A Knife For Pen People!

[Bo Bo Olson]

Dam, didn't have burning drums, nor played hangman. That running fast and thunking sounds fun.

Safe too.

Edited October 20, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[HamFist]

Out of curiosity, what do you guys use your knives for? Having lived an urban-ish life I have never ever come close to a situation where I needed a knife, bar opening some boxes..I mean it looks cool and sharp and stuff but..I'd love to know what you guys use it for? Especially those who travel with knives, what do you use it for?

It is a good backup for a handgun, which is a good backup for a rifle.

[Vulcan1066]

Out of curiosity, what do you guys use your knives for? Having lived an urban-ish life I have never ever come close to a situation where I needed a knife, bar opening some boxes..I mean it looks cool and sharp and stuff but..I'd love to know what you guys use it for? Especially those who travel with knives, what do you use it for?

I use mine to open boxes, cut rope and string, harvest veggies in the garden, cut open feed bags for the mules, goats, and chickens, cut plastic cable ties, pick splinters out of me, cut duck tape, trim display board to size, and of course to cut my food with.

[Bo Bo Olson]

If you carry a pocket knife, you will find a use for it weekly. If not, you got to hunt for something to cut or tear your problem.

There is always a problem that can use a pocket knife. A good Swiss one has scissors, tweezers, toothpick, awl, can and bottle opener/with screwdriver, corkscrew....can get wider ones with a Philips, magnifying glass.

 

The wider and clunkier it is, the more tools you can have with you, in your pocket.

Finally you get to the width of tools that needs a pouch, when you are McGiver.

 

That 13 year old boy I picked juice apples up off the ground after we knocked them out of the trees with various length long poles with a hook on the end; was so very happy with the near mint Swiss 'boy scout' pocket knife I gave him, his father said he took it to bed with him....

For 55 years I only knew two way to sharpen a knife (long and short stone)....a good way. Then in Youtube I found 4-5 other good ways to sharpen a knife......well still use my old ways. I told the boy to look them up, even if his English was not too good, so he will know how to keep it as sharp as I gave it to him.

A dull knife cuts the owner.

Dull kitchen knifes do not make the wife happy. Make your wife happy, sharpen her knives regularly.

Edited October 22, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[mike.jane]

If you carry a knife on your person, you will find many opportunities to use it every week. (As stated before)

Packaging is probably my main use. When I open a box of cookies, you can be sure it will be done with precision and great ease and I will look down on people who rather do it without style and brute force instead.

A Swiss army knife, even 2-3 layer, has countless uses. My personal favorite is the Mechanic model. Only 3 layers, nothing superfluous. (If I had to choose but one of my worldly possessions to be buried with, this would be a contender)

 

Having a knife on me every day also improved my eating habits. More often I will buy fruit on the side of the road, because I know I have the means, to process and eat them right away, in my pocket with me.

 

One more thing and generally speaking: A knife is an incredibly useful tool, and having such a tool on your person turns you from the guy who shrugs at a problem into the guy who solves it (or at least tries and earns some respect in the process).

 

One more aphorism that probes this kind of thinking: "If you're carrying a hammer, every problems starts to look like a nail."

[Bo Bo Olson]

Very well said indeed.

 

A good pocket knife has other tools with it. One of course can buy a pocket knife with the tools you have need of, and another with other tools you might have need of, if you know what you will be doing that day instead of your 'normal' pocket knife.

A pocket knife for the town, a slightly different one for hills and country. 150 years of 'working' folks thought have gone into them.

If you have a horse, they have fine ones just for them too.

Edited October 22, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Cryptos]

I didn't know horses carried pocket knives.

 

Who'd a thunk it?

[Hardcase]

For quite a while I've been carrying an Opinel #6. It's cheap (about ten bucks), simple and the carbon steel blade takes an edge like nobody's business. It needs sharpening more than stainless steels do, but it sharpens quickly. If I were to lose it, I wouldn't be heartbroken - I'd just go buy another one. The beechwood handle is big enough for my beefy sausage fingers. The blade locks open and closed.

 

To carry on with the tangential discussion, I also carry a Colt Officer's 1911. It's very concealable, completely reliable, packs a punch and I'll die a happy man if I never have to use it.

 

-Drew

Edited October 22, 2014 by Hardcase

[injesticate]

As if a forum full of p-enablers wasn't bad enough, I've been compelled I was easily influenced and purchased a new knife now as well. Thanks.

Edited October 22, 2014 by injesticate

[mrchan]

If you carry a knife on your person, you will find many opportunities to use it every week. (As stated before)

Packaging is probably my main use. When I open a box of cookies, you can be sure it will be done with precision and great ease and I will look down on people who rather do it without style and brute force instead.

A Swiss army knife, even 2-3 layer, has countless uses. My personal favorite is the Mechanic model. Only 3 layers, nothing superfluous. (If I had to choose but one of my worldly possessions to be buried with, this would be a contender)

 

Having a knife on me every day also improved my eating habits. More often I will buy fruit on the side of the road, because I know I have the means, to process and eat them right away, in my pocket with me.

 

One more thing and generally speaking: A knife is an incredibly useful tool, and having such a tool on your person turns you from the guy who shrugs at a problem into the guy who solves it (or at least tries and earns some respect in the process).

 

One more aphorism that probes this kind of thinking: "If you're carrying a hammer, every problems starts to look like a nail."

I hope the knife for fruit and the knife for numerous packages you cut is separate? Or do you carry a box of alcohol wipes to clean your knives everytime you decide to cut fruit?

Edited October 23, 2014 by mrchan

[Cryptos]

Oh I expect he wipes the blade on the leg of his jeans, like the rest of us do.

[mike.jane]

Well, I have a Queen Steel Large Stockman model, on that I have the main blade reserved for foods (and I'm very strict on that). On my regular-sized Victorinox I also try to use the main blade only for food and do most other things with the little pen blade.

On all my other stainless steel knives the solution is to keep the blade always clean (and also sharp and in always-ready condition)

My carbon steel knives all have a patina, so it's not that important to always keep them oiled (so those would be ok for food also), but they're for the outdoors anyway, and chances are there will be another more suitable knife around for food.

[jar]

Oh I expect he wipes the blade on the leg of his jeans, like the rest of us do.

 

Or like Mom used to clean anything, spit on her hanky and wipe it off.

[Cryptos]

Indeed. And who among us has not stirred their coffee/tea with an oily screwdriver, eh?

Edited October 23, 2014 by Cryptos

[J85909266]

Every single time I'm not carrying a knife, I regret it. Same with pens. They are both indispensable every day carry essentials.

[Kuryaka]

I'm just using a little Gerber Ripstop knife - great for opening packages and just general usage, fits in my pocket next to my wallet and cheap pens. Also using it to learn how to sharpen knives effectively. I also have an Opinel No. 8 (Stainless) for cutting delicate things, going to keep this one sharper in case I ever need it.

I also keep around a spray bottle of witch hazel, which has a little bit of alcohol and can be used for disinfecting either knife for cutting food.

[lahlahlaw]

One of my favorites is a small spyderco with a custom titatium 'low rider' clip.

[jar]

http://www.fototime.com/EDD057A64A8DA80/medium800.jpg

[Wolverine1]

Jar- is this knife a Kit Carson knife?

I had both my 2 Kit Carsons stolen when I was in the hospital being treated for cancer, and I am sad that I have been unable to replace them.

[jar]

Jar- is this knife a Kit Carson knife?

I had both my 2 Kit Carsons stolen when I was in the hospital being treated for cancer, and I am sad that I have been unable to replace them.

 

Yes, a large #4. Unfortunately I sold it a few years ago.