Pocket Knives

I dont recall us discussing this so I thought I would throw it out there considering what my wife got me for Christmas.
I know. Christmas is two days away but when a delivery truck plops a box on my porch with MY name on it,,,,I open the box!
Thanks Honey! It’s a Zero Tolerance locking pocket knife. I havent even cut anything with it yet and know its the finest pocket knife I have ever put my hands on. Built like a brick $^#& house! Up until now my go-to pocket knife was a Buck with blade assist. Not expensive but a very nice knife. Lost it outside for an entire winter 3 years ago and it made it through that!
Got a Gerber not long ago. Nice little blade assist model off the rack at Cabelas. Good for carrying in shorts. Small and light.
I also have a very thin non-assist Gerber lock blade for carrying when dressing up. I even have a small swiss army on my keychain. My Dad raised me to always carry a pocket knife because it such a useful tool. What are you guys carrying?

I’ve always carried a pocket knife also and I like Case. They seem to hold the edge better than the rest. Must be the quality of steel Case uses.

Gerber here and I have a Buck… and a Case… and a Frost… I have a problem. Don;t carry one everyday though, although I wish I had a million times over, my dad always had one at the ready too (thanks for the memory)

Kershaw Leek. Second one. I really like the size more than anything.

Mike Stephens wrote:

Must be the quality of steel

That is 99% of it. Then of course is maintaining the edge and not ruining the degree of angle.

I’ve carried a lot of knives over the years and never had the justification for a high end knife. Always had Buck, branded knives, Gerber,….

All my knives have multi=purposed as utility and hunting/trapping. I have 3 now that are my go to for certain uses.

I have a Buck that I really like the handle design for comfort and quicking skinning of coon. Problem is the handle has too many crevices and it is a huge PITA to clean. Blade holds an ok edge. Cheap stainless, so it needs to be sharpened often.

Timberline skinner. That is my go to around the farm. Much heavier and holds an edge well for the uses I put it through. Everything from bailing twine, limbs, rubber hose,…and so on. I abuse that one.

But my pride and joy is a Zac Brown Souther Grind Bad Monkey. Drop point serrated in PVD Black with a Jade Ghost handle. When we took on repping this company, I thought the knives were too high priced and they wouldn’t sell. I was wrong. My knife is about $265.00 and will by far out last all the other knives I have. I really thought it would be easier to spend 60 to 90 on multiple knives as i wear the blades down. Now that I have a “real” blade, its hard to use anything else. It sharpens so easy and holds and edge unbelievably long.

Excel Energy knife someone got at one of the free Breakfasts they have for city workers. I wasn’t there. Just got the knife given to me. Has a cork screw and fingernail clippers to do McGyver stuff.

My everyday carry pocket knife is a 3 blade buck knife that I bought when I was in the navy in the early 80’s. There are 3 or 4 more that I carry in different situations, a case 2 blade that goes to the bwca. I got that one from a cousin after his father passed away, so that one has special meaning to me. Then there is a buck 110, that one was also bought in the early 80’s. I can’t believe I have been able to hold on to those knives for that long. Not that they haven’t been misplaced over the years, but I have always been able to find them.

I have a camo Buck knife that my parents got for me years ago. I love that thing. I don’t use it a whole bunch though. My Dad and my husband are much quicker on the draw.

Last pocket knife I had was a souvenir from a family trip up to Thunder Bay it had RCMP on the side of it.
I took it to school back when I was in 8th grade, old Catholic school with wood floors. I decided to see if I could stick it in the floor. I could and at the end of the day I got pretty good at it, until a Nun saw me do it and took it away.

I have thrown some of my best pocket knives into the wastebasket at airport security. Really tees me off. Stand in line for 1/2 hour, sometimes longer, then realize you forgot to leave it at home or stash it in your check bag. You do not want to do it but the alternative is get out of line, find the mail kiosk to send it home, then get in line all over again. IMO we would be safer flying if each passenger was required to carry a small knife. The cockpit doors are secure now.

Right now its a single blade Kershaw. Seems I need a new knife about every six months these days. Keep losing them.

-J.

Don Miller wrote:

I have thrown some of my best pocket knives into the wastebasket at airport security.

That is what happened to my last pocket knife a couple of weeks ago. When I went to empty my pockets at the security check, there it was! Fortunately it was a cheap pocket knife, but I just bought it to replace the one that I had lost. Now I’m getting a new one for Christmas.

I’ve got a very nice Schrade lock blade from when I was a teenager but it has a sheath. After getting used to the clip method in my pocket I cant imagine strapping a sheath on my belt every day so that knife no longer sees any use. I have a couple like that. I’ve lost a couple at the airport. Both times my key chain swiss army luckily. I always pack a cheap buck lock blade to carry at my destination.
Actually I have quite a few knives that will never see service. Many hang on my cabin walls as decorations.

Interesting thread!

I feel like I’m not dressed without a pocket knife. It’ll be unbelievable in this day/age, but I’ve carried one every day since I was 12.

