Lone Wolf Project: Post All Your "Experiments" Here

ElCuchillo said:
JK, it's interesting isn't it, how we get used to what we have? I taught martial arts for about 15 years, and there was a saying: Don't fear the man who practices a thousand kicks once, fear the man who practices one kick a thousand times. I guess it's the same with a pocketknife. Mastery of one knife is worth more then casual use of a hundred. I likewise would reach for my Leatherman the first day or two for things, but now just reach for my peanut. Being small and good feeling (it's Bone Stag), I also use it as a worry stone. I just like to hold it and feel it between my fingers. The only problem I am having is, I use it so much, since it is the only knife I use, that I'm not sure if I made the right choice. I'm asking it to be a hard working knife, but the SS steal, while sharp as a razor, doesn't seem to have the stamina I need of it, as after a long day of plenty of cutting, it comes home pretty darn dull. I'm worried that after the year is out,m the blades will be toothpicks. I wish my Peanut had CV blades, but it doesn't. I have a CV Soddie jr., but that defeats the purpose of this. Any tips on how to maybe get an edge that will last a little longer?
Click to expand...


Use a SMOOTH steel at the beginning of the day, & strop at night. Do this around 10:1 (steel/strop:stone). CV lasts ~3yrs for heavy duty use. I say this having used mine for butchering, carpentry, camping,& everything else that needed done. By that time you'll need to send it in for a new blade, & spring/pin. Can't help you w/ the durability of SS though.
 
Still in.

No problems and still passing on to folks, in private.

jackknife does the stories around here, others post their input, and I do what I do in private.
All sorts of real fascinating traditional knife relate matters going on in my world.

Regards,
Steve
 
Still in.

The Wenger SI has been a very good edc knife, if lacking a little something in the looks department. A bit stark and bussness like but with an appeal of its own. Sort of like a stainless Smith and Wesson revolver. I still miss fondling a nice little peanut in the pocket as a worry stone, but its okay. And I still miss the classic on my keyring.

But I do notice that I miss them less as time goes on. Very slowly I seem to be adapting to the lone edc carry thing.

Limiting myself to just one pocket knife and one handgun, I feel I am understanding my dad a little more now. It's actually kind of liberating. I grab my pants in the morning, and there's no decisions to make. My edc stuff is already on board and I'm good to go.

Another thing I have noticed, and I believe I have talked about it before, this experiment has again shown me how little we need to get through the day. Most things I use the Wenger for, its actually a little too big. Opening plastic blister packages, mail, bags of dog food, large plastic bag of bird seed for the feeder out back, twine/string of any kind, light whittling, all can be done with a tiny Victorinox classic. Food use need a bit bigger blade. Bagels, French baggettes, and summer sausage need a 2 to 3 inch blade to get by.

A few weeks ago, son John was home for a visit from South Africa. He had brought home some souvineers as he has done when he has been stationed in other places for his job. A few little art pieces like figurines and paintings. He had bought a home not too far from us as an investment and his Aunt Romillie (Karen's youngest sister) lives there taking care of the place. Karen calls me to come over and give her and John a hand unpacking some boxes. I get there and Karen has already broken down a ton of carboard boxes with her little classic, and it was getting a bit dull. So out comes the wallet hone and I touch it up for her. The job would have been done better with a Stanley utility knife, but Karen is a "get it done now" kind of person so used what she had, her classic. I think she and my dad went to the same school. Like dad never ceasing to amaze me with his peanut, Karen never fails to amaze me with her use of the classic.

But the Wenger has been usfull for the occasional loose screw or home maintanence job where I didn't feel like walking downstairs for the tool kit. The screw driver had been the only tool I have had a once in a while occasion to use. I've opened no cans with it, but a few imported beer bottles without the twist off caps. I use it as a knife more than a tool. Now if someone would make a stockman with a Victorinox screwdriver combo type tool in place of the spey blade, that could darn well be a perfect pocket knife.:thumbup:

Oh, and it had to have a bail!
 
