The practicality of multiple blades

M

MAKnifenut

Joined
May 14, 2013
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Hey guys, so right now im studying for my psych midterm (reading the news and texting with my notes infront of me) and i came across this story of a 72 year old hunter who was lost for 2 and a half weeks in the woods. He had hit his head and the only thing he had with him when he woke up hours later was his rifle. He had had a knife on him along with a lighter but lost it in his fall. People always give me crap for carrying multiple knives in different locations on my body but i feel that this is proof that it is a perfectly good idea. What are your thoughts on ddc redundancy especially with your most important tool, your knife.
Phil
 
I usually have 5 or so on me in town. I don't need 5, or even 3, or really, 2, but I am OCD about leaving knives at home. I have a hard time deciding what to put in the pockets for the day.
 
I carry 1, sometimes 2 if I cant pick LOL. But usually 1. Which is a spyderco tuff today. I dont see a use for more than 1 knife unless my job had me cutting all day
 
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One on the person and, only sometimes, another one in the bag. Suburbia doesn't require much redundancy :)
 
It doesn't hurt to carry multiple knives, but the odds of any of us truly needing them are almost zero. I think we do it because it makes us feel good, and that's a plenty good reason. But why not two flashlights? Three cell phones? Have a cardiologist and a criminal defense lawyer on retainer? We can go bonkers contemplating life's "what ifs". So lets carry more than one knife if we want (I have a large Espada, Victorinox Classic SD, and a Leatherman PS4 on me), but will any of us really need more than one knife? I say probably not. If you are a wilderness guy or going out on a hunting trip, the potential need goes up. But even then you won't be desperate for a secondary or tertiary knife except under the most extreme, life-threatening circumstances which are highly unlikely to occur. Just my take. Rock on.
 
EDC,1 fixed and 1 folding the folding normally has a least 2 blades.Hiking ,camping,hunting the normal EDC + I add one to my pack and more back at base.
Eddie
 
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I carry one folder and a Leatherman Ps4. Like nopyo mentioned, suburbia doesn't require much, some days I don't even use my knife.

That said, I'm sure (like in your story) having multiple knives in different locations could come in handy under certain circumstances.
 
My Father lectured me endlessly about the 7 P's.
Prior
Proper
Preparation
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Preformance

And I posthumously thank him for this every day.
 
I do t go hiking without two flashlights a lighter knife energy bars few quarts of water even on short 4 hour hikes. But that's because I'm a Herper and sometimes will stay after dark if I can get a nice photo of a reptile after dark.
 
Unless you have particular reasons for carrying multiple knives (headed to the woods, etc.), one knife should do it. That puts you ahead of most people already. If you want to carry more than one, well, that's the great thing about freedom and choice! I find that I leave knives in areas where I normally go (car, office) and keep one on me rather than have a lot of metal weighing my belt down. :)
 
I travel a lot and that means that I often have to depend on what's in my backpack to get me through the day. Nothing dramatic, usually, but I just don't always have the luxury of going home/office/workshop and getting the right tool or a spare.

In most cities, extra cash is the best piece of kit you can have, and it will get you out of most jams. However, I try to find a balance between having all the stuff I might need and being able to carry a small pack. I like redundancy, as long as it's practical and reasonable.

For instance, I write with a fountain pen, but always have a regular pencil as well. Even though I seldom use it, I know it's there if I run out of ink or something like that (and there's not much that can go wrong with a simple pencil). My usual EDC when I'm out of town is a folder and a SAK on my person, plus multitool and a small fixed blade in my backpack (if I need to cut down weight, it's just the multitool and the fixed blade). I've been glad to have an extra knife or tool quite a few times. A little while ago, on a trip to Bolivia, my multitool was stolen by airport security, I still had my SAK.
 
I usually have a folder in my pocket, small fixed blade on my belt and my leatherman has a blade as well. I have just grown used to it over the years, but sometimes I leave the belt knife/ leatherman at home if i don't have a belt on.
 
coop1957 said:
My Father lectured me endlessly about the 7 P's.
Prior
Proper
Preparation
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Preformance

And I posthumously thank him for this every day.
Click to expand...

I learned something similar from one of the men in my family...just six P's in the version I was taught though.

Proper
Planing
Prevents
Piss
poor
Performance

It's solid advice, easy to remember too!
 
LOL, man I haven't heard the 7-P's in eons, it seems. In any case, I think redundancy is reasonable in many areas. Very, very reasonable in knives/MTs, I think.

A large blade for larger items (my bagel and grapefruit). A smaller, more NKP-friendly tool for cutting the coupon, the lids off of that cardboard box, opening a letter, etc. I think a SAK is incredibly useful, and thereby introduces yet a third blade, though it's mostly for the scissors. Of course, you are hero when you whip-out your 'pocket-pliers' to save the day (and a 4th blade or more is on THAT!). Geez, did I mention that Micra on my keys?
 
Certainly one fixed 4" blade in a belt-sheath, with fire-stick and lanyard. Not too likely to lose that one. Another, a folder in the pocket; perhaps a Gayle Bradley.
 
I watched a video a while ago that posed a very similar question as this. The author was more or less making it in a response to the number of blades that NUTNFANCY carries. At the end of the video he made a good point. "Why carry five blades when one will do?"
Every day for work I put on a pocket knife and a multi-tool. My multi has a blade but it has so much more then that... Do I need the redundancy of two blades? No. Have I needed a blade other then what comes in my multi? Heck ya!
If you want to carry a multiple of pens blades or screwdrivers then do it. If you want to be simplistic then do that. It's your pocket and pocketbook. Do with them what you want, cause the way things are going we are not to far from someone telling you what you can and can't
 
I guess knowledge is more important that 2 knives, you could always split some rock for sharp edges depending on location.

I edc just one daily and on my hikes I carry 3 or 4, fixed and folder on me and fixed and folder in backpack. Better safe than sorry in the wilderness if it isnt adding too much weight.
 
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