(sorry, long but legit/serious post/request)
Well I'm not gonna lie... I'm pretty heartbroken. Crushed almost. For a little more than 25 years I've carried the same Delica Clipit (the old style with the moulded plastic clip) with me. Didn't matter whether I was wearing a suit to work (or going to church or a wedding) or covered in grease/dirt working in the garage/yard... It was there. That knife saved my life twice. Not kidding... Without that knife I'd be dead. Twice. I used and abused that thing so bad. I mean really beat the crap out of it. Daily. I did things to that knife most screwdrivers & prybars wouldn't like yet it always held an edge, came back to life after cleaning & sharpening and even with 1/4" of the tip broken off (first week I got it) it looked pretty good. Applause to Spyderco --the fully serrated edge held up great over the years. I had that knife so long I used to be able to carry it onto planes and walk through airport security with it. 9/28/2001 was the last day I took it on a plane. Ended up being me, two other passengers and an Air Marshall so the flight was cancelled after we boarded but she (the Air Marshall) had same exact knife (and a Glock) in her pocket. It really sucks. I took that thing everywhere. I'm pretty sure I know where I lost it so this time I think its gone for good.
I'm not a collector but I do have a bunch of sharp tools. I look at a knife as being a tool so I'd call myself a tool hoarder more than a knife collector (because I hoard other [mostly old/vintage] tools too). I've got several (4 brand-new & unopened + one used) Gerber multi tools, a couple standard and one Leatherman super tool, a couple Wichard sailing knives (they collect dust, blades are crap), a big and little Myerchin lightknife (actually use/carry those when I'm offshore sailing), a Buck straight-blade folding knife (sentimental, crap blade), bunch of Swiss Army knives (collect dust or sit on workbench in pile), a Tiffany & Co. sterling silver Swiss Army pen knife with my & my grandfather's initials engraved in it (collecting dust because I fly/travel too much), an old ammo box of my dad & grandfather's pocket knives (sentimental, haven't touched them), a bunch of Opinel steak knives and folding pocket knives (in kitchen with steak knives)...
And then the Spyderco stuff: I have six brand new, unopened Tim Wegner knives (says "C48 GPS TIM WEGNER" on the UPC Bar Code on the boxes) Plus I have a 7th one that I've opened & used. Love that knife. While its awesome, it's much too big, heavy and intimidating (almost inappropriate) to carry as a daily (unless I was Law Enforcement). I have a straight blade pointed tip (black) full-sized Delica collecting dust somewhere, a serrated (orange, sheep's foot) full size Delica (in my driver's door pocket in car), three straight blade Fred Perrin (I think called 'street bowie') knives (two unopened, one used) --one has a hand-written note from him and my initials in the blade, other two are standard retail items, all three are sequential serial numbers, have a box of those old mesh type spider web pattern knives (Googled it, Spyderco "S" C109) and another secret stash of I think Fred Perrin knives (Googled that too, the C108), probably have 25-30 of each each that I give as gifts to the right people (For example, one of my college roommates passed his detectives test on same say he found out he knocked his wife up with twins. I gave him two, either because he had twins or so he could lose one and still save face in the future.) I have more Spyderco stuff but either don't remember or couldn't find it before I wrote this.
So what do I buy to replace something with a history like that and with the knives I have? I'm open to anything. I like the Spyderco brand and I'm trying to be brand loyal but I'm really open to anything. Budget is not a concern (maybe under $500) because I'll take the next one to my grave! I hate to say this in a Spyderco section but I've owned a few Benchmade knives over the years and while I don't have any of them anymore, I do distinctly remember liking the feel and action of them opening and of the locking mechanisms (the little bolt/slide lock thing). I remember liking the Benchmade almost better than some of the Spyderco knives I have --but at same time feeling like they weren't quite as ergonomic or functional. Spyderco knives have always felt/fit better in my hands and have felt like a natural extension of my body (like my Glock) vs. other brands. What I really want is my old knife back --to the point that I'm tempted to go out on eBay and buy a used one.
Other piece of this is that I'm no spring chicken anymore (in my 40's). I'm a little more mature (only a little) and I'm a professional finance/accounting/keyboard warrior. I still want something I can 100% use, abuse and beat the crap out of (like my old knife) --but (having a hard time articulating this) I'm not opposed to something a little more refined, finished, delicate, professional, 'nicer', etc. I really don't know how to describe it; maybe "James Bond-ish". There have been a few (rare) times when I've been wearing a suit and at business functions or at parties when (mostly women) have made comments that I carry a knife "like that" (probably the fully serrated edge). As I get older and especially with kids, I want something that is as functional or more functional than my last carry knife --but that I also wouldn't flinch to hand over to a kid when they need help opening a holiday or birthday present. I had a fully serrated blade before and I liked it. I strongly believe that the serrated blade is a big reason why I'm alive today. It cuts things (like seatbelts or kevlar) much better than a straight blade. [And I own mixed blades and don't care for them much.] That said, I think I still want a fully serrated blade but am open to a convincing argument for something different.
That's it... Sorry for such a long post but thank you for reading & taking the time to respond. So what do I buy?
If anyone is curious, I think I lost it Friday night at a Chinese restaurant parking lot. We were on the way home from her dad's house and hadn't eaten yet so we ordered Chinese takeout (for some stupid reason I wanted pickup, not delivery). While we were at her dad's some random piece of mail had come to him, addressed to her. On the way from his place (and to get food) she went to open the letter/envelope but it was one of those plastic/Tyvek envelopes, not paper so I gave her my knife. I remember pulling it out of my pocket and handing it to her but don't remember anything else. She didn't get out at the takeout place so I think I must have just dropped it in my lap and when I got out to get food it must have fallen out of the car... gone.