Well, gents, I'm afraid the experiment has yielded an interesting fact about myself. I am not a knife guy, I am a multitool guy. As I posted elsewhere in this topic, I HAD to carry my multitool while at work, as it is part of the uniform now, at least for our department. I found that the more time that past, the less and less I used my knife. My multitool, however, got used for everything. I don't know if it's a sign of the times, or a sign of my immaturity, but I find that my multitool does everything my knife does, but not the other way around. I feel unprepared with just a knife, but I feel like I can take on the world with my Leatherman. At work, the pliers get used a fair bit for a variety of uses. I actually started finding other uses for the pliers other then just turning a bolt. In my "training" towards becoming a minimalist, I also made a rather interesting discovery. By carrying a multitool, I was being more of a minimalist then my coworkers who only carried a knife. When something needed to be done, they had to go get the screwdrivers, or pliers, or saw, or whatever it was they needed. I only needed my one tool. One tool in my pocket covered a small tool box in their hands.
I know some here say "Well, you can use a knife to turn screws, open cans, bottle lids, etc," and yes, I myself learned how to do these things, but damn, is this what knives were made for? Why open a can with a small blade when I have a can opener right in my pocket? Prybars? I have screwdrivers on my multitool for that. I guess what I am saying is, for myself, the experiment is over. I learned who I truly am. As this was more of an experiment to gain self knowledge rather than a competition, I would have to say it was a success.
 
interesting. will you carry a knife anymore? will you leave the forums?

Brett
ElCuchillo said:
Well, gents, I'm afraid the experiment has yielded an interesting fact about myself. I am not a knife guy, I am a multitool guy. As I posted elsewhere in this topic, I HAD to carry my multitool while at work, as it is part of the uniform now, at least for our department. I found that the more time that past, the less and less I used my knife. My multitool, however, got used for everything. I don't know if it's a sign of the times, or a sign of my immaturity, but I find that my multitool does everything my knife does, but not the other way around. I feel unprepared with just a knife, but I feel like I can take on the world with my Leatherman. At work, the pliers get used a fair bit for a variety of uses. I actually started finding other uses for the pliers other then just turning a bolt. In my "training" towards becoming a minimalist, I also made a rather interesting discovery. By carrying a multitool, I was being more of a minimalist then my coworkers who only carried a knife. When something needed to be done, they had to go get the screwdrivers, or pliers, or saw, or whatever it was they needed. I only needed my one tool. One tool in my pocket covered a small tool box in their hands.
I know some here say "Well, you can use a knife to turn screws, open cans, bottle lids, etc," and yes, I myself learned how to do these things, but damn, is this what knives were made for? Why open a can with a small blade when I have a can opener right in my pocket? Prybars? I have screwdrivers on my multitool for that. I guess what I am saying is, for myself, the experiment is over. I learned who I truly am. As this was more of an experiment to gain self knowledge rather than a competition, I would have to say it was a success.
Click to expand...
 
Leave the forums? That's crazy-talk!

ElCuchillo, glad your experiment was an enlightening experience. It's nice to get back to basics sometimes, and find out where one's foundation lies. Now that your Lone Wolf project has yielded its conclusions, though, you're free to once again drop a nice slipjoint back into your pocket so you have a piece of man-jewelry to carry around and fondle. ;)
 
puukkoman said:
Leave the forums? That's crazy-talk!

ElCuchillo, glad your experiment was an enlightening experience. It's nice to get back to basics sometimes, and find out where one's foundation lies. Now that your Lone Wolf project has yielded its conclusions, though, you're free to once again drop a nice slipjoint back into your pocket so you have a piece of man-jewelry to carry around and fondle. ;)
Click to expand...

I was just curious. the tone of the post kind of threw me off.
 
I am still carrying Just the Texas jack. It has been a great EDC, and I haven't needed it to do anything that it couldn't handle yet. A funny thing is that now I have a very strong preference towards smaller jackknives. I also haven't been buying a lot of knives like I used to. Joe
 
bdws1975 said:
interesting. will you carry a knife anymore? will you leave the forums?

Brett
Click to expand...


