My Knife Addiction

[kwselke]

I will usually jump in to any thread about pocket knives. I'm not a great expert on the subject, but over decades of fascination with and use of these tools, I speak my mind.

Spyderco and Buck are my go to folders for getting work done. Case makes beautiful knives which I appreciate as gentlemen folders.

I have a bunch of other knives that I bought or were given to me. They all have their good points and bad points.

Leaving out fixed blades, knives I've lost, and knives that I could not fit in five photographs, here is my meager accumulation.

If for some reason you feel I have insulted your favorite knife, do not take it personally, it's just my opinion at the time of the writing.

 

[bigride]

I just closed a tab from a knife website shopping for a new folding knife. Then I saw a notification about a new thread about a knife addiction. I don't have quite as many as you so I must not be addicted. I have been known to have 3 or 4 knives on my person each day though. Always got to have the right tool handy.

 

[kwselke]

I just closed a tab from a knife website shopping for a new folding knife. Then I saw a notification about a new thread about a knife addiction. I don't have quite as many as you so I must not be addicted. I have been known to have 3 or 4 knives on my person each day though. Always got to have the right tool handy.

For that reply, I'll toss in a picture of my never leave home without your keys or your knife Spydercos.

 

[Marshwheeling]

The knives pictured below are identical examples of the Morakniv Original Classic No.1 with Laminated Blade. One I have had for about four years. The other arrived in today’s mail. How that came about illustrates my knife addiction better than a photo of my knife shelves.

I bought the one for $41.99, seemingly high for a Mora, but it does have that exceedingly sharp laminated blade, which they don’t make too many of any more. So the other day, I was carving on an Opinel with the laminated Mora. Curiosity led me to look up my old order on Amazon. The only vendor was now asking $115 for the same knife.

In due course, the sticker shock yielded to a moment of panic: “I am only 71 years old. I could use this knife up in time, and be hard put to replace it”. I needed to locate a backup, if I could find a better price.

The Morakniv site had the knife at $78 plus shipping. Still prohibitive. Heck, $41 was too much, only justified, barely, by that wonderful blade. A little more rooting around yielded the same knife on Ebay, new, for $49, shipped.

With my new backup in hand, I can breathe easier, but only with the knowledge that I am an addict.

 

[jeffrefrig]

KW, Photo #4, 3rd down on left really grabbed my eye. Just looks real nice for some reason! All a nice collection. No problem seen here for this type of addiction! Jeff

 

[ralph7]

I just closed a tab from a knife website shopping for a new folding knife. Then I saw a notification about a new thread about a knife addiction. I don't have quite as many as you so I must not be addicted. I have been known to have 3 or 4 knives on my person each day though. Always got to have the right tool handy.

Curious as to how that works.
All in one pocket, one for each pocket, 2 here, one there?

 

[vonn]

Pocket knives are my go to tool ! Nice to know I am not alone in my desire to have a number of them.

 

[Marshwheeling]

Curious as to how that works.
All in one pocket, one for each pocket, 2 here, one there?

It is different for everybody, I am sure. For me it is usually two or three in the RFP. The Electrician is probably all the knife I need, but I can easily carry a couple more, so I do. The Opinel 6 and Okapi Biltong are both light and do not take much room.

The little Channellocks probably get as much work as all the knives put together.

 

[kwselke]

KW, Photo #4, 3rd down on left really grabbed my eye. Just looks real nice for some reason! All a nice collection. No problem seen here for this type of addiction! Jeff

Shrade Old Timer Model OT25, dates to 1969 - 1970. I think Old Timers were new then. The tip of the primary blade broke when I was demonstrating my knife throwing skills. The Old Timer Badge was lost in a similar event. Delrin plastic handle scales. The 1095 carbon blade steel will take a very sharp edge, but does not have much edge retention. Each of the blades has lost about 1/4" of steel through sharpening over the years. I used that knife as an Exacto knife when building model rockets, it's cleaned many a fish, a Pronghorn Antelope, a feral hog, a deer, and it was in my pocket almost daily from Junior High through college. They literally don't make them like that anymore. The current version is made in China of generic stainless steel and plastics and is far less robust.

 

[bigride]

Curious as to how that works.

All in one pocket, one for each pocket, 2 here, one there?

Spyderco Para 2 on pocket clip for heavy duty work.
GEC traditional slip joint in the small jeans pocket for small jobs or slicing the occasional apple.
Sog keychain knife on keyring.
Leatherman skeletool with blade on pocketclip for other pocket...but not every day.

