Work appropriate knife for a desk job

I really don't know where you people work. I must just be immune to it living in the south, but EVERYONE here carries a knife. To work,to church, to the mall etc...
 
Tough decisions to make. The advantage the SAK has is the blade looks less intense than spyderco's as it is not leaf shaped, but I like Spydercos and have a leatherman micra for my multi-purpose tool on keyring. The h1 PE dragonfly in yellow without clip might work for most functionality without threatening look. Ladybug in h1 would be a good secondary although I like manbug a bit more as it is nearly same beefiness per say as the dragonfly in a smaller package so more likely to handle the same tasks as the dragonfly. I do like the Squeak as well. That is my current edc.

I really appreciate everyone's help with this.
 
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Edm1 said:
I really don't know where you people work. I must just be immune to it living in the south, but EVERYONE here carries a knife. To work,to church, to the mall etc...
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I am in the south as well. Was not aware of this fact? Still I want to be careful at work when I start.
 
Blade-fiend said:
If you can live without a clip then I suggest the Air its small and elegant. If you need a clip then I would say chaparral or gayle bradley
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Nafunu said:
Honestly, get a Swiss Army Knife, like the Cadet, Executive, or Manager. I get just as much use out of the other tools in my SAK at the office where I work. I prefer the Victorinox Executive myself as it has really nice, good sized scissors.

Of course, you're posting in the Spyderco forums, so you're probably looking for a Spyderco :) If you really want a small Spyderco for office carry, I would highly recommend an Air or Dragonfly. OK, fine, I'd actually recommend a small SAK and an Air or Dragonfly :D
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minimalist said:
I'd go for the Air and then do a custom work to it. Those carbon scales are ehhhhh.

Cpm m4 is also okay from what I hear .... ;)
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The Air by Gayle Bradley is a marvel and I'd call it Spyderco's Gentleman's Pocket knife. It looks great with those titanium and glass fiber laminated handles. It's thin, slim and very innocuous.

Spyderco Air by Gayle Bradley Specifications:
length overall 5.96" (1.51 mm)
length closed 3.41" (87 mm)
blade length 2.55" (65 mm)
cutting edge 2.37" (60 mm)
blade thickness 0.089" (2.3 mm)
blade steel CPM M4
handle material Titanium / Glass Fiber Laminate
weight 1.3 oz (37 g)

As small as my Chaparrals are the Air Bradley is even smaller but still fully functional and useful.

Here's a size perspective picture of the Native5, Chaparral and Air.

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If you're worried about perception get yourself a nice Swiss Army knife. No one thinks twice about them. Why does it have to be a Spyderco? Makes me glad I live in a free state.
 
I do think the Air will eventually join my collection, but I am not sure it will end up being my on the job knife. I did order the SAK manager to try out, but it will be a long time before it ships. I was not sure how much I would end up using it given my leatherman micra.

NMpops, offices have their own regulations regardless of the state and when you work you sign contracts. I am not sure how that part is relevant. It does not have to be Spyderco, however I find they have the best variety of options and I like the Spydercos I have tried as they are the primary reason I converted from a non-knife person to a knife person.
 
I carry whatever I want at work, not an issue where I live or work. If it was me, I would look at a Dragonfly as an office knife for EDC. It is small enough to not be offensive or threatening, has a short blade (2 1/4"), FRN grips (Green & ZDP perhaps?) and can still do a lot of work.

Isn't it interesting to even have to talk about this type of thing? The P.C. world is getting more restrictive every day.
 
I'm prefacing this by saying I'm a HUGE spyderco fan and 80% of my collection reflects this.

But, check out the kershaw double cross. One handed opening in a traditional package. Really well done.
 
SchweetGuitars said:
I'm prefacing this by saying I'm a HUGE spyderco fan and 80% of my collection reflects this.

But, check out the kershaw double cross. One handed opening in a traditional package. Really well done.
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Noseoil, I have been leaning on the dragonfly due to its versatility in a small package.

Very nice kershaw, just not a fan of aus steels after boker plus keycom. It is a pain to sharpen.

It is interesting to have to talk about this, however I prefer to err on the side of caution and avoid trouble if I can. If I talk it out on here and get the choice worked out ahead of time then I stand a better chance of avoiding trouble at work while still having a good knife on me for necessary tasks. I am sure many people on here can relate.
 
FearAgent said:
Ive never found the Techno offensive. Small enough to not scare anybody
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I have not had the luck of owning one of these yet. Going to try to get a trade set up for one this week though on here. I have some things that need to be traded and I have to say I have been eyeing that knife for a while since discovering its lovely existence.
 
For casual clothes, the PPT is nearly invisible when clipped in, and looks more like a pen. It's a bit heavy for dress pants. Techno is pretty good, too. Chap is nice and light, but the bright backspacer metal stands out a bit more.
 
lionesser said:
Do you guys think color makes any different in the perception of the knife as well?
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I would stay away from black FRN or G10. Orange Dragonfly IMHO is a good choice. Yellow is OK, but I prefer FFG to saber and VG10 to H1, unless you office right on the beach. :)
Also if your budget allows, I would try to find one of Kopas.

picture by WhyNot
 
bh49 said:
I would stay away from black FRN or G10. Orange Dragonfly IMHO is a good choice. Yellow is OK, but I prefer FFG to saber and VG10 to H1, unless you office right on the beach. :)
Also if your budget allows, I would try to find one of Kopas.

picture by WhyNot
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Honestly the Kopa's are another one on the dream list, but even finding a listing for those are hard. You seem to have a nice collection there. I think they look like an elegant version of the dragonfly. Is the inlay on both sides of the knife or only one?
 
I think the best suggestions so far are for an Air, as I would suggest something small, without a pocket clip

Mayhaps a kiwi, kinda ugly i know - buts small and totally non aggressive

C75_M.jpg


I just started a new job this past monday, first time in an office setting and I wouldn't even dream of carrying something clipped to my pocket, especially going to meetings :eek:

I carry a slip joint (but i also do even in civilian clothes) and have the clip bearing knives on me after i come home and change clothes..
 
I don't own any Spyderco brand so I'm not familiar with the styles. I do agree with Blade-fiend that color can help make a difference.
I used to work in the office full time and I carried a Microtech Socom manual. I replaced the Kraton inserts with Abalone shell so it did not look military. The ladies liked the pretty colors of the Abalone and they did not feel threatened by it. Here is a Picture, it is hard to capture the colors without getting glare.
View attachment 371642
 
Another vote for the dragonfly. Theres a couple options for handle color other than black, so that just adds to the non aggressive look.
 
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