Fear not, Brett, I will NOT be leaving the forums, and I WILL continue to carry a knife. Probably back to my Peanut. I have nothing against carryiing a knife. I LOVE pocketknives.... slippies..... pocket jewelry. I still like having a little cutter to handle delicate things. I just like having my multitool around for anything that may come up. If I HAD to choose just one knife to carry on a given day, I'd have to say I'd lean towards my Leatherman. It is all the knife I need.
However, like I said, it doesn;t mean I will stop carrying a slippie.
 
ElCuchillo said:
Fear not, Brett, I will NOT be leaving the forums, and I WILL continue to carry a knife. Probably back to my Peanut. I have nothing against carryiing a knife. I LOVE pocketknives.... slippies..... pocket jewelry. I still like having a little cutter to handle delicate things. I just like having my multitool around for anything that may come up. If I HAD to choose just one knife to carry on a given day, I'd have to say I'd lean towards my Leatherman. It is all the knife I need.
However, like I said, it doesn;t mean I will stop carrying a slippie.
Click to expand...

I think that makes sense. if my job lent itself to being able carry a LM, I would. i love my original LM.

Anyway, finding out about ourselves is ALWAYS good.

take care man,
Brett
 
ElCuchillo said:
Well, gents, I'm afraid the experiment has yielded an interesting fact about myself. I am not a knife guy, I am a multitool guy. As I posted elsewhere in this topic, I HAD to carry my multitool while at work, as it is part of the uniform now, at least for our department. I found that the more time that past, the less and less I used my knife. My multitool, however, got used for everything. I don't know if it's a sign of the times, or a sign of my immaturity, but I find that my multitool does everything my knife does, but not the other way around. I feel unprepared with just a knife, but I feel like I can take on the world with my Leatherman. At work, the pliers get used a fair bit for a variety of uses. I actually started finding other uses for the pliers other then just turning a bolt. In my "training" towards becoming a minimalist, I also made a rather interesting discovery. By carrying a multitool, I was being more of a minimalist then my coworkers who only carried a knife. When something needed to be done, they had to go get the screwdrivers, or pliers, or saw, or whatever it was they needed. I only needed my one tool. One tool in my pocket covered a small tool box in their hands.
I know some here say "Well, you can use a knife to turn screws, open cans, bottle lids, etc," and yes, I myself learned how to do these things, but damn, is this what knives were made for? Why open a can with a small blade when I have a can opener right in my pocket? Prybars? I have screwdrivers on my multitool for that. I guess what I am saying is, for myself, the experiment is over. I learned who I truly am. As this was more of an experiment to gain self knowledge rather than a competition, I would have to say it was a success.
Click to expand...

Congradulations, you've had a great sucsess at finding yourself. You're fortunate to have done so at a point where you are still a young man. As you have discovered, for you and your lifestyle, a multitool is the best. Just as I have discovered for me a scout knife/sak is really my preffered tool. All of us lead a particular life that may require different tools for reasons of job, geography, hobby/pastimes, and past life experiance. Human beings have a complex set of variables that make us who we are, and what we do.

This has been reflected in pocket knives since there has been pocket knives. Durring the Civil War there was pocket knives with hoof picks for cavelry men. Durring the early 1900's at the dawn of the automobile era there were pocket knives for the motorcar driver with small wrench blades like the one on some Wenger modles for adjusting things on the old touring cars. As the 20th century got more complex, there were more and more specialized pocket knives for various vocations that included tools for specific uses. Apparently the army's of the world thought to give thier troops pocket knives with screw drivers and bottle/can openers, as well as knives with pliers and wire cutters in bail out kits that had saws and files on them. Chuck Yeager wrote about using the saw blade on his issue bailout knife to cut a bar out of the window of the Spanish jail he was in after escaping over the Pyrinese Mountians fleeing the Germans in occupied France. His Spanish jailers did not search him too well. More recently, our niece who is in the Navy, got out of electricians mate school at Great Lakes, was shipped off to the U.S.S. Blue Ridge.Soon as she reported on board, she was issued a tool kit to carry around with her when needed, and a Leatherman multi that they told her was to go on her belt at all times. Another friend of the family who has a son in Iraq said the mult-tool is the most popular knife among the troops.

