What did you cut today?

O

Omega Leather Works

Joined
Jun 13, 2007
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So I got to thinking about all of my fabulous knives with their crazy steels, and my search for the sharpest edge that I can produce when I realized that I really don't actually CUT much of anything really.

Fixed blades I get... mostly... if you are using them in the great outdoors that is, but what in the hell are you guys actually cutting that you need high end pm and high hardness hc steels?

Seriously? I want to know because I want in on the action! I actually went looking for a phone book to chop up today and that's just silly. Um... let's see... I cut some zip ties yesterday on a packaged toy that I bought my daughter. My multitool would have been a better choice but I wanted to use my knife! Outside of that there's the random piece of cardboard or an envelope ...

I'm getting into wood carving now because it's fun and I can cut something doing it. It also helps that I got a sweet sweet handmade knife in O1 coming soon that really didn't cost much.

Other than that my knives are just kind of sittin pretty.

Help!
 
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Mostly with folders I cut open round hay bales and feedbags and whatever else needs to be cut during the day. With fixed blades, anything from skinning game to cutting kindling for a fire to trimming branches for a shelter.
 
I carry one around because I like knives. I open boxes, use it for cutting food, and other odd jobs in the yard. I hunt as well and use knives to gut deer and other critters.
 
Smacking against bones in hunting and cutting oak is hard on knives that's why I look for good high carbon steels...don't want to hard of a steel though as it generally makes for a steel that chips....honestly I'd stay away from the oaks but thats what ainly grows in my neck of the woods.
 
To be honest...I could get by without a knife.....never want to have to though! that being said i love them there fun to look at and to use!

As far as what I cut, a envelope here a box there...maybe I feel like whittling a stick.
 
Oranges







And other daily stuff like packaging or bags or cutting meat. But really, 3/4 of my cutting is oranges...seriously(go through a bag a week). Then if I go camping or to a friends house I might debark a stick.
 
Strigamort said:
So I got to thinking about all of my fabulous knives with their crazy steels, and my search for the sharpest edge that I can produce when I realized that I really don't actually CUT much of anything really.

Fixed blades I get... mostly... if you are using them in the great outdoors that is, but what in the hell are you guys actually cutting that you need high end pm and high hardness hc steels?

Seriously? I want to know because I want in on the action! I actually went looking for a phone book to chop up today and that's just silly. Um... let's see... I cut some zip ties yesterday on a packaged toy that I bought my daughter. My multitool would have been a better choice but I wanted to use my knife! Outside of that there's the random piece of cardboard or an envelope ...

I'm getting into wood carving now because it's fun and I can cut something doing it. It also helps that I got a sweet sweet handmade knife in O1 coming soon that really didn't cost much.

Other than that my knives are just kind of sittin pretty.

Help!
Click to expand...

Funny I've been thinking the same thing lately. I realized I cut cardboard, paper, mail and the occasional food item. I decided to do those tasks I don't need knives with super high end steels. Good old Aus-8, VG10, 8cr13mov,etc work just great for my tasks. I use my fixed blades for the heavier jobs like chopping, camp chores, etc. I ended up selling my knives with higher end steels because I really don't need them and they seem frivolous to me. Talk to me again in a couple months and I bet I've changed my tune.:(
 
Lots of things :)

opening packages and mail, breaking down boxes, cutting rope and cord at work, I use my own knife to cut up lunch @ work because plastic silverware sucks :p

I like using a lot of my smaller nice fix blades to make or eat dinner because I CAN. Out in the woods, where you might think they would see the most action, is where they typically see the least :o

As far as the super-steel game, I don't play that one and I'll leave it up to the guys who care ;) (I actually have lots of "supersteels," but that's never been a big deciding factor in getting new knives)
 
jbob24 said:
Lots of things :)

opening packages and mail, breaking down boxes, cutting rope and cord at work, I use my own knife to cut up lunch @ work because plastic silverware sucks :p

I like using a lot of my smaller nice fix blades to make or eat dinner because I CAN. Out in the woods, where you might think they would see the most action, is where they typically see the least :o

As far as the super-steel game, I don't play that one and I'll leave it up to the guys who care ;) (I actually have lots of "supersteels," but that's never been a big deciding factor in getting new knives)
Click to expand...

