The one knife you went back to.

[ZT0606CF]

Over the years I have owned a lot of knives. My first one was a 2-blade Kline tools traditional folder. My grandpa had carried one like it for over thirty years, and he actually still does. Soon after, I got a Case 3 blade because I felt that the Kline was lacking "fit and finish." Then, however, I decided that I needed a clip...so I got a single blade Wharncliffe style Kline. I used that knife for about a year, but I just couldn't stop looking at the Kershaw Leek. I finally decided to buy it, and I found the quality to be phenomenal for the price point. At this point, I really enjoyed this knife, but I decided that I wanted to look for something slightly bigger with a stronger tip. I then decided to purchase a 585 mini barrage Benchmade. Once again, I found myself not happy with the "fit and finish." At this point, I went back to KIA and bought a ZT0770. I found this to be a pretty good knife, but I still wanted something different. Deciding on a Chris Reeves knife, I bought a Sebenza 21 Insingo with micarta inlay. Now, some of you may not agree with this, but I was NOT impressed with this knife...I'm still not. Side to side it's a tight knife - no play. But vertical, it has some issues. I'm not a fan of not having a steel lock bar insert. I almost immediately went out again and bought a Benchmade Foray...what a let down! Once again, quality issues, uneven bevel, and more. I kept seeing all of this talk of the Spyderco PM2, so I finally decided to get on BladeHQ and order it and see what all the fuss was about.
As you can see, I've had a lot of knives. Up to this point, though, nothing has even come close to this Spyderco. As far as sharpness goes, it is unbelievable. I carried my Spyderco for about four months when I started missing the assisted opening of the 0770, so I bought a used Barrage 581. I carried that for about two months and just couldn't stand it. I'm now back to my PM2. Out of all the knives I've owned, I've never gone back to a knife after getting a new one. I guess you could say that the PM2 is my go-to knife, or in the words of Nick Shabazz: it's a "gem."
Post the knives that you've gone back to! I would love to hear what did it for you.

 

[Wowbagger]

I returned to this knife
the Case full size Trapper in genuine Stag
No blade lock (I’ve never needed one; I've never done anything that caused the slip joint to close on me)
I would be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy fooling around with all the easier opening modern knives such as your (our) Paramilitary 2. What the Case has for me though is handle shape and a thin slender blade that is versatile for the kinds of things I use the knife for: package opening, precise cutting/trimming, food prep, cutting plastic, doing pierce cuts in rubber coated cloth.
I returned to it because of :

• the handle shape; slender but wide/round ( the opposite of modern knives tall thin and slab sided) (sorry Para 2 that would be you ) the stag kind of creeps me out but by golly the handle shape can't hardly be beat for a versatile grip user.
• the slender thin blade with just the right shape and downward tilt
• relatively "soft" blade but holds an edge well and cuts like crazy because of the hollow grind and thinness translating to thin behind the edge.

I like the way it fits and looks in this clip on belt pouch. The pouch is a must; the knife is too long to carry loose in the pocket but I love the length of this knife. I often find pocket clips to be in the way of the grip and use of the knife . . . I prefer my Para 2 with no clip and carry it in a similar belt pouch.




When I grip it like this the second blade was in the way



I removed the second blade



I felt like I was doing a dirty deed and defiling an icon by removing the second blade but I enjoy the knife so much more with out it and carry it more now.

Hollow ground, nicely ground and sharp blade right out of the box that held its edge well. One of the few knives I didn’t reprofile almost as soon as I got it like about all my other knives. The Ritter Griptillian is the other knife I found to be perfect out of the box and was able to just put it to work and not wish it were any better. The Griptillian is my OTHER knife I returned to over and over. Really good.

PS: ironically I kept the clip on that one for gripping it while operating the axis lock but carry it in a pouch because it is too fat in the pocket. But I like the fat handle in use.

 

[22-rimfire]

On removing the spey blade on a trapper, why didn't you just buy a single blade trapper type knife like the #48 that is out now.

