YOUR Keychain Knife

No pics at the moment, but we all know what a red Classic and a black Fenix E01 look like. Those are on my key chain.
 
I really dislike a knife dangling from my keyring. However, I've tried a Vic Cadet. I would not want anything smaller than that.
 
scottyj said:
Yup. True story. It was laying in the street on Madison Ave just South of East 115 st. Years later I also found a Victorinox Spartan in black on the floor of a NYPD police van with the tweezers covered in marijuana resin. I'm guessing some perp was using the tweezers as a "roach clip".
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The real question is... what were you doing so you were put in the back of a police van in NYC? :D
 
Vic SAK Rambler and recently acquired, yet to be carried copper TUKK (Tactical Utility Knife Keychain). Replacement blades available. Closed dimensions: 2 - 1/8" X 1/2" X 1/4". They can be had in titanium, and in aluminum with various anodized finishes. I think they make a larger version also.20180907_091252.jpg20180907_091315.jpg 20180907_091348.jpg20180907_091331.jpg 20180907_091443.jpg
 
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The keychain knife is something that is ingrained into my memory. When I was growing up. all men carried a pocket knife. In the 1950's, the iconic pocket knife was a little one or two bladed slip joint that didn't cost a lot and was actually considered a semi disposable tool. They were used to cut string that held packages closed, open mail, sharpen a pencil, whatever.

A lot of times in the five and dime stores, there was a cardboard stand up display of very small keychain size pocket knives for a very moderate price. They were by the 25 cent combs and 50 cent nail clippers. Almost always they were about 2 3/4 to 3 inches closed, had thin carbon steel blade that actually held a decent edge for a good amount of time, and had celluloid cracked ice or plastic imitation pearl handle scales.

Almost all the. grcwnmem I knew growing up then had stuff on tier keychains ranging from 4-way screw drivers, little flashlights, to the small keychain size pocket knife. This was long before the debut of the Buck 110 and very long before the invention of the tactical one hand wonders. Those little keychain knives did a very respectable amount of cutting for their owners.

To this day I keep a Victorinox classic on my keyring along with a Fenix E01 and a few items in my wallet that are keychain tools. The Sears 4-way screw driver and P-38 are always in my wallet. If I have to bolt out the door in a hurry and have just my wallet and keyring, I'm pretty equipped to deal with my day. Sometimes a little bit of sharp steel is all that's needed.
 
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jackknife said:
The keychain knife is something that is ingrained into my memory. When I was growing up. all men carried a pocket knife. In the 1950's, the iconic pocket knife was a little one or two bladed slip joint that didn't cost a lot and was actually considered a semi disposable tool. They were used to cut string that held packages closed, open mail, sharpen a pencil, whatever.

A lot of times in the five and dime stores, there was a cardboard stand up display of very small keychain size pocket knives for a very moderate price. They were by the 25 cent combs and 50 cent nail clippers. Almost always they were about 2 3/4 to 3 inches closed, had thin carbon steel blade that actually held a decent edge for a good amount of time, and had celluloid cracked ice or plastic imitation pearl handle scales.

Almost all the. grcwnmem I knew growing up then had stuff on tier keychains ranging from 4-way screw drivers, little flashlights, to the small keychain size pocket knife. This was long before the debut of the Buck 110 and very long before the invention of the tactical one hand wonders. Those little keychain knives did a very respectable amount of cutting for their owners.
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I have quite a few of those. I pick them up at garage sales, flea markets, and antique stores. They have tons of history, and character. You are right about those carbon blades.....razor sharp when given a good edge. :thumbsup:
 
scottyj said:
I have quite a few of those. I pick them up at garage sales, flea markets, and antique stores. They have tons of history, and character. You are right about those carbon blades.....razor sharp when given a good edge. :thumbsup:
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Yeah, I still see them at flea markets and garage sales. I think the blade were probably just 1095 or some other simple steel, but a bit of stropping on the bottom of a coffee mug got them newsprint shaving sharp. I remember them being new in a drug store for about the same price as the keychain size nail clippers from Trim.
 
Back in the late '90s I carried a Buck Mini-Buck on my keyring. Then after a couple years, I switched that for a red-handled Spyderco Ladybug, which I carried on my keyring for about 10 years.

I no longer carry any knife with my keys. Too much hassle and too awkward when I want to actually use the knife. The one knife of that size that I carry now is my Victorinox Executive, and I just carry that loosely down in my pocket. I've been carrying it for nearly 20 years now.

Jim
 
James Y said:
Back in the late '90s I carried a Buck Mini-Buck on my keyring. Then after a couple years, I switched that for a red-handled Spyderco Ladybug, which I carried on my keyring for about 10 years.

I no longer carry any knife with my keys. Too much hassle and too awkward when I want to actually use the knife. The one knife of that size that I carry now is my Victorinox Executive, and I just carry that loosely down in my pocket. I've been carrying it for nearly 20 years now.

Jim
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Jim, how have you found he executive on the long haul?

I carried a classic as my keyring knife for 20 years, and I scorned the 74mm executive as a 'in-between knife that had no real use. Bigger and heavier on a keyring than a classic, but not giving any real capacity over the classic.

But life can be funny. I was gifted an executive in mid July, and I've been very impressed by the thing. I was wrong, and it definitely has more capability than the 58mm classic. A little work with a file and the nail cleaner tip of the nail file is a good Phillis screw driver. Two blades instead of one, and bigger scissors cuts even better on heavier materials. So for a month and a half, it's been in my watch pocket and I took the classic off my keyring. It's not only replaced the classic, but also the Boker 240, and Buck 309 companion that was my watch pocket EDC, so it's replaced two items with one for EDC. But I worry that it is a bit light for sole EDC. Those feelings are from habit of carrying something heavier I know and may not have real world bering. It IS a Victorinox after all.
 
jackknife said:
Jim, how have you found he executive on the long haul?

I carried a classic as my keyring knife for 20 years, and I scorned the 74mm executive as a 'in-between knife that had no real use. Bigger and heavier on a keyring than a classic, but not giving any real capacity over the classic.

But life can be funny. I was gifted an executive in mid July, and I've been very impressed by the thing. I was wrong, and it definitely has more capability than the 58mm classic. A little work with a file and the nail cleaner tip of the nail file is a good Phillis screw driver. Two blades instead of one, and bigger scissors cuts even better on heavier materials. So for a month and a half, it's been in my watch pocket and I took the classic off my keyring. It's not only replaced the classic, but also the Boker 240, and Buck 309 companion that was my watch pocket EDC, so it's replaced two items with one for EDC. But I worry that it is a bit light for sole EDC. Those feelings are from habit of carrying something heavier I know and may not have real world bering. It IS a Victorinox after all.
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Hi, jackknife. I'm glad to hear you are enjoying your Executive. I hope it continues to serve you well.

I really like the Exec. Since I carry it down in pocket, it's more substantial than a Classic, yet is still thin and light enough that it isn't an annoying weight in my pocket. I find uses for all the features on it, even the orange peeler, which works nicely as a scraper as well. And its nail file, while not as aggressive as the Classic's, grooms the nails much more cleanly. It pairs well with either my Spartan or Pioneer (whichever one I choose to carry on a given day). So my Exec is always paired up with something else. I also always have a Spyderco or CRK clipped to my pocket. So my Exec is never really my sole EDC knife, but for me it's the most useful 'pen knife' I'm aware of (IMO, of course:)). And I suppose if it was completely necessary (legality-wise), I could go solely with the Exec and not feel 'knifeless'.

Jim
 
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