Title#3 hvac advice, knife reviews, hurt butts, and sarcasm all welcome

[palonej]

Do NOT lend it brother!!!

 

[jbmonkey]

never been part of a union, but i do miss the journeyman system they basically disbanded down here years ago.

yep agree with the jersey fellow palonej, never loan your tools out. course maybe they are nicer to borrowed tools in indiana than here?

 

[Cereal_killer]

While not HVAC by trade I am a certified gas tech (became one for my boss, we do hardscape / outdoor kitchens that require gas plumbed) and as such do pick up a bit of side HVAC work, especially in the fall / winter...

I carry 3-5 knives, usually just 2 on my person, the other 2-3 in my bags. My primary work knife is a 4 to 5" fixed blade (though I rarely feel unprepared if I'm carrying a <4" fixed like my Guardian 3 or izula2) and then I'll usually either have a multi-blade SAK and other times I'll replace the SAK with a little tiny folder like my Ladybug HB or Kershaw chive.

Primary fixed blades:
Esee 4
Dpx HEST
Gollik 5" custom
BK16
Multiple Izulas
Mora companion
Guardian 3

Folding knives in my bag:
Gayle Bradley
0562
Utilitac and/or Rat 2 (loan out knives)
Civilian
CQC-4K*

CQC-4K is pretty much only used if I need to "drill" a hole in plastic / rubber with its extremely pointy profile

 

[Murphjd25]

HVAC tech here, I usually carry a Cruwear Military or lately my Slysz Bowie. Can't be afraid to use a nice knife!! Got a serrated salt if I need to do some nasty cutting. I find my cruwear Millie will eat through most everything.

 

[stuff_things]

Joe ( palonej ) will have some good advice for you.

But... to be honest, I very rarely see any knives on the jobsite for any trade. There are utility knives galore, but I've only met 2 or 3 guys who shared an interest in knives like I did (kinda). On any given project, I manage between 25-100 subcontractors, and I'm always "the knife guy".

That said, I carry many different knives to work. Today I carried a Rockstead Chi and only sharpened pencils with it. Other days I'll carry my Thorburn L51 and cut a mile of old silt fence up. Occasionally, some scissorbilled-jackwagon empties their tree trimmings in our rolloff and takes up all the usable space, so I'll chop and baton it all up with my Lionsteel M7. Sometimes I'll cut drywall with a ZDP Endura, or I'll cut carpet with a Sebenza.

Point being, just use whatever you have and know the limits of a folding knife. If your Sebenza snapped in two because you tried to lift a manhole cover with it, well, I'd call you a scissorbilled-jackwagon

Are you hiring? Willing to relocate

 

[wensynch]

How about an ESD safe knife, similar to an ESD safe razor or utility blade?

With a phillips as a glass breaker. ESD safe, also.

 

[Korean Hog]

I spent 25 years in commercial/industrial HVACR service and never used a knife. I had a utility knife in my pouch. When I read about people cutting nylon wire ties with a pocket knife it makes me cringe. Inefficient and potentially dangerous . 460 volts 4 inches from that knife- no thanks. Same with stripping insulation from wires to make connections; nick that copper and you just derated the wire.

Yes definitely! I cut most of my tie wrap ends with dykes on wire, and with duct my tie wrap tool cuts it. Outside of camping, hunting, and food prep, I'd say the vast majority of life's cutting tasks could be handled with a utility razor. However, that kind of thinking didn't lead any body to blade forum

 

[Korean Hog]

I'm right in between a collector and knife USER I collect knives, but I don't collect anything I don't intend to use. The collecting part just gives me a lot of options. I posted this thread because I see people buy tons of knives that barely see real use. I wanted to see what knives real workers were really using and I knew the utility razor would get mentioned, I'd be suspicious of whether or not y'all really worked if it didn't get honorable mention, but it's fun to see what else gets carried too

 

[ChazzyP]

I am fairly certain the OP understands that nothing outside of a utility knife is needed to perform the duties of what a sharpened edge can offer and that purpose-specific tools are best suited for purpose-specific situations. I certainly am not job dependant upon the blades that I carry, but they do contribute to making work more interesting in that I can use the jobsite as a means to field test different steels, grinds and scale materials within the confines of my responsibilities.

I only mentioned the "right tool for the right job" thing as I've sometimes found myself reaching for my folder just because I want to handle it when the razor knife would actually do a better job. No sense getting out the Sebenza when the ole Stanley is really the right choice. The wicked sharp and polished compound edges on my folders get those pencils just perfect, though.

