Singular and Useful Knives for EDC and Wilderness....

[Marion David Poff]

Heya,

This is a topic that really fascinates me...

Knives of a singular design, for general use, EDC and in the woods. Because I find, if I really like it, I want to carry it everywhere....

The SAK is one, though that is way broad...

For me, the SAK that really does it is the Wenger Recruit, with the bail. Love that thing.

Or the Grohmann Folder, I so want one....

Or the EKA Swede-82. I have a Normark version, and another version, but I want the wood one.

I have a whole bunch of these, but I would like to see what you all think....

Marion

 

[Gossman Knives]

I no longer carry folders so fixed is what I EDC all the time. I have two of my own designs I carry. A Mini Tusker and a PSN. I also EDC a Vic Swisstool RS.
Scott

 

[baldtaco-II]

I've been enjoying a simple Henckles kitchen knife for quite a while. The design is for the single purpose of peeling but I find it much more useful than that. In common with a lot of German kitchen knives the steel isn't up to much and it has only mediocre hardness but the design works brilliantly for me because it is just so aggressive.

1] Obviously it's good for peeling but the attacking angle makes it great for small scale food prep in the field.

2] That same attacking angle makes it great for opening up quite resistant materials such as leather. [Just for the sake of notes – whilst this isn't going to compete very well with a Spyderco Civilian at close quarters this is one that'll go clean through a pair of jeans and make a wonderful blue blood stripe behind the knee or whatever. In fact, it utterly outperforms my serrated Spyderco Police slashing].

3] The thinness and the curvature of the blade makes a Mora just look like another Chinese knock off in my hand. The picture below isn't a great example because of the properties of the wood, but it will make extremely good fuzzies but also, and this is the important bit, does well at carving. Due to the tip forming a very sharp and flexible triangle that is up close to my hand it will take good long concave slices from a bit of wood. I'm not disposed to make spoons but if I were to this is the Mora slayer.

4] Works great sunny side up for unzipping critters. It is my favorite rabbit opener bar none.

5] As it is of ho hum steel and quite soft I can't expect it to cut though yards and yards of rope without needing a bit of a touch up. However, I do use it to cut quite a lot of net and light rope when cutting down onto a board [or whatever] isn't an option or isn't desirable because of speed. Cuts on the pull are trapped inside the curvature harnessing more power than is the case with a straight edge let alone a knife dominated by belly.

In sum, love it. It's very slow to corrode and cuts a wide variety of things usually great deal better than dedicated utility patterns. I keep it at a very fine convex to a high finish. Provided I don't do dumb shit with it the advantages are enormous.

 

[ZombaiO]

There are some knives I like to carry both in town and in the wild - SAK Alox Soldier and Buck 110.
Today I got a Benchmade 550 HG Griptilian that will see quite some use I think...

 

[Sparljo]

When you need a knife, you only get to use the one that you got on you.

Anything that you carry daily will do really.

I am very interested in sheath designs that allow effective EDC of small fixed blades. How do you carry the henkels parer bald taco?

 

[siguy]

I used to carry an EDC knife, and then put a fixed blade on my belt for heading into the woods...

I stopped doing that, and just started carrying one knife for all purposes. For a while it was a Pioneer Trapper by GEC. It was also a Large Stockman by Case. Most recently it was a small fixed blade that I made from some 1/16" thick A2 with a 2.5" blade.

As of a few days ago, it became my laminated mora #1 when I finally made a leather sheath for it.

I started carrying knives that perform well for EDC duties as well as woods duties because I often find myself performing "woods duties" when I don't necessarily expect...such as at a party once when a plastic part of the volleyball net was broken. I took my folding saw and my knife and made a new one from a piece of firewood. (my Fiskars slide saw is almost always in my EDC bag )

 

[RescueRiley]

I carry a midsize to large slipjoint pattern...primqrily a stockman.. It's really handy to have a variety of differnt sized blades for varied tasks..Shorter blades are sheeple friendly for utility cutting.. while the longer clip is used for food prep and cam chores....
slipjoin ts have a bit of class and are at home i n your pocket i the woods or the job. Also though when going into the serious bush... a machete or hatchet comes along for the big jobs.

 

[baldtaco-II]

When you need a knife, you only get to use the one that you got on you.

Anything that you carry daily will do really.

I am very interested in sheath designs that allow effective EDC of small fixed blades. How do you carry the henkels parer bald taco?

Sparljo, hola

At the moment a simple leather slip sheath without any kind of retention. It's just knocked up from salvage from a pair of old combat highs. Poke it in a pocket. Got another crudely made from foam and rubber. That's more bulky but it floats.

 

[wildmike]

For me it is always a fixed blade and a slippie in a pocket. The fixed is generaly my RC4 or my R-1o from Himalayan Imports. But as of yesterday it will probably be my new 5 incher from G.L. Drew.

The pocket knife is either my GEC #73 jack or my Teardrop harness jack Schatt & Morgan.

 

[Todd A]

These days my daily carry knives are a Victorinox Hiker and one of two fixed blades Stomper made for me.

I am not counting the very small fixed I turned into a fire kit.

The tan micarta one has a 2 3/4" blade. The green has a 3" blade. Both carry nicely on the belt, or the pocket sheath from KSF.

More often than not it is the 3" one on my belt. The sheath John made for it holds the knife high and flat to the body. If I don't want it seen I just untuck my shirt.

With two of these knives on me I can handle any in town or woods cutting chores.

 

[Shotgun]

I carry a midsize to large slipjoint pattern...primqrily a stockman.. It's really handy to have a variety of differnt sized blades for varied tasks..Shorter blades are sheeple friendly for utility cutting.. while the longer clip is used for food prep and cam chores....
slipjoin ts have a bit of class and are at home i n your pocket i the woods or the job. Also though when going into the serious bush... a machete or hatchet comes along for the big jobs.