Started with slippies as a kid and more than likely I'll end with slippies. With each passing year, traditional knives offer more appeal to me than any other design.

Pocket clips are cool and fairly useful, but I tend to like my knives carried more deeply in my pocket. So, I often don't use the clip and it gets in the way unless I take it off. I do like a clip for a "second knife" and that has been the small Benchmade Barrage or ZT 0770 CF. I enjoy assisted opening knives (but not so much flippers). But I also find that I tend to leave the second knife at home more often than not as it is simply not needed in my day to day life.

 

[Franciscomv]

I've got an old Wenger Standard Issue (basically the same as the Victorinox Pioneer or Soldier) that keeps finding its way into my pocket.

The blade is all scratched up from years of use and less than proficient sharpening when I was younger, but the walk and talk is still perfect. I usually carry it in addition to any other knife I might pick for the day.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

 

[traumkommode]

I've had a few models that I've bought and then sold and then bought another. But "the one I went back to" is a Small Plain 21. I didn't want to let myself have this because of the price. But then I got over that, and found a great deal on one with the higher HRC blade. And we're happy in love:

 

[cchu518]

Case mini trapper and Le Thiers. Bought both of these twice. They are in my regular rotation now. The Mini trapper is my favorite edc of all time. It's very no muss, no fuss, use and carry anytime, never worry about what ppl think about it.

That's my concept of a perfect regular everyday edc.

 

[353]

I've owned a lot of knives over the years that I've been carrying knives started with a 2 blade Kline tools traditional 2 blade folder the reason I got it was my grandpa had carried one like it for over 30 years actuall still carrys it, I then got a Case 3 blade as the Kline was lacking fit and finish then decided I needed a clip so got a single blade warnclife style Kline used it for about a year, couldn't stop looking at the kershaw leek finally bought a leek and it went on from there year later I decided I would give Benchmade a shot and bought a 585 mini barrage and just wasn't happy with the fit and finish so I decided I wanted to go back to KIA so I started looking at ZT and bought a ZT0770 not a bad knife but still wanted something different so I dove into Chris Reeves Sebenza 21 micarta inlay large, now some will be mad at me but I wasn't that impressed I'm still not side to side it's a tight knife no play but vertical it's got some I'm not a fan of not having a steel lock bar insert lets just say that so after the Chris Reeves, I ran out and bought a Benchmade foray what a let down fit and finish issues again uneven bevel among other things. I keept seeing all this talk of the Spyderco PM2 so I had to order one and just see what all the fuss was about so I got on BladeHQ and ordered a Spyderco PM2 now as you can see I've had a few knives up to this point but nothing came close to this Spyderco as far as sharpness goes it was unbelievable I carried the Spyderco for about 4 months and started missing the assisted opening of the 0770, so I bought a used barrage 581 carried it for about 2 months and just couldn't stand it so I'm back to my PM 2 what's funny about this is out of all the knives I've owned I've never gone back to a certain knife so I guess in a way you could say the PM 2 is my grail knife in the word of Nick Shabazz it's a Gem post yours knives you've gone back to below would love to hear what did it for you.

I'm not sure but I suspect this whole post to bee one giant sentence with out any breaks. I'm not even gonna try to read this..

 

[353]

I've had a few models that I've bought and then sold and then bought another. But "the one I went back to" is a Small Plain 21. I didn't want to let myself have this because of the price. But then I got over that, and found a great deal on one with the higher HRC blade. And we're happy in love:

+1:thumbup:

 

[jackknife]

I carried and used the dog poo out of a Buck stockman in the 1970's, 80's, and first half of the 90's before i got bit by the knife bug. Now that i'm about 80% over the knife bug, and sold off/gave away most of my knife collection, I've went back to carrying and using the Buck stickman. Does everything I need, and gives me three blade choices in one small package.

