I discovered the Smith and Wesson
M.A.G.I.C Assist. Had a couple, lost one still have the other. They come in a veritity of sizes and blade styles. Tough knifes but I have not seen one I would hammer on to split wood. A true one-hand-open even with Neo gloves on.
I’m old school,
for EDC, EDD, (every darn day), I still like the Swiss Army knives by Victorinox.
And I use it EDD. I’m not sure how old it is, or which model, but it’s been with me longer than two decades.
My preferance is the slim design without the scissors, saw, et al.
A useful thing, but not very glamorous.
T
Particulars
would help.
There are so many variables that it would be nearly impossible to recommend one over another without knowing your personal attributes and preferences, not the least of which might be price range.
Size and strength of hands?
Anticipated application and frequency?
Importance of edge retention and ability/willingness to properly sharpen?
Size/weight you might consider?
Glenn, this almost sounds like one of those “which paddle is best for me?” posts.
Clarifying topic: what would YOU use?
Tktoo’s right. This is worse than “what paddle” if we interpet the topic as being you trying to figure out what’s best for me.
So what I’m asking, and what would be informative to me and others, is what folder each of you use, or what would you use if you got another folder, and why.
Thanks for those who’ve participated and provided links.
I lost a fairly new CKRT Yeago folder in the Dacks recently, which had about a 3.1" blade at 4.5 oz, but I didn’t really like the type of spring assist it used. It was too hard on my thumb. It was a decent size, maybe a mite heavy, and I do like the idea of the assisted opening if implemented nicely.
Swiss Army One Hand Trekker
My current knife of choice both for camping and everyday is the Swiss Army One Hand Trekker with a serrated blade. Easy to open with one hand and can be closed one handed using your thigh. The blade and flathead driver/can opener both lock. It has enough extra tools to make it useful as a multi-tool but not so many it becomes too fat and hard to handle. I always like to have a small wood saw and the size of this one makes it more useful then the standard Swiss Army knife. Overall, it feels good and secure in my hand.
If I was buying new I would probably get the Forester One Hand version mainly as it comes in red, instead of black, and replaces the Phillips head with a corkscrew. It always seems like I need a corkscrew when I don’t have one and the flat head driver blades are usually good enough for screwing.
For the past 10 years
– Last Updated: Aug-19-12 9:33 AM EST –
for camping and EDWAF (Every Day Work Around the Farm)
Finely made, tough little folder that's taken a lot beating. I don't like the feel of a knife attached to my belt and like having a pocket clip:
Beretta Airlight - made in Japan by Seki
Orange Zytel handles with Beretta inlay shield
Drop point blade, 30% Serrated
Silver Clip on back
7 1/2" total open length
3 1/4" Blade length
4 1/4" closed length
Solid Blade
Used to carry
the Buck 110 “folding hunter” all the time. Comes with a belt case. I think its a pretty good, well made knife, though there may be better that I don’t know of. The hinge is solid, and it can be easily opened one-handed once its broken is a bit. It locks firmly, holds an edge pretty well. Heavy enough so you can drive small finishing nails with the butt. I quit carrying it when I noticed folks around looking at me like I was wearing a side arm or something. Switched to a small Swiss army knife. I still carry the 110 it in my day pack.
Swiss Army Tinkerer
2 blades, 3 screwdrivers, can opener, awl and the all important tweezers. The folding river knife in my pfd will last forever because when I need to use a knife, my Swiss Army knife is the one that gets used.
Apologies if I’ve misenterpreted.
I guess I’m half-heartedly looking, too.
I have a Gerber Blackie Collins fixed on my PFD that I’ve never once used. I used to sometimes carry an old Boker B007 auto, but it’s clunky and not a great knife. Probably my best and most oft used EDC is an all-stainless Gerber Silver Knight that is on my key ring. I’ve had it forever and it is a great little knife.
Anyway, I’m curious to see what you stir up with this thread as I am with all of yours.
Something to ponder in the meantime:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0105h2aUxRA
Look for a pre-buyout
Lone Wolf Knives Harsey T2 Ranger. Built like tanks, the right size to be useful as a tool but still EDC. I prefer plain edge. They are going for sky high prices on eBay right now, but a local shop may still have one for the original street price.
