Which blade do you prefer on multiple blade slipjoints?

S

Searchingforaschrade

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Apr 4, 2007
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I found my old Old Timer 34OT three blade slip joint the other day. It hasn't been used for EDC in 20 years or so. I was thinking about how I usually used the clip blade, but definitely used the other blades as well. But I can't for the life of me remember how I selected the blade to use for each task. I am curious to know how everyone else uses their multiple blade knives. Do you use one blade for everything, with another blade as a spare? Do you save one blade for cutting food?
 
I find that I like a clip blade for cutting food, especially fruit. The thinner blade seems easier on things like apples to me.

For opening boxes and such I really like a sheepfoot/wharncliffe. The point in line with the cutting edge seems to make tape easier for me.

For poking, jabbing, and stabilizing weed whacker heads I like an awl/punch.

I have never figured out what to use a pen blade for.
 
On my Peanuts, I use the pen for fingernails and minor surgery. The clip gets used for everything else.
 
On a 3-blade stockman, I use the smaller spey or pen blade whenever it will suffice for the job at hand, which is a fair amount of things. In other words, if I don't specifically need the straight edge of the sheepsfoot or the size/pointed end of a the clip, then I use the pen/spey. For things that need a straight edge, then I use the sheepsfoot. Everything else, the clip.

I don't use pocket knives for food very often, but I have used the clip blade on a stockman a couple of times for that purpose. It's the only blade on a stockman that is suited for it.
 
Searchingforaschrade said:
I found my old Old Timer 34OT three blade slip joint the other day. It hasn't been used for EDC in 20 years or so. I was thinking about how I usually used the clip blade, but definitely used the other blades as well. But I can't for the life of me remember how I selected the blade to use for each task. I am curious to know how everyone else uses their multiple blade knives. Do you use one blade for everything, with another blade as a spare? Do you save one blade for cutting food?
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I loved my Shcrade 34OT, and my favorite blade on it was definitely a definitely the sheep's foot blade. I loved that knife as a kid, but I don't carry it anymore because I learned some things about knives and realized that it's actually defective.
 
It is a really good question, Searchingforaschrade, I found myself facing the exact sort of dilemma once I rediscovered traditionals, particularly those that belonged to my dad. My first knife was a Schrade 340T and I remember using the clip blade almost exclusively, though I used the the sheepsfoot on occasion simply because I thought it was cool to have a knife with not 1, but 3 blades! I do not remember ever using the smallest blade for anything.

These days I predominantly have carried a modern folder, though I hope to switch it up soon, and have been rather used to using a single blade for pretty much all tasks. However, I do carry one of my dad's old folders with me and despite its diminutive size, I use the larger of the two blades (a clip) for reaming my pipe when needed.

I think aside from a single blade option, a two blade pattern with either a drop/clip/spear point and a sheepsfoot or a drop/clip/spear point and an awl would suit me very well with my current needs and/or aesthetic sensibilities.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I loved my Shcrade 34OT, and my favorite blade on it was definitely a definitely the sheep's foot blade. I loved that knife as a kid, but I don't carry it anymore because I learned some things about knives and realized that it's actually defective.
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Defective? I had no idea they were defective, how so?
 
Pàdruig;16777215 said:
Defective? I had no idea they were defective, how so?
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Not in general, just mine.
It has some play in the clip blade which also has a thick edge, plus it has a week backspring for the sheep's foot blade . I don't think I'd want to replace it with another old one as the sheep's foot blade's on them are crinked which is something I don't like.
 
I like to use a larger main blade with a 'working edge' for most tasks while preserving the typically sharper (because it's not used as often) and smaller secondary blade for detail work. My favorite example of this is the northwoods presidential.
 
Hickory n steel said:
Not in general, just mine.
It has some play in the clip blade which also has a thick edge, plus it has a week backspring for the sheep's foot blade . I don't think I'd want to replace it with another old one as the sheep's foot blade's on them are crinked which is something I don't like.
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Ah, I see. Mine has definitely seen better days as my dad used it rather vigorously as he did with any knife during the time that he had it. The small blade is broken at the tip, the clip and sheepsfoot are worn and in desperate need of sharpening. That all said though, the springs feel like they are in good shape and overall, things seem pretty sound still. I know the knife itself has no value, but as it was my first knife and my dad used it himself for a time, it has a fair amount of sentimental value to me. I am considering attempting to give it a good tune up or finding someone who might be willing to do so.
 
Just my opinion, but I consider all knives with Swinden Key construction to be defective, which includes pretty much all the Schrade USA multiple blade pocket knives from about the mid 60s on until they closed the doors.

I have never seen one of them that was used (not abused) with any enthusiasm that did not develop significant blade play. When returned to the factory, the Schrade people were always very gracious and replaced the knife, but I have always thought that it should not be necessary. Did they expect that everyone would just cut apples with their knives? Since there is no simple way to fix the play without a total rebuilt, it becomes kind of annoying. This issue is, of course why Buck stopped having Schrade make pocketknives for them and went to Cammilus who did it right.

I have often had a bit of play develop in Camillus or Boker and other brands, and a couple of light hammer taps fixes them right up.

I have rebuilt some of the Schrades, putting pivot pins all the way through both bolsters, and that turns them into good knives.

The current Chinese Schrades are built with through pins, and in my considerable experience with them, are good knives.

I would love to get some pre Swinden Key Schrades to try out. I suspect that they are good ones, because any of my Schrade products that do not have this form of construction are great. My old LB7 was used to disassemble many moose, deer and bears, as well as do all kinds of camping chores in Northern British Columbia and never let me down.
 
Pàdruig;16777248 said:
Ah, I see. Mine has definitely seen better days as my dad used it rather vigorously as he did with any knife during the time that he had it. The small blade is broken at the tip, the clip and sheepsfoot are worn and in desperate need of sharpening. That all said though, the springs feel like they are in good shape and overall, things seem pretty sound still. I know the knife itself has no value, but as it was my first knife and my dad used it himself for a time, it has a fair amount of sentimental value to me. I am considering attempting to give it a good tune up or finding someone who might be willing to do so.
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I wish mine was just wore out, but sadly it was defective from the factory which I know because it never saw any heavy use.
 
I have a texas jack, a big clip and small pen, I sharpen the pen at a steeper angle and use it for special occasions like surgery or trace-cutting paper.
 
I find that I usually use one blade on my multiple bladed knives, but like having sharp backups ready to go! As for the blade to use, it depends on the particular knife and is usually the one that is the easiest to open.
 
All my multiple bladed knives have two blades, I like penknives and especially jack knives. I preffer a pen secondary, that's almost a must. The main blades on my knives are usually clip blades, which I like, but I could easily live with a spear or sheepfoot. I usually use the larger main blade for food and the secondary for other stuff like cutting threads, plastic wrapings etc.
 
On a stockman, I usually go for the sheepfoot first, for opening packages and letters, blister packs, or peeling oranges or grapefruit. For slicing food, the clip. I don't use the spey much, and really prefer an awl in that spot.
 
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I love the sheepsfoot blade. It does the best job at the majority of my cutting chores. If I need something with some belly or a pointy tip, then I reach for an alternative blade. It's much easier for me to just assume the use of the sheepsfoot in the first place.

This sheepsfoot is particularly impressive. Maybe the best one I've ever used.

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Looking at my stockman, you can tell the clip blade was sharpened a lot. (I sharpened it myself on a stone.) The other two don't look like they were sharpened.
 
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