Buzzbait
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2001
- Messages
- 6,777
Long time, no see!!!! Most of you new guys probably have no idea who I am, but I hope that some of you venerable (read old buggers) members still remember my name. I may have posted a couple times last year, but Ive been out of the knife scene for a couple years now, for the most part. My disappearance was due to a number of factors; but to be truthful, I guess I needed a timeout. I felt like I was getting far too opinionated on certain knife subjects. Far more opinionated than I felt that I should be. Its easy to get hung up on certain little aspects of knife use and knife making, where you can no longer see the forest through the trees. I decided to take some time off from the world of knives, and just get back to using them for a while.
So, for the most part, Ive spent my last couple years with the same exact knives. The only knives that I can think of, that have been purchased over the last couple years, are the Spyderco Manix and Victorinox Swisstool Spirit, both of which have found their use. For the most part though, the Spyderco Military has been my EDC. Maybe Im getting old and set in my ways, or maybe the Military really is that good of a knife. I just love the light weight and huge blade. Yes, its a liner lock, which is generally regarded as a less than reliable locking method, but the Military has never let me down.
To tell you the truth, it was the acquisition of the Manix that taught me the most about the Military. From what you see on paper, and what you generally feel in the hand, the Manix is far superior to the Military. The lock is stronger, the tip appears to be stronger, and the grip is more secure. But after a few months of EDC use, the Manix was replaced with my good old Military. It was the thickness and weight of the Manix that got to me in the end. The weight wasnt a big deal in the winter time, but the knife felt like a huge rock in my pocket during the heat of summer. Also, I began to feel limited by the overall thickness of the knife handle. Doing precision cutting with the tip of the knife, was much tougher with the Manix than with the Military, even with the Militarys longer blade length. The thinness of the handle on the Military allows for some very interesting finesse style grips. Since many of my daily cuts are finesse type cuts, the Military just makes more sense to me.
I do have one extremely positive thing I will say about the Manix. It is the best combination of pure cutting ability and toughness that Ive found in a folder. After a year of ownership, Im still amazed by how well this knife cuts, and how little damage has been taken. The blade is flat out superb.
Another constant companion has been the Loveless City Knife. On those days where the Military is not a great carry option, the City Knife makes for an outstanding medium sized gentlemens knife. The blade is long enough for some good sized cuts, yet small enough for precision work. Best of all, this a slipjoint that fits in your pocket, yet has a handle large enough to actually be useful.
The SAK Huntsman has also seen a large amount of carry time. Again, maybe Im set in my ways, but Im always able to find uses for the Huntsman. There are no exotic super-steels here, or intricate locking mechanisms. Just a bunch of useful little tools that never seems to rust. The saw and screwdriver alone are worth the carry weight.
My little Robeson ATS-34 Wharncliffe half-whittler also gets used for whittling projects. As long as I keep whittling on camp trips, the Robeson will be in my pack. Hour for hour, my Robeson may have more cutting hours logged than any other knife in my collection.
And, as some of you may be wondering, Doris still gets carried, and is still in good condition. When I go out on day hikes or short fishing trips, its either Doris, my stag handled Dozier, or its my Manix that comes along. On longer outdoor trips, where wood working may come into play, it is still my Marbles Fieldcraft that gets the nod.
And thats about it!!! For the size knife collection I have, that leaves quite a few knives in the drawer. Its sad, but true. Soooo many knives just havent made the cut. Here are just a few that arent working for me right now:
1. Large Sebenza I dont know what to say. I love this knife, but its a bit of a paradox. The titanium scales just dont give me enough grip. I love the lock. I love the blade. I just dont get enough grip to relegate it to hard use. And the Sebbie is too large to use a gentlemens knife. So there it sits in a drawer. I keep it as a reference to judge fit and finish on all other knives. Maybe Ill trade it for a small Seb as a gentlemens option.
2. Bark River Highland Great knife in all aspects, but the handle is too darned small. Enough said.
3. Camillus EDC This is an old favorite, but I prefer a knife with a longer blade.
4. Marbles Trailcraft A good knife, but just not as good as the Fieldcraft.
5. Spyderco Dragonfly I bought this as an option for carry when wearing sweat pants. Unfortunately, I cut myself every time I try to open it up one-handed.
6. Spyderco Salsa I hate the compression lock. If I had to use it everyday, Id have arthritis by now.
7. Blackjack Small Very nice little knife, but eclipsed by the Marbles Fieldcraft.
8. Benchmade 710HS Talk about a great knife. Superb cutting. Awesome lock. Too bad I have so much trouble with the thumb studs. I just cannot get a grip on them to open the knife without flicking it. I also dislike black blades.
