Real working knives - what's your profession & tool of choice ?

R

RH

Joined
Jan 31, 1999
Messages
2,094
We've seen lots of threads asking what LEO's & military really use on the job, but there are lots of other professions that use a knife in their daily work. Let's hear about:

- longshoremen
- commercial fishermen
- factory, packing & shipping workers
- meatpackers
- ranchers
- farmers
- EMT's
- firefighters
- adventure/outdoor guides
- high-angle & swift water rescue
- hunting & trapping pros
- ski patrol
- riggers
- stagehands
- construction workers

etc., etc., ....
 
I'm a biologist/teacher and I use knives quite a bit. During the school months, the knife I use the most is the CRK small sebenza. And mostly this is for prepping animal skins and dissection of all kinds of critters. Lately, I've been doing fetal pigs.
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During the summer, I'm in the field and use a knife for everything from digging for bark beetles to clearing research plots. For clearing, my tool of choice has always been a Barteaux machete backed up by a Plumb axe. But now I have two Gransfors Bruks so I expect they will get a workout this summer. In fact, I'm sure of it. I also work in a lab year-round and use a knife for all kings of things, from cutting plastic and rubber tubing to stripping wire. It varies. My fav utility folder is a BM 721. It's got me purring and contented. But in the field, I've been poking around with my Busse Mean Street. It's just the ticket for grub-hunting.
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When I go to the field station this summer, instead of renting a motel like I usually do, I will be spending 7 weeks in a tent, camped out on a lake behind the field station. It's a rough job but someone has to do it. I expect I will find something to cut or chop while I'm there.
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Hoodoo

I get some pleasure from finding a relentlessly peaceful use for a combative looking knife.
JKM
 
I'm a Graphic Artist and use a mat knife (break-off blade box cutter) alot on the job. We cut mat board, foamcore board and lotsa paper. Also use single edge razors and x-acto's.
My CRKT wharncliffe mirage gets a workout too
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[This message has been edited by Ebbtide (edited 03-30-2001).]
 
I'm a Software Engineer, and I carry a Spyderco Calypso Jr.
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Not a profession you were looking for, huh? Hey, you never know when I might need to use my knife to singlehandedly thwart evil, or peel an apple, or slice a sandwich...

--Matt
 
I work at a university computer lab. On a good day, the spyderco military or benchmade 710HS flies out of the pocket and slices a fresh laser toner cartridge out of those little baggies they come in.
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Oh yeah, and one or more people usually call me a felon for doing so.
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-IPR
 
When I was working on docks and around boats I carried a Buck 110 and SAK. When the Gerber Multipliers came out I bought one of the first ones. Now that I'm sitting behind a desk I usually carry a Victorinox Executive or a serrated Military (for those times when I miss being outside all day).
 
As a professional archaeologist, a good part of my time is spent in the field, followed by the lab, and office. When in the field surveying across wooded or thick brushy areas, we use a couple of very effecient Busse Battle Mistress's. The old fashion straight handle INFI steel blade. A job that was formerly handeled by a couple of 27-inch Ontario machetes. The BM cuts/hacks through ANYTHING I have encountered effortlesly. For lighter utility work on an excavation, I like using my Dozier D2 steel utility blade. Both the BM and Dozier are good strong user blades that wont slip under hot sweaty conditions, hold an incredable edge, and most importantly the handle material (micarta) will not degrade with insect repellent. During excavation when a shovel or trowel just dont dig or cut it, I rely on my Fallkniven A1. The VG-10 steel holds up incredably well, not to mention will sharpen a field pencil in a pinch. The A1 is not the big-time hacker like the Battle Mistress, but will blast through roots or whatever I need to deal with. Then of coarse, you have those moments where an archaeologist on the crew has uncovered a delicate artifact in the ground. I need that sharp edged tool to pick around it, and once out of the ground, pick away the dirt, or corrosion. For that task I use my spyderco Wayne Goddard Jr. I can really get in there and pick those goodies clean.

Come to think of it, I also have the CS Bushman in my field kit. I always thought it would be handy to have a spear head at the ready. Just havent found a use for it yet. I'm sure in time I will.
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Jay
 
Well, Beaver, if you're sent to dig around a privately owned island off the coast of Central America, I'd suggest you take two Bushmans (Bushmen?)

Great thread, RH. Hope many more respond. I'm retired/disabled, and my cutting is mostly confined to fruit and mail. I keep telling myself am going to start carving, and use those carving knives I bought, but who knows?


