The sheer amount of options for this makes a poll sort of counterproductive. Just want to know what knife people carry for daily use and why?

In my EDC poll a lot of people said they carry a knife daily, and this made me think I was probably missing out on the utility they provide. Maybe hearing from you all would help me pick one out for purely non-combat purposes. Combat knives are of course welcome if that is what you carry, just for me not why I would carry one.

kershaw leek,made in Oregon USA, retains edge for a long time,
assisted opening, not to large. nothing to not like.

SOG Trident. It's kind of bulky but fits just fine in blue jean pockets. The bulky handle comes in handy when actually using the knife. Midway has had a model on sale for $29 for a little while and I recently bought a backup for the one I've been carrying for the last 6 years.

It has assisted opening and is over-all a decent quality knife. The newer one has a safety with a much more positive lock and un-lock position. I had to JB Weld the safety on the old one in place because it would always toggle on in my pocket.

Benchmade model 580 mini Axis or Kershaw model 7100. Also carry leatherman P4 squirt mini tool. I also like to carry belt knives I have made myself after taking knife making class in Adult Ed 10 years ago.

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I have a rotation of about 20 or 30 different brands.

Some of my favorites:

Rick Hinderer XM-18 or Startac
Chris Reeve Large Sebenza
Spyderco Gayle Bradley
Strider SnG
Cold Steel Recon 1
Demko AD20
Benchmade 940-1
etc. etc. etc.

The knife world is endless.

As for the "why?" I like high quality tools, and I always need to cut or pry stuff.

Generically, I like to carry a 3.5-4"-blade folder, a substantial frame lock, and flipper-opening. Right now, I rotate between several examples of a brand you'll normally find on Amazon -- Eafengrow. Chinese-made, but excellent designs, materials and prices. A $20 Eafengrow is indistinguishable from a $50 CRKT, quality-wise. In other words -- not the best available by any means, but inexpensive and completely useable. Knives I can enjoy using but not cry over when they get lost.

And I do use them, for just about any job you can think of that could be done with a knife. The one I am carrying today has opened letters and packages, cut a steak, sliced a length of heater hose for a truck repair, and trimmed branches around an improvised turkey blind, all in just the past few days.

As a bonus, should it ever be needed it can be quickly deployed as a very effective self-defense weapon...

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Pisgah

Ka-Bar Dozier Design folder, usually. Fancy dress occasions a Buck Prince.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

Case Medium Stockman every day [2 knives bottom of picture]. summer, many days i will carry a Case Hawkbill to clip weeds. these are carried for utilitarian purposes, not self defense. and i do not use them as screwdrivers.

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Benchmade Auto Presidio serrated.

Buck USA Lightweight

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EDC a Buck small folder with a belt clip...not sure of model...818???

This one......Ben

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Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Kershaw Link

Kershaw Leek as well...
thin.. light... very sharp.. holds an edge well... what's not to like

I carry a few, but usually a ZT 801 Ti

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213th FBINA

My EDC's....I keep it simple.
Buck 110 lives in the truck.

One hand opening is a game changer...........

Around the Burgh a Benchmade North Fork 2.9" Wood scales very untacticool IMO

Cabin or weekend yard work a Kershaw Blur 3.75". Good utility blade w/ one hand "Speedsafe" opening and lock; half the price of the Benchmade.

Both pair well with a Streamlight Microstream AAA light.

Usually a custom fixed blade neck knife gifted to me by the late Darrel Ralph, while out walking the dog around home and environs...

...and as far as pocket knives...generally something from Hinderer, Demko, Spyderco, ZT, Benchmade, Chris Reeve, or, on occasion a custom folder. 3" to 4" is the usual range. (I have lots to choose from.)

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642-1, M&P15 TS

Depending on my mood.....

Spyderco Para 3 LW
Benchmade Mini Bugout
Kershaw Leek

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

I have carried a Schrade U S made old timer middle man stockman for many years. I use it for dirty or rough work, and I have lost a few over the years, but i have a bunch of them put back, for my old age.

Most days I also have Buck 110 on my belt, for cutting up food, or other food related needs, sharp as I can get it.
Dress, or Sunday, Church knife, is a small case trapper style.

Oddly the company that I work with does not allow us to carry knifes.
When they bought us out and took over control, a skinny little blond gal, from the big city asked me what I had on my belt.
I took it out and said a Buck 110, and its standard equipment in these parts.
She said it was a weapon, and that I could not carry it, and told me to put it in my truck, and not bring it to work anymore.
I wanted to tell her, that no the 9mm concealed under my shirt is a weapon, but thought better of it.
I agreed that I would not carry it again. Until she went back to where she lives, the Buck is back on my belt again, and the 9 mm never left. So when the brass shows up, I leave it at home.

Does a Nail Clipper Count? I do carry one of those and it comes in handy for untangling things from time to time.

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Sag Harbor & Manhattan, N.Y.

Kershaw Blur. Like many have said, a knife is the most versatile item you can carry. It goes in my pocket right after my wallet.

One of thee daily...could no more imagine leaving the house without a knife in my pocket than leaving the house with no pants.

