So, you have a pretty knife, but what do you use when you need to cut

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Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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A lot of folks have very pretty knives, and you can’t fault them for that, but when it gets down to needing to cut something perhaps not so clean, what do you reach for?

Myself the answer is fairly simple, I use my Manly city knife, midlock and very thin blade makes easy cutting through a wide variety of materials.

Manly City folder

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

Now for most chores I will use other knives for light duty but that one is such a great cutter I wouldn’t want to be without

G2
 
I consider my Cheburkov Crow (Raven, Voron, and whatever they call it next year) a pretty knife; and, accordingly, have used it for strictly light duty (mostly opening dog food bags, honestly). When I got it, my Berg Iron Pup was a pretty knife; but I've used it regularly & without regard.
There was no decision to go easy on the Cheburkov, it has just happened that there was another knife readily available for other tasks (I do still carry 3 most of the time, and the size of the Cheburkov sometimes keeps it in my pocket...at times, it is better) easier to quickly use and put away a 3.5-4" fixed blade than to open a larger folder)
*Edited to add obligatory image
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Anything that comes in the mail, I use a Buck 503. I dont want the sticky tape/glue on my pocket carry, sure I could clean it off but the 503 I just put her away dirty.

I carried that knife a few years before I got bit by the bug
 
I have a few go to "heavy use" knives, mostly Spyderco. If I'm going to be cutting a lot and/or messy stuff, something with really excellent ergonomics is a must. My list:

Spyderco PM2, GB1, Manix 2 CTS-XHP, Yojimbo 2 Cruwear. If I don't have to worry about gunk in the pivot, I'll toss in the Demko AD 20.5 3V, Heretic Manticore E S35VN, Heretic Medusa, and ZT 0095BLKS90V.

I've decided to keep my Spyderco Southard, so I'll add that in.

I've used my Cheburkov Strizh quite a bit, cutting plastic straps and it works well. The exotic high hardness steels on my Biryukov's leave me loathe to use them hard, due to the difficulty sharpening S125V at 63HRC and S390 at 67HRC.
 
If I need to cut something of less than ideal properties with less than ideal circumstances.... The riverhawk has never said no. From doorframes to sheetrock even some light batoning when needed.
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There is a stratification:
The Hultafors GK is my ultimate beater.
Above it are the serrated edge Spyderco Salts (Caribbean,Tasman, Native) and the plain edge Spy27 Native and K390 Stretch for use in the yard/garden (gritty weeds, dusty cardboard, whatever).
Above those are the Rex45 Native Chief, the S90V and S100V Military, and the Cruwear Stretch 2XL for everything else.
In the kitchen I use Spyderco Z-cuts and rotate Bark River bushcraft knives - the Bravo 1, Aurora 2 and the Tundra.
 
Depends.

If i am planing dirty stuff I usually get a "i dont care folder" thats easily to resharpen.
Opinel No 7 or 8 in carbon for example.
Fixed? ESEE3.

Other than that i bite hard and use what I have in pocket.
Years ago we were doing redoing our clubs climbing wall in a gym.
Take down all segments and clean them.
Cutting job of the day was removing silicone seams off these sand covered boards.
In my pocket? LM wave.
The first scratches hurt, after that you dont care anymore. The rest is redone on a stone.

I said to myself I pamper my knifes too much. They are tools after all, use them.

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Usually, I don't need to cut a lot of stuff like some here do. But for most tasks, scissors are better (like cutting string, twine, etc.) and I have 5-6 stashed around the house in containers I use to hold pens and pencils. I use my SAK 74mm Executive EDC to open mail and taped packages that arrived. Any goo from tape is wiped off. But I don't really collect knives or have "pretty" knives. However, I do have a LOT of knives because I'm a "two is one" kinda guy so when I find something I like (usually a SAK), I'll buy at least two spares. I bought a bag of snow melt yesterday and used the Bugout 535BK-2 clipped in my pocket to slice it open. Not a "pretty" knife to a collector but I like it. I also picked up a pistol from a local gun shop who is within distance of a school so they had to put a heavy zip tie around the box (their policy) so I could leave the store (absolute madness). When I got home, I used kitchen scissors to cut it as using a knife would have been sloppy and, potentially, unsafe. A better tool would have been my wire cutters but I would have had to walk downstairs to retrieve them...

I think more than a few here look for excuses to use their knives when there might be better tools available but I truly do understand the mind set. ;)
 
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I use whatever is handy. That being said, I usually plan ahead for the day. If I'm at work, it's usually a sebenza 31 insingo magnacut. I'm down to one right now because I broke the tip off of one the other day. Trying to figure out what I want to do to fix it. Local knife store who's sharpening guy I trust or send it in?
 
Same here I use whatever is in my pocket. It's a knife it's made to cut things. I'm a user mostly not much of a collector. Every single one of my knives has been used at one time or another. Sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake but I don't think I have because I have enjoyed them all. I want to enjoy my knives before I'm dead and will not be able to enjoy them.
 
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