What do you use your folders for?

[mecheng]

Hi all,

I'm a brand spankin new member here, as you could probably tell. Basically, I have never had any interest in knives until I saw some Laguiole type ones. I really like their aesthetics and their story. I've also recently found out about Opinel brand knives. These seem to be quite pretty as well, but not as pricey as Laguioles. This was kind of an introduction.

The main question of this post would revolve around the following.
I have no particular need for a pocket knife as of now. But I know that I'd like to have one of those French toys. So really, I'm just having trouble justifying the expense (I don't have much money to throw around...yet ). What would be some common uses that I can apply a Laguiole or Opinel knife to? What do you use yours for? I realize these aren't the sharpest or the most heavy duty cutters around. I'm not much of a camping person, so the knife would either stay indoors with me or be carried during routine errands. Just cutting bread, cheese, and apples with it sounds kind of wasteful

Thanks for any input,
Cheers!

P.S. I humbly apologize if threads like these were created left and right before. I couldn't find anything.

 

[trout #2]

Welcome to BladeForums. Some of the more routine stuff I do with my folders include: opening mail, opening packaging of all kinds, cutting loose threads, cutting food on occasion, breaking down boxes for recycling, and cutting paracord to make lanyards for my other knives . My folders and fixed-blades also come in very handy doing outdoorsy and yard work kind of stuff, but my EDC is still indispensable for the daily urban stuff. Everyone should have at least one pocket knife; you'll probably be surprised at how often you find it useful once you have one with you.

 

[Hateman]

my EDC is still indispensable for the daily urban stuff. Everyone should have at least one pocket knife; you'll probably be surprised at how often you find it useful once you have one with you.

Everything that trout #2 said. Add cutting plastics or fabrics (such as car parts) and whittling, Plus, you will be surprised at how useful a knife is. More than once, people I've known have bought pocketknives after seeing how useful mine was. Each time, they came back with an "I don't know how I lived without one" or "My knife is a great tool." story.

 

[cerulean]

Welcome to BladeForums, mecheng!

It’s hard to realize how handy a pocket knife can be until you start carrying and using one. I didn’t carry a knife regularly until my mid twenties. Now, I can’t imagine life without one.

I’d definitely recommend getting an Opinel. If you learn to put a good edge on it, you can get it extremely sharp.

Like many others have said, if you carry a knife around with you for awhile, you’ll be surprised at how useful it is! :thumbup:

 

[hwyhobo]

Laguiole knives are gorgeous, but I don't know enough about them to judge their quality from a picture on a website, so I never got around to buy one. Perhaps I should do some research. I am getting an overwhelming sensation I need one.

As to my primary uses for a folder, while I'm home I use one mostly while hiking. For work, I travel quite a bit, so I use a folder for everything, packing, unpacking, taping cables to a hotel carpet , cutting plastic ties, opening food packages, screwing and unscrewing things, and substituting all utensils with one SAK blade.

I am so conditioned to having a folder with me, I turn around and get it if I forget to put it in my pocket while leaving home even for a short walk.

 

[Menocu]

Opening mail/packages, food packages, plastic ties, plastic wrap, vegetation, rope, paracord.. you name it.

 

[gud4u]

I've experienced very few days without a folding knife for 60 years or more.

I favor a 4" blade simply because it broadens the spectrum of possible applications - everything from cigar-cutter to root-cutter.

Misplacing my folder is as upsetting as misplacing my wallet or car keys.

My name is Don and I'm a knifeaholic!

 

[barrabas74]

Pretty much everything thats been said as well as de-limbing tree's, poking holes in beer cans(last night) for purposes of shotgunning the beer. I use it as a mean g/f deterrent as well

 

[the_mac]

I carry an Opinel #8 with me all the time to be used just for food. I'll have no problem cutting a tough steak with it at a non-fancy restaurant, or using it to chop up veggies for lunch at work, or making a sandwitch. It gets more use than any other knife I own.