9. Spyderco Endura Stainless steel knives are HEAVY!!!!
10. Buck 110 Just too darned heavy.
11. Anso Hybrid. Awesome little knife. Functional and good looking. Too bad the snakewood scales crack every time I so much as look at the knife. Ive taken stock in Zap-A-Gap.
Enough about knives I dont use. Especially since I could change my mind at any time. Ill briefly mention my thoughts on fixed blades vs. folders. Over the last couple years, my fixed blades have seen much less carry time. I love the looks of fixed blades, but just cant find a place for them. Folders have gotten so strong and reliable, and are so much easier to carry than fixed blades. I almost exclusively carry folders for the sole factor of convenience. If Im out in the woods, I often just grab a hatchet if I need something super-strong to make a cut. Its too bad though. I personally find fixed blades to be more aesthetically pleasing. I also tried carrying small fixed blades as EDC, carried horizontally on my belt. Every sheath stuck me in my ever-enlarging gut when I sat down.
So what brings me back to Bladeforums, other than the great people? My birthday is coming up, and I just ordered a new knife!!!! That may not sound like a big deal, but when you only order one knife per year, its a huge event. Actually, its better than Christmas, because you know youre getting something you want. Im splurging this year and buying a Strider SNG. I blame this purchase on my never-ending quest for the perfect EDC. I was shopping for a strong lock, slightly smaller blade than the Military and Manix, and lighter weight than the Manix. I love my S30V, so it looks like a chance worth taking. Ive heard the good and bads of the SNG, and there is always the debate over Strider as a company. But being out the knife community for so long, the politics of knife buying is truly inconsequential to me now.
I feel like Im actually starting to get a little bit of perspective. Ive definitely gotten more perspective by being away for a bit. The constant barrage of new knives on the market, the promise of the ultimate survival ninja beater, the holy grail of folder locks, and the worthiness of the latest super-steel were too much for me. The natural competitiveness for bragging rights threw me under the bus as well. What can I say? Im a flawed man. I just had to step away from things before the possessions consumed the man.
Circumstances at home have changed my outlook also. Buying a home was a major change in my life. I no longer get out to the mountains every weekend, and my knife budget has certainly decreased dramatically. My wife and I also bought a dog last fall, to get accustomed to taking care of something small and living. Her name is Sophie. Shes a miniature dachshund and very precious to the both of us. Ill make sure to pop a picture of her at the bottom of this rather long soliloquy. You might ask, Why get accustomed to taking care of something small and living? This is because Diana and I are expecting our first child in late May/early June.
So, for the most part, Ive spent my last couple years with the same exact knives. The only knives that I can think of, that have been purchased over the last couple years, are the Spyderco Manix and Victorinox Swisstool Spirit, both of which have found their use. For the most part though, the Spyderco Military has been my EDC. Maybe Im getting old and set in my ways, or maybe the Military really is that good of a knife. I just love the light weight and huge blade. Yes, its a liner lock, which is generally regarded as a less than reliable locking method, but the Military has never let me down.
To tell you the truth, it was the acquisition of the Manix that taught me the most about the Military. From what you see on paper, and what you generally feel in the hand, the Manix is far superior to the Military. The lock is stronger, the tip appears to be stronger, and the grip is more secure. But after a few months of EDC use, the Manix was replaced with my good old Military. It was the thickness and weight of the Manix that got to me in the end. The weight wasnt a big deal in the winter time, but the knife felt like a huge rock in my pocket during the heat of summer. Also, I began to feel limited by the overall thickness of the knife handle. Doing precision cutting with the tip of the knife, was much tougher with the Manix than with the Military, even with the Militarys longer blade length. The thinness of the handle on the Military allows for some very interesting finesse style grips. Since many of my daily cuts are finesse type cuts, the Military just makes more sense to me.
I do have one extremely positive thing I will say about the Manix. It is the best combination of pure cutting ability and toughness that Ive found in a folder. After a year of ownership, Im still amazed by how well this knife cuts, and how little damage has been taken. The blade is flat out superb.
Another constant companion has been the Loveless City Knife. On those days where the Military is not a great carry option, the City Knife makes for an outstanding medium sized gentlemens knife. The blade is long enough for some good sized cuts, yet small enough for precision work. Best of all, this a slipjoint that fits in your pocket, yet has a handle large enough to actually be useful.
The SAK Huntsman has also seen a large amount of carry time. Again, maybe Im set in my ways, but Im always able to find uses for the Huntsman. There are no exotic super-steels here, or intricate locking mechanisms. Just a bunch of useful little tools that never seems to rust. The saw and screwdriver alone are worth the carry weight.