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I used to carry a Boker Kalashnikov auto, and sometimes a Mirotech auto, but now I just find Schrade USA SP2's when I can, and carry them. If I am in the woods, it is a Kabar 7.5" USN fighting knife. To me the Kabar is the standard by which all other knives are measured. Even Randalls.

Edit: I forgot to mention, I have a rule about knives. USA only!! No Chinese Junk, and that would include Imperial, Taylor , S&W, current day Schrade or any of the USA manufacturers that have foreign made products. Some German stuff is OK

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Small NRA folding knife w/a pocket clip for opening boxes and such. Not a weapon, I’m no knife fighter.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Usually either a Spyderco Police, full stainless, fully serrated or a Spyderco Native, half serrated . Also have some Case folders, fixed blade Bucks and a bunch of others I can't recall. Love Spyders though, have carried one most days since high-school.

I have several but have gone from lock back to spring assist liner locks. 2" blade is enough for a pocket knife

A small pen knife (Great Eastern, Schatt & Morgan or vintage Winchester) in my watch pocket, a small alox victorinox Companion in the right front pocket and if wearing a coat or jacket there is a Victorinox Cadet in the jacket pocket.

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Sceva
OGCA SWCA NRA

Swiss army. I have a drawer full and like a middle model having scissors, cork screw with instrument screw driver in coil for my falling apart glasses frames.

A Swiss Army Knife of one model or another since the early 70's. These days, it's an Evo 11.

Kershaw Leek and Oso Sweet spring assist.
The Chive from the same maker is a sweetheart as well.

These are what I carry most often.



The top two are what I carried in the Army. I never leave my home without them.

The next three are variations on the Buck 110/112. I rotate between them for general use.



Occasionally, I get bored with the Bucks and I carry one of these Benchmades. 710, Griptilian and Bugout. The Bugout is a retirement gift from my wife and it's irreplaceable so I really only carry it on special occasions.

None of them are specifically designed for self-defense.

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Retired Career Security Guard

Aside from my always trusty medium victorinox I also have a fixed blade at most times.

Esee 3, esee 4, Benchmade puuko, Bradford g3.

I rotate knives as often as I rotate guns

The only two edged implements I carry with regularity are this inexpensive switchblade given me by a late forum friend. (it works well)



and this that I have carried for over 50 years...

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

@Baxter that is so cool �� that you made your own knife! Maybe �� I’ll take a class like that, sounds like an awesome skill to learn. Your belt knife looks beautiful �� by the way, I’m sure it functions as good as it looks too!

To the OP; do a search in the forum archives for member "opaul".

Knife maker extraordinaire!

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Kershaw Launch 2 and a Gerber dime 90% of the time, with the leatherman wave being the other 10%.

The launch does everything I need a single blade for well, and the dime (linked below) is absolutely tiny and gives me scissors, a bottle opener, and most importantly pliers that I use all the time for crimping split shot, removing barbs, or getting a hook out of a fish or my clothes.

If you’re new to carrying a knife every day, the Benchmade Mini Bugout is such a great starter knife that you may never want more. It is practically invisible in the pocket, with or without using the clip. If that’s too pricey, consider a Buck 55 or Buck Prince. If I have time later, I’ll edit with photos.

From Townsend Whelen, "On Your Own in the Wilderness" (c. 1958):

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642-1, M&P15 TS

CRKT Drifter.

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Keep on Chooglin'

It's so hard to get a middle priced USA made pocket knife. Especially here in Australia. Call me a tight-wad but I don't want to spend too much in case I loose it.

Further to this is my States ridiculous Knife Laws which pretty much prohibits EDC of knives unless it's for your occupation or specific other reason. Eg going fishing. Self defence is not one of those reasons even though many troubled youths and gang members still carry them. It was only a week ago when a 17 year old was stabbed to death at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw...a26dc9bf17e49f

I quit carrying one 20 years ago and have never missed it.

If you're around cops and need one, you'll be deafened by the clack-clack of tactical stabbers being flipped open.

If I'm at home, there are knives around.

I have one in my whip.

The closest I've come to actually needing one was at the post office (where knives over 2.5 inches are just as illegal as .44 Magnums, by the way) and needed to open an over-wrapped package. Luckily my ride is old enough to enough to have an actual key, which worked fine for jabbing tape.

I have no idea how many I lost before I just gave up. The last time I remember actually having one I was picking up my oldest kid from grade school. He's 30 now. My state of the art Spyderco was clipped in my front pocket, and a kid waiting to get some kind of comeuppance from the Principal pointed at it and said: YOU CAN"T HAVE THAT IN HERE. I was also carrying a .45 automatic. I just said, you're right kid.

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Rule of law, not a man.

70’s era Boy Scout pocketknife I found at the Goodwill for $3.00.

Victorinox Swiss Army knife. Carry a 91mm Tinker model. Others reside in each car and in a variety of other places around the house.

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Life Member SAF, CCRKBA, FOAC

I have 4 Kershaw Leeks, a Kershaw Launch 13 and another smaller Kershaw that all get rotated every day,,, love those Kershaws.

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@sigp220.45;

Looking back I think that over the span of my career I found that a pocket knife was the ultimate wire stripping tool.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

A Buck 112

When not at work it’s a Zero Tolerance 0452CF.


When at work it’s the smaller 0450CF.

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A Buck 346