Survey: Pocket Knives

[MTGuru]

So what's your favorite pocket or purse cutlery?

"Traditional" here means e.g. Schrade, Buck etc., while "Modern" means more hi-tech or tactical like Gerber, Spyderco etc.

If you carry a diamond encrusted spork, we don't want to know.

And once again, the last option can be considered the equivalent of "None".

[Nanohedron]

I don't carry one, but I have a few traditional pocket knives sitting around the apartment. I shall consider my vote later.

[MTGuru]

Fair nuff.

I own at least one of each of the survey choices, and for years I carried my original Schrade "Uncle Buck" small lock-blade everywhere and always. Made in the heart of America's now sadly vanished cutlery industry in upstate New York.

Then a few years ago I decided to try carrying a little Swiss Army Classic SD instead. And while it's less of a knife, the functionality is unbeatable for me. Knife blade, file, screwdriver, scissors, tweezers and pick in a 2-inch 21g (< 1oz) package. And I use them all, all the time. If they'd only inscribe a measuring rule on the unused backside of the file blade, it would be even closer to ideal.

The last I looked the SA Classic SD was near the top of the list of most-confiscated TSA items (airport security), because it's so easy to forget you have it. Otherwise, the blade is small enough to be legal in just about any US jurisdiction where pocket knives are allowed.

I remember that in grade school back in the 60s, one of our favorite recess activities was to play mumbly-peg and other knife games with the pocket knives we all carried in school. The teachers even encouraged it as a fun pastime instead of running amok on the playground. And somehow we managed not to maim ourselves, threaten mass terror, or grow up to be Jack the Ripper. O tempora, O mores ...

[ytliek]

Thank goodness my guns & knives acquisition disorder has fizzled. Yes, the traditional pocket knife is carried daily (rarely used), forgotten about, and primarily used to weigh down the inside pocket from twisting or folding around inside the pants annoyingly. Pocket knife, keys, medical bracelet all in the same pocket. And yes, I possess each of the blade runners surveyed and then some. Different situations demand level specific preparedness. For some people... the tongue can be deadly.

So a couple years ago a friend of mine and I are going to see the Dali Lama in Danbury at WCSU. My friend purchases the two tickets online and sends me the link in order to read the exhaustive "Can Not Do" list while attending the Dali's visit. The restrictions were severe, no weapons, no alcohol, no drugs, etc., and we are delighted and excited to be attending such enlightenment services. Security was from all services and all levels of homeland.

So we arrive to find parking and it was quite a hike to the auditorium and with only a few minutes to spare. The check-point personnel are strict and about to do full body cavity searches on anyone entering the facility. I have completely forgotten about the nat sticker in my pocket while at the check-point, empty the pockets and realize my unintentional mistake. My friend had gone thru another check-point desk, and went into the auditorium (thinking I at his heels) and with both our tickets in his pocket. He's inside while I'm outside pleading to the gatekeepers its a harmless mistake, and the hike back to the car is quite a long haul at my age and the hilly terrain, and with the speech about to begin.

The body search check-point people finally allow me to pass, but, as I proceed to the next ticket check point (auditorium) entrance, I do not have a ticket in hand, I can't look inside as entranceway is partitioned off. I plead my case and I'm not sure where my friend is so I'm waiting in the foyer area. Its crowded and people are scurrying to enter. Finally, my friend relizes he has my ticket and comes outside to find me. We both enter.

The Dali comes out, brief hello, and he sits center stage in a massive honorable chair. Our seats are front row left end of stage facing stage. After the chanting and welcome introductions by Richard Gere, dignitaries, fellow enlightened brothers, etc., the Dali is coming over to his right end of stage to use the podium in fron of us. I'm sitting ten feet from the Dali packing the two 'n a quarter incher and never even gave it a thought. All I could think of was Indiana Jones, you brought a knife to a gunfight?...

This is the honorable Kershaw "smart" knife during the Dali's visit. I mean enlightened blade sticker. All I could think of was Indiana Jones, you brought a knife to a gunfight?...


I never remember I'm carrying the pocket knife until I'm attempting to go thru a metal detector.

[MTGuru]

This is the honorable Kershaw "smart" knife

Just don't get those two things sitting on your keyboard mixed up, or you'll 1. Have some real trouble cleaning your fingernails, and 2) Give an entirely new meaning to the terms "fipple blade" and "sharp fingering".

The only time I ever forgot was once when reporting for federal jury duty. The security guy was very sympathetic but had no place for safekeeping of disallowed items. So a three block mad dash back to my car ensued, in order not to miss the roll call.

[walrii]

I remember that in grade school back in the 60s, one of our favorite recess activities was to play mumbly-peg and other knife games with the pocket knives we all carried in school. The teachers even encouraged it as a fun pastime instead of running amok on the playground. And somehow we managed not to maim ourselves, threaten mass terror, or grow up to be Jack the Ripper. O tempora, O mores ...

When I was in high school in the sixties, my history teacher needed to open a box of books and asked if anyone in the class had a pocket knife. I handed her my Buck. She admonished the rest if the boys in the class that "You should always carry a knife because we women can't and we are depending on you to have one when we need to cut something." Times do change.