My little Robeson ATS-34 Wharncliffe half-whittler also gets used for whittling projects. As long as I keep whittling on camp trips, the Robeson will be in my pack. Hour for hour, my Robeson may have more cutting hours logged than any other knife in my collection.
And, as some of you may be wondering, Doris still gets carried, and is still in good condition. When I go out on day hikes or short fishing trips, its either Doris, my stag handled Dozier, or its my Manix that comes along. On longer outdoor trips, where wood working may come into play, it is still my Marbles Fieldcraft that gets the nod.
And thats about it!!! For the size knife collection I have, that leaves quite a few knives in the drawer. Its sad, but true. Soooo many knives just havent made the cut. Here are just a few that arent working for me right now:
1. Large Sebenza I dont know what to say. I love this knife, but its a bit of a paradox. The titanium scales just dont give me enough grip. I love the lock. I love the blade. I just dont get enough grip to relegate it to hard use. And the Sebbie is too large to use a gentlemens knife. So there it sits in a drawer. I keep it as a reference to judge fit and finish on all other knives. Maybe Ill trade it for a small Seb as a gentlemens option.
2. Bark River Highland Great knife in all aspects, but the handle is too darned small. Enough said.
3. Camillus EDC This is an old favorite, but I prefer a knife with a longer blade.
4. Marbles Trailcraft A good knife, but just not as good as the Fieldcraft.
5. Spyderco Dragonfly I bought this as an option for carry when wearing sweat pants. Unfortunately, I cut myself every time I try to open it up one-handed.
6. Spyderco Salsa I hate the compression lock. If I had to use it everyday, Id have arthritis by now.
7. Blackjack Small Very nice little knife, but eclipsed by the Marbles Fieldcraft.
8. Benchmade 710HS Talk about a great knife. Superb cutting. Awesome lock. Too bad I have so much trouble with the thumb studs. I just cannot get a grip on them to open the knife without flicking it. I also dislike black blades.
9. Spyderco Endura Stainless steel knives are HEAVY!!!!
10. Buck 110 Just too darned heavy.
11. Anso Hybrid. Awesome little knife. Functional and good looking. Too bad the snakewood scales crack every time I so much as look at the knife. Ive taken stock in Zap-A-Gap.
Enough about knives I dont use. Especially since I could change my mind at any time. Ill briefly mention my thoughts on fixed blades vs. folders. Over the last couple years, my fixed blades have seen much less carry time. I love the looks of fixed blades, but just cant find a place for them. Folders have gotten so strong and reliable, and are so much easier to carry than fixed blades. I almost exclusively carry folders for the sole factor of convenience. If Im out in the woods, I often just grab a hatchet if I need something super-strong to make a cut. Its too bad though. I personally find fixed blades to be more aesthetically pleasing. I also tried carrying small fixed blades as EDC, carried horizontally on my belt. Every sheath stuck me in my ever-enlarging gut when I sat down.
So what brings me back to Bladeforums, other than the great people? My birthday is coming up, and I just ordered a new knife!!!! That may not sound like a big deal, but when you only order one knife per year, its a huge event. Actually, its better than Christmas, because you know youre getting something you want. Im splurging this year and buying a Strider SNG. I blame this purchase on my never-ending quest for the perfect EDC. I was shopping for a strong lock, slightly smaller blade than the Military and Manix, and lighter weight than the Manix. I love my S30V, so it looks like a chance worth taking. Ive heard the good and bads of the SNG, and there is always the debate over Strider as a company. But being out the knife community for so long, the politics of knife buying is truly inconsequential to me now.
I feel like Im actually starting to get a little bit of perspective. Ive definitely gotten more perspective by being away for a bit. The constant barrage of new knives on the market, the promise of the ultimate survival ninja beater, the holy grail of folder locks, and the worthiness of the latest super-steel were too much for me. The natural competitiveness for bragging rights threw me under the bus as well. What can I say? Im a flawed man. I just had to step away from things before the possessions consumed the man.
Circumstances at home have changed my outlook also. Buying a home was a major change in my life. I no longer get out to the mountains every weekend, and my knife budget has certainly decreased dramatically. My wife and I also bought a dog last fall, to get accustomed to taking care of something small and living. Her name is Sophie. Shes a miniature dachshund and very precious to the both of us. Ill make sure to pop a picture of her at the bottom of this rather long soliloquy. You might ask, Why get accustomed to taking care of something small and living? This is because Diana and I are expecting our first child in late May/early June.
, but also some useful posts in the Buck, Busse, Schrade, Swamp Rat, Spyderco, Traditional, and Wilderness forums. As for knives, I had a run at slipjoints when I found out Schrade went under. Then, I invested in a few Busse/Swamp Rat blades and have been enjoying that avenue an awful lot. Just bought some decent kitchen knives in a Wusthof set. 
