Take it or leave it?

kamagong

kamagong

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Ryan Sumner's recent thread got me thinking. When you go on a trip, do you bring the good stuff or keep them at home and substitute a disposable one in its place? It seems that most people prefer to leave them behind. Perfectly logical, why risk losing a knife to the travel gremlins? Still...for many of us carrying a knife is largely about the memories. It's not about pure utility, otherwise everyone would probably just carry an SAK and call it a day. A knife is a tangible reminder of past experiences -- of going fishing with dad, watching your grandpa whittle a ball-in-cage, or unwrapping a package on Father's Day to find the stag Scout you'd had your eye on. It's true that a Vic Farmer will do most things as well, probably even better because of the added tools, but I for one prefer to make those special memories with the same knife that I usually carry. When I pull out my #73 to cut some fruit for lunch it oftentimes brings a smile to my face as it reminds me of the time I spent on Condado Beach watching my daughter play in the sand, the knife used to cube some mangoes for an early afternoon snack.
 
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I usually pack my knife that I always carry. My trips are usually within the continental US - which means I go by car and carry whatever I want.

Or I go to South Korea and pack (in checked baggage) my everyday carry, a Swiss Champ and a Victorinox Classic. That mix pretty much takes me through.
 
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My lovely wife and I are planning a trip which is now a year away, the trip will include knives - as I will be meeting a couple of knife guy guys- so yes some good ones will be coming with me - but packed securely in the suitcase for when I get to that destination.
 
I leave it all at home. I have to go through New York City airports when I travel. I am not about to take a chance on getting arrested for a pen knife. It is what airport cops live for.
 
I have lost a couple of knives to the airport security in the past. Nothing special fortunately.
Sometimes it is good to have an option of not checking in the baggage: late check in or a tight connection to the next flight, you never know. So I usually take with me a knife I can leave behind and not to worry if I find it in my pocket while standing in the line to a security check.
 
I like to buy something when I travel as a momento of the trip. If I check a bag, I will pack something that I wouldn't be upset if it went missing.
 
I fly maybe 10 times a year for work. I always check my bag, and include a SAK Pioneer or Farmer in it. I think they are common and innocuous enough not to be stolen by baggage handlers, and I can always pick up another if I lose it. Never any hard to find ALOX colors though :).
 
I just wanted to add another thought. I've traveled extensively in the U.S.A. and also to Germany, Japan, South Korea within the last 25 years. When I say extensively, I mean 15 trips by air per year. Since 9-11, I have always packed any knives I take in my checked baggage and have never had a single one stolen or come up as misplaced. I'm not saying it can't happen it just hasn't happened to me in over 300 trips.
 
Christian,
I hear you. Before my last trip, I bought two knives for the purpose and then picked one to bring along, leaving my custom slipjoint at home...and carrying my GEC day by day for one month helped me develop a stronger emotional relationship with it, so since I got back home, I find myself carrying it more often than before.
And yes, I also bring a SAK along...but I always do (a Classic or Ambassador on my keyring).

Fausto
:cool:
 
I haven't done this yet but now I"m thinking I need to buy a new knife to carry as a travel one.
 
I always bring one knife, usually a sub $100 user. But my goal is to purchase a knife when I get to the place I'm traveling. It's something I know I'll use and have a memory of the place I traveled. Knowing you're getting a knew knife when you head out the door in a new city is always good times.
 
RDaneel said:
I just wanted to add another thought. I've traveled extensively in the U.S.A. and also to Germany, Japan, South Korea within the last 25 years. When I say extensively, I mean 15 trips by air per year. Since 9-11, I have always packed any knives I take in my checked baggage and have never had a single one stolen or come up as misplaced. I'm not saying it can't happen it just hasn't happened to me in over 300 trips.
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My father also does the same across the US to Japan and Taiwan for family and business. He still uses the same kit of a leatherman, a pocket knife and a flashlight on each trip and hasn't had any trouble yet packed into checked luggage. He just packs them securely into his baggage and keeps everything squared away. Might be luck of the draw but he also has the 'TSA pre inspection safe list ID' as well.

I for one would bring a knife along, perhaps one I am not so attached to but luckily I've not had trouble with such in the past. That and a souvenir along the way ;)
 
I rarely travel. The last time I flew anywhere was a couple of years ago, on business. I bought my first Victorinox Alox knife, an Electrician, specifically for that trip, thinking that it's not valuable enough for someone to want to steal, it's replaceable easily, and has multiple tools that might come in handy on the road.

It made the journey in my checked luggage with no problems, and during that 2-week trip I came to appreciate the value of Vic Alox knives, to the point where I have added several more sizes and styles to my collection, and always have one on me now.

If I were going to be traveling by car, I would probably take 3 or 4 along with me. Traveling by air, I would probably stick with the Alox SAK and a Leatherman multitool, in checked luggage. I have never flown with just carryon. If I were to do that, I would probably buy an inexpensive SAK at the remote site and mail it back to myself, or just live without a knife for a few days.
 
Thanks for sharing your thoughts guys.

I don't want to lose a knife any more than you guys. But, I realized a while ago that I have more than enough knives to last the rest of my life. I even have some waiting in the wings. It would be unpleasant if something happened to my Scout, but these things happen. I nearly dropped my KHnutbuster riding the train to work one day when it slipped out of my monstrously large slacks pocket. That's just part of everyday existence; I wouldn't even have had a good story about how I lost it when I fell in quicksand up to my neck during a hike in the Costa Rican rain forest. So I made the decision to try my best and wear out at least one of my knives during my lifetime, and that includes theft or loss. Losing my Scout will hurt of course, but I have the 2014 stag jack I received for my birthday last year to comfort me.

Campbellclanman said:
My lovely wife and I are planning a trip which is now a year away, the trip will include knives - as I will be meeting a couple of knife guy guys- so yes some good ones will be coming with me - but packed securely in the suitcase for when I get to that destination.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Imagine going to Blade with nothing more than the Vic Classic you picked up at the local Target. You're liable to have your knife-nut membership revoked! :eek:
 
Usually take, but it depends where I'm going. For example, I have knives that I like but wouldn't be upset if they went missing.
 
Traveling by car is one thing: bring whatever you want.

But for me, travel usually means air travel, and I typically mail a Vic Classic ahead to the hotel. I have lots of knives, including several I prefer to the Classic. But the Classic is enough to get me through a week away from the rest.

I bring a padded envelope with the right postage and addressed to me at home in my bag. At the end of the trip, I mail the Classic home.

On occasion, when I forget to do this or get lazy, I pick up a Classic in the destination city — they are available everywhere — and either mail it back (I have several of these now) or leave it as a gift for the housekeeper.

My rule is strict: never carry in a checked bag anything you'd weep to lose.
 
I carry a traditional slipjoint, single blade usually something i have not carried for awhile and a Spyderco Harpy for protection. I also bring a Leatherman, it was designed originally for travel.
 
I rarely travel. When I do, I bring an easily replaceable, basic, pocket knife. Something like a Buck Cadet or an SAK.
 
I keep an SAK and a RR in my shaving kit bag when traveling by air: the SAK for the room and the RR for the pocket. If they get nicked, then not much lost. When traveling by car I carry the good stuff, same as at home. Never trust the airlines.
 
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