Your EDC and the reasons behind it

S

SubSpace

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May 26, 2011
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I'm interested in the rationale for how you arrived at your current EDC. What trials/errors did you go through before arriving at your "perfect" pattern. What factors help determine what knife you carry?
For myself, my primary EDC is a Peanut, but it wasn't always so. As a child of the 80's, MacGyver was a big influence on my first knife purchase--a SAK. When I was a kid and in the boy scouts, I carried a Vic Farmer. As I got older, that knife became too thick in my pocket for the clothes I wore and being in school, I did not want an obvious knife. So I slimmed down to the Bantam, etc.
After a while I realized I never used the extra tools enough to warrant carrying them, and that is what brought me to traditionals. Since my largest knife growing up was only about a 2.5 inch blade, I have no problem carrying just a Peanut, or a Swayback Jack, or the GEC Conductor. I like having two blades...one for occasional "dirty work" and one to keep surgically sharp. Any blade longer than 2.5 just seems like overkill for my current lifestyle and suburban office job.

So--

How did you arrive at your current EDC?
 
Swisstool spirit and whatever traditional suits my fancy that day. I use the Spirit countless times a day, and I really miss it when it's not around. Having screwdrivers and pliers at my disposal at all times is just priceless for me.

I'll sometimes swap out the Spirit for a ST300 when I'm expecting more heavy duty work.
 
I prefer to have a SAK on me, just for the utility of the extra tools. I have a classic on my key ring, a Pioneer in my pocket when I get out of work, and a Farmer in my bag.

I usually have a Peanut on me, I had just bought this for work EDC because it is gummint legal and pretty non-threatening. However, after getting used to it after a while, I don't always "switch out" my folders (putting my peanut in the console in my truck, and putting my Pioneer and other assorted one hand openers and slipjoints in my pockets. It is very versatile, however, the CV isn't the best for one's pocket, at least one one the large folk, such as myself (suffice it to say, summer was not kind to this little knife). Luckily, a kind knifemaker took care of me and cleaned it up a bit, after I had a very hard time trying to.

Somewhere on me after I "switch out", I carry my Queen small Burke barlow. It is just about perfect size for me. Sometimes I carry a ZT 301 folder, sometimes just the peanut, but the barlow is just a good size for me.

I usually carry two slipjoints together, either a SAK and a large folder, or a SAK and a small folder. I don't like carrying just one knife, although I don't usually get into any situations where I would be up s creek if I only had one knife. I have a few single blade slipjoints, but I prefer 2 or more blades for EDC. I have been trying out a Northfield half whittler I got in trade.

I like to keep a small fixed blade with me, I have been alternating between my small Hackman Tapio Wirkalla and a Gossman micro Kephart (both kinda traditional).

I could get by fine with the Peanut, but I can't bring myself to do that.
 
My arrival with a peanut has been like that Grateful Dead song, a long strange trip.

My old 301 Buck stockman carried me a log way. It packed a lot of use into a small pocket package. Being in the army, and moving from base to base, I learned to be a minimalist. And loving backpacking in my younger day didn't help.

When my old friend and co-worker Andy, passed on, I took to using his little Buck 303 cadet. To my surprise, it dd everything like the 301. Other knives came and went, but none meant enough for me to keep them. I'd try a new pattern, and then move on. It was like strangers on a train, your friends for a while, but then the trip is over and you come home. Sodbusters, sak's, large jacks, all came and went like those strangers on a train.

Then my dad passed away.

I had his old peanut on my dresser for a long time. One day, I slipped in my pocket, and went to work. Little by little, the small jackknife impressed me. Like a tip of a tree root exploring a little crack in a rock, the peanut started to be used more and more. At first, it was maybe some kind of experiment, but then it became a steady influence of less is more. Then I bought a peanut of my own. It got carried. At first for a day, then two days, then longer periods of time. Then the ever pushing tree root split the rock. I retired, and as a gentleman of leisure, Ihad more time on my hands. The peanut was enough for most things Idid, and when Karen and I went hiking, or canoeing, I had my daypack along. There was always a sheath knife in the bag, so a little two bladed jack was enough for pocket duty. It was light, it was compact, and the thin flat ground blade got wicked sharp and sliced great.

In my own case, there may be a bit of homage being paid to the old man. We didn't see eye to eye a lot of times. Sometimes when I'd take out my Buck to cut something, he'd make one of his dry comments like "Still carrying that folding butcher knife set, son?" referring to my three blade stockman. Maybe carrying a peanut is my way of saying to him, "Okay, Okay, you were right." He usually was. Sometimes I get the feeling that he's up there looking down, with that strait stem Canadian style pipe in the corner of his mouth, and he'd just let a puff of smoke out with a Humph noise. That was his way of saying "I told ya so!"

I won't know till we meet again.

Carl.
 
i haven't settled on a single edc knife just yet, but what i carry now, are mostly traditionals, mainly because i can use them anytime, almost anywhere, without scaring people around, and it gives me more satisfaction in use, more than my modern knives ever did.
and its nice to get by just with a small blade, usually two or three :D, makes me think more of how and what i want to do with it.
i still carry a fixed blade or a larger folder when i go in the woods though.
 
SubSpace said:
What trials/errors did you go through before arriving at your "perfect" pattern.
Click to expand...