Well I'm not gonna lie... I'm pretty heartbroken. Crushed almost. For a little more than 25 years I've carried the same Delica Clipit (the old style with the moulded plastic clip) with me. Didn't matter whether I was wearing a suit to work (or going to church or a wedding) or covered in grease/dirt working in the garage/yard... It was there. That knife saved my life twice. Not kidding... Without that knife I'd be dead. Twice. I used and abused that thing so bad. I mean really beat the crap out of it. Daily. I did things to that knife most screwdrivers & prybars wouldn't like yet it always held an edge, came back to life after cleaning & sharpening and even with 1/4" of the tip broken off (first week I got it) it looked pretty good. Applause to Spyderco --the fully serrated edge held up great over the years. I had that knife so long I used to be able to carry it onto planes and walk through airport security with it. 9/28/2001 was the last day I took it on a plane. Ended up being me, two other passengers and an Air Marshall so the flight was cancelled after we boarded but she (the Air Marshall) had same exact knife (and a Glock) in her pocket. It really sucks. I took that thing everywhere. I'm pretty sure I know where I lost it so this time I think its gone for good.
I'm not a collector but I do have a bunch of sharp tools. I look at a knife as being a tool so I'd call myself a tool hoarder more than a knife collector (because I hoard other [mostly old/vintage] tools too). I've got several (4 brand-new & unopened + one used) Gerber multi tools, a couple standard and one Leatherman super tool, a couple Wichard sailing knives (they collect dust, blades are crap), a big and little Myerchin lightknife (actually use/carry those when I'm offshore sailing), a Buck straight-blade folding knife (sentimental, crap blade), bunch of Swiss Army knives (collect dust or sit on workbench in pile), a Tiffany & Co. sterling silver Swiss Army pen knife with my & my grandfather's initials engraved in it (collecting dust because I fly/travel too much), an old ammo box of my dad & grandfather's pocket knives (sentimental, haven't touched them), a bunch of Opinel steak knives and folding pocket knives (in kitchen with steak knives)...
And then the Spyderco stuff: I have six brand new, unopened Tim Wegner knives (says "C48 GPS TIM WEGNER" on the UPC Bar Code on the boxes) Plus I have a 7th one that I've opened & used. Love that knife. While its awesome, it's much too big, heavy and intimidating (almost inappropriate) to carry as a daily (unless I was Law Enforcement). I have a straight blade pointed tip (black) full-sized Delica collecting dust somewhere, a serrated (orange, sheep's foot) full size Delica (in my driver's door pocket in car), three straight blade Fred Perrin (I think called 'street bowie') knives (two unopened, one used) --one has a hand-written note from him and my initials in the blade, other two are standard retail items, all three are sequential serial numbers, have a box of those old mesh type spider web pattern knives (Googled it, Spyderco "S" C109) and another secret stash of I think Fred Perrin knives (Googled that too, the C108), probably have 25-30 of each each that I give as gifts to the right people (For example, one of my college roommates passed his detectives test on same say he found out he knocked his wife up with twins. I gave him two, either because he had twins or so he could lose one and still save face in the future.) I have more Spyderco stuff but either don't remember or couldn't find it before I wrote this.
So what do I buy to replace something with a history like that and with the knives I have? I'm open to anything. I like the Spyderco brand and I'm trying to be brand loyal but I'm really open to anything. Budget is not a concern (maybe under $500) because I'll take the next one to my grave! I hate to say this in a Spyderco section but I've owned a few Benchmade knives over the years and while I don't have any of them anymore, I do distinctly remember liking the feel and action of them opening and of the locking mechanisms (the little bolt/slide lock thing). I remember liking the Benchmade almost better than some of the Spyderco knives I have --but at same time feeling like they weren't quite as ergonomic or functional. Spyderco knives have always felt/fit better in my hands and have felt like a natural extension of my body (like my Glock) vs. other brands. What I really want is my old knife back --to the point that I'm tempted to go out on eBay and buy a used one.
Other piece of this is that I'm no spring chicken anymore (in my 40's). I'm a little more mature (only a little) and I'm a professional finance/accounting/keyboard warrior. I still want something I can 100% use, abuse and beat the crap out of (like my old knife) --but (having a hard time articulating this) I'm not opposed to something a little more refined, finished, delicate, professional, 'nicer', etc. I really don't know how to describe it; maybe "James Bond-ish". There have been a few (rare) times when I've been wearing a suit and at business functions or at parties when (mostly women) have made comments that I carry a knife "like that" (probably the fully serrated edge). As I get older and especially with kids, I want something that is as functional or more functional than my last carry knife --but that I also wouldn't flinch to hand over to a kid when they need help opening a holiday or birthday present. I had a fully serrated blade before and I liked it. I strongly believe that the serrated blade is a big reason why I'm alive today. It cuts things (like seatbelts or kevlar) much better than a straight blade. [And I own mixed blades and don't care for them much.] That said, I think I still want a fully serrated blade but am open to a convincing argument for something different.
That's it... Sorry for such a long post but thank you for reading & taking the time to respond. So what do I buy?
If anyone is curious, I think I lost it Friday night at a Chinese restaurant parking lot. We were on the way home from her dad's house and hadn't eaten yet so we ordered Chinese takeout (for some stupid reason I wanted pickup, not delivery). While we were at her dad's some random piece of mail had come to him, addressed to her. On the way from his place (and to get food) she went to open the letter/envelope but it was one of those plastic/Tyvek envelopes, not paper so I gave her my knife. I remember pulling it out of my pocket and handing it to her but don't remember anything else. She didn't get out at the takeout place so I think I must have just dropped it in my lap and when I got out to get food it must have fallen out of the car... gone.