I also carry some other knife with me, and that gets used to open boxes at work, trim the thorns off a rose to give to a pretty lady, cut loose strings off clothes, split small wood in the backyard for a fire, open packages of stuff from a store, cutting up cardboard to make lamp-shades, etc, etc, etc.

I'll use a knife a couple times a day. I wouldn't die without one, but it's just handy to have one there.

 

[stevekt]

Go down to the store and pick up a small inexpensive folder. Carry it with you for a few days and you'll be surprised at how many tasks you'll use it for.

 

[T.K.C.]

Welcome to BladeForums. Some of the more routine stuff I do with my folders include: opening mail, opening packaging of all kinds, cutting loose threads, cutting food on occasion, breaking down boxes for recycling, and cutting paracord to make lanyards for my other knives . My folders and fixed-blades also come in very handy doing outdoorsy and yard work kind of stuff, but my EDC is still indispensable for the daily urban stuff. Everyone should have at least one pocket knife; you'll probably be surprised at how often you find it useful once you have one with you.

That about covers it for me. I have carried a knife for 31 years. It is a use for everything. It is better to have one and not need it, than need it and NOT have it. It is a useful tool to me.

 

[powernoodle]

mecheng -

Get yourself an inexpensive folder - maybe a $40 Spyderco Native at Walmart, or something less costy - and carry it around for a few days. You'll figure out how useful it is.

cheers

 

[T.K.C.]

mecheng -

Get yourself an inexpensive folder - maybe a $40 Spyderco Native at Walmart, or something less costy - and carry it around for a few days. You'll figure out how useful it is.

cheers

That is a brilliant idea!

 

[hwyhobo]

I would even suggest a small to medium SAK as a first one. I am continually surprised how many times I use other tools on it besides the main blade. I guess a mutli-tool would be good, too, but those I've handled are two big and/or too crude.

 

[Justabuyer]

I hate ceramic rods and smooth hard stones. I HATE THEM. So I use my knives to slowly eroded them over time. I obsessively try over and over again to shave the thinest slice from the rods and stones I can. In this way I prolong the slow and painful death.

 

[stevekt]

You can get this combo of a Victorinox Spartan and Classic for $20 at Target.

 

[Andrew Taylor]

In the last few days I have used my knife to open letters, cut the tape on boxes for recycling, cutting the roots of dandelions (weeding), checking if chicken on the BBQ was cooked, and cutting open a bag of potting compost today. I cut another bag of compost so I could grow stuff in it. I sharpened my knife yesterday.

It is only after having a knife in your pocket you realise how useful they are instead of having to go and look for a knife of scissors, use it and then put it back.

Welcome to blade Forums BTW.

 

[cheung_victor]

Well mecheng i just want to tell you that the second you get that knife you'll want to carry it everywhere and find anyway to use it!g

 

[hwyhobo]

[...] You can get this combo of a Victorinox Spartan and Classic for $20 at Target.

I've had the Spartan for years now. It has traveled with me everywhere, including its homeland of Switzerland . I had no idea you could get that combo so cheaply at Target. Steal of the century. I may buy it just for the spare toothpick (lost mine some time ago ).

 

[mecheng]

Thanks to everyone for their kind responses

Stevekt, hwyhobo, I have a Victorinox multitool. It's a bit too heavy and bulky to carry around with me. It is, however, quite handy for opening packages, fixing the bike and sometimes even for watch repair , which are my other hobbies (well, except opening packages ).

I am specifically thinking of getting me a single blade, somewhat fancy folder (leaning towards an Opinel #8 at the moment) just to carry around. It's very true that I always have to search for a knife when a new package arrives (I usually have a rough idea where the letter opener is ), but that would be an in-house application. I'm trying to think of the out-of-house ways to use it.

Anyway, I'll just give it a go and see what happens...can't be that bad if there's a whole forum for it...or wait, that's called addiction