Most ideal / perfect vs favorite.

[Hickory n steel]

I'm not talking about a knife for this or that purpose or some kind of Vic or multitool that's always there for the other tools, but if you had the most ideal and perfect daily knife for your needs could you as a knife nut stick to it everyday and would said knife actually be your favorite ?


I recently decided the Texas jack would stay in my pocket through the year letting others occupy my watch pocket, and was thinking I could see this as a regular habit for me since I don't have to miss my others doing it this way.
I know myself and it's just a temporary phase, but I'm liking it at the moment.

I figured out I'd want either a Case half whittler in CV & amber Jigged bone, or a smaller CV & amber jigged Texas jack with a standard pattern of pen blade.

Either could be the perfect knife for me, but I'm not sure that would necessarily equate to favoritism because I like the variety in my accumulation of users.

 

[hornetguy]

I like the idea of having a "favorite" every day knife, with a rotating secondary. That frees up a few single blade knives that I really love to carry, without losing the versatility of multiple blades. My primary would very likely end up being my #74 Mustang. If that was not available, a lamb/sheep/ramfoot would get the nod. The secondary would be the 2 blade Pemberton, or Beagle... rotating with an SAK.

If the combination scenario was not possible, I would likely choose the #66 calf roper, with the new #92 Eureka Jack as a gaining, close second place.

 

[afishhunter]

I've only EDC'd my "favorite" knife for almost five consecutive decades now.
A Buck 110 or an Old Timer 7OT has been on my belt 24/7 since 8th grade.
Even on the rare instances I carry a fixed blade, it joins the 110/7OT on my belt. It does not replace it.

My "Favorite" for the pocket ... it's a little tougher to pick just one.
I like the Stockman, Canoe, Barlow, Moose, and Sunfish patterns.
I generally had one or the other of these in my pocket keeping a 4 blade Scout/Camp knife company every day for the last 35 or so years.
I'll hazard a guess that the Stockman gets the most carry time of all my slipjoints.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I know a certain few knives I happen to gravitate to most, but with my use I've gotta switch it up fairly regularly as to not neglect any too much.
Picking a true favorite just won't work and keeping a particular knife on me all the time won't last long unless I decide I'm okay with carrying a bunch on me at once which I used to do but have gotten away from.

Carrying one for years is certainly easy and freeing when you don't have to make the hard decision of which one each week and I miss it but also am glad I switch it up.

 

[WolfyW]

Anything not too bulky, with a longer blade and a pen blade. Peanut, half-whittler, small stockman...

 

[Old Hunter]

For me the “favorite” pocketknife and the “perfect” pocketknife coincide - a Stockman pattern in the 3-3/8” to 3-7/8” range. Might be because I’ve carried one nearly everyday since 1973, my Senior year in High School. I carried my Scout Knife as my EDC in Junior High and early HS but always thought a Scout Knife was clunky. Before I began “collecting” knives in the last 15 years, I only had a relatively few pocketknives that I “accumulated” because I thought they may be useful or I liked them - slowly the idea of “liking them” and having some extra cash took over and I started buying more than I will ever need. I still stick with the Stockman I prefer for EDC, even though I will carry a Jack or a Muskrat or something else on rare occasions, that only lasts a few days and I’m back to a Medium Stockman. Any of these in the picture will work, but the middle range is PERFECT. OH

 

[spyderg]

I’ve got a Roughrider 4 blade stockman that was a gift from the wife and kids. I had requested it specifically as it had a caplifter as the 4th blade. My plan as soon as I saw it long before I got it, was to replace the poorly fitting warped yellow plastic covers which I did with some beautiful bocote. I also turned the Spey into a package opener,(kinda like a gut-hook). Now the blades still don’t have the best snap on closing, the springs aren’t perfectly flush, and it’s a bit bulky but I’d still have to say it’s my favourite. Also very useful but by no means is it my most ideal or perfect knife.

 

[Hickory n steel]

For me the “favorite” pocketknife and the “perfect” pocketknife coincide - a Stockman pattern in the 3-3/8” to 3-7/8” range. Might be because I’ve carried one nearly everyday since 1973, my Senior year in High School. I carried my Scout Knife as my EDC in Junior High and early HS but always thought a Scout Knife was clunky. Before I began “collecting” knives in the last 15 years, I only had a relatively few pocketknives that I “accumulated” because I thought they may be useful or I liked them - slowly the idea of “liking them” and having some extra cash took over and I started buying more than I will ever need. I still stick with the Stockman I prefer for EDC, even though I will carry a Jack or a Muskrat or something else on rare occasions, that only lasts a few days and I’m back to a Medium Stockman. Any of these in the picture will work, but the middle range is PERFECT. OH

You're lucky to have found your favorite early on.
I didn't really get into traditionals till finding the porch so I suppose I've been spoiled.
Had I really been Into traditionals as a teenager the 33OT I had might have made me a stockman man.

It feels weird to know what I like most and what my perfect knife would be but still want variety.
I think I need to thin the herd a bit, if I can bare to let any go.