I've always had a knife in my pocket, usually a Buck. I carry a small modern lock blade these days only because I lost a knife to the TSA on a trip and grabbed the first one I found when I got to my destination. It was a no-name cheapie but has an excellent blade so I've kept it for seven or eight years now.

[Sirchronique]

I carry a Gerber multi-tool with me daily, so I selected "multitool". I have two which I was given when I was around 8 years old. I run into a lot of issues at work where I need to cut through boxes or tape, and the other tools on it also come in handy when fixing various minor machine issues which the screwdriver and pliers come in handy for.

[oregonden]

When the Leathermans with their belt pouch came out I bought one and carried it about a week. Too cumbersome to me and put it in the desk drawer. My everyday knife is a 3 inch folding Schrade stainless made in Ireland which has served me well for over a dozen years.

[I.D.10-t]

nat sticker

My better half dislikes it when I refer to a knife as a "sticker".


For the poll, whatever is in my left pocket that cuts. It is a Vicktorinox at this time.

[Brus]

When I was in high school in the sixties, my history teacher needed to open a box of books and asked if anyone in the class had a pocket knife. I handed her my Buck. She admonished the rest if the boys in the class that "You should always carry a knife because we women can't and we are depending on you to have one when we need to cut something." Times do change.

1) Yeah, boys typically carried pocket knives when I was in school. And I'm younger than you if you were in HS in the sixties.

2) Why can't women carry them? At least back then women carried purses. No reason a knife can't go into a purse.

3) It isn't times that change, it's people. And too often for the worse.

[chas]

I voted Swiss Army Knife, but it was difficult to vote for just one. I have two SAKs, two Leathermans, and another that's kind of in-between. I carry the Swiss probably 9 months a year, so I voted that. But these days, when I get up in the dark when my wife is still sleeping, I use a little cheapo combo thing that has a really nice flashlight.

My primary knife is a Swiss Army Knife with long and short blades, flat-blade screwdriver/bottle opener, small screwdriver/can opener, corkscrew, awl/reamer, jeweler's screwdriver, and the usual stuff as well as a flashlight that's never worked quite properly. I'm really surprised that Victorinox would put out a product that's so poorly designed. I have bigger one that has a saw, which I carry some in the winter -- used it just last week to trim the bottom branches from the Christmas tree.

To me, being without some sort of multitool is like being without a timer on my watch.

[Loren]

I used to carry a knife primarily for utility, unfortunately now it's primarily for defense. As such I typically carry a the SOG Aegis because it's an assisted opening folder that is light, reliable with a strong lock-up, is relatively inexpensive and is the legal size limit where I live - which hardly adequate for defense, but that's another topic entirely. I also like the fact that it has a blade profile that works well for the types of utility tasks I find myself running across now and then.

My alternate pocket knife is a Spyderco "J.D. Smith". Very cool knife and wicked sharp, but it's a limited edition piece and I'd be bummed to loose it, so I don't carry it as often. I travel on public transportation a lot and we have random "security checks" where the cops show up at the subway stations in the Boston area and start searching people at random - you get waved over and they search your bags or you don't get to enter the subway station. If they find anything they don't like, they take it and/or turn you away, or worse. I've never had problems, never even been waved over for a search even though I almost always have a large messenger bag or backpack, but I've seen it happen. Don't want to lose the J.D. Smith that way. It's not illegal but it is kinda scary looking and I have little doubt it would cause me problems under those circumstances, and likely be confiscated. The SOG I wouldn't mind losing as much.

[mutepointe]

My 4 brothers and I were not allowed to carry pocket knives as children and seeing how I almost cut off my thumb carving my Pinewood Derby car, we didn't have much of a case to changing our Parents' minds. We were however encouraged to cook (our Mom was not a fan of cooking) from the time we were in grade school. A steak knife was my go to knife.

My Father-in-Law gave me my first pocket knife and it didn't help any when I was pleased as all get out and said that I was never allowed to carry a pocket knife. I just got back from being the cook at his Deer Camp.

I live in West Virginia were everyone carries a Swiss Army Knife or a Leatherman and I used to have one on my keychain. Then schools started that zero tolerance policy and when I would do school visits as a social worker, teachers and administrators would point out to me that I was carrying a weapon and could be banned from the school, so I quit carrying one on my keychain.

Now I have pocket knives of some sort tucked all over the place, drawers, computer bags, luggage, somewhere in my car, my whistle bag, coolers, fishing vest, and toiletries bag. If I don't have a knife on me when I need one, I'm sure someone in my vicinity will have one and probably offer to do the necessary cutting. So I chose "Other" for "Other people's knives".

[maki]

I inherited a pocket knife from my dad last year.
It sorta a pocket machete...

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://cold ... 8g5pV1eZIQ

[Feadoggie]

Depends on the circumstances really. I usually have some form of a blade in my pocket though. I carried a Swiss army knife to work everyday until the Leatherman came out. The Leatherman Micro is probably the tool you would find in my pocket most frequently. But if I am going into the woods I'll carry something like a Buck Hunter or sometimes a Gerber. Bike rides necessitate a Topeak Alien. Kayaking would be a stainless and delrin folder. And so it goes.

How does one get by with just one choice in this poll?

Feadoggie