Rule: Always have a knife!

[PALADIN85020]

Like many of you, I suspect, I'm a fan of the TV show "NCIS." I enjoy the characters and respect their usual technical accuracy in things relating to firearms. I suspect they have good advisors. At any rate, their "Rule number ?" is "Always have a knife." That rule has gotten the fictional agents out of many a scrape. The fact that the show is fiction doesn't negate the rule.

I was reminded of this just yesterday. I was exiting a shopping mall when I was called over to a car by a lady who could not release her seat belt in spite of trying for quite a time. She asked me if I had a knife; she wanted to be cut loose. I replied that I did, and I cut her loose. Had she been in an accident, she would have been unable to extricate herself.

So I thought I'd ask - if you carry a knife, what do you carry? and how do you sharpen and maintain it?

I'll start the ball rolling with these two. On the theory that one is none and two is one, I routinely carry these. The larger one is a Benchmade #730, an Elishewitz design. I got it at a discount from Dillon when I was working for them. It's been a very satisfactory general purpose knife, and it holds an edge well. In a pinch, it will do for a self-defense weapon.

The smaller one is a G.I. pocketknife made by Camillus in 1971. It also incorporates a can opener, awl, and screwdriver/bottle opener. Although I use the bottle opener most (a Heineken drinker must have one), the awl and screwdriver have also come in handy from time to time.

For sharpening, I use an old Spyderco/Lansky "Fold-a-V" that I've had for about 20 years. It maintains the proper edge angle easily, and the ceramic stones seem to last forever; I clean them with a rag and scouring powder when I have time and think about it. Here's that rig:

A drop or two of oil on the joints and a wiping with an oiled rag completes the preventive maintenance cycle.

How about you? What's your setup?

John

 

[K.38]

I usually carry a #551 Benchmade I bought in the BX about 10 years ago and for a general carry pocket knife is one of two Swiss Army knives. One is the 05 a military type knife that looks much like our US issue and the other is a slightly bigger Swiss that has the tooth picks and philipps screw driver on it.

When I was in Germany I carried a NATO Swiss Army knife but the Benchmade is much better so I switched to that one.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

A Sears Craftsman "Buck" style folder, plus whatever multitool I am carrying-usually my Leatherman. The usual maintenance-make sure the hinges work smoothly, though both are stainless they get rinsed off after cutting food or fruit, an occasional touch up with a stone and oil.

 

[CW Spook]

My EDC for the past 25-30 years is a Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman, sometimes supplemented with a Spyderco Emerson-wave Endura, a CRKT Pesh Kabz, or a Kershaw Blur.

 

[rocketdog]

Spyderco Ladybug, partially serrated blade, for the small knife. Cold Steel Voyager, tanto point, partially serrated blade, for the medium knife.

 

[venomballistics]

As a young punk I dabbled in bladesmithing which my uncle also took interest in after he saw it was possible and that a then 11 year old could make an effective go of it.
well he blew my doors off rather quickly in the craft so I pretty much left the craft to him. My blades are hand crafted of A2 steel and maintained with an Arkansas stone and a leather strop for the closest shave possible when your having a close shave.

 

[Smith357]

I always have a Swiss Army Soldier in my pocket, and a Swiss Army Alox Classic on my keychain. I keep them sharp with Arkansas stones. Having a sharp blade is important, but having the other tools is icing on the cake.

 

[tyusclan]

Always have a bone-handled, SS Case Trapper in my pocket, and usually also have a Gerber Diesel Multi-Plier on my belt.

I keep a pocket sharpener in my pocket as well, and also use everything from an oil stone to ceramic rods, to diamond steels, depending on how dull the knife is, and what I'm wanting to do with it.

 

[beaverislander]

I have an Emerson CQC-8

I like it.

 

[Texas Star]

I write for cutlery magazines, and try a number of knives. In fact, I am now negotiating with an editor for a revision of my article, "The Perfect Pocketknife", which appeared in Knife World many years ago. He wants some newer brands included that I need to research.

Succintly, I have one model or another of Swiss Army knife in my pocket, most often a Spartan from Victorinox. Every time I carry a Trapper or Stockman pattern, I need a tool on the SAK.

On my belt, I have a larger lockblade design. Because I am a little concerned about how some cops might view my Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn examples, I've leaned toward a Benchmade Model 710. I have a Victorinox SwissChamp in a fine leather SOS Kit in my briefcase. At one time or another, I've used every tool on it! And I have a BuckTool in the glove compartment, mainly for when I need stronger pliers.

I've carried a knife ever since Cub Scout days, unless in a prohibited zone. (I detest flying and jury duty!)

You never know when you'll need a knife. My son had to use his Benchmade folder with a tanto point when he was ambushed by a big coydog a few months ago, in a semi-rural area. Had he not been able to flick that knife open one-handed, this story may have had a very tragic ending. As it was, he probably fatally stabbed the canid, which ran off yelping. It was dark, and the anmal was never found. Geoff had some deep scratches and some on an expensive leather coat that protected him. But he recovered, after scaring his wife half out of her wits when she saw the blood on him. Thankfully, most of that was coyote-dog blood.

