Pare Down to only 5, what’s your choices. (Traditional Knives! )

This is ridiculously difficult to come up with, and if I did it again tomorrow I might have 3 or 4 different ones of my 5. I figured I have to have a fixed blade hunter, and I always (and I do mean always) carry an SAK, so that leaves only 3 to choose. I took one single blade, one two-blade and one three-blade. I am blessed to have so many really special knives, as most of you all do, that this is killing me to pare down, but here they are.

Fixed Blade Hunter
BluntCut Custom 9.3" trailing point in CTS-XHP @ 65 HRc with Asian Satinwood handle (holds an edge forever, incredible HT, and made to my specs)

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SAK
Victorinox Evolution Grip 14 (tools are just what I need, and the ergos of the frame are terrific)

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Single-blade Folder
F. Benini Custom 4" lambsfoot in 14C28N stainless and gnarly stag (superb W&T, attention to detail, and handling)

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Two-blade Jack
GEC Bladeforums 2013 #74 3⅞" Saddle Trapper in 1095 and stained green tea jigged bone (perfect size, great utility, stunning looks)

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Three-blade Stockman
Schatt & Morgan reverse gunstock 4.3" jumbo stockman in 420HC and green winterbottom bone (incredible gator-snap W&T, and ultimate utility)

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JM2 said:
I ponder this so I’m going to share with y’all.

First is you pare down to only 5 knives you already own. Which ones are your keepers?


Second is, what’s your 5 if you can pick any that you want price or availability not withholding. That’s still only 5, not an additional 5 btw.

Now, you get to keep your leatherman and gerber tools. They ain’t knives. But SAKs are knives and count. And you get to keep your kitchen knives, unless they are traditional knives you use as kitchen knives. Got it? Go!

My five are

Buck 192, Case 75 stockman, case 65 hunter, GEC pocket carver, schrade USA 33ot.


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I know that you are just joking . And I expect that you would not be able to ONLY pick 5 from many collections that some members HAVE .

Harry
 
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I have a modest collection. I am a minimalist at heart, I could do 5.

I came up with that number by thinking what’s my minimum.
 
If I have to pare down to 5, I’m going to assume I don’t have the luxury of safe queens, so I’ll sell the pretty ones I don’t carry. That said, for me, when it comes to it, a user knife is a user knife, so if I had to pare down, I could. I don’t find much different in real, day to day life between the performance of an Opinel and the performance of a GEC, or SAK. What I tend to notice or care about more is size and hand feel, and beauty when I put it into and take it out of my pocket. I’m also exempting knives I might keep for sentimental purposes from this, because truthfully I don’t carry them a lot either. They’re heirlooms more than knives.

1. GEC 68 White Owl. My go-to these days.

2. GEC 33 Conductor. Much like the above in practice. Nice to have a spare/change it up now and again.

3. GEC #73 single blade linerlock, could also be a 23 single linerlock, or many other knives. This one’s kind of variable depending on the day. Tomorrow I might say Case CV swayback jack.

4. SAK huntsman -pretty much all the tools that are really useful and few that aren’t.

5. Puukko

Pretty sure between all of those I’d have every realistic cutting need covered.

This exercise showed me I really don’t have a sheepsfoot go-to. Hmm… maybe I ought to remedy that. And be thankful I don’t have to limit myself to 5 knives. Lol.


IF I had to treat the sentimental ones as knives… gotta comply with some new law that says a man can own a maximum of 5 sharp-edged objects for daily carry…

1. Dad’s Case 6375 large stockman
2. The Case CV peanut I carried on my wedding day
3. GEC White Owl
4. Puukko
5. The grab bag option -I could close my eyes, grab one other knife at random, and I’d love it or learn to do so.
 
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My first choice required some thought, but the rest went rather well.
I chose my Buck 692 in ATS 34 over my Randall 26 because of the steel. That was the only reason there.
2) Vic Explorer
3) Horsewright Coyote
4) Buck 110 ATS 34
5) Buck 301 stock
 
I can't do it. I tried, and the best I could do was two groups of five. The first was those most treasured, the knives given by others. A second group was the best knives I had, that could handle every conceivable cutting job. There was no overlap so that was at ten knives.

I may officially have a problem.
 
kamagong said:
I can't do it. I tried, and the best I could do was two groups of five. The first was those most treasured, the knives given by others. A second group was the best knives I had, that could handle every conceivable cutting job. There was no overlap so that was at ten knives.

I may officially have a problem.
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I picked five off the top of my head, even though it would be really hard for me to pick five favourite Barlows, and five favorite stockmans, etc. Years ago, I was just fine walking around with the same knife in my pocket for years at a time. First world problems, I guess.:)
 
I didn't find this exercise to be that hard, I just chose my go-to stuff...

First, this is the most carried and used knife that I own... The blade is starting to get a recurve.
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Next, I need a hard-use knife and something to cut my steaks... The F&F Bullnose is my go-to for that.
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Then, I am a HUGE Case Large Single Blade Trapper Fan... This is my favorite one of the bunch.
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Then there's no way I'm not keeping my absolute favorite GEC Knife... The #66 Jack.
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And finally, I'd have to throw in a Victorinox Pioneer for camping duties... It's about the only time it gets carried but I still feel it's a keeper.
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