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Asi es la vida

Bugs
 
I'm an electrician. When out in the field I normally carry a Gerber Gator on my toolbelt, and lately I've been carrying a Tom Mayo large TNT as my EDC. The Gator is a true workhorse; does everything I ask, cleans up easily, and sharpens up great. The Mayo is bad to the bone. On Thursday I didn't have my tools with me, so I had to call on the TNT to strip out some 250 aluminum and 4/0 copper wiring. Even used it to pry open a panel cover that was bent/stuck. I admit I was a bit apprehensive about using this caliber of knife in such a way, but I decided that if I bought it, I'm going to carry it, and if I carry it I'm damn sure going to use it.
Can't say enough about the TNT. It makes me happy every time I look at it.
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I'm a steel fabricator and my EDC is a large classic Sebenza.I cut rope,rubber and cardboard daily and it never let's me down.
(I know done to death)The enviroment I work in is dusty and dirty and having the option to strip the knife for cleaning is great.The
first few scratches almost made me cry like a baby but I remember reading on the forums about rubbing the handle with a scotchbrite pad and it solved my scatch problem.

 
before I was disabled when working in the mines we were furnished either a hawkbill or a small bladed knife with carbon steel.We used them for cutting mining belt when we spliced it.It only took a few minutes to sharpen.
 
I am a magician. I never use my knife in my act...although I should. Perhaps I will add the old cut and restored rope trick. Anyway, I carry a small "trailing moon" sebenza.

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Brian
The first knife was probably used to cut stuff.
 
I am a Firefighter/EMT. The knife that I carry is the Spyderco Remote Release clipped to my turnout coat. I say carry because I mostly use my Gerber Legend Multi-tool (although the Ax/Halligan combo is still, by far, the best friend a fireman could have).

When I am off duty I carry a large, serrated Sebenza and occassionaly my BM940S.

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Ken
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"Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.
----Abraham Lincoln
 
FF/EMT,City of Rochester.BM 710 50/50.Finally found my "perfect"knife,till the next one comes along,of course.
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[This message has been edited by Lone Hunter (edited 03-31-2001).]
 
I am a brick layer, I use a rose brand trowel. It cuts brick, block, wire, and mud. I use to carry a liner lock mod hornet to work, but found that the dust hinders the knife. Now I carry a spyderco delica to work. I use it to cut every thing that my trowel won't cut.
 
I'm a field supervisor for a trucking firm, delivering lumber to contractors and builders, and I also serve as a replacement driver when one of my drivers doesn't show up.

When not driving, my current carry is a Spyderco Military.

When I'm driving, I carry a an Outdoor Edge Magna, simply because it's all too easy to lose a knife when scrambling in and out of a truck and slogging through mud at construction sites.

I'd rather replace the good $40 knife than the excellent $100 knife.
 
Since I'm still in school I do all kinds of different jobs. My two main money makers are training horses and baling hay and straw. I also do a fair amount of woodworking , remodeling , electric , construction type stuff etc. Pretty much whatever needs done.
I tried a couple different things and what works best for me is a multi tool accompanied by a good folder. Right now its a half serrated pinnacle and a Gerber 600 multi lock. I like the pinnacle so well I probably won't replace it with anything unless one of the knives I make turns out good enough or it breaks. The multi lock is about the same only I'd go for one with a replaceable sawblade instead of the fully serrated blade.

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I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer... but I've got the sharpest knife in the room.
 
I'm a Farmer and I always carry a Fixed Blade when I'm out working. Some of the hardest Jobs that I tackle are Trimming Goat and Cattle Hooves and Cutting Tangled Bailing Wire. Others are Lancing Abcesses, Stripping Wires, Cutting Rope, and of course Skinning the occasional deceased Cow, Calf or Kid (Goat Kid that is). Currently I carry a Dozier Pro Skinner like the one pictured below. BUT I may be Lucky enough to get an Ed Fowler Pronghorn one of these days and that will immediately become my Daily Carry.

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This is one of the best topics I have seen in awhile.

My father is a farmer and he carries a Henckels medium stockman that I gave him. Carbon steel blades of course
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I see alot of EMT's carrying the Spyderco Rescue. Excellent choice.

I will say what I carry at work even though this thread isn't targeted to me. I am a LEO and I usually carry a Wegner.

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Dennis Bible

....Almost here, The Leading Edge....
http://www.theleadingedgeonline.com

[This message has been edited by shootist16 (edited 03-31-2001).]
 
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