Most days, I only have three.

 

[kwselke]

Curious as to how that works.
All in one pocket, one for each pocket, 2 here, one there?

I usually carry two knives. Because I keep Spyderco Man/Ladybugs attached to my house keys that will be free floating in my right front pocket. Normally a larger knife will be clipped vertically in the right front pocket as well. Larger knives that do not have pocket clips will sometimes ride vertically in my right rear pocket next to my wallet. My left front pocket is reserved for my cellphone. If I'm wearing a suit I generally forgo pocket clips and will put a small Case traditional or Buck 500 Series in the coin pocket of the trousers.

 

[Flattop5]

Re: O.P.:

You've got some good knives.

I have not yet gotten a new battery for my digital camera, so I'll have to link to exact copies of my knives.

I had a mint, discontinued Spyderco Chinook 3, but I lost it. It looked like this:
https://www.spyderco.com/pix/products/med/C63G3_M.jpg

My pride and joy is a discontinued Microtech Cobra automatic:
http://www.bladehq.com/imgs/side-op...microtech-cobra-green-black-137-1gr-large.jpg

I also have: a circa 1979 Puma Deer Hunter folder (wood handle), two Buck 110s, two Buck 119s (one black, one wood), a 1987 Buck stockman, a mint yellow Case Trapper, three German-made Boker 2020s in various handle types (1), a 1978-era A.G. Russell Sting (w/ white handle) (2), and two Great Eastern Cutlery (i.e., Northfield) bone pocket knives (muskrat-type and stockman-type).


(1) Boker: https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/catalog/image/catalog/1488246123_51_1100_2.jpg

(2) Sting:
http://www.cuttingedge.com/files/knives/KLC08348.jpg


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[HOUSTON RICK]

I have confessed to my hopeless knife addiction several times. Many of them are in the pictures.

 

[kwselke]

You have a Hobo Knife with fork and spoon. Way cool! I always wanted one of those. My current dream knife would be like a Scout knife with simple blade, awl, bottle cap lifter, and can opener. Instead of the awl, my dream knife would have a corkscrew. It would be a Scout Waiter's Knife I suppose. Maybe some day the Scouts will offer a Sommelier merit badge and there will be a demand for my dream knife.

 

[Narragansett]

I love knives but I realize I can’t do them and guns. I would be broke. I do have some near mint WW2 Kabars and a Pat Crawford original leopard. Several 100 year commemorative Schrade lock backs. Plus many autos. The rule for me is must be USA Made

 

[Marshwheeling]

This crazy Russian guy demonstrates one of several ways to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew.
https://youtu.be/DdrsWUpipn4
However, the corkscrew is very handy for picking knots apart.

 

[kwselke]

This crazy Russian guy demonstrates one of several ways to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew.
YouTube
However, the corkscrew is very handy for picking knots apart.

I have some old Chicago Cutlery steak knives that look exactly like the knife he used. When he grabbed the blade to twist with his bare hand I cringed and expected blood letting to commence. He needs to stick to screw-off wine caps and dull knives.

 

[kwselke]

I love knives but I realize I can’t do them and guns. I would be broke. I do have some near mint WW2 Kabars and a Pat Crawford original leopard. Several 100 year commemorative Schrade lock backs. Plus many autos. The rule for me is must be USA Made

Japanese company making knives in the USA with Swedish steel?

USA company making knives in Taiwan with USA made steel?

USA company making knives in the US with imported materials?

German company makes a USA designed knife out of Swedish steel and US made carbon fiber scales. It's assembled and packaged who knows where?

USA made is honorable and desirable, but many times these days it is nothing but a marketing ploy. If a USA manufacturer makes a good product I will have a bias towards it. If they put out junk, I call it junk even if it was 100% USA made junk.

 

[ralph7]

It is different for everybody, I am sure. For me it is usually two or three in the RFP. The Electrician is probably all the knife I need, but I can easily carry a couple more, so I do. The Opinel 6 and Okapi Biltong are both light and do not take much room.

The little Channellocks probably get as much work as all the knives put together.

I'm 66 and never have known anyone that carried Channellocks in their pants on a daily basis. You're either weird or I never got out too much, maybe both, IDK.

 

[series guy]

I'm glad that I don't have a knife addiction. I understand the channel locks. I carry this 4"adjustable everyday. It has saved the day more than once.