Now, THAT is a pocket knife

Otto Carpenter

Otto Carpenter

Joined
Jun 24, 2016
Messages
416
Just one man's opinion, of course... and I still consider myself a noob, even though I have bought a variety of flippers, autos, Spydies, thumb studs and recently a small fixed blade. Still, I never bothered to explore the traditional slip joints, so I picked up a GEC Beer Scout to get a feel for them.

This little guy has a blade that serves 90% of my office-drone purposes plus a bottle opener (I like beer)/screwdriver combo. It didn't cost much, it's lightweight, and drops right into my front pocket where it nestles unnoticeably into a corner. It's a user and not a knife I would ever consider selling.

Mostly I've bought knives to experience them. Some were too expensive or large or too menacing to carry in public and ultimately keep. But I'm pretty sure this little Beer Scout has a home - and it's right in my pocket.
 
Always nice to hear about a knife finding its forever home!:)
I used to carry a case congress years ago, but then I got hooked on pocket clips. I've been reading more and more about Traditionals lately. I think in the near future one is gonna make its way back into my pocket again.
 
danbot said:
I used to carry a case congress years ago, but then I got hooked on pocket clips. I've been reading more and more about Traditionals lately. I think in the near future one is gonna make its way back into my pocket again.
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Pocket clips make sense, no getting around that, especially on larger, modern folders. The traditional little slip joint is a different world, I suppose. Gotta say, I warmed to it immediately and I didn't think I would - but I'm definitely NOT going to start collecting a passel of them. Keeping the collection small and sane.
 
Otto Carpenter said:
Pocket clips make sense, no getting around that, especially on larger, modern folders. The traditional little slip joint is a different world, I suppose. Gotta say, I warmed to it immediately and I didn't think I would - but I'm definitely NOT going to start collecting a passel of them. Keeping the collection small and sane.
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Boy if I had a Beer Scout for everytime I heard that. I'd have a way bigger collection!
 
I really enjoy traditional knives and have seen collections come and go. Practicality tends to rule for my pocket space though and an SAK almost always wins out. I love the Beer Scout, but I always missed having the other tools on my cadet.

Maybe one day I'll be in a spot where I use my knives less regularly and can justify carrying a traditional more for my enjoyment than for its usefulness.
 
Otto Carpenter said:
Just one man's opinion, of course... and I still consider myself a noob, even though I have bought a variety of flippers, autos, Spydies, thumb studs and recently a small fixed blade. Still, I never bothered to explore the traditional slip joints, so I picked up a GEC Beer Scout to get a feel for them.

This little guy has a blade that serves 90% of my office-drone purposes plus a bottle opener (I like beer)/screwdriver combo. It didn't cost much, it's lightweight, and drops right into my front pocket where it nestles unnoticeably into a corner. It's a user and not a knife I would ever consider selling.

Mostly I've bought knives to experience them. Some were too expensive or large or too menacing to carry in public and ultimately keep. But I'm pretty sure this little Beer Scout has a home - and it's right in my pocket.
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Try standing it upright next to your wallet.

Welcome to the fold, there is a lot to offer on the traditional side of the coin.
 
Otto Carpenter said:
but I'm definitely NOT going to start collecting a passel of them. Keeping the collection small and sane.
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PFFFFFTTHAHAHAHAHA!

At one point I had several thousand dollars worth of autos, balisongs, and "tactical" folders. Now all my money is spent on traditionals and small lockbacks, and I have only 2 balisongs and one single automatic (a knife I hate, but keep for sentimental reasons). I've found that 90%+ of the time I don't need to use a big tactical knife, and prefer using small traditionals, both locking and slipjoints. So you're definitely not alone when it comes to your change in tastes.

The "problem" with traditionals is that besides looking nice, you'll always covet different covers. You might be fine with jigged bone on one knife, but you really like the way a particular wood looks on another. Or different dye or jigging pattern. Etc. One type of knife could have several different covers from GEC, plus a few dozen from Case. It's hard to narrow it down to one, or even just a few.
 
Planterz said:
PFFFFFTTHAHAHAHAHA!

The "problem" with traditionals is that besides looking nice, you'll always covet different covers. You might be fine with jigged bone on one knife, but you really like the way a particular wood looks on another. Or different dye or jigging pattern. Etc. One type of knife could have several different covers from GEC, plus a few dozen from Case. It's hard to narrow it down to one, or even just a few.
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You're right, of course - it's like some kind of diabolical plot. I saw a beautiful Northwoods Hawthorne Jack in "giraffe bone" go in 15 minutes on the Exchange today and thought, "Man, I would've liked to have that one," (and it wasn't cheap). This was right after I told myself I wasn't going to look anymore.
 
I prefer traditionals. I tried out an OHO with pocket clip. The only justification I found was if I were to be using my knife a lot, deploying it and putting back in my pocket a lot, then a pocket clip makes sense. Otherwise a pocket clip just makes it harder to reach in to my pocket to get my keys or some change.
I generally pull out my Vic Spartan once or twice a day, and it's easily accessable right by my keys.
 
I just ordered a BM north fork cause it looks like the best of both worlds. Good luck on not collecting more traditionals now...a lot of us have probably said that before. I've been late to stuff because I couldn't decide which one I wanted in my pocket....
 
The only traditional that I currently hold dear are the Case Toothpicks, but every time CM shows that Bose Tribal Spear I get a little tingle deep down inside.
It's working its way onto my list.
 
SOG and Leatherman will always be around because they work so well around the home and office. I like the accent on this video.


Multitool for average JOE.

 
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