Some thoughts about carrying a pocket knife...

[jackknife]

I have found that most people don’t consider a knife necessary for day to day life. But have your smartphone die? My gosh, they will act like the world is ending.

I also have found that I need a pocket knife less as I have gotten older. But, I do need one! If for nothing else I need one to open all of those damn packages that are supposedly EZ Open! Or how about the ones that have a metal pull tab that I can’t pull up. A folder makes great tool to pry those up enough to get a proper grip.

If I had a dollar for every single EZ open package that the pull tab ripped off, my retirement would be a lot more plush!

I too noticed that the older I got, the less I needed a knife, but theres still the odd occurrence. Some connivence with packages, the odd piece of string or twine. But in January of 1991, I had need of a knife that was really a matter of life and death. I witnessed a car accident right in front of us one cold morning, and the car spun on a patch of ice, then hit dry pavement and rolled three times before bouncing off the guard rail and coming to a stop on its roof. An old Datsun B210.

There was the driver, an obese woman hanging upside down in her seatbelt, screaming hysterical that she didn't want to die, oh God, and so on. The reason for the screaming was the car was on fire. While rolling the battery had broke loose and was shorting out on the greasy engine block and the years of grease and oil was burning with a very thick black smoke.

With all her weight on the seatbelt, even with both thumbs pressing, I couldn't get the thing too release. I ended up cutting the belt with my Buck stockman. Any sharp knife would have done it, even a SAK classic. Contrary to the opinions of some knife makers, you don't really need a serrated knife for seatbelt. Just a sharp one.

That was over 20 years ago, but the lesson was never lost on me; never be without a knife. Doesn't have to be big, just sharp. An inch of blade will do if need be. Even a boxcutter. Something sharp on you.

 

[22-rimfire]

Pushing 30 years ago..... Bet she was glad you were there. Sharp is always the key with knives. If the car didn't burn up, she was probably pissed that you cut her seat belt. But at least she was wearing one.

 

[000Robert]

If I had a dollar for every single EZ open package that the pull tab ripped odd, my retirement would be a lot more plush!

I too noticed that the older I got, the less I needed a knife, but theres still the odd occurrence. Some connivence with packages, the odd piece of string or twine. But in January of 1991, I had need of a knife that was really a matter of life and death. I witnessed a car accident right in front of us one cold morning, and the car spun on a patch of ice, then hit dry pavement and rolled three times before bouncing off the guard rail and coming to a stop on its roof. An old Datsun B210.

There was the driver, an obese woman hanging upside down in her seatbelt, screaming hysterical that she didn't want to die, oh God, and so on. The reason for the screaming was the car was on fire. While rolling the battery had broke loose and was shorting out on the greasy engine block and the years of grease and oil was burning with a very thick black smoke.

With all her weight on the seatbelt, even with both thumbs pressing, I couldn't get the thing too release. I ended up cutting the belt with my Buck stockman. Any sharp knife would have done it, even a SAK classic. Contrary to the opinions of some knife makers, you don't really need a serrated knife for seatbelt. Just a sharp one.

That was over 20 years ago, but the lesson was never lost on me; never be without a knife. Doesn't have to be big, just sharp. An inch of blade will do if need be. Even a boxcutter. Something sharp on you.

Good job! It is a good idea to have a fire extinguisher also.

 

[comis]

How many options are on that thing? I'm still pretty green and haven't seen a Swiss like that ever.. ever, ever

83 according to Victorinox, it is mostly a collection piece more than practical user.

Doesn't exactly "disappear in your pocket"? Huh?

No, it doesn't. But I did promise a friend I will sock carry this for a day, and still need to do that somehow.

If I had a dollar for every single EZ open package that the pull tab ripped odd, my retirement would be a lot more plush!

I too noticed that the older I got, the less I needed a knife, but theres still the odd occurrence. Some connivence with packages, the odd piece of string or twine. But in January of 1991, I had need of a knife that was really a matter of life and death. I witnessed a car accident right in front of us one cold morning, and the car spun on a patch of ice, then hit dry pavement and rolled three times before bouncing off the guard rail and coming to a stop on its roof. An old Datsun B210.

There was the driver, an obese woman hanging upside down in her seatbelt, screaming hysterical that she didn't want to die, oh God, and so on. The reason for the screaming was the car was on fire. While rolling the battery had broke loose and was shorting out on the greasy engine block and the years of grease and oil was burning with a very thick black smoke.

