Which knives do you actually use?

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Most of us own a lot of knives. Which ones do you actually use? Do you use the same knives 80% of the time or more?

For me, I always have a Victorinox Classic and Camper in my pocket nowadays, so they get used when the need arises. For wood carving, I use my Mora 2/0 with a 3" blade. For utility around the house, I usually reach for my Svord mini peasant, because it has easy one-hand operation.
 
All of mine get used, some more than others.

Most of my Spydercos are well used. Southard is the only one I've yet to sharpen.

Many of my knives are customized, and I have no plans to sell about using them hard. Spydercos, Demko ad20.5 are my heavy users. Biryukov #12 has been added to the list, it is just such a great knife, solidly built, S125V is amazing thus far.

While I like lighterweight knives for most daily carry stuff, there is something about a stouter knife for heavy cutting. Stout doesn't necessarily mean heavy, more something that is strong. If cutting through large swaths of cardboard for example, I like something I can really grip well.
 
I only buy a Knife as a tool so all of them. I use some more than others. I own knives with over 40 steels for example but find I use knives that have durable/strong steel rather than edge retention. Lionsteels sleipner is a favourite. I can't find much on its durability, some say similar to A2 which in my experience it is not (better edge rentention and durability). So of my many knives the M5 is probably my most used, its a mini pry bar.
 
I got a Helle leuku that I really like but doesn't get much use. (A hatchet is better in my woods.) I got a few knives that were gifts, or are sentimental, that get used every now and again but aren't exactly what I want. At the moment I got two Sebenzas that I don't use and will sell at some point; I think they're kinda meh, really.
Griptilian, SAK Farmer and Huntsman, Impinda, two or three hunting/woods knives, and a birch bark puukko I handled, they all get lots and lots of use. I've got two nice kitchen knives that get battered around all day every day.
 
I have a batch of knives that I call my EDC rotation, about 7 folders. I use all of them. When I was going to my office every weekday I had a rigid rotation going so they all got carried the same amount. Now I work at home most days so my rotation is less formal, but I still carry and use all of them. I have a collection of fixed blade knives that I bought for collecting not using so none of them get used.
 
I’ll be honest and I’m sure theres other folks out there like me too…
I have about 50 knives costing between $200 and $500. Most around $250, and several of the same model in different configurations (sprints).
But, I have about 10 or so good knives (like ~ $200) that I use and rotate between. The rest stay in NIB condition.
I see no point in marking up every knife, especially if I have multiple versions (0350s, 0562s, 0095s, 0452s, 0801s, 0808s, 0393s, Eklipses, PM2s, etc.)
I have about 3 or more versions of each of those, so I’ll pick one of each and carry that same one, so the rest stay new.
…but I’m definitely a collector, mostly of zero tolerance knives, and this isn’t meant as a flex or anything BTW, I’ve been collecting them since around 2016.
 
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K.O.D. said:
All of mine get used, some more than others.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

My heaviest users are:
PM2 S110V and Delica V-Toku 2. These are my workbench knives.
Umnumzaan Tanto. My brusier.
Spyderco Rhino. Very handy little blade that lives in my nightstand between frequent uses.

I do admit to a couple of Spydercos that stay new in box for various reasons, and a knife or two that I’ll carry but only use lightly.

Everything else rotates through my EDC with varying frequency and gets used for EDC stuff. You know, whatever comes up during the day. Cutting cheesecake with my D/E Troodon at work last Friday was interesting. Or, carving the Thanksgiving turkey with a Schempp Bowie at my brother’s house a few years back because he doesn’t have a sharp knife…

 
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I own probably 25 fixed blades and about the same in folders.

Sadly these days I pretty much just use a couple Morakniv's (Garberg/Kansbol/Eldris/BushcraftBlack) because why wouldnt I they are superior lol...As far as folders, really only use the Spyderco Spydiechef for the same reason...its superior to everything else.

On second thought I do use an Erapuu 95 for carving and whitling...(stock photo)
er_puu_puukko_birch_bark_95__45636.1588864700.1280.1280.jpg
 
I have more than I can use. I try to rotate, but tend to stick with the same thing for extended periods of time. Currently my small 31 is what gets used for the dirty and rough jobs, and a case medium stockman rides along for detailed work. Plus a swisschamp for the inevitable things that arise that can't be solved with just a blade.
 
BD_01 said:
Exactly.

My heaviest users are:
PM2 S110V and Delica V-Toku 2. These are my workbench knives.
Umnumzaan Tanto. My brusier.
Spyderco Rhino. Very handy little blade that lives in my nightstand between frequent uses.

I do admit to a couple of Spydercos that stay new in box for various reasons, and a knife or two that I’ll carry but only use lightly.

Everything else rotates through my EDC with varying frequency and gets used for EDC stuff. You know, whatever comes up during the day. Cutting cheesecake with my D/E Troodon at work last Friday was interesting. Or, carving the Thanksgiving turkey with a Schempp Bowie at my brother’s house a few years back because he doesn’t have a sharp knife…

Click to expand...
At first glance I thought that had a really tiny blade and was very impressed that you could carve a turkey with it without being a hot mess, then I saw what was going on. It's still awesome though.
 
Outside of the kitchen my Spyderco K2 gets used 95%+ of the time. When I’m on the lake or swimming it’s a Spyderco Dragonfly Salt, church and other dress occasions it’s a Chris Reeves SpydieBenza, Spyderco Nirvana, or Case/Bose Zulu Spear. Clean deer with a skinner I forged a few years ago.
 
With my job I don’t use any of my knives for much more than light duty tasks, so I rotate thru them and none show much for wear and tear.
But one that does get used daily is the Old Hickory my wife latched onto and keeps in the kitchen…she even threw the sheath away just to make sure it would stay in the kitchen drawer. 😮
All I do is touch up the edge once in awhile and make sure she dries it after washing it.

 
I’m sure like most of us I have way to many knives. I tend to use 4 or 5 the most. Out of the ones listed I tend to carry the Malibu the most lately but it’s also the newest, so maybe the new will wear off and I’ll go back to the Para 3 at some point.

-PM2 in M4 and peel ply scales
-Benchmade Bugout in S90V and CF
-Para 3 in S90V and peel ply CF
-Malibu 20CV smooth blue aluminum
-Benchmade 940-1802 M390 with carbon fiber handles that have a touch of red in them.


I have always carried a money clip knife of some form or fashion since the late 90’s so I’ll put them on the list. I have a minimalistic wallet that consists of my drivers license, two credit cards and maybe a $20 bill or two. These two see about equal pocket time.

-Benchmade Big spender 335 blue Ti in ATS34
-Microtech Exocet black in 204P
 
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