First my uses for a knife.
I used to live in the rural mid-west and later, in rural Vermont. But now I live in a more suburban/urban area. I also backpack, hike, ski tour and occasionally bike tour. I'm not a farmer but sometimes feel like I play on Saturdays. We have a good sized property with woods on 2 side and a barn. We car camp regularly and often have a fire in our backyard fire pit. In the barn I have a small bike shop where I like to work for my sanity. In all of these situations, I carry a knife in my right front pocket.
If I lived back in a rural setting, I would consider going back to a holster carried knife, but I'm in and out of cars too much and find a holster to be a bother. To be useful, I need a folding knife that can be pocket carried comfortably. I also strongly prefer a knife that won't scare people in the office.
I pocket carry my knife when out in the woods. When I'm hiking and skiing, I carry a pack so a holster or sheath is right out of the question. I'm also very active so I end up preferring something lightweight and something with a rounded profile or softened bolsters. I find many slip joints to be awkward feeling in the pocket.
I cut wood with my knives regularly. Around the property, I would rather just reach into my pocket for my knife than to fetch a pair of clippers or loppers from the barn. When making fires, I'll typically make shavings. Occasionally, I pass time at crude attempts at whittling. I prefer a knife blade that sharpens easily, passes through wood easily and that comes as close to being a fixed blade as possible. When I get a my knife blade stuck in wood, I prefer a locking knife and prefer a locking knife whose joint won't wobble when I twist and pry to get it loose. I'm tall and have big hands, so I also strongly prefer a knife with a handle on the large size.
I use my pocket knife with food regularly. This comes from my camping I think. When camping, I use my single knife for everything and doing the same at home reminds me that I camp. I use my knife to cut frozen bagels, spread butter, reach deep into peanut butter jars, cut meat, cheese, vegetables and fruit. I wash my knife when I wash my hands, so I actually prefer a single bladed knife. I've come to prefer a knife with a blade in the 3" to 3 1/2" range a good amount of belly. Shorter than this and food prep becomes difficult for me.
I don't use my knife as a tool. I prefer tools. I keep a multi-tool in my day pack and put it on my belt when doing work around the property or in the barn. Around town, I keep a small Leatherman Micra in my left front pocket most days. And in my hiking "essentials kit", I keep a tiny multi-tool and whatever other tools I need for 1st aid and equipment repair. I grew up with Boy Scout knives and have a very soft spot in my heart for them. But have come to strongly prefer having that tool functionality handled in a different way.
Around the office I use a knife for daily small stuff such as opening packages and cutting tape. For this, I find a locking knife with a 3" blade to be fine. I really never wish I had a smaller blade. Often, I'll wish I had scissors available, as I find them to be superior to a knife for many cutting tasks, especially if they are more like shears. The Leatherman Micra reigns supreme in this category. No other folding scissors I've found on any knife or any multi-tool even comes close. They'll easily cut aluminum flashing and easily cut thread. They do things that no small pen blade will do. Another reason to carry a second tool to compliment a knife.
I've tried a lot of different locking knifes. Emotionally, I prefer old Schrade USA knives and Buck knives. I got my Buck 110 in the 70s and would have to say I have strongest emotional attachment to Buck of any brand.
But, at the end of the day, I find the Opinel #8 to be the toughest, most versatile and easiest to carry.
Opinel #8 by Pinnah, on Flickr
They are super lightweight and pocket carry for me better than any slip joint that I've tried (including peanuts) owing to the slick tapered wood handle. They are insanely tough. I've been able to get several slip joints and lock backs to wobble after using them hard. Never an Opinel. The lock mechanism is, in my opinion, just a better design. Really the closest thing to a folding fixed blade that I've found. I prefer the feeling of Buck 112 in my hand, but the Opinel #8 is lighter, cuts wood better, is more rugged (in my experience) and less scary to office workers.
I used to live in the rural mid-west and later, in rural Vermont. But now I live in a more suburban/urban area. I also backpack, hike, ski tour and occasionally bike tour. I'm not a farmer but sometimes feel like I play on Saturdays. We have a good sized property with woods on 2 side and a barn. We car camp regularly and often have a fire in our backyard fire pit. In the barn I have a small bike shop where I like to work for my sanity. In all of these situations, I carry a knife in my right front pocket.
If I lived back in a rural setting, I would consider going back to a holster carried knife, but I'm in and out of cars too much and find a holster to be a bother. To be useful, I need a folding knife that can be pocket carried comfortably. I also strongly prefer a knife that won't scare people in the office.
I pocket carry my knife when out in the woods. When I'm hiking and skiing, I carry a pack so a holster or sheath is right out of the question. I'm also very active so I end up preferring something lightweight and something with a rounded profile or softened bolsters. I find many slip joints to be awkward feeling in the pocket.
I cut wood with my knives regularly. Around the property, I would rather just reach into my pocket for my knife than to fetch a pair of clippers or loppers from the barn. When making fires, I'll typically make shavings. Occasionally, I pass time at crude attempts at whittling. I prefer a knife blade that sharpens easily, passes through wood easily and that comes as close to being a fixed blade as possible. When I get a my knife blade stuck in wood, I prefer a locking knife and prefer a locking knife whose joint won't wobble when I twist and pry to get it loose. I'm tall and have big hands, so I also strongly prefer a knife with a handle on the large size.
I use my pocket knife with food regularly. This comes from my camping I think. When camping, I use my single knife for everything and doing the same at home reminds me that I camp. I use my knife to cut frozen bagels, spread butter, reach deep into peanut butter jars, cut meat, cheese, vegetables and fruit. I wash my knife when I wash my hands, so I actually prefer a single bladed knife. I've come to prefer a knife with a blade in the 3" to 3 1/2" range a good amount of belly. Shorter than this and food prep becomes difficult for me.
I don't use my knife as a tool. I prefer tools. I keep a multi-tool in my day pack and put it on my belt when doing work around the property or in the barn. Around town, I keep a small Leatherman Micra in my left front pocket most days. And in my hiking "essentials kit", I keep a tiny multi-tool and whatever other tools I need for 1st aid and equipment repair. I grew up with Boy Scout knives and have a very soft spot in my heart for them. But have come to strongly prefer having that tool functionality handled in a different way.
Around the office I use a knife for daily small stuff such as opening packages and cutting tape. For this, I find a locking knife with a 3" blade to be fine. I really never wish I had a smaller blade. Often, I'll wish I had scissors available, as I find them to be superior to a knife for many cutting tasks, especially if they are more like shears. The Leatherman Micra reigns supreme in this category. No other folding scissors I've found on any knife or any multi-tool even comes close. They'll easily cut aluminum flashing and easily cut thread. They do things that no small pen blade will do. Another reason to carry a second tool to compliment a knife.
I've tried a lot of different locking knifes. Emotionally, I prefer old Schrade USA knives and Buck knives. I got my Buck 110 in the 70s and would have to say I have strongest emotional attachment to Buck of any brand.
But, at the end of the day, I find the Opinel #8 to be the toughest, most versatile and easiest to carry.
Opinel #8 by Pinnah, on Flickr
They are super lightweight and pocket carry for me better than any slip joint that I've tried (including peanuts) owing to the slick tapered wood handle. They are insanely tough. I've been able to get several slip joints and lock backs to wobble after using them hard. Never an Opinel. The lock mechanism is, in my opinion, just a better design. Really the closest thing to a folding fixed blade that I've found. I prefer the feeling of Buck 112 in my hand, but the Opinel #8 is lighter, cuts wood better, is more rugged (in my experience) and less scary to office workers.