 

[dsutton24]

My every day knife for the past twenty years or so has been an old Henckels Stockman. No particular reason why that I can think of other than it's just a good knife.

 

[TAK65]

I've pretty much settled with the CASE Peanut. It's easy to carry, disappears in the watch pocket, stays sharp as long as I do my part. People watch me use it and just smile and shake their heads.

If I'm doing a project that needs a bigger knife I'll grab a stockman or scout, can't go wrong with any of those.

God Bless
Tracy

 

[Just Tom.]

I think if I found the perfect knife for my typical uses, and it had the right combination of look, feel, practicality, and unique quirkiness, I could probably carry it every day and not feel the need to switch things up too often.

My reason for believing this is my experience with calculators. I went through a period of several years where my interest was focused on them. I spent a lot of time researching the different ones available, reading about them on calculator forums, and purchasing them (not too many, and mostly used). I was looking for the right balance between programability, size and feel, and easy access to the functions I use most. In the end I found two models which, combined, covered all my needs. They are my favorites and I don’t feel a need to try out any others. I still enjoy writing new programs for them as the need arises, and get much satisfaction from using them daily, but my interest in calculators as a “thing” has waned.

I have been considering buying a large trapper and modifying the the spey into Wharncliffe or sheep’s foot. That would cover most of my daily knife needs, but I’m not sure it would have that certain “je ne sais quoi” to make it my favorite. My current favorites are less than practical for all my needs, but I don’t see anything displacing them just yet.

 

[JohnDF]

My "ideal" pocket knife doesn't exist yet... at least I don't think it does.
My ideal pocket knife would be something along the lines of a GEC F&F #71 with a Lockback.
I've seen other Lockback Sodbusters, but they are usually too big and have pretty poor Fit n Finish.

My favorite pocket knife of course is the regular sized Lambsfoot.
So ya, although they aren't the same knives, they are both heavy(ish) use work knives...

 

[TheChunk91]

My idea of ideal and favorite (pattern wise) are pretty much the same.

 

[kamagong]

Perfection is an idea. It doesn't exist in the real world.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

This is an interesting question! I do have a favorite knife, but I don't find it to be an ideal knife. My favorite is my Case Select Wharncliffe mini trapper. There are many factors that make it my favorite: the circumstances around finding it (in a hardware store while traveling), the fact that it is a Select model and really does appear to be just a step above in fit and finish, the nickel silver liners and pins (no brass), the Winterbottom jigging, etc. However, there are many things that keep it from being ideal. For one thing, neither blade is very good for piercing (the wildly swoopy California clip is a good slicer but not very pointed), it's too small for some jobs (where a tribal lock or a 110/112 would be preferred), and it's too bulky for when a slim knife is better for carry (such as a swayback gent). Plus, every time I get something new it turns my head and becomes my "new favorite" for a while. I suppose something like a stockman would be closer to an "ideal" knife. From my collection and for my needs I guess I'd nominate the 44 pattern Case "small medium" stockman (with a pen blade instead of a spey) since it has a good selection of blade shapes and is a comfortable size for pocket carry. For others I'm sure a stockman but in a larger frame size would be better.

 

[black mamba]

I guess the closest to my ideal would be this File & Wire 4" stockman. Upgraded stainless steel (ATS-34), beautiful jigged bone, great combo of blades, perfect size.

I'm afraid I'm too much of a knife slut to have a (one) favorite. But I'll post pics of several that I would truly never part with.
As you can see, they're kind of all over the map, pattern-wise.

 

[gaj999]

The more knives I buy, the more I keep circling back around to the Stockman or the Cattle pattern at 4-4.25" as my ideal knife. A close runner up is the two-blade one-spring cigar around 4". I could be happy with either for the rest of my life, but I'm even happier when I can keep pursuing that non existent perfect knife.

 

[Hickory n steel]

These are the ones I seem to gravitate to the most




None of these favored knives have just a single knife blade, might be a preference I never realized I had but I have no problem buying buying single blade knives

 

[sXePhenomenal]

My favorite knife pattern would be a 4” Stockman like

But my favorite and ideal carry knife is this Case/Bose trapper. It jumps up my list with its amazing build quality, feel in hand, and thin perfect blades.

Idk if I’d be happy only carrying it bc I’ve got plenty others I really like.

 

[Easyrider]

I am not sure that I understand the initial question but here is my take. For me the GEC model 78 is pretty close to a perfect knife for me. It is a good size for an office worker like me. My favorite knife is my Schatt and Morgan Gunstock. I do not know what the blade steel is on the S&M but it seems to act a lot like ATS34 but I really don't know. It has sharp points on the handle that have a tendency to stick me when cutting something that takes a lot of force like thick cardboard boxes. The Model 78 has a rounded handle which is more comfortable to use and the blade steel is 1095 but it is very well done by GEC.

Take a guess which one rides in my pocket most days? Yep, the S&M. I guess it is the stag.