No such thing. I have a rotation of knives, and while I have my favorites, I use them all. During the week I carry my Schatt & Morgan Harness Jack because I wear slacks to work. Knives have worked their way out of my pockets before and I don't want to risk losing one of my customs. During the evening and on the weekend I carry my Ohta. My church knife is an ivory handled swayback made by Bret Dowell. If I'm traveling I like to bring one of my production stocks, just in case it gets lost or confiscated. When I go to a barbecue I bring my Camillus engineer's knife because it has a handy bottle opener. If I need a knife to do some nasty work I'll use my sodbuster. And when I spend time outdoors I'll pack a fixed blade, either my Blackjack hunter or a puukko.

Different knives for different tasks. And sometimes I'll carry a knife just because.

- Christian
 
I found a stockman in my back yard as a kid and my mom let me keep it since it was dull. Most of my uncles and my gradfather carried a stockman most of the time so it took. Many years later after getting bit by the modern folder bug I read I piece in Blade about stock and cattle knives titled "Cowboy Knives" and the fire was rekindled!
 
The only thing I have "arrived at" is that I don't like knives smaller than 3-3/8" closed, with the one exception of the Swabyback Jack @ 3.2 inches. 3-3/4 to 4-1/8 inches is my favorite size, as they will do anything and are still pocketable for me (I'm 6'1" and 250 lbs. with large hands). I do carry a small stockman, but usually back it up with a larger single blade, including some lockers.

3-3/8" RR stockman and 3-7/8" Northfield lockback
IMG_0303.jpg


I like a variety of different sized blades, with different bellies, including clip, pen and Wharncliffe or sheepfoot. When only carrying one knife, it's usually a large stockman. They are just hard to beat.

3-7/8" MooreMaker stockman
3301mark.jpg


4-1/8" GEC furtaker trapper
AntiqueAmberBone.jpg
 
My traditionals at work are a peanut (recently lost:() and a GEC #25. I wanted something elegant looking and small enough to ride comfortably in dress pants.

On my own time I edc a Vic Spirit multitool and lately a small Alan Davis misery whip fixed blade with maple burl handles together in a two slot pocket sheath.
 
There are plenty of knives that I find more aesthetically pleasing than my SAK, but the SAK is the one I have settled on, just because of its usefulness. I'm also liking the small Buck 303 Stockman, another useful pattern. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have made my edc decision based on utility more than anything else.
 
I like the pen knife pattern, main clip blade and then secondary pen blade. I like the slim single spring design but it is also small while still doing everything i need. I'm young and get out a lot hunting, fishing and backpacking and the little case pen knife with CV steel seems to do everything i need it to!
 
The first reason I gave in to the GEC Primitive Bone was seein it at a show and being blown away by the action
and the finish obviously. Second reason was the steel in the blades, keeps a great edge. Thirdly, I really like the half stops on both blades and the size of the #73 Scout pattern.
2ihb1aw.jpg
 
Started with thumbers, grabbed an alox pioneer and realized a slipjoint was just fine. Happened upon a hardware store that was closing and picked up a couple of cases for a steal. Got a swayback jack about a month later and haven't looked back. Now when I go back to the pioneer it feels like a brick in my pocket.
 
I work in an office environment and find that a pen, peanut or other smallish jack paired with a keychain-sized SAK serve most of my day to day cutting needs while, at the same time, being unobtrusive and easy to carry. That said, if I feel the need for "more knife", I'll go with a 3 1/4" - 3 1/2" stockman or jack. Whatever I end up with, rounded bolsters and sunken joints are a must.

Chipped Karambit said:
paramilitary 2

ill keep this short and sweet
Function over form.
Versatile
Not traditional
Click to expand...

:p;)
 
What kind of a cruel heartless thread is this!:eek: If I had only one EDC I wouldn't be here in constant lust!

My most carried is a Case Trapperlock and another of some kind. This is my off work rotation. On my work days I cary a Buck Hartshook necker and a GEC Ben Hogan with a spear blade for cutting up food at work. If forced to pick one knife it would be a three bladed stockman with a california clip, coping and spey blade, this will get one through just about any of my EDC needs.
 
Like Jeff, I'm a big dude, so I can get away with carrying bigger knives. The smallest knife I carry is a sodbuster made by Keith Johnson and the biggest is a zulu spear backpocket made by Kerry Hampton, but anything smaller than the sodbuster tends to get lost in my hands. I've had Case peanuts and Case pen knives, but I always give them away because they just don't feel right.
 
Most days I carry my Scagel fruitport. I have always been a single blade kind of guy. Not really sure why, but I have always been drawn tto them. I actually ordered a 2 blade gec white owl to give the two blade thing a try.

In any case, the scagel has worked great for my needs. Long enough blade for food prep, but sits comfortably in the pocket as well. I am in graduate school and can no longer carry a clipped folder so the scagel is my only carry. Once in a while I will drop my gec texas toothpic or a sak in my pocket for a little variety. However, the scagel has not been beat in terms of function for me. It cuts so very well with its convex blade, and the dogleg handle is very comfortable. It also looks pretty nice to boot. Perhaps a little bit overpriced, I think it has been very worth it for me. I have been carrying it almost daily for a year and it now has a lot of good memories attached to it :). It has been a great companion, and I suspect it will be in my pocket for years to come. I doubt I will ever be a one knife guy, but this knife brings me pretty close.
 
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