on sticky, wet, messy things before closing folder blade and putting it in my pocket.

My father and I just finished closing summer home for winter, no water available,
when he decided that he wanted to cut some plants/flowers for my mother.

He asked me if I had a knife, he knows I always carry few folders 2-3 + multitool!

That's when it happened, I hesitated,
I couldn't decide which knife I'm willing to let him use on sticky juicy plants,
and spend next 3 hours being dirty and sticky on the drive back home before I can wash knife down!

Don't you just hate dirty knives!

Before I could decide, he grabbed kitchen knife, cut plants and just left it dirty in the knife drawer until spring!
I couldn't take it leaving it dirty, so I wiped it down with paper towel as best I could!

Now, if I was then carrying my cheap Chinese beater folder, I would not have hesitated for a second, that is what its meant to be used for!

But, all I had on me were BM710SBK D2, BM912SBK D2 & Leatherman Wave I did not want any of them covered in plants sap.
I was glad that I hesitated because due to bad weather horrible traffic drive home turned out to be 7 hour crawl!

I use them both in the kitchen for food prep ex: meat, fruit, veggies all the time but I clean them with water and soap dry with paper towel after each use.
Since they are made from D2 steel I try to always keep them dry to avoid rust spots!

In conclusion, I believe hesitation to use EDC's is sometimes justified all depends on situation you are in!
 
Never hesitate using my knives, even my favorite customs! I really hate cutting a bunch of taped up boxes, getting all that adhesive junk on my blade!
 
I'm anything but hesitant, but I am also all about preserving that shaaaarp edge and reducing sharpening. But I'm not a hard user, so I mostly love to use mine in the kitchen every day. I only carry one "knife" but I always have a leatherman with a penblade but I never seem to use that blade, I use my tactical folder.
 
I really hate cutting a bunch of taped up boxes, getting all that adhesive junk on my blade!
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I hear that !
Just one more reason to have a holster with a can of WD-40 in it at ALL times.
I'm kidding, but just barely.
 
Wowbagger said:
Just one more reason to have a holster with a can of WD-40 in it at ALL times.
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Ha ha, like Hank Hill - gotta have that can ready to remove the lid from the other WD-40 can!

I will pick and choose when damage can't be avoided, especially tasks like cutting insulation from piping or through materials with hidden staples (or cutting wire on concrete). I have learned how to pretty quickly repair dings and rolls, but don't get as excited about addressing chips. However, I have no choice, I will use what I have on hand and deal with the consequences figuring it leads to better practice sharpening.
 
You answered your own question. You use your EDC knife for when you need a knife and if there are box cutters at work then you don't need a knife. Of course you should use the box cutter. Just like you don't use your pocket knife for food when there is a perfectly fine set of kitchen knives on the wall.
 
Don't hesitate to use your every day carry. And if you're gonna call it an EDC, carry the sumbitch every day (hence the term).

I cringe every time I see the term "EDC rotation". EDC implies no rotation. Maybe in addition to others, but that means it gets carried every day. (for at least a period of time long enough to quantify the term "every day carry" to you personally)

If you carry your knife every day and use it for whatever cutting task comes up, you may wind up with a character filled beauty like this one:





Or you could always use your box cutter and keep your knife (that you bought to carry every day, to cut stuff with) nice and pristine. For the next guy, when you sell it. ;)

Also, tape residue, etc doesn't bother me one bit. I only clean that stuff off if I'm about to cut food.

All of this is just my opinion of course. Your mileage may vary. They're your knives, and ultimately you'll do what you want. I say life's too short. Use your knife, give it some character.
 
Everything is sort of relative..... as they say, use the right tool for the job. I do pry heavy duty staples out of wood, sheetrock, or a document with a knife. But, if I have more than a couple to pry out, I'll dig up a screw driver. Cut aluminum cans, no problem. Carpet, a few cuts, but removing carpet from a room, the utility knife comes out. Boxes.... frequently, but if I have to do quite a few, I'll go utility knife. Cut wires... generally no. I don't cut steel cans lids with a knife, but would if I had to. Most of these tasks are tasks I would never loan my knife to someone else to use for the same purpose, even removing one heavy duty staple. Don't ever loose sight of the usefulness of utility knives. They are made for utility tasks. But using a utility knife for cutting an apple is a bit of a pain.
 
Do what you want with your knives. I hear you about takin off your scalpel edge that took you time to get on one one box.

I'm all about using knives but I am also about using the optimal tool for a given job. Hell they call utility knives box cutters because they excel at that job and have a disposable blade. Use it for a box and save your edge who cares.

I have some seriously huge boxes at work that after hacking up one your knife, no matter the steel will be dull.

I also carry nicer knives at work but when the cardboard bailer gets jammed up and I need to cut out stuck cardboard next to hard steel, I like to use box cutters due to speed. I hate grinding and rolling my edge on metal, it hurts me. That being said the best cardboard knife I have used would be an endura FFG with a keen edge. Melts through most cardboard and I don't mind using it as it's not really a "nice" knife.
 
bld522 said:
It certainly is wonderful to read all this feedback from those who are willing to tell others how they should use their possessions. I'd say most of the replies are from the "if you don't use your knives, you got no reason to live" crowd. I, on the other hand, say use your knives or don't use them precisely the way you want to. They're your knives. You paid for them. Do with them as you please. And pay absolutely no attention to those who would tell you to do otherwise.
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He asks " What would you guys do in this situation?" I thought he was looking for opinions.
 
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