Woody wrote:
I like Ken Onion Kershaws .
I've amassed quite a collection of Ken Onion Kershaw knives at this point. The one I carry on a regular basis is the Baby Boa because with all the bending and squatting I do (as well as occasionally falling through or off something) its unobtrusive. I'm also the guy that locks his car keys and wallet in his toolbox because I hate feeling them in my pants.
They're pretty pricey for the size though
Small and is really all you need 90% of the time, unless you're trying to cut through something really deep.
I've been sorely tempted by the Kershaw Echelon lately though.
I keep a steak knife in the basement and one in the car. It'll cut wire, zip ties, all that hard plastic E36 M3 they package stuff in nowadays, even 1 X 2...or probably bone in a jam. Probably not as good as those listed for sticking somebody in the chest, but slashing is way more effective anyway. I've had a couple good knives and I always lose them. I bought ANOTHER leatherman a few months ago on vacation, and I have no clue where it is.
*edit: Please don't tell my wife where all the steak knives are.
Conquest351 wrote:
Kershaw. Plain and simple.
Agreed. rather a large fan of them
alex
UltraDork
11/20/12 7:48 p.m.
Another vote for a CKRT M16 tanto variant. I still have the first one I bought 10 years ago, and I EDC the updated model (which has a little cutout in the grip for the blade lock - makes all the difference) in my boot. It only lost it's back pocket status to the Leatherman Skeletool, but since I started wearing pull-on boots at the same time, I didn't have to fully neglect the CKRT.
I also had their big boy M16 for a while, which I bought off the Snap-On truck at the motorcycle shop, because it was 0% financing so why not? Lost it on a test ride. I was sad for a week. (I also lost my flex head 1/4" Snappy ratchet, the long extension and 10mm socket on another test ride. Couldn't afford to not replace that combination of tools, though.)
Tough blade, stays sharp, super easy to open and close one handed, breaks down to clean your pocket (or in my case sock) lint out of it. Highly recommended.
Spyderco Delica and Endura win my dollars for a general everyday knife.
In country I carry a Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn Folder since they don't let Department of the Army Civilians carry their own M4s unless E36 M3 hits the fan. However with a 4.25 length blade, Po-po may not approve.
My daily driver is a SOG Trident with tigerstripe blade. Bought at Ranger Joe's on my way thru Bragg. Good coffee.
Hal
Dork
11/20/12 8:39 p.m.
I have been carrying an SOG Flash-I for ~10 years. Nothing fancy but it holds an edge very well. The one-hand operation is very nice and easy to do.
I love my Opinel. They are cheap, rugged and sharp as hell. They are made of wood and carbon steel. I find that stainless is a pain to get truly razor sharp and once there; a pain to stay there. Maybe more expensive or exotic stainless steels are better (read as: I'm too cheap to buy a 'spensive knife)..
http://www.opinel-usa.com/
I think my last one cost me $5 at a kitchen supply store.
If you want to go all bushcraft, get a Mora knife. They are cheap useful and sharp
My knives aren't tacticool, but you can shave with them.
BARNCA
Dork
11/20/12 8:52 p.m.
i also have a real k bar.
My current EDC
M-tech MT-1238. Small (2" blade), simple, stainless folder with a liner lock and it's very easy to open and close one handed. Have a couple of spares for when I eventually lose it. First one lasted about 2.5 years before I lost it. Paid $8 or $10 for the first two at Wally World. Got the next couple at the gun show for $8 each.
When I wore a tree-suit I carried a Bucklite folder with a 3.75" blade and a P-38. That was before the multi-tools became popular.
I will just echo the Kershaw and Spyderco suggestions. I carry a Spyderco for work and a Kershaw Ken Onion in the evening. Love them both for different reasons. The Ken Onion is simply elegant in it's design and function. The Syderco is like a Clydsdale it just keeps going no matter what I throw at it.
Kershaw Tanto Blur. This is the nice one my father carried in Iraq as a DOD civilian.
My most-used tool on my knife, aside from the blade, is the bottle opener. I carry a cheap Swiss Army knife around daily, but I would prefer something with a locking blade and a bottle opener along the spine (so that I wouldn't have to open it up).
Apparently there are two very different reasons to carry a knife! It had never occurred to me that I might need to stab someone, maybe I'll sharpen up my WWI German bayonet and strap it to my leg I use mine to cut wire, open boxes and the like.
Opinel knives are everywhere in France. I've got a collection of them that I picked up when I lived there, usually at various markets. I find I don't carry them regularly as they're a bit bulky, but I like to stash them in cars and toolboxes and bags.
JoeyM
UltimaDork
11/21/12 6:58 a.m.
Keith Tanner wrote:
Apparently there are two very different reasons to carry a knife! It had never occurred to me that I might need to stab someone,
Hopefully none of us will ever have that need.
If you are of the concealed carrying persuasion, though, you probably have considered carrying a knife as well as a sidearm. Sometimes you need to leave the gun behind because you enter an area designated as a gun free zone.
rotard
Dork
11/21/12 7:41 a.m.
Slashing is nowhere near as effective as stabbing, unless you can do some anime-style swipes.
EricM
SuperDork
11/21/12 7:54 a.m.
Tekna. The greatest single piece of metal ever handed to me.
I carried a large Gerber in my left pocket for years. It's the only knife I've ever had that put up with the pure abuse I dish out. I used it mainly for digging...that's right ...digging. I would open it up and take a hammer, beat it into the clay and then pry it out. That's the only knife I never broke or tore up. I lost it and have been replacing it with cheap locking folders since some last a week some last one hour.
I also carry a three blade stockman style Case and a Swiss Army fisherman in my right pocket. I frequntly have a folding locking razor knife from lowes as well.
It was funny the other day when I had to go take a drug test for work. Nurse said empty my pockets and I prodeeded to pull out five knives lol.
Ian F
PowerDork
11/21/12 8:27 a.m.
I carry a SA knife and/or a folding utility knife.
EricM wrote:
Tekna. The greatest single piece of metal ever handed to me.
I saw them in the display case at a dive shop... $250!!!
I had never heard of them before but I'm not a diver, I was there with my buddy who was filling his tanks. Everything else in the place seemed to be Ferrari priced too so maybe it was just that.
Duke
PowerDork
11/21/12 8:49 a.m.
Keith Tanner wrote:
Opinel knives are everywhere in France. I've got a collection of them that I picked up when I lived there, usually at various markets. I find I don't carry them regularly as they're a bit bulky, but I like to stash them in cars and toolboxes and bags.
Yeah, I have a couple Opinels stashed in various toolboxes.
I carry these - they are useful for opening canned goods, letters and occasionally dispatching the children of satan.