Not as exotic as some of the knives others are carrying. For everyday I have a couple of Swiss Army knives, a Cadet version and a Farmer version, but they both have the more durable aluminum scales rather than just red plastic.

I bought both these knives in Switzerland one time. I was killing time waiting for a train and there across from the station was a tiny hardware store, which are always worth looking in. They had a whole shelf of the Swiss Army knives in this tiny little shop, so what better thing to buy from Switzerland?

I also have a collection of knives for special uses. I have a larger Swiss Army Knife for travel, a French folding knife also for travel because you always need a longer knife for bread, cheese, and other stuff that you don’t want to gunk up a better knife cutting.

This winter I’m even trying my hand at making knives for the first time. I have saved a collection of wonderful figured off cuts of wood that I always thought would make nice knife handles/scales. The first one is ready for finishing now. Pics soon.

Grouse

How about the USA version of Kershaw and Buck vs China? The US made knives generally have better steel from what I found.

I’ve started carrying this knife. http://www.havalon.com/xt-22tr.html

For me, this is perfect for my needs. I like throw away blades because I rarely have time to sit down and sharpen my knives. I’m a bit skeptical how the knife will stand up but for the price, it makes a nice box opener at a minimum.

I also just purchased this knife for my backpack. I’ve yet to use it, so no reviews. http://www.outdooredge.com/Razor-Blaze-p/razor-blaze.htm

I have carried a Spyderco knife that my father gave me for better than 20 years but also have Kershaw and Buck knives and others. I always have one on me or I’m looking for it. I like the newer buck knife I picked up and they have always treated me well (quality).

Lots of good options out there but losing them or having to toss them at the airports sucks.

Dave

Dad always carried a pocket knife, case which I now have. I also have an old case and a Buck that I saved for as a kid. I have had that Buck knife over 50 years now and it has cleaned a lot of trout.

So many memories of cleaning trout with dad as a kid and both of us using our pocket knives, wish I could do it with him one more time but he is gone fishing in a better place.

My granddad bought me my first pocketknife at a feed store 55 yrs ago. I have been fascinated with them ever sense. I have around 30 of them but mostly carry USA made Schrades of various sizes. Right now I am collecting knives that were given out by seed corn dealers with their logos on them. If anybody has one laying in a drawer let me know.

I nearly always carry a pocket knife. I’ve got quite a few options, but these are the two I carry most often on an every day basis. The SOG Blink is nice and thin, so it fits nicely even in dress pants.

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I thought I’d lost this one for good, but one spring, I found it in my mother in law’s yard. I must have dropped it in her driveway in the winter, and her plow guy plowed it into the snow pile. A little cleanup and it still is a nice knife!

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Now days, is Case and Buck the only 2 brands that are made in the USA?

I’ve been carrying a Bokker clip knife for the past couple years now. One handed opening job. Holds an edge pretty well.

Carried a little Buck knife that was only about 5 inches long open for years. Has a section of serrated edge by the handle that was great for cutting rope. Great little knife but have down sized in the last few years and carry a small Victorinox with the scissors, toothpick, and tweezers. Never leave the house without it and use it everyday.

turningleavesandice wrote:

Carried a little Buck knife that was only about 5 inches long open for years. Has a section of serrated edge by the handle that was great for cutting rope. Great little knife but have down sized in the last few years and carry a small Victorinox with the scissors, toothpick, and tweezers. Never leave the house without it and use it everyday.

I cant tell you how many times those tweezers and tooth pick have come in handy. More than the knife!

suzuki wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>turningleavesandice wrote:</div>
Carried a little Buck knife that was only about 5 inches long open for years. Has a section of serrated edge by the handle that was great for cutting rope. Great little knife but have down sized in the last few years and carry a small Victorinox with the scissors, toothpick, and tweezers. Never leave the house without it and use it everyday.

I cant tell you how many times those tweezers and tooth pick have come in handy. More than the knife!

Yes, I carry the same little Swiss Army Knife every day as well. I think that little tweezers has pulled enough metal and wood splinters out of my hands to make a whole other knife.

The larger Swiss Army Knife that I carry for weekends is the Cadet model. This one has a heavier duty blade and tools, but no tweezers or toothpick, which I miss.

Grouse

Swiss army best all around and most versatile.

I beat mine up too much to by anything expensive, I currently carry two at all times, both simple folding knives. One I spent 4 bucks on at harbor freight and the other I found left in a campsite in a forest preserve while fishing. The reason for two is one is generally more clean than the other in case an Apple or other food item needs to be sliced. That way the dirtier one can be used for anything else without risking some weird side affect from trace contaminants on the blade in my food.

My Dad always said “If you don’t have a Barlow you don’t have a knife.

I carry a Kershaw every single day. I would be lost without something in my pocket. I have lost a ton of the cheap ones, but for some reason this Kershaw has stayed with me for a couple years now. I use it countless times a day and the edge holds up very well.