Lone Wolf was bought out by Benchmade and the brand re-purposed to sell pedestrian knives geared towards hunters.
Forgot to mention…
I carry folders like this with the blade tip down. I had one set up for tip-up carry once, and it had a habit of opening partially when I was wearing it - which I deemed a safety hazard. Besides - a good one-hander carried tip-down puts the thumb-stud right where you need it for easy opening (at the right time). Another reason I like the M-16 style knives is the finger lever on the back. It gives you another option for easy opening without resorting to any complicated, fragile, or expensive mechanism.
more than one
pocket knife is what you need. As long as I’m wearing pants and not going to board a plane, I’ve got a pocket knife with me.
For work (office - now) its a nice slim single blade Case - 3" blade, 4" overall. A great blade for whacking bananas in half - mainly, its fairly inconspicuous, light, and “works” even when I used to wear a suit. Its my only single blade that isn’t a lockback.
For the rest of the time, its usually a heavier bladed single blade lockback from Case - about the same 3" blade.
For hunting (along wiht a fixed blade) I carry my rabbit knife - a Schrade lockback - 3" fine thin blade that works great for rabbits or turkeys
For Canoe camping, and backpacking, I find a 3 blade folding knife to be handy enough that I don’t mind the bit of extra weight, one regular blade, a shortie as an extrra edge, and a sheeps foot serrated blade - all 3 will see use on a camping trip.
Have lots of others of course - I like knives. For canoeing day trips, and overnights, I often bring a larger 4" folder lockback - a cheapo ss “Coast Cutlery” that surprisingly holds a good edge.
Knives are cheap enough that “the Right tool for the job” is easy enough to acquire and store.
I prefer carbon steel over stainless, and I don’t like the little knobs they put on knives nowadays, to help you open the knife - I can flick open most all of my knifes with one hand without those silly little knobs.
types of use
It would help if you provided more information on what specific tasks you would like the knife to accomplish, especially for the EDC part of the question. EDC use can vary from opening envelopes and cutting up apples to opening feed bags, cutting the twine off of hay bales, skinning and butchering animals, or pruning trees.
Gerber mini Para
– Last Updated: Aug-20-12 8:30 PM EST –
I use the Gerber mini Paraframe.
One can get it with a serrated edge: http://www.gerbergear.com/Essentials/Knives/Paraframe-Mini-Knife_22-48484
Or a fine edge: http://www.gerbergear.com/Essentials/Knives/Paraframe-Mini-Knife_22-48485
You won't be hacking a tree down, splitting logs, or taking on a bear with this, but it gets the job done for me.
It only weighs 1.4oz. No thumb studs. And one can remove the clip to save more weight. It does need to be sharpened from time to time.
opinel
Really simple, locks tight unfolded, locks in folded position also, very light, easy to wash, can get stainless -which I have - or carbon. Variety of sizes for different hands. I’ve had mine for 10 + years carry it in my pocket and it’s so light I don’t notice it. Like the wood handle.
yes.
the Buck 110 “folding hunter” is what I carry on all my outings.
For camping and edc folding knife, you can try kubey camping folding knife. It use 8cr14mov stainless steel blade and g10 scales handle. You can have a try.
Another (5 year old) zombie thread.
But I’ll throw in my two cents for any of the Spyderco Salt series.
I’ve been using a folding utility (razor) knife for the last few years. In addition to my pocket knife; because I got tired of dulling my pocket knife by cutting boxes, cable ties, etc.
I use the folding razor knife 99% of the time. I just change blades when it dulls.
The main drawback is that the blades rust when wet, so not great for wet activity.
My father always had a pocket knife as long as he had his pants on. An Old Timer I think. Always kept it sharp to the point where the center of the primary blade was worn away.
Used for: Cleaning finger nails, peeling oranges, cutting apples, opening cans, removing ingrown toenails(mine), cutting meat, removing splinters and other foriegn objects from hands and feet, cleaning squirrels that we ate, carving sticks, cutting rope and many uses I’ve forgotten.
Never did see him clean the blade except when he sharpened it.