How do you choose which knife or knives you carry...and how many?

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YellowSwiss

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Sep 28, 2015
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How do you choose which knife or knives you carry? Do you have a typical rotation? How many do you carry?

Me: I carry 3 usually...not that I use all of them constantly, but just have a tough time choosing some days. I rotate two almost every day...my one constant carry is my SAK.

Of course, what I am doing, or where I am going dictates my carry habits.

Interested in other's carry habits.

Pictures always welcome!
 
One fixed blade and a oho non traditional for boxes and such (4 in my rotation) and then a traditional of some sort (5 trappers, 3 sodbuster style, and a Barlow or two in my rotation) usually just carry whichever floats my boat that morning
 
I'm a double traditional kinda guy. One sub 3" watch pocket carry to pull out and not cause a commotion, and larger that's more fun to use.

It's fun to switch it up each day or else they get jealous ;)
 
Here's something I posted in Jan. 2016 that is still quite an accurate description of my approach to choosing knives to carry. I think since I first posted this, I've added a couple of categories (Alox SAK and Peanut-ish) to what I carry each week. Also, as I've acquired more knives, the schedule currently covers 20 weeks, not 12, and is badly in need of a major update, hopefully by Memorial Day.

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Starting last September, my weekly carry has been determined by a schedule I worked out at the end of the summer. I updated the schedule on New Year's Day to incorporate my new acquisitions throughout the last few months of 2015. Here's what the new schedule looks like:
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It's a grid in which each column lists 8 knives to carry that week in each of 8 categories/rows (stockman, canoe, European, etc.) as well as 2 knives for the kitchen. The new schedule contains a 12-week rotation that enables me to carry each of my knives for at least a week every 3 months or so. I've been very happy with the way a schedule like this saves me time when it comes to selecting knives to carry! :thumbup:
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- GT
 
There will always be a single-bladed knife with a wood or metal handle, usually an Opinel no.6, but possibly an 8, a Mercator, a MAM, a higonokami.

There will be a multi-bladed knife, like an SAK Electrician, Farmer or Recruit, or a else a stockman.

There will likely be a third knife, whatever strikes my fancy, a peanut, improved muskrat, possibly a modern knife, although that is becoming increasingly rare. Or I might drop a small fixed blade in there, an Anza or a Mora.

There is always a Micra in the left front pocket with my keys.
 
That's too much math for a music major!

Once I fail to choose a knife for a month or so it goes in the sell and immediately regret pile.

I wish I could have a plan, that's so efficient, mine is much more connotative. Unfortunately.

Also, this thread is aching for pictures. Sadly, I will not be home till tomorrow.
 
Bigmikebass said:
I'm a double traditional kinda guy. One sub 3" watch pocket carry to pull out and not cause a commotion, and larger that's more fun to use.

It's fun to switch it up each day or else they get jealous ;)
Click to expand...

This is pretty much my way of doing things. One small knife like a peanut or similar in my right front pocket and then a larger knife like a trapper, or medium stockman in my back right pocket.
On weekends, my Buck 110 joins the fun and rides in a sheath on my belt.

I do tend to carry the same combo for about a week, then switch up.
 
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I beleive no one blade type is ideal for every task.
I always have a Buck 110 or Schrade 7OT/6OT on my belt.
A 4 blade scout knife or a SAK Huntsman in my right front pocket, connected to a SAK chain lanyard.
Usually keeping the Scout or SAK company is a Buck 301/371 Stockman, or a large (4 1/4 inch closed) Rough Rider Stockman, and a canoe or Barlow.
Some days I'll give the canoe a week to month off, and carry a large Rough Rider Sunfish. If I know in advance I am going to need a heavy Sheepsfoot, I'll leave the Stockman home, and put a Rough Rider Half Hawk in the pocket.
While I always have the Buck 110 or the Schrade on the belt, I use it/them the least. I could probably leave them home and not be lacking. But, having carried one pretty much every day since 1969/1970 I feel naked without one on the belt.
Maybe I should put the large Buck trapper in the belt sheath, and carry it for a change?
 