I'd like to get to this point but haven't found the right knife yet. Not that my SAK farmer can't do most everything I want a knife to do, it's just not cool enough I guess.

 

[Mentor]

This is my EDC.

It's a knife I made, based on a 'cobbler's blade'. The blade's about 3", scandi ground. I keep it in a leather belt sheath, which can either be worn on the belt or tucked in the pocket. It hasn't left my side since I finished it last year, and it fulfills all of my everyday and wilderness cutting tasks, save for the big stuff. This will be my EDC knife for the foreseeable future, I think. It works for food prep, woodworking, opening packages, cleaning small fish, etc.

I really recommend checking out a small scandi fixed blade for an EDC.

All the best,

- Mike

 

[BarberFobic1992]

As of right now, it is two knives. One being the victorinox farmer, the other being one of the slip-joint knives in my rotation. I don't like the lack of character in an SAK, but I do like it's usfulness, so it comes along. Then I use the slip-joint for wood carving and notching and stuff. I have been thinking about having the two patterns merged, removing the screw drivers, knife and handle scales from the farmer, and replacing them with a sheepsfoot and spey blade, and a carbon spear-point blade. That way, I'd have the best of both and I wouldn't have to carry two knives.

Lately I have been carrying a fixed blade knife as well, usually my Off The Map Skog Kniven or a smaller puukko that is more public-friendly (for when I am going to be in town). I definatly don't need to carry this many knives, but I can't help myself.

When I go into the woods I also bring my trusty GB along, unfortunatly I cant EDC that one

I plan on testing out the pocket-fixed-blade thing once I get a blade ordered. That might replace my somthing, I'll have to test it out.

 

[stingray4540]

I always carry my Case Texas Jack slipjoint pocket knife. Don't put on my pants without it. I would be comfortable with that knife for anything and everything.

I do carry a fix blade scandi belt knife as well when I go backpacking, fishing, camping, etc.

 

[PatriotDan]

The environment that I work in daily or when Im outdoors relaxing or working my dad's farm are so different I have not found one knife to fit all places and needs.

Only tool that I do carry almost everywhere is a multitool, currently Im carrying a Victorinox Swisstool X but used to carry a Gerber MP600 with the tool kit. I've been happy with both although the Swisstool is more robust.

 

[koyote]

I don't go for singular- it's a career issue. I seem to always have 3 or 5 knives...


But:

I've had my best overal utility experiences as a pocket tool with SAKs. Not, by a large margin, my best pocketknife experiences, but the tools are worth carrying everywhere, every day.

I've had 2 pocket knives that were shining examples of utility- just went everywhere and did everything with me at various points in time- one was/is an ancient Ka-Bar trapper, and one is a 3 bladed old Case. (I'm desperately hoping to figure out a way to get a congress style custom with a specific blade assortment. someday.)

Neck knives have surprised me the most over time. I've been carrying one off and on (more on when I work outside or for myself, more off when I detoured to cubucle landt for a while.)- well, since 1996, when I discovered my first patch knife. Ounce for ounce, if I have a nceker I am better dressed than any other blade.

All that being said, my preference is a 4.5-5.5 inch bladed utility knife of some sort. and I carry one of those most everywhere.

 

[Dannyboy Leather]

Post expired.

 

[HikingMano]

If there were no legal issues about carrying a fixed blade in my area (have be worn in plain view - so technically can't let a jacket or shirt cover it, can't stick it in your pocket, etc), I would EDC my Izula, W&SS Necker, or BRKT Gunny. Most likely the Izula or Koster Necker since the smaller size is a better fit for my typical daily cutting needs (not many right now, to be honest). Any of those three are already excellent for woods use, and I'm sure they'd be just as excellent for EDC.

The main reason I want to edc a fixed blade is because they're so simple. I don't have to think about a lock or actually have to open a folder. And when I want to use it for messy stuff or wash it, I don't have to worry about any innards. I can just gunk it up and then scrub it down and it's back to being squeaky clean :thumbup:. Alas, folders will have to suffice until I move. And just a note, the strength issue is not a big deal to me, because I really don't need my edc blades to be uber tough; I just need them to cut. And if I need to pry something, I have a little prybar on my keychain that I'd rather use before my knife. So I don't want to EDC a FB primarily for the strength, though it's a nice bonus.


Anyway, the most useful bladed tool on me day in and out is the SAK Farmer. Handy handy handy :thumbup:. I never go anywhere without it in my pocket. I even catch myself unintentionally doubling up sometimes while hiking, with my EDC farmer in my pocket AND a Vic SwissTool on my belt (as a side note, I like the saw on the farmer more than the one on the swisstool). For me, can't be beat for sheer utility.

I always have a folder on me as well, and I've been EDCing a Ritter Mini-Grip for a while. I definitely would not mind using that one in the woods either, it's a great little all-arounder. Best EDC folder I've had so far in fact. But for the reasons mentioned above, I much prefer to leave the folders at home when out hiking or doing outdoor stuff. In addition, I value "strength" a little more in my small outdoor knives, because you never know if you want to dig around or poke and pry something, maybe baton for some reason, or do other chores that might require more in the robustness category.

 

[captainbobino]

Mentor, how about some more info on that beauty?

 

[Marion David Poff]

Well,

Maybe I wasn't very clear, I am not talking about just what you carry...

But, those knives that are of such iconic and singular design that you are drawn to them, or they speak to you in some way.

Like the knives DannyBoy posted.

Marion