I suspect that as our society gets more and more complex, knife tools like the Leathermans and sak's will get more popular. Alot of people in service type jobs, from computer repair to building maintanence, to grounds keepers, find the pocket tool kit a very handy thing. Like at a gator park. Our grandfathers did not live in as complex and technical a world as now. I can only wonder, if they did, would they be carrying multitools? That they knew the importance of having tools on hand was evident in that they each had a small tool kit in the trunk of the car, and the boat had a tool kit forward in the cabin. Plus before WW2 the bulk of our populace lived in rural conditions. Post WW2 there was a huge population shift to the urban centers. And it stands to reason there is more need for a tool in the city these days for no other reason that there is more to repair now and then. And you are not always home or near your tool kit when something needs some "adjustment". I really don't know how many coutless times my sak, or in the old days my scout knife, helped me fix something. Its surprising how many things can be fixed if you just have a screw driver for regular or phillips, and you can get a cover or housing off to get at the guts of it. A loose wire, bad conection or whatever.

Perhaps a multi on the belt for those fix-it times, and a nice little pocket knife for those times you just have to cut something. Like a Leatherman in a belt pouch, and a nice bone stag or even real stag peanut in the pocket. Cover both your bases-tool and pocket jewlery. :D
 
jackknife said:
Most things I use the Wenger for, its actually a little too big. Opening plastic blister packages, mail, bags of dog food, large plastic bag of bird seed for the feeder out back, twine/string of any kind, light whittling, all can be done with a tiny Victorinox classic.
Click to expand...

I was never "officially" in, but I'm still (un)officially in. :D

Meaning: With the exception of one weekend business trip to Romania in January, I've been toting my Case peanut and my peanut alone since this got rolling. And like jackknife noted vis a vis his larger knife, I've found the peanut has taken care of everything I need done. Should be noted, of course, that my job has me tied to a computer all day, not out skinning gators or the like.

(BTW, I guess it shouldn't bother me, but the term "pocket jewelry" just seems so dang effeminate, not to mention dismissive of the cutting power and utility of a peanut.)
 
mnblade said:
(BTW, I guess it shouldn't bother me, but the term "pocket jewelry" just seems so dang effeminate, not to mention dismissive of the cutting power and utility of a peanut.)
Click to expand...

Oh, I would never dis the cutting power of a peanut!:D

But look at it this way; it's small, it's pretty, even women like it, we like to admire it for it's looks, and it goes in a pocket very well. Hence, pocket jewlery for men.:thumbup:

And it's available in so many variations.
 
Nothing wrong with pocket jewelry! That's why I prefer bone to plastic, really-- makes a more attractive knife. I do carry delrin scaled knives, but prefer bone.

No, I'm still not in. Today, like most days, I've got an SAK executive sitting under my wallet on the left front side, .38 in the right front side, and a Case jackknife in my right back pocket. Today, it's a slimline barehead trapper. That does for most food chores, and yard chores. Also, the bone medium trapper in the watch pocket. That's the one that does most of the cutting/trimming of strings. Executive gets used most for the scissors and nail file, sometimes the screwdriver, and of course that tiny little pen blade is great for trimming off just about anything. I do carry it by itself frequently.
 
Well ...in or out...the experiment is turning up some good data.
It's getting to the core of why we carry what we do.
 
Although a mere spectator and not a real participant, I have found that the Experiment has influenced my knife carrying too. I have been carrying a peanut at work and a Wenger SI much of the rest of the time. I thought I was a full-on multitool guy, but it turns out that I am only a "sometimes" multitool guy depending on what I'm up to. I've actually come back to my SAK roots, although I will continue to enjoy all types of knives.
 
Not really in, because I carry my trapper in my back pocket, but I have used my canoe almost exclusively. Both are Case amber bone Cv.
 
ElCuchillo said:
I don't know if it's a sign of the times, or a sign of my immaturity, but I find that my multitool does everything my knife does, but not the other way around.
Click to expand...

Not a sign of immaturity at all. You figured out what you like and as you've said, thats a success. Congrats on finding out what tool is best for you and thanks for kicking this whole experiment off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top