Keyring Folders: The Last Resort.

[davek14]

I also don't like big, heavy keychains and broke my tools off separately recently. It seems everyone wants to put a fob on your keys these days.

 

[pinnah]

Remember the old counter top displays?

Soooo.... pressed stainless is acceptable as a traditional frame style, as above or knives like the Mercator and douk-douk.

Annnnnddd.... Butterfly scissors are traditional in that examples of them go back at least into the 1800s and I suspect much earlier.

Put 'em in a bag and shake them up and Leatherman Micra as "traditional"? No clips or studs anyhow....

Untitled by Pinnah, on Flickr


I carry this combo 9 days out of 10. The Micra, for my purposes, is top of the class. The scissors are amazing and tough.

One thing... I don't carry this stuff on my key ring. I use my Micra daily and generally hate carrying my keys with me all the time and really, really hate using anything on my key ring as a tool.

Opinel (or EDC blade of the day) in RFP.
Micra and money-clip in LFP.

 

[The Zieg]

Don't know that the Micra would qualify a traditional knife on the basis of being a chimera of traditional tools anymore than a nuclear submarine would qualify as a traditional steam engine on the basis of using atomic fission to boil water and turn a turbine. In any event, the Trim Trio is trademarked in 1956 and is as traditional, in structure at least, as a Swiss Army Knife. Give the Micra enough time and you'll be calling it traditional, I guess.

Zieg

 

[knarfeng]

The Micra does not count as "Traditional". The Opinel does.

 

[BigBiscuit]

I used to roll with a Leatherman Micra, but recently switched it out with a SAK Classic to reduce weight and bulk. Very happy with the Classic. I went with the cheap sheath because that's all I could find. I figured when it wears out, it's cheap enough to replace.

 

[texasshipagent]

I developed a system using mini niteize biners, categorically I don't like bulky key chains, so at a minimum I carry the first photo

The key fob is mod where added tritium vile, that project was a pain in rear to get done and not cheap, but really cool and helps see your keys in your bag in the dark

Then I added a mini Ti pry bar for actually I don't know what reason EDC guys like pry bars or what the heck you use them for, but it's a cool gadget and have it of mind it will come In Handy one day

next is old school army can opener which will also probably never get used until "the end comes" but have had one on my key ring since got out of the army 20 years ago so it's just there

Then using the niteize clips I switch around car keys depending if driving the Griswald wagon on the weekend, my company car or my wife's car

From there may add a small or large SAK and or my Maratac light or on occasion a Leatherman micra

This has been good system as week days while working have my Filson briefcase that most of my EDC stuff lives in, or casual wear maybe jeans or cargo khakis with a fishing shirt lots of pockets

but other times going to gym or other places maybe attire not so many pockets or dependable pockets, or somewhere when stuff could fall out of pocket and you not notice, Then adjust the keychain carry accordingly.

All this stuff lives in my nitestand so when dressing for the day just pick what the needs of the day are

 

[RDaneel]

I've carried a Classic of one kind or another for 30 years, but awhile back I accidentally pulled out the blade when I meant to get the screwdriver out! I cut myself pretty bad and didn't notice until I saw all the blood. I thought that's it, I'm carrying a Rambler from now on.

 

[billym]

I have been searching for a Trim Trio! Those little silver multi-tools bring back so many memories from my youth. They sold those at gas stations, drug stores, bait shops and my favorite; roadside souvenir shops. You know the shops with lots of cheap souvenirs like cedar boxes, back scratchers, rubber Bowie knives and tiny pocket knives.

Bassett who owns Trim still has the Trio as part of a set called Pocket Tools but I am yet to find any at CVS or Walgreens. http://www.trim.com/?q=men#page1

Here are a few keychain knives;

 

[Blake the Blade]

I have been searching for a Trim Trio! Those little silver multi-tools bring back so many memories from my youth. They sold those at gas stations, drug stores, bait shops and my favorite; roadside souvenir shops. You know the shops with lots of cheap souvenirs like cedar boxes, back scratchers, rubber Bowie knives and tiny pocket knives.

Bassett who owns Trim still has the Trio as part of a set called Pocket Tools but I am yet to find any at CVS or Walgreens. http://www.trim.com/?q=men#page1

Here are a few keychain knives;

Nice collection Billym. There must be a Trim Trio out there somewhere for you mate. Keep looking. :thumbup:

 

[Blake the Blade]

I developed a system using mini niteize biners, categorically I don't like bulky key chains, so at a minimum I carry the first photo

The key fob is mod where added tritium vile, that project was a pain in rear to get done and not cheap, but really cool and helps see your keys in your bag in the dark

Then I added a mini Ti pry bar for actually I don't know what reason EDC guys like pry bars or what the heck you use them for, but it's a cool gadget and have it of mind it will come In Handy one day

next is old school army can opener which will also probably never get used until "the end comes" but have had one on my key ring since got out of the army 20 years ago so it's just there

Then using the niteize clips I switch around car keys depending if driving the Griswald wagon on the weekend, my company car or my wife's car

From there may add a small or large SAK and or my Maratac light or on occasion a Leatherman micra

This has been good system as week days while working have my Filson briefcase that most of my EDC stuff lives in, or casual wear maybe jeans or cargo khakis with a fishing shirt lots of pockets

but other times going to gym or other places maybe attire not so many pockets or dependable pockets, or somewhere when stuff could fall out of pocket and you not notice, Then adjust the keychain carry accordingly.

