Slipjoint for non knife guy

I really like my SAK Rally. Tiny knife, nail file with flathead screwdriver, and bottle opener with phillips. Personally I find a bottle opener and phillips screwdriver much more practical than the tiny, cumbersome scissors on the SAK classic.
 
I think the analogy of "taking him to the bar" works both ways. You're not going to take a new friend to the seediest bar in town, where the clientele leave you wondering if you took the wrong exit in a bad horror movie. You take your friend to the place where YOU go, where you know the folks, and the bartender knows your name, (Heck, where Everybody knows your name!) and you order him your favorite locally brewed seasonal, and where you know the choices on tap, or in the cooler are the good stuff. Let him get used to the idea of sampling the menu, and then he can make an educated choice. Eventually your friend will find what he likes, and then when you're hanging out, you can debate the finer details of your personal choices and have a fun time doing it.

Oh, and a small SAK is definitely the way to go, but do make your daily choices available for his investigation.
 
I just don't get the upset about "taking him to a bar".

Best thing for a new beer drinker is to have a friend to take him or her through a sampler tray. Pretty easy to figure out if their tastes are going to start with lagers or ales or what have you. Ditto with wine tasting.

Putting 5 to 10 different knives in front of somebody and asking, what here are you initially attracted to and what here do you immediately dislike is perfectly reasonable.

Not to rain on the SAK love, but there's a lot of assuming going on that a little SAK is the best first knife. That really depends on the person. My nephew, with whom I took the "take him to the bar" approach" tossed out the smallest knifes right away as they there were too small for what he envisioned. You just never know.
 
The idea behind a SAK as a first knife for a non-knife person, is that they're more likely to carry it if it does other stuff that they're more accustomed to worrying about. Like opening beers.

Edit to add: personally, I don't carry my SAK for the knife: if I wasn't into knives I could still see myself EDCing one. Next to the tools the blade is just a bonus. I suspect a NKP would see it that way too.

Plus, a keychain SAK can go on your keychain, so you're not really giving him the responsibility of remembering something.
 
Last edited:
Pseudonym said:
The idea behind a SAK as a first knife for a non-knife person, is that they're more likely to carry it if it does other stuff that they're more accustomed to worrying about. Like opening beers.
Click to expand...

Says who?

Not trying to pick a fight here, but I think that's a judgement best left to the newbie.

In the case of nephew, I pointed out that my Camper, like the SAKs, had handy tools like screwdrivers and beer bottle openers. As much as the kid likes his beer, he wanted a tougher single blade knife that locked up.

Look, you don't want to overwhelm somebody. No sense dropping a 200 knife collection in front of them. But 5 -10 knives can span a pretty big range and help the newbie at least move in basic, general direction that motivate them to carry a knife. And that's the important bit. What motivates them, not us.
 
My misunderstanding about the bar approach was what bar. I made a mistake assuming. I agree with the approach now that I am clear on it.

I'm not upset either. I was just confused. I would have been upset had I offended Carl, but I did not.
 
Thanks guys. My plan was to loan him a stockman and small multitool. This thread did pay off I didn't think of a SAK at all.
 
A knife and a small multitool or SAK would be a good idea, that way if he feels a dedicated knife is overkill he has another option.
 
SAK Farmer is a highly useful piece of kit, one lives in my work-bag. But, that's the point., I don't find it very good to carry in a pocket and if the man isn't accustomed to knives might he find it a bit cumbersome?

Opinel No.6 stainless or a CASE Pen-knife,yellow are trim but credible lighter carries. Maybe a small lockback such as a Schrade 3OT, offshore but OK for sure.
 
willgoy said:
I don't find it very good to carry in a pocket and if the man isn't accustomed to knives might he find it a bit cumbersome?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have a SAK Waiter that I keep in my bag. I carried it in my pocket for awhile but I didn't like it, so I got my Rally for the keychain so I'd always have a bottle opener and screwdrivers.

Although I suspect an Alox SAK would be more comfortable for pocket carry.
 
Have you ever looked at the CRKT Guppie ? It's mainly a small adjustable that has a small blade. Fairly light weight & has carbiner clip, screw driver (flat tip) & pocket clip. Inexpensive line of multi (choke) tools (choke). I keep one at my desk at work.
 
I thought about this a bit more over beers with some friends tonight. If this guy's an immigrant, he may be eager to sort of "fit in." What I mean is, if most of his new American colleagues tote yella Case knives, maybe that's the way to go. Or if a lot of the guys there carry SAKs, that'd be the ticket. Just food for thought.

-- Mark
 
R
mnblade said:
I thought about this a bit more over beers with some friends tonight. If this guy's an immigrant, he may be eager to sort of "fit in."
Click to expand...

Yup. When I worked in product management, we had a saying. "Our opinion, while interesting, is irrelevant. The only thing that is relevant is market facts." We used to see same problem when I worked retail - sales people launching into a sale of their favorite thing without first listening to the customer.

What I told my nephew when he asked me was that he had 6 main choices for a pocket knife:
1) modern tacticals
2) multi-tools
3) slip joints
4) SAKs (which I think of as their own thing)
5) single blade peasant/farmer knives (e.g. Opinels & sodbusters)
6) lock backs (e.g. the Buck 500 series)

Each of these broad categories have their devoted fans for good reason. I know which I prefer and why but think it would be awful to try to impose that on somebody else.
 
I naturally will agree on the Buck 309, get a yellow scale for visibility. After that I vote for a SAK.
300Bucks
 
Thanks again guys. You've given me more than a few things to think about.
 
Last edited:
richstag said:
Any small Buck US made slipjoint. Stainless for a non knife person. Better stainless then Case IMO.
Click to expand...

Or, any small Buck made slipjoint period. The imports are VERY good knives, every bit as good quality as the domestic Bucks, and often times better. Plus, they are more affordable. This guy is not a knife nut? Might be an EXCELLENT way to introduce him to knives. A Buck 373 would be perfect.
 
I would gift him a Victorinox Classic. That will provide him with a quality tool that he can put on his key-ring and will last most of his life. See how he reacts to that, and if he shows that he enjoys just having the little knife, maybe pick up something a little larger from Case or Buck at a later date.

best regards -

mqqn
 
I guess I'm partial. Being born, living and most likely dying in the USA, I love nothing more then having Made in the USA on products I spend my money on.
 
If he's knew to knives something safe with a back lock like a traditional Buck Knight little lockback might work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top