what's an EDC for?

Esav Benyamin said:
Some knives are cutters and some are scrapers. :)
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I like EB's answer.

But your answer is in your gut.

Depends on what your knife is and what you spent on it and what that amount of money means to you...

AND...

How long you plan on having it.

I have some Chris Reeves that I spend a LOT of money on, but I own them because they're LIFETIME knives - they're the kind of knives I can depend on for a lifetime. So, even though I spent a lot on them, they are probably the LAST such knives I'll ever need to buy.

For example. I own a Reeve Sable I (one) that I spent $300 on. It's the most beautiful knife I've ever owned, and expensive, but it's the one, only, and last big knife I'll ever need in my lifetime.

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benny- Some good points and I agree with you in- some cases.

Just showing my little 3" EDC folder saved me from being jumped by 2 guys in elevator (long story)- of course this calls for correct judgement in when to show it. If they had continued in the assault, already having it out would have pretty much guaranteed at least one of them being injured with it.

On the other hand, there are plenty of scenarios where the BG would never see my knife until after it had fulfilled its purpose.

I think it boils down to preparation- just like your taking Aikido (if you're serious about SD, I would suggest switching to a combat oriented style such as Gojin Ryu, which is one of the roots of Aikido). If you have thought things out in advance (or gone so far as to get some training) any knife can be an awesome weapon. If you're just an average Mr. Nice Guy with a knife in your pocket, I agree- leave it there, you're much better off.
 
YAY another Techie, from the sounds of what you do I'd guess Carpenter or set dresser...
I find myself using my native for a lot of things it shouldn't be used for...perfect example: the other day i loaned my powerlock to a friend in the scene shop (I'm an electrician) and I had to get a set screw loose in a Altmann 6x16, well i just ended up using the swedge on the other side of the Native (closed) to get it open, worked like a charm, and I don't think 45$ is too unreasonable to replace...
I'm 5'9 260 pounds short dark hair, full grizzled beard so SD sounds a little silly to think of knife-wise...but to use the powerlock as a big fat kubaton doesn't sound too far-fetched...I'm just imagining what those gears + velocity could do to a face...

Long live the techies
 
fulloflead said:
I have some Chris Reeves that I spend a LOT of money on, but I own them because they're LIFETIME knives - they're the kind of knives I can depend on for a lifetime. So, even though I spent a lot on them, they are probably the LAST such knives I'll ever need to buy.

For example. I own a Reeve Sable I (one) that I spent $300 on. It's the most beautiful knife I've ever owned, and expensive, but it's the one, only, and last big knife I'll ever need in my lifetime.
Click to expand...

That Sable I is a beautiful knife. My 4" Sable III is my all time favorite ... fixed, folder, multitool, anything. But the showpiece of my collection is the real big one, a Sable 18" overall, 12.5" blade.

And I don't even have to lubricate it to get it working right. :D
 
An EDC, or at least mine, is carried to do whatever task I can throw at it at the time. If I need to cut up an apple away from home, if I need to scrape paint drippings off cement at work, if I need to pry open a can of paint because I forgot at least a screw driver, if I need to cut boxes, if I need to protect myself (thought I choose to either run first or give up the cash). Yes I said pry and scrape, 2 things everyone seems to say not to do, but I know my knife can break, but I can always buy a new one. Use that knife, abuse it if you have to.

I would rather use and break my knife than loose it that's for sure.
 
Generally, I carry two, other times a 3rd- a large fixed blade. The two folders I carry regularly are always sharp, but I do use one harder than the other. The large Katz does the heavy and sometimes dirty work, like scraping the lead posts on batteries clean, etc. I never use it for food prepartion for this reason. The Spyderco Police is used for lighter, cleaner work, and so I also use it for food, like peeling my apple etc.
 
My EDC's are:

Vic Farmer (Soldier with saw)
Vic Camper
Vic Nylon Solo
Opinel #8, #10 and at some point a #12
Buck 110
Byrd G10 Meadowlark
Vic Classic with LED (Often paired with a larger folder, especially at night)

My uses mostly revolve around the outdoors and the kitchen. I use my Opinels more than any other knife around food. Carbon steel hasn't been a problem with that. They chop up carrots, apples, onions, chicken, ham, fish, canteloupe, watermelon etc. I often prepare chicken teriyaki or elaborate pastas using an #8 or #10. If I'm ever eating and need a knife, my EDC gets used for that too. Opening mail and packages. On the rare occaison I spend money on something, it'll open it up too. CD, DVD or something in a blister pack. In the outdoors my folders will see chopping, batoning, whittling, prying off bark, drilling holes into wood with the tips, digging through soil and cutting roots, dissecting bugs and being a general poker and scraper to examine things like moss or fungus.

I really like saw-based SAKs, of which I own three. Very versatile in the outdoors. The Buck 110 is very comfortable with a classy look, wooden scales (My preference) and a well-done hollow grind. The Vic Nylon Solo is a very nice sub-10$ slipjoint with more generous blade length and thickness than a normal SAK. Grippy scales too. I reprofile all my folders to acute edges, sometimes grinding flat to the stone, usually grinding just a few degrees above flat. No secondary bevels.
 
If I have to baby the knife I have on me I won't carry it. If I don't use it for any reason why carry it? The way I see it knives have to be users when designated as an EDC. I use mine for anything from cutting cardboard, opening stubborn dog food bags and cat litter, to trim or shave wood trim off or shims when I'm working wood or building, for cutting out old caulking to replace it with new, cutting open mail, tape, whittling or field dressing and I've even been known to peel an apple or do kitchen food prep with them after washing off the blade with some dish soap.

My EDC knife has to be a knife I don't hesitate to pull out and cut with without thinking, and something I don't hesitate to dull or ding up too. If its so pretty I don't want to get figerprints on it or scratch it up it becomes a safe queen or gets sold to someone else pretty fast.

The only prying my EDC knives see is to maybe pry open a Priority mail box flap to get the item (s) out of it. Otherwise they are strictly cutting tools.

STR
 
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