All this stuff lives in my nitestand so when dressing for the day just pick what the needs of the day are

View attachment 560396View attachment 560397

You'll be the one laughing come the zombie epidemic, armagedon, economic apocalypse, thingy. :thumbup:

 

[Brumby53]

I have this little "Gem" very similar to the "Trim - Trio" posted above by Jake.

 

[oldmanrunning]

As i stated in an earlier post all these gewgaws drive me nuts, but there was a time when i could not stop myself from buying them , these are just the ones in the " That will come in handy" draw in my desk, the only ones that get used, but not carried regularly are the Leatherman P4 and the Micro.

 

[pinnah]

The Micra does not count as "Traditional". The Opinel does.

Frank, not arguing really. You guys set the rules and I'm 100% on board with that regardless with where the lines get drawn. But for consideration...

I would prefer to see the line drawn such that folding butterfly style pliers are considered non-traditional, while folding butterfly style scissors are.

I don't know of any folding butterfly style pliers that predate Tim Leatherman's original Personal Survival Tool. Like the "spydie hole", I see this as a modern development and based on that, would strongly advocate keeping discussion of folding pliers type multi-tools in the general and multi-tool forums where they belong.

But a simple web search on "vintage folding scissors" easily shows that the Micra fits a pattern of cutlery that has been carried in pockets and purses for centuries. Imagine if GEC produced something that looks like any of the following...

(Ok, I cheated and snuck one in there...)


Again, not arguing. Just making the case that there is some justification for considering the Micra to be "traditional" cutlery.

 

[Blake the Blade]

Frank, not arguing really. You guys set the rules and I'm 100% on board with that regardless with where the lines get drawn. But for consideration...

I would prefer to see the line drawn such that folding butterfly style pliers are considered non-traditional, while folding butterfly style scissors are.

I don't know of any folding butterfly style pliers that predate Tim Leatherman's original Personal Survival Tool. Like the "spydie hole", I see this as a modern development and based on that, would strongly advocate keeping discussion of folding pliers type multi-tools in the general and multi-tool forums where they belong.

But a simple web search on "vintage folding scissors" easily shows that the Micra fits a pattern of cutlery that has been carried in pockets and purses for centuries. Imagine if GEC produced something that looks like any of the following...

(Ok, I cheated and snuck one in there...)


Again, not arguing. Just making the case that there is some justification for considering the Micra to be "traditional" cutlery.

That would make this one a goodun then. This is the one I had on my key-ring before the Trim-Trio. It now resides in my fishing tackle box and serves me very well.

Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr

I'm posting this in the hope of a positive reaction to your post pinnah, but I've got to be honest...I think we may be on thin Ice with all this my friend. :culpability:

 

[Peregrin]

I do think the ice is melting, guys. We honestly don't have anything against multi-tools but there is a dedicated sub-forum for them, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/786-Multi-tools-amp-Multi-purpose-Knives. The argument can and has been made that a SAK is also a muti-tool. That's true, but it is also a very traditional knife in many parts of the world and has been for a long, long time. On this sub-forum SAKs, unless they are really out there, are considered traditional and have been since the sub-forums inception. Multi-tools, no.

I figured I'd weigh in since Frank won't be around until this evening Left Coast time. I'm sure he'll be happy to add his thoughts then.

Just wanted to say, those old scissors are pretty cool and by themselves probably wouldn't cause a problem when posted with your traditional knives.

 

[supratentorial]

I would prefer to see the line drawn such that folding butterfly style pliers are considered non-traditional, while folding butterfly style scissors are.

There are also vintage plier knives and some of them fold butterfly style. It's a slippery slope. What Frank said seems like a pretty good place to draw the line.

Also, the vintage examples that you've shown don't have knives and this is a forum about traditional knives so they're sort of off topic. There are other examples that do have knives and I'm sure that those examples of vintage tool knives would be welcome discussion.

Bladeforums has a forum for multi-tools and Swiss army knives and Leatherman tools fit best in the discussion over there.

 

[AreBeeBee]

Another point of discrimination — scisssors have blades, while pliers don't.

 

[supratentorial]

Another point of discrimination — scisssors have blades, while pliers don't.

You're stretching things a bit. Also, plier knives and many Leatherman tools do have blades.

Bladeforums has a whole section dedicated to multi-tools and Swiss army knives so there's plenty of room for discussion.

 

[supratentorial]

If you guys want to start a new topic about vintage tool knives, I may have a few. I'm not sure how much discussion you'll find in the traditional section. You might get more discussion in the multi-tool section but I would be interested either way. Let's not make things complicated for the moderators though. I think Frank and Gary are doing an excellent job.

 

[Blake the Blade]

I must say I like pinnah's scissors bur I agree with Jake in that they don't have a knife blade. My example does, but seems to have no historical precedent (I.E knife and scissors combined in a butterfly construction) so therefore cant really be seen as traditional. It's good to have had the discussion but I agree that we've stretched it as far as it's gonna go. And anyway this is supposed to be about keyring knives, so lets see some more of those eh! :05.18-flustered: