One blade or three?

J

jackknife

Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
17,501
Okay, I've always been a mutlitblade guy. Three blade stockmen, 4 blade scout, two blade jack's. Now I have a single blade knife in my pocket, thanks to Gus, and there's no choice to make as to which blade to cut with. All those years with my stockman, I had very different roles for each blade. Even with my little peanut, the two blades are called on for different uses. Now, with the easy open jack with a screw driver blade, I have no choice to make. This is disturbing in two ways, like yin and yang, both good and bad. There's no "What blade do I use on this" question in my mind. One one hand, I just pull open the big wide spear blade and cut. One the other hand, there is almost a sense of something missing. Something undefinable, like a choice not having to be made.

Having lived most of my life with multi blade knives, this is an exercise in simplicity that I have not had since my experimental days with sodbusters. I know one blade is enough to go through a day in a life, many people do it all the time. Most places in Europe and asia the working classes use simple one blade knives and do well with them. Fausto has some of the most level headed posts on the use of the simple single blade knives of his culture. All through Europe a knife is a simple shepherds knife, friction folder, Lagiuole, Opinel, Okapi, Douk-Douk, Big Swede, Herder sodbuster, or even homemade knives. Now after so many years, I have a single one blade knife in my pocket, and it feels strange, but not uncomfortable. I do like the the fact that there is a tool on hand. The screw driver is a robust tool, and so many times I used a screw driver to fix something out somewhere. I've told of being stuck in the middle of a large winding lake when a trolling motor needed a bit of fixing, or when my Vespa died on a dirt road miles from anywhere. Both times a screw driver let me dismantle things enough to get to a problem and fix it.

So, one blade and a tool. I think of all the harness jacks that wagon drivers used to relay on. A knife and tool for a use. I wonder how many tradesmen in the 1900's used a jack with a blade and a tool? It seems like a good combination. So far I find that this easy open jack is sort of like a heavy duty Victorinox bantam, only way better looking with a ton more class. Maybe more like a highly refined TL-29?

This is an interesting experiment to be running alongside of my pocket fixed blade experiment.

Carl.
 
I understand your confusion Carl.
I got the same thing only the other way around.
When I handled my Peanut for the very first time I wondered what the heck must I do with 2 blades on the same knife?

Just the way I grew up I think like you said.
All I've seen for knives were Herder Sodbusters and an occasional Opinel before I started my knife craziness.
And on my very first SAK (Spartan nylon scales) I can't remember using the small blade.

I still like the one bladed knives the best.
 
spydutch said:
I understand your confusion Carl.
I got the same thing only the other way around.
When I handled my Peanut for the very first time I wondered what the heck must I do with 2 blades on the same knife?

Just the way I grew up I think like you said.
All I've seen for knives were Herder Sodbusters and an occasional Opinel before I started my knife craziness.
And on my very first SAK (Spartan nylon scales) I can't remember using the small blade.

I still like the one bladed knives the best.
Click to expand...

Coming from a modern folder background, I'm used to only having one blade on a knife like spydutch. Often I'll carry multiple knives to suffice for multiple blades.

Being a recent convert (well, more like dual citizenship) of Traditional Town, it feels odd just having a peanut and my trusty SAK cadet. I do like taking the extra time to decide which blade to use on my Peanut for different tasks. I think I've decided that the large clip is for everything, and the smaller pen blade is a backup blade that will be kept razor sharp. Granted, it's hard to not pull out the secondary blade everyonce a while and cut something for fun.
 
Easy answer? Just carry another knife in the other pocket.

It's what I do.
 
I have always preferred two blades on my pocket slipjoints. One was the main user and the other was kept sharp for detail tasks or as a backup. The number of blades often dictate the thickness of a pocket knife, so the more blades, the thicker and heavier the knife. But I tend to like a larger slip joint as a pocket knife (3.5" > 4" overall folded length) rather than the more compact sizes. Tis one of the reasons the large Sunfish pattern interests me. I tried the larger ones and find them just too big or heavy for the pocket just like some of the thicker SAKs. With SAKs, the one handed Trekker is about as big as I could go and tend to like a thinner Adventurer SAK.
 
Only one blade? Sounds dangerous! :)

Never carried a single blade knife before except when hunting. For me an EDC has two and only two blades. It has to have one clip and one with a rounded spine at the tip. Pen or spear or whatever doesn't matter much. I use the rounded edge for when I cut underhanded to protect what lies underneath. Other than that I just use whatever comes natural.

I wonder how I'd react to only one blade... I can see where it would leave me feeling naked, lol.

Will
 
Growing up with my Grandfather being a major influence in my life, I have come to love and use my single bladed knives with ease. My Grandfather has a way of picking favorites and sticking with it, he is also hard headed and won't change his opinion for the world. His idea was that a single blade could do everything you needed a knife to do and you didn't have to deal with the bulk of another blade/liner. I adopted this ideology for a while, but I love my doubled bladed jacks and my three bladed stockmans.

Right now I have a single bladed knife in my back pocket and a single bladed knife in my front. My preference changes quite a bit over a years time.
 
Well, I sometimes decide to carry a singleblade knife (Opinel, Mercator, Ankermesser, GEC #73). In Germany it seems, that SAKs are the way to go. I´ve seen many old craftmen (plumber, carpenter, electrician and so on) carrying a little SAK like the Spartan, Tinker or Sportsman. Most of the younger craftmen use to carry a modern singlebladed knife or a traditional one (Ankermesser or DoukDouk).

But I never carried a singlebladed knife with a further tool - most them had different blades, no awl or whatever.

I personally prefer multibladed knives with different bladeshapes or tools.

But I´m sure, this will make an interessting experience.

Kind regards
Andi
 
I have my tl29 in my pocket right now and love it. What knife are you talking about? I'd like a "refined" version.
 
I am surprised you are toting that big ol'e thing Carl. :D

Just to set the record straight this knife, it is a 2011 forum knife. The organizers had a couple of extra knives left. One was a second. We decided to send one to Carl and one to Esav. I flipped a coin to decide who got which one and sent them last week. Most of the credit should go to mqqn who provided the knives.

Gus
 
Carl--
How does that pattern carry in the pocket? One peanut guy to another--
I'm interested in the bullet jack pattern because it is what my grandfather carried.
 
Bastid said:
I am surprised you are toting that big ol'e thing Carl. :D

Just to set the record straight this knife, it is a 2011 forum knife. The organizers had a couple of extra knives left. One was a second. We decided to send one to Carl and one to Esav. I flipped a coin to decide who got which one and sent them last week. Most of the credit should go to mqqn who provided the knives.

Gus
Click to expand...

Actually it was too pretty a knife not to drop in a pocket. It's a big heavy thing to be sure. Being used to a peanut or one layer SAK this thing feltlike a brick, but a very nice brick. I was drawn to the wide thin blade geometry of it, and just had to see how it cut. It sure ain't knife for dress pants, but in jeans not too bad. But even in jeans, you know it's there. I wonder in the end, if it won't be a good knife for Karen's wicker picnic basket that she uses. Nice wide blade for spreading mustard or mayo, and the opener for those cold brewski's in the cooler. I already caught her carressing the jiggged bone scales remarking what a pretty knife it was when I set it down on the kitchen counter after cutting a lime for the neck of that cold Corona.:D
 
You have got me so used to carrying small knives for the most part that I am carrying a single bladed peanut quite a bit of late. Richard Rogers made it and it weighs a small tad over 1/2 an ounce. It is a potent little guy edge wise.
 
In the spirit of this thread title, I will comment on the three blade stockman question....having shared experiences with Carl concerning long carry of a Buck 303 three blade, I had ample time to find uses for all three blades. The spey blade was always the lightest used blade, sometimes sharpened to the finest edge I would, once in a great while, shave some wood per gouge type work. I have been around a few ranch operations where a spey was employed in the animal use, but never with my knife and in most cases not with a knife at all. Edit: The replacement of the spey with a awl or punch is acceptable in the end. I just seldom use one of those either.

So, I became interested in the changing of my beloved Cadet to a different blade pattern. I wished I could wake up and it would be a two blade with a nice long warcliff or at least the sheepsfoot blade would be lengthened. It could be opposite ended or on the same end. I would wish for one of each to see which way I like best. The knife width would decrease with the loss of the spey and spring and the blade designs could produce a lower profile because the second blade nic would not be covered by the spey and could sit deeper in the blade well and that would mean it would fit the hand with a kinder surface. It would disappear in a pocket. But, those longer straight edged blades would find many uses.

So, I got a couple of Buck folders and sent them off to have the spey blade and spring taken out. At least I could almost have my dream. I made one mistake in the process in that I used hidden spring pin knives instead of exposed pin versions. $$$ To remove and repin both scales. But, hey I wanted them to be pretty. Anyway here is a photo of those results, I have shown these before and personally praised this prototype to some Buck folks with little interest shown. Guess if I win the lottery they will sit up and listen when I place a custom order for a thousand knives.....I guess I now need to get someone to do one with a custom warcliff blade..... May just have to dream.....300Bucks

TwoBladeCompare.jpg


You can grind a little of the kick off and let the sheepsfoot/warcliff set deeper in the blade well.
TwoBladeBacksideBoth.jpg


Regular 3 blade 301 stockman, my two blade 301 and a single blade 302 solitare (301 single blade).
TwoBladeALL.jpg
 
Last edited:
I've never taken to a knife with multiple blades. Just never warmed up to it.

My first knife was an Ulster BSA knife. Single blade. Several tools. One's in my pocket right now.

My second real knife was a Buck 110. My Schrade 5OT is easily my most frequently carried knife. Dig me my Opinels too.

Here's a story and some background... I worked for many years as a bike mechanic. I've done a lot of long distance bike touring. While the whole "McGuiver" mystique of fixing anything with a SAK and some bubble gum is sort of cool, I hate it. I don't lug 10 lbs of tools, but I've also learned that using the wrong tool is an easy way to wreck expensive parts.

I've also learned the hard way that screwdrivers on knives and multi-tools... well... they suck. They either strip the screws, fold at the peak of torque or they bend. Every multi-tool I own has bent driver bits.

The saddest example I own is an old Ulster BSA knife - the first one I ever owned. Appropriately, it sits in my bike tool box on my work bench. The bolster on the screw driver end is long gone. Too much torque and I busted it. (sigh).

I do like having a cap lifter with me. Now THAT is useful!!!

I think my ideal pocket knife would have a spear blade and a cap lifter. I would love to see that combo in a Canoe patterned frame. I'm going to try the Camillus Cub Scout knife as a trial.
 
pinnah said:
I've never taken to a knife with multiple blades. Just never warmed up to it.

My first knife was an Ulster BSA knife. Single blade. Several tools. One's in my pocket right now.

My second real knife was a Buck 110. My Schrade 5OT is easily my most frequently carried knife. Dig me my Opinels too.

Here's a story and some background... I worked for many years as a bike mechanic. I've done a lot of long distance bike touring. While the whole "McGuiver" mystique of fixing anything with a SAK and some bubble gum is sort of cool, I hate it. I don't lug 10 lbs of tools, but I've also learned that using the wrong tool is an easy way to wreck expensive parts.

I've also learned the hard way that screwdrivers on knives and multi-tools... well... they suck. They either strip the screws, fold at the peak of torque or they bend. Every multi-tool I own has bent driver bits.

The saddest example I own is an old Ulster BSA knife - the first one I ever owned. Appropriately, it sits in my bike tool box on my work bench. The bolster on the screw driver end is long gone. Too much torque and I busted it. (sigh).

I do like having a cap lifter with me. Now THAT is useful!!!

I think my ideal pocket knife would have a spear blade and a cap lifter. I would love to see that combo in a Canoe patterned frame. I'm going to try the Camillus Cub Scout knife as a trial.
Click to expand...

Your going to love a Cubby and gain a punch
 
The whole multiple blade thing was what originally rekindled my interest in slipjoints and traditional knives however now it seems I'm gravitating towards more simplistic single blade folders like slimline trappers or utility knives ad they're sometimes called and opinels. I've found that for me the extra blade or blades aren't really justified seeing as I only use one blade typically.
 
Hi Carl -

Today I carried my Grandfather Moon's Sears Craftsman traditional with three blades - I can tell Grandpa used the wharncliffe and spey more than the clip point blade.

DSC_6731.JPG


DSC_6730.JPG


DSC_6727.JPG


best

mqqn
 
I am the exact opposite. I have almost exclusively been a single blade guy. When I have carried a multibladed knife, I would try to use both blades only because I could. It really served no true purpose. If fact I found having the extra blade just took away from the comfort in my hand (this includes tools and such on SAK for example). Essentially I was tugging around an extra blade for no real purpose. After doing this for a while, I decided it was not for me and went back to my single blade knives and loving it :). Funny how people are so different on such little things:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top