I do a whole weeks carry to make sure I make the most use of a knife.
For the toothpick and or tweezers I always pair either my vic classic or leatherman micra with any non vic sak I'm carrying for the week. this may be a fixed blade and folder , just 1 folder ( like this week, but especially if it's my 110 ), or sometimes just a fixed blade.
Now if I'm carrying a vic sak, that'll probably be it but I have paired them with a fixed blade before.
normally on Sunday evening as I'm getting ready for bed I pick the next weeks edc and place it on my nightstand in the wooden pocket dump organizer tray I have. Along with picking my edc blade/s I choose a watch ( my only 3 watches are a Timex weekender, a late 80's Casio Marlin , and a late 80's Casio ae30w )
I only have 19 traditional users, so I may not have as hard of a time choosing as some do but as expressed in a recent thread this place can sometimes male it hard to decide.
 
Quite honestly which knife I carry on any given day depends simply on what I feel like. I only carry 1 knife and my preference is in the 3.5" range. I typically carry one knife for months with some days feeling like something different. May change quicker if I get something new and want give it a try. Obviously there will be times where certain knives are inappropriate, not allowed, or clothes restricted. But in general this is what I do. Right now is mainly my ZT 0801TI
 
I always have a SAK Rambler on my keychain. That doesn't change. My EDC folder is usually carried for months at a time. Currently it's a SAK Pruner.
 
My normal carry is an alox Cadet plus another larger traditional. Most often the other is a large stockman, but secondly a two-blade jack or even a single blade. Cadet in left front pocket with keys, the larger knife in right front pocket with handkerchief.
 
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Rotate between my case peanut, gec 13 single blade, and gec bullnose. Also carry a OHO, which varies as well based off need. When I'm out and about, I also have a small gerber attached to my keyring.
 
Usually just based on whimsy that morning, but anymore these days I tend to carry the same knife every day for a few months, then swap it for another old favorite for a few months, etc. The past two months it's been my yellow Peanut. For the two years prior it was one of my two 77 Barlows.

If I have a particular task ahead that day where I know I'll be doing a lot of knife work I'll grab my large stockman, but lately the Peanut does it all just fine.

Sometimes if I carry a second knife it's an SAK Pioneer.
 
I have an Old Timer stockman I carry at work. Other than that, I carry whatever makes me happy that day.
 
Every day I pick 2 that fit in my pocket slip. Typically one with 3" or lager handle or double spring pattern, and then one smaller than 3" like a GEC #09 or Case mini-copperhead.

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But the beauty of the GEC #89 pattern (my favorite) is that it fits nicely in the smaller side as well :)

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I cover these main categories:

Traditional (main blade, for most cutting tasks) - Beer Scout, Bull Nose, Opinel #6, douk-douk
Barely noticeable multitool - SAK classic (on keychain), SwissCard (in wallet), Leatherman Squirt (in coin pocket or with loose change in left front pocket)
Medium multitool - SAK Pioneer or Super Tinker, Leatherman Skeletool
OHO - Leatherman Skeletool, orange FRN Delica, etc. Something non-threatening.

I'm just over a year into my real pocket knife journey, so my pocket configuration changes daily, trying to fine-tune that ideal setup. My main knife, a traditional of some sort, is in my front right pocket or coin pocket, and anything with pocket clip (including SAKs with suspension clips) goes in my rear right pocket with hanky, flashlight, and pen.

Until recently I had never considered the thought of using my coin pocket for a knife, but now that I've discovered it I love it. My next knife to acquire is a nice sub 3" or so traditional. Maybe a Peanut or a mini Barlow.

I decide what I carry each morning. It's a fun ritual.
 
I always have a Vic Classic on my keyring. Other than that, I just carry one knife, unless I'm spending the day outdoors--in which case I'll have a fixed blade on my belt as well. My usual EDC is one of my GEC #15s, at the top of the pile are my ebony 2-blade TC Barlow (clip) or my Beer Scout (if I know there will be adult beverages consumed!)
 
I just look in the drawers of my knife case and carry whichever one strikes my fancy that day. Today it is a scratted bone ancient TC Barlow.
 
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