With all her weight on the seatbelt, even with both thumbs pressing, I couldn't get the thing too release. I ended up cutting the belt with my Buck stockman. Any sharp knife would have done it, even a SAK classic. Contrary to the opinions of some knife makers, you don't really need a serrated knife for seatbelt. Just a sharp one.

That was over 20 years ago, but the lesson was never lost on me; never be without a knife. Doesn't have to be big, just sharp. An inch of blade will do if need be. Even a boxcutter. Something sharp on you.

Always appreciate your story with SAKs and sharps, that's enough a reason to carry one everyday.

 

[Chronovore]

Getting older and needing a knife less seems to be a theme. I guess it depends on what for. For me, my lifestyle has gotten far less adventurous. I'm not gallivanting through forests or doing outdoor projects like I used to do. I still have random cutting chores though. With so much of my shopping being online now, I'm like a lot of other folks who open way more packages. (Yes, those pull-tabs are a devil's joke.) Between that and increased refuse regulation, I find myself needing to break down a lot more cardboard too.

As far as those "dirtbags" go, that's always been a thing. Whether a greaser with a switch blade, a mall ninja with a spring assist, or whatever it is today with a zombie slasher; some people are drawn to being rebels without a clue. Some girls like that sort of thing but I never remember the number being large. As far as actual violent crime with knives, it doesn't seem all that common. Then again, I live in place where lots of people carry firearms. Violent crime in general is pretty rare.

 

[sabre cat]

...I guess it is just a matter of prospective, personally I see a SAK first and foremost as a multitool, because even the basic models of 91mm SAK(Spartan, Tinker) would have a dozen tool implements and functions, and blade(s) is one of them...

To me a SAK is primarily a pocket knife, not a multi-tool.

I am finding that I carry a SAK more often than I carry a true MT
but, I consider both of them secondary to a fixed blade or modern folder.

 

[eveled]

I carry knives, and I carry tools. I don’t really like to mix them into one package. Usually I have a Buck 110, 4 way driver, and channel lock pliers. Oh also the tiny Swiss Army knife in my watch pocket. For the scissors tweezers and nail file.

 

[dalefuller]

I know that's coming The funny thing is Swiss Army Knife still somehow always got listed under multitool, or separately by itself, in most online dealers. Half full, half empty, doesn't matter much, if you ask me tomorrow, I'd probably tell you it's a knife too.

Btw, I happen to be carrying this today:

I actually saw one of those in person a while back... Smoky Mountain Knife Works, I think? It's even more impressive in person.

 

[James Y]

If I had a dollar for every single EZ open package that the pull tab ripped off, my retirement would be a lot more plush!

I too noticed that the older I got, the less I needed a knife, but theres still the odd occurrence. Some connivence with packages, the odd piece of string or twine. But in January of 1991, I had need of a knife that was really a matter of life and death. I witnessed a car accident right in front of us one cold morning, and the car spun on a patch of ice, then hit dry pavement and rolled three times before bouncing off the guard rail and coming to a stop on its roof. An old Datsun B210.

There was the driver, an obese woman hanging upside down in her seatbelt, screaming hysterical that she didn't want to die, oh God, and so on. The reason for the screaming was the car was on fire. While rolling the battery had broke loose and was shorting out on the greasy engine block and the years of grease and oil was burning with a very thick black smoke.

With all her weight on the seatbelt, even with both thumbs pressing, I couldn't get the thing too release. I ended up cutting the belt with my Buck stockman. Any sharp knife would have done it, even a SAK classic. Contrary to the opinions of some knife makers, you don't really need a serrated knife for seatbelt. Just a sharp one.

That was over 20 years ago, but the lesson was never lost on me; never be without a knife. Doesn't have to be big, just sharp. An inch of blade will do if need be. Even a boxcutter. Something sharp on you.

I remember many years ago seeing a tragic news story about a woman who burned to death in her car. She had been stopped in a traffic jam due to some kind of construction going on. For whatever reason, her car started smoking and eventually caught fire. Several nearby construction workers rushed over to help, but her seatbelt was stuck and they couldn’t get her loose or pull her out in time. IIRC, nobody ever attempted to cut the seatbelt. Either none of the construction workers had a folder or even a utility knife on them, or they never thought to use it if they had.

Jim