It'd have been a real shame for him to have been killed by a wild mutt after surviving three combat tours in Iraq!

i have also had to draw a knife defensively several times, but think I won't discuss that here, other than to say that it had enough impact on some miscreants and on three dogs that I didn't have to use it. But if I hadn't had a knife, I would probably not be writing this.

Then, there are other emergencies: I've used the corkscrew on SAK's and on lockblade German hunting knives when no one had a regular corkscrew and wine was being served. People tend to forget corkscrews on picnics, in particular.

And I've used the screwdrivers on various SAK's, too.

I always carry a knife, a pen, a notepad, and matches. Be Prepared. I think some well known organization has that as a motto.
May be the Girl Guides, but I think it's the Boy Sprouts?

T-Star
P.S. I usually just touch up an edge with a ceramic hone, but have Arkansas hones. If a blade is really dull, it goes to a knife shop in a mall where the owner uses a belt sander and a diamond hone. This is a very special shop: don't trust all such mall stores! And I was so irritated with the factory edges on Applegate-Fairbairn folders that I had them reprofiled by a custom knifemaker. (He normally doesn't do that for customers, so I'd better not mention his name.) If you live in Dallas, try the cutlery shop in Willow Bend mall for those sharpenings mentioned.

Did any of you read my article on the fellow from Vancouver Island who had to kill an attacking cougar with a Schrade lookalike for the Buck Model 110? He also appeared on the Discovery Channel in a discussion of the increasing number of cougar encounters.

 

[doublesharp]

I've always got one or two on me, often 3 if you count the keychain swiss army knife. I guess I'm a snob but I've always thought a little less of a man that didn't carry a knife. I've got several sharpening devices but normally use a diamond stick and steel to touch it up.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Girl Guides ?-sounds very Canadian. Both the BSA and the GSUSA use "Be Prepared" as their motto.
I use my multitool more than my knife-the smallest screwdriver blade is just right for reinstalling an eyeglass frame screw, while the pliers blade has pulled many a fragment of a broken staple from a stapler, and the can opener has performed yeoman service on many occasions.

 

[Snapping Twig]

I carry two. One is the general purpose/defense version. Thankfully I have never used it for SD, but many times in bad neighborhoods and at night I have my hand on it as I pass potential BG's. Mostly I use it to open packages or utility.

The second one is for food and grooming. I use it to cut fruit, harvest vegetables I grow and the sissors and toothpick are invaluable. It's a Victorinox Ambassador, similar to the companion model, but a bit larger - enough to be useful.

I use a Lansky system or a Wustoff sharpener. They are both razor sharp.

 

[mod34]

I either cary a little Protech Stinger, my Mel Pardue Benchmade 5500 or a little custom necklace carry (whose maker I currently cannot recall)

 

[Etemmu]

While at work it's a Kershaw Chive or Benchmade Crawford Leopard. Butterfly when fishing. Everywhere else it's a mix of Benchmade and Microtech- depends on where I'm going. I use Arkansas and DMT's to keep 'em sharp. Need to get a leather strop. And some autos

 

[Trooperdan]

I have an old and treasured Buck, model 422 "Bucklite when I don't have my Buck custom 110 on my belt.

 

[bitstream]

My EDC for most of my various cutting tasks. It's crazy sharp and holds an edge quite well. Kershaw composite (Onion designed)

The other is my spyderco Endura 4 that is a little bigger and is more for SD.

 

[H Richard]

I carry a Kershaw Leek, flat black, and a Victorinox gentleman's knife. In my car there is also a Victorinox multi-blade camper knife and a single blade lockback. I still use a stone, then a razor hone. The Kershaw holds an edge as long or longer than any knife I have ever had.
Only picture I had currently.

 

[Texas Star]

Girl Guides ?-sounds very Canadian. Both the BSA and the GSUSA use "Be Prepared" as their motto.
I use my multitool more than my knife-the smallest screwdriver blade is just right for reinstalling an eyeglass frame screw, while the pliers blade has pulled many a fragment of a broken staple from a stapler, and the can opener has performed yeoman service on many occasions.

Oh, I know. I was trying to be funny. I often fall on my face when I do that...

The Girl Guides may well also be in Canada, but I had the British ones in mind. I think the Be Prepared motto originated with Lord Baden-Powell, who founded Scouting soon after the Second Boer War. Ironically, in South Africa, the Boers soon had their equivalent Voortrekker Scouts

I shudder to think which knives UK scouts may be allowed today, though. The nanny state has probably decreed them a prohibited item. Don't know about modern US Scouts. Anyone know? Probably varies by region.

When I was a Cub, I carried an Official pocketknife probably made by Camillus and an Anton Wingen (Solingen) hunting knife in the Bavarian style. The sheath knife was only for actual camping, not den meetings and the like.

I still have a really nice Case brand Scout knife, but seldom carry it, as the SAK's are so much lighter in a pocket. And they have more tools.

T-Star

 

[tops]

I have carried a Buck Stockman for over 45 years and it does everything I want a pocket knife to do. On my second one. I used Arkanas stones for years but now I have gone modern and use DMT Diamond stones. For belt knives I have a 118 and a 120 Buck. Larry