 

[Murphjd25]

Had to use this bad boy to open a box for a reversing valve today
View attachment 709673

 

[jbmonkey]

Are you hiring? Willing to relocate

funny and true. most valuable trade right now. can jump jobs and have a fat paycheck that next friday and a fat hiring bonus too.

come to florida and you can write your own demands if you are any good.

 

[mobilerd]

I'm an HVAC guy and my favorite combo so far is the ZT 0350 partially serrated for ductwork (especially flex duct), tarp, carflex, basically any heavy duty range tasks and the spyderco ladybug h1 salt fully serrated hawkbill for skinning wire, opening packages, peeling back insulation etc. What knife/ knives are y'all carrying on the job? I'm asking specifically HVAC guys but any working men/ women/ tradesman more than welcome to chime in!

Knives, knives, knives.... I need a new outside central AC unit (no heat pump). What do you recommend?

 

[adamlau]

We did a historical preservation job last year in which the home was retrofitted with a four-ton Trane XL15c packaged A/C unit. Tip: Maximize your return air. Probably the most overlooked issue I notice with residential HVAC design and installation. I prefer to specify 200 square inches per ton. That and not using digital gauges when charging with R-410A. Note: I am a former CEPE and HERS rater. Staying on topic, I generally do agree with the sentiment that tools should not be loaned as they never seem to come back in the condition in which they were borrowed, if at all.

 

[palonej]

All depends which furnace and evap coil you have.
Your choices are limited if you aren't changing out the furnace & coil.
Coil & outdoor unit MUST be compatible.
Joe

Knives, knives, knives.... I need a new outside central AC unit (no heat pump). What do you recommend?

 

[Knarls]

I'm an industrial/commercial electrician and I use my knife to strip any wire over the size of #8. Open up bundles of pipe. As well as cut up cardboard and opening packages.

I mainly switch between a Ritter mini grip m390 or a mini grip 154cm. Or a spyderco dragonfly vg-10.

Haven't seen too many trade guys with decent edc's. But I love mine.

Here's my baby hard at work beside my buddy's boker mini kwaiken.

 

[willc]

In my 20's I did a couple years as an insulator and besides a retractable Stanley I used a 10" bread knife and a SAK Tinker.

Right now I'm a union carpenter with 19 years in, been doing scaffold work the past 12 years.
I keep a Mora Robust on my belt and in my pockets are a SAK Trekker/Soldier and usually a modern one hand opener.

In my work bag I always have a Kudu and some sort of slipjoint, a stockman or Barlow.

Most of my cutting is rope, netting, zip ties, or foam.
I've also learned not to lend knives out, the only ones I will lend are the Kudu or a Stanley.

 

[palonej]

Who was complaining about us awesome 'R' guys???
I resemble derogatory Refrig remarks!!
Joe

Having LOTS of fun on this disaster!!
Also, there is a Pac Salt down there somewhere that chewed through that annoying glued insulation on the suction line!!

 

[palonej]

How true! Problem is not many good ones around. Seems in this business, anyone that is really good, goes out on their own.
Used to be we had lines out the door with 16 & 17 year old begging for work.......not anymore.
I have found good people, but they either didn't want to put in the work, or they were thieves.
It is a total cliche, but it's really hard to find good help these days.
Joe

funny and true. most valuable trade right now. can jump jobs and have a fat paycheck that next friday and a fat hiring bonus too.

come to florida and you can write your own demands if you are any good.

 

[Max Archer]

Not HVAC here, but I used to be an auto mechanic at a motorsports-focused shop.

I found the Benchmade Triage absolutely brilliant for the task. The hook cutter is a godsend, ideal for cutting things when they're right next to other things that you don't want to cut - insulation over bundles of wire, small cable ties, nylon packing straps, and things like that are examples. The main blade is a great utility shape too, the highly corrosion-resistant steel is perfect for shop use, and the whole thing works perfectly when wearing gloves. Benchmade is missing out by not marketing the Triage to tradesmen.

 

[palonej]

Never thought of that Max! Thanks......you just gave me a great excuse to buy a knife!!
I had one of those dreaded 'R' days today! A good day!!
Joe

Not HVAC here, but I used to be an auto mechanic at a motorsports-focused shop.

I found the Benchmade Triage absolutely brilliant for the task. The hook cutter is a godsend, ideal for cutting things when they're right next to other things that you don't want to cut - insulation over bundles of wire, small cable ties, nylon packing straps, and things like that are examples. The main blade is a great utility shape too, the highly corrosion-resistant steel is perfect for shop use, and the whole thing works perfectly when wearing gloves. Benchmade is missing out by not marketing the Triage to tradesmen.