Ok weird question about your EDC!

Why does an edc knife have to get beat up? My primary edc is a Spyderco Military I bought back in 1996. To this day it still looks nice. I've used it to do pretty much everything people use a knife for, and otherwise. I've used it to dig up weeds while out doing yard work, and it was handy. Used it to cut small branches. Used it to finish edging a yard when the edger did not get it all. Opened countless packages. Cut more paper than care to recall. Even cut myself a few times! ;-) Yet when you look at this picture, it does not look any worse for wear than the two new ones right beside it. Even with the so called super steels, don't use it hard and put it away wet, and it'll do you right.

Old ones on the left. I use it all week to this day. The new ones are for the weekend cause they still have pretty black clips.
Long ago, the original clip screws got stripped. I disassembled the knife, drilled and tapped new holes, and reassembled it. Been no problem since. The two-hole clip was known for this problem, hence Spyderco redesigned it with three holes. You'll note two extra holes around the lanyard hole. I tried it tip-up, and hated it. Tip-down for me, or go away.
 
Last edited:
Pick a knife you like a lot and buy two of *it* anyway. I had a gift card to spend and so, totally by chance, bought two Case Sodbuster Jr.'s in CV. It's great. I put one up and use the heck out of the other.
 
I agree
shane_o_ca said:
All of my knives have marks on them from use. Whether from camping, hunting, sharpening, or wear from carrying them. I think it adds to their character, and the marks remind me of the times I have used them. If I bought a knife with the intention of selling it in the future then I would not use it and would worry about scratches on it.
Click to expand...
 
If I buy a knife, I will use it. I have no use for a knife I am afraid to use or lose.
 
There are a lot of good budget knives out there. Rough Rider's, Opinels, SAK's, Kershaws, etc. The list of good knives you can buy to beat up are endless for under $20 or even $15, heck there are still some good options under $10. There are no reason to do this.
 
I too carry 3 knives
A french classic (slipjoint)
A fixed blade. (Zt121)
One to make feel pretty (ti military)
 
CNATrey said:
Ok I know this is going to sound strange to some of you but before I blow your mind I wanna say I do this becuase I don't have the money to buy doubles of every knife I buy so needless to say there are some nicer knives I have that I don't like to carry for fear of scratching them or nicking them or even loosing one (which I have done with my sprint run Jester recently) So it got me thinking I have carried some cheap fixed blade knives before and this is where I blow your mind some of which include a few small "kitchen knives" these were purchased and used only as an edc knife would be meaning they have done many different tasks but they were not kitchen knives to begin with that got converted to carry they were always carry use in my mind. So to sum this up I guess I am wondering if anyone else here has ever done this and carried a small < 3" paring knife or even as large as the one I have now a 4.5" santoku style knife?
Click to expand...

My advice is go ahead and use the knives you buy. Don't baby them. Use all of them. It's what they were made for. Doesn't make sense to spend money on something you won't even use. You'll get much more joy out of using a good quality knife that was made to take the use and abuse over a cheap inferior one.

Being afraid to use a good quality knife for fear of putting a scratch on it is madness. It's no different from those OCD types who obsess over the fit/finish of their folding knives and freak out if they exhibit any bit of bladeplay, yet all they do is fondle and baby the knives and never use them except for opening and closing.
 
Last edited:
CNATrey, I'm surprised you haven't moved to Moras. Many sort of look like kitchen knives, but are made to be used. They certainly slice like a kitchen knife. They are inexpensive and keeping a spare of one that you really like should not be a problem for most.

I can understand the feeling or resistance to using a blade that is a bit more expensive than you are comfortable buying (but you wanted it anyway). I'm trying to get over that myself. I have more knives than I could ever use now, so I don't concern myself with owning knives that are never or seldom used.
 
My edc is a 5,3/4" frightenly sharp, slaughterhouse skinner, attached horizontally to the back of my belt,
CS-500x.jpg
sks500-2.jpg

to defend my Jack Russell from pitbulls, & to butcher any rabbits he catches.
I've ordered a
870BB-500x.jpg
Svord General Purpose 6 1/4 " so I have the option of stabbing thru the eye or ear into the brain & twisting, WW2 Commando-on-sentry Sykes-Fairbairn style.
The local cops & judge know & don't mind, for they've had a gutsfull of savage dogs.
 
I admit to not using all of my knives, but it's for sentimental reasons. I have a SAK that belonged to my great uncle, who got it from Switzerland, who gave it to my father, who gave it to my grandmother, who finally gave it to me. That knife has a lot of history behind it and I sure don't want to carry it around for fear of losing it, even though I can buy a new one easily, so I keep it tucked away in my knife box. I'll buy a new knife, use it a lot, then grow fond of it, and after a while of getting greatly attached to it, again fear losing it so it gets stashed away in my knife box, the blade a bit more narrow from countless sharpening, the scratches obtained from use, so it becomes a sentimental piece. Then I'll start over with a new knife and the cycle repeats itself

Some knives I have three copies of. One I use, another I keep as a backup, then the last one I keep in my collection, never to be used, because the knife model is a favourite and I'd like to keep one forever. My humble carbone Opinel no. 6 has two brothers, one a backup, the other kept in my box, because I just love the design and the model has a lot of sentimental value to me. I have a number of Okapis for the same reason. If I find a design I like, I'll buy multiple copies of the design. I'll do the same with more expensive knives one day, when I can afford to ofcourse, right now I can't. Knives are cutting tools indeed, and I use them as such, but I have a passion for knives and enjoy collecting them too

Some people collect watches, or have multiple watches. I only have one watch, and have only ever had one watch (not the same one ofcourse, things break). I don't see the need for another. I wear a simple Casio digital watch. It has the time, date, day, stop watch, alarm, and a light. It does its job. If I break it, no problem, I'll buy another, and while I do indeed admire more fancy watches, and may one day buy a more fancy watch for more formal clothes and events, I never saw the need for a second watch. The same can't be said for my knives though. Different interests and such for different people

Use the knives you want, keep the ones in the safe that you want. It's your knives, do what you want with them. True that you won't get the most potential out of your expensive knives if you don't use them, so buy another (if you can afford to), keep one safe, and use the other, that's what I do and what I enjoy to do
 
CNATrey said:
Ok I know this is going to sound strange to some of you but before I blow your mind I wanna say I do this becuase I don't have the money to buy doubles of every knife I buy so needless to say there are some nicer knives I have that I don't like to carry for fear of scratching them or nicking them or even loosing one (which I have done with my sprint run Jester recently) So it got me thinking I have carried some cheap fixed blade knives before and this is where I blow your mind some of which include a few small "kitchen knives" these were purchased and used only as an edc knife would be meaning they have done many different tasks but they were not kitchen knives to begin with that got converted to carry they were always carry use in my mind. So to sum this up I guess I am wondering if anyone else here has ever done this and carried a small < 3" paring knife or even as large as the one I have now a 4.5" santoku style knife?
Click to expand...

All of my knives are purchased for the purpose of Collecting or Accumulating. Should I end up with one I'd like to carry as a User, I buy a duplicate. ;)

Not sure I'd EDC a paring knife or kitchen knife, but I don't see why it couldn't be done using a belt sheath or pocket sheath (like the AG Russell Woodswalker).

I do carry a fixed blade frequently, but it's small enough for comfortable pocket carry, and it has a locking sheath and lanyard.

A paring knife would be ~great~ for camping and hiking though. Make a leather slip-sheath and carry it in the pack. :thumbup:
 
I can relate to not wanting to scratch up a good knife; I have dropped both of my BM autos and my reaction to both incidents embarrassed my wife but I would think you could find a decent folder that you don't mind banging up instead of hauling out your kitchen ware. It doesn't have to be a turd either, just shop around and you will find something.
 
I have a Victorinox Yeoman Mechanic of which there are only about 57 of in the world, but I have no qualms about carrying it or using it. Same with my soon to be discontinued Spyderco Zulu and Spyderco Pink Squeak.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top