 

[James Y]

For me, I'd have to say my main go-to knife(s) would be a basic 2-layer Victorinox SAK, like the Pioneer/old Soldier or the Spartan. I always have a need for it, whether the uses of a tool is conventional or unconventional. When I lived in Taiwan and for several years after returning Stateside, the only knife I carried was a Vic Spartan (older version without toothpick or tweezers). Except for some gunk buildup that I eventually cleaned out, it held up great. I've also EDC'd a black Executive since the late '90s. It's become difficult for me to carry any traditional multi-bladed pocketknife when an SAK is so much more versatile.

I also carry a more expensive one-hander, and that's usually my plain-jane CRK large Insingo. I keep coming back to that one.

Sometimes I will alternate the Insingo with a Spyderco, like the S35VN Native 5 lightweight, carried down in my pocket.

But to be perfectly honest, I could probably get by with just my Vic Pioneer and Executive SAKs. IMO, these two SAKs complement each other perfectly, and cover most of my daily needs of an EDC tool.

Jim

 

[Wowbagger]

why didn't you just buy a single blade trapper type knife like the #48

I still might . . . post a photo or link and le'me see one.
Generally the single blade Trappers I saw were too narrow in handle.
As far as GEC every time I get half interested in one of their products it is out of stock everywhere and I can't find one. I'm not a big fan of the black and white stag but I suppose that wouldn't stop me from buying a knife that was otherwise really spot on.

It just isn't my thing to stalk a knife through hell and gone for weeks or months. When I decide I want to try a style I want to go some where where they aren't so A.D.D. they can't stock a knife for a year or five (months more like).

A knife is a tool to me . . . can you imagine if SnapOn or Sears said "Yah we used to make fifteen millimeter box end wrenches but now if you want one you have to go buy one second hand some place cause we are all about seventeen millimeter wrenches now".

Fun for some; just BS to me.

 

[Wowbagger]

I didn't want to let myself have this because of the price. But then I got over that,

Spoken like a true knife enthusiast !

 

[Wowbagger]

I'm not sure but I suspect this whole post to bee one giant sentence with out any breaks. I'm not even gonna try to read this..

Be ware the giant bee.

Not a Jack Kerouac fan obviously.
Beat
. . . burn, burn, burn

 

[Wowbagger]

Buck Stockman

But to be perfectly honest, I could probably get by with just my . . .

Don't be so danged honest ! ! ! What if our significant other were to see your post ! ! !

Photo : What my Dad carried on his day off around the house (Buck). What I often carry on my day off around the house. I suppose we could sort of get by with the Buck (OK more than sort of) . . . but . . .

 

[Lapedog]

No matter how nice a knife I keep putting in my pocket I just keep going back to some form of the CQC7. For me it is just a perfect knife. I love how rugged it is. I love how the tip is thick enough to habdle some prying. The chisel grind is a snap to sharpen. (Although one of my CQC7vs i reground so that it has a V edge to go along with the V grind. Emerson fans will know what I mean.)

I just love this knife. I regularly find myself putting away my CRKs my ZTs and my Spydercos. It is just a perfect knife for working and has an excellent self defense capability thanks to the wave. Though really the cqc7 is abit small for an SD knife. I also love the neutral handle shape which means it is comfortable in any grip. That includes edge facing inward grips.

 

[P2P]

I'm not sure but I suspect this whole post to bee one giant sentence with out any breaks. I'm not even gonna try to read this..

Lol, thought the same thing. I'm not a grammar freak, but I also don't like being dizzy.

I always come back to the Military. I've bought and sold about 5 of these. Number 6 is on its way Monday.

 

[deltaboy]

I'm rarely without a Stockman.

 

[ZT0606CF]

I've edited this some - hopefully you'll find it easier to read.

 

[strategy9]

All the locking folders and fixed blades, Something of the 4 blade Congress pattern will most likely be in my pocket that day my number is called

 

[P2P]

I've edited this some - hopefully you'll find it easier to read.

Much better.
I'll probably always have a PM2 in the rotation, outstanding knife. Benchmade 551-1 would be a great beater knife too.