Super steel only matters to me for knives I use for hunting because nothing is worse than losing an edge when you are gutting a deer or trying to skin it. You can always sharpen a knife in the field but I don't like doing it when I'm up to my elbows in guts.

Outside of that, lower grade steels work fine for my purposes.
 
Well, on the day to day I don't do a whole lot more than the average person. I've been trying to get into woodworking, though.

When I do contract work, though, I put my knives through some serious work. Furnishing office buildings will wear an edge down with infinite unboxing and breaking down cardboard/cutting tape/carpet/ties/etc. Edge retention is very much appreciated.
 
No piece of fruit goes unscathed, nary a pencil that hasn't felt my blade, and not an envelope in sight that wasn't reduced to a pile of shreds.
And then of course there's my bald forearms...
 
Any package that needs opened or box that needs cut up is fair game for my knives during the week. On the weekend they get sticks and bags of mulch, ect.
 
For me it is more about showing off that I have a super steel, the better the steel the less I may even cut things. I leave most of my cutting unless I am required to cut more then normal or go on some type of hiking trip, to Chinese steels or buck steels etc. honestly imo a Chinese steel unless we are talking fixed blades will do just fine. Easier to sharpen, cheaper to replace. I think the majority of the buyers of premium steels use their knives less then their cheaper steels. EDIT: Oh and to answer your question really because I honestly don't feel that I did, Don't care if it seems silly unless you really don't want to do it. I sometimes feel odd cutting up a spare paper plate lying on the table or even some magazine pages after I read them but then again I'm probably just weird. To the bills next!
 
Before I retired, I was an over the road truck driver, pulling a step deck. Carried anything you could load on there and strap down that was not too anti wet. Hated to tarp loads (too much work and dirty). I used my knives for all kinds of tasks related to securing loads, to tying oversize banners to the truck, to cutting open strapping on boxes, etc. My knifes were usually Case or Buck stockman type slippies. I would get them sharpened at some of the truck stops that offered knife sharpening or sharpen them myself with a whetrock. They were tools and I did not pay a lot of attention to them. I have always carried a pocket knife in my pocket since I was a child. (10 - 12 years old)

Fast forward to today: Got interested in knife sharpening to keep my kitchen knives sharp for cutting up my Bar-B-Que which is another hobby of mine. Started doing some research on knives and found this forum. This rekindled my interest in knives and started collecting and digging out knives left to me by my departed relatives. It has now grown into a hobby and more-so the sharpening side of it than the collecting of knives. I sharpen knives for friends, relatives and whoever else comes along. My actual use for my pocket knives is very limited. Opening letters, packages, trimming plants, etc. Light duty stuff only it seems. I like to buy some better steel just to see how well it sharpens up. Don't really need the high power steel, but like to own it out of curiosity. I could get by with a $15 #8 Opinel for all the tasks I need a knife for. (Don't own one, but it will probably be my next knife purchase.)

Blessings,

Omar
 
Omar, if you like sharpening you'll probably love an Opinel. I've heard really good things about their SS, but I chose carbon simply for the patina.

My N.08 is a pleasure to sharpen and a joy to use.
 
For me, my folders tend to accomplish food tasks as well as utility.

Fixed blade-wise, I just baton logs with them.
 
Plastic: bags, stretch wrap, zip ties, clamshell packs, tape. Cardboard. Recently gotten the habit of scoring oranges before peeling. Can do this all with a small blade on my SAK or pen knife.
 
I do general purpose stuff like opening my mail, trimming my nails and calluses, preparing fruit, vegetables and meat, and breaking down all the cardboard boxes that arrive at work so they fit in the recycling bin. What got me started with more wear resistant knives was my amazement at how fast a knife could go dull cutting cardboard. It started with a quest to find something that would remain sharp for a full day, and from there it kind of got out of hand... Fun hobby though!
 
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