pocket knife

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:06 pm

I've carried a swiss army knife most days since I was a teenager, the campign variety with small scissors. I like the tweezers and toothpick

The Wenger make have better scissors, so I usually have those. Victorinox ones have a rather fragile spring which usually gets bent out of shape and becomes a niusance. Victorinox tweezers are better made.

We recently checked that any folding blade under 3" long is legal in the UK, which the Swiss Army Knives are.

N.B. Never lend your Swiss Army knife to anyone, I've had corkscrews broken, knives notched, and the whole kaboosh lost (or stolen) three times in the office in 15 years.

There's a new store opened in New Bond Street recently that only sells Swiss Army Knives, so I'll be taking a look when I'm next in the city centre.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 1:09 pm

Swiss Army Knife "Waiter". (Victorinox. The other brand is not so good.)
Corkscrew, blade, screwdriver/bottle opener/wire-stripper, tweezers, toothpick.

When I was a handyman (worst handyman ever, probably) at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh, this was my constant toolkit. An adjustable wrench, if I was feeling enthusiastic. It helped to sort out 90% of the problems.

Hyldemoer: I am familiar with this superstition of the gift of a knife or scissors affecting a relationship badly. If the recipient of the gift pays a nominal sum (i.e. one penny) to you so that it is a sale, not a gift, the danger is thwarted. It's often done that way in Ireland. Also, you never give the gift of a wallet or purse without putting at least one coin in it. An empty purse is a curse indeed.

Sandy McLeod · Post by **Sandy McLeod** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 2:00 pm

I don't carry a knife on my person but I do have a Swiss Army knife in the fanny pack I always lug around. I used to carry my sailing knife but it raised too many eyebrows. I leave it on the boat now.
Sandy

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 2:02 pm

Yep ... a Shrade Uncle Henry 2" locking blade, in my pocket or belt holster for 20+ years. A great knife. Also a Camillus 2-1/2" multiblade, bought directly from the factory in Camillus, NY in 1975.

Both classic products of the century-old upstate New York knife industry that collapsed in the early part of this decade. Very sad.

I also keep a miniature Leatherman P4 Squirt in my music gig bag. Great for changing strings and minor instrument repairs.

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 4:10 pm

I recently bought a Swiss Army Card. It is like one of the smaller knives in a credit card form factor so I can carry it in my wallet. Mine includes a LED light, a magnifier and a pen, along with some basic tools and a tiny knife. I expect the tiny pen would do almost as well with packing tape.

fel bautista · Post by **fel bautista** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 5:51 pm

I have a swiss army knife in the car, one in my computer bag (so I have one in my work space. It gets removed when I fly) and one in my shave kit when I travel. I check my bags in since I'm hamstrung with a computer bag and something else and I really don't like dragging it through the aisle way.

The swiss army knife has to have a normal blade, a cork screw and flat/philips screw driver as a minimum. Any thing else is gravy.

I haven't flown in 6 months so I'm not sure about the check-in policy of the airlines I usually use.

fruladog · Post by **fruladog** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:14 pm

SOG X-Ray Vision - plain looking handle, mean looking 3.75" blade

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:46 pm

Buck folding 3 blade, since 1972
except for a while in the 1990s when I carried a Swiss Army knife 'cause I needed the screw drivers and cork screw.

Innocent Bystander wrote:Swiss Army Knife "Waiter". (Victorinox. The other brand is not so good.)
Corkscrew, blade, screwdriver/bottle opener/wire-stripper, tweezers, toothpick.

yes that one....although I'd call the Victorinox as not so good (except compared to the other)

Having to buy and maintain a few really good knives for the leather shop I am now wondering how I've put up with the steel in the Buck for this long.

dwinterfield · Post by **dwinterfield** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:42 pm

I always carry a 2.5 inch locking back, walnut handled pocket knife. It says Lakota Falcon in the blade. I'm also a fed and it's never been a process. If I forget my ID and go through the metal detectors, the guards have never said a thing when i put it in the little basket with keys, change and wallet. I've also inadvertently left it in bag as it went through airport scanners. No one ever noticed. That makes me wonder....

Coffee · Post by **Coffee** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:35 pm

dwinterfield wrote:I've also inadvertently left it in bag as it went through airport scanners. No one ever noticed. That makes me wonder....

And yet they noticed my practice chanter... and darn near made me miss my flight.

s1m0n · Post by **s1m0n** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:44 pm

dwinterfield wrote:I've also inadvertently left it in bag as it went through airport scanners. No one ever noticed. That makes me wonder....

The whole no sharp edges in an airplane thing is almost entirely a great big--well, placebo might be a politer term than hoax, but either work.

What made the 911 hijackings work wasn't the box cutters; it was the doctrine, standard until then, that hijackers all want to fly a plane to some airport, land, and then negotiate some set of demands. In that situation, getting the plane onto the tarmack as quickly as possible was obviously the right strategy; on the ground there are far more opportunities for rescue, and everyone is safer.

So, pilots and aircrew were taught not to resist, the same way banks used to (dunno if they still are) have big signs saying "don't play hero!" on the teller's side of the counter. If someone shows up to rob you, give him the money, the exploding ink bundle, and get him out of the bank for the cops to deal with. No one wants a hostage negotiation situation.

But ObL taught us something about hijacking: not everyone wants to negotiate. Now we know that, no one will ever seize control of an airplane again. With or without a nailfile, swiss army knife, or cuticle scissors.

If they try, the passengers & crew will react like those on the fourth 911 plane reacted once they figured out what was up.

gonzo914 · Post by **gonzo914** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:19 pm

I've carried this thing -- Swiss Army Soldier model -- off and on for 20 years, more off now that I can't carry it with me flying. It did, however, ride back and forth in my laptop bag between Houston and Kansas City a couple of times after 9/11 until I remembered it was there. The crack security droids never did find it.

I've also carried this every now and again ever since my grocery store days 40 years age. These are really handy little gizmos, but alas, they are not allowed when flying any more, either.

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Sat Nov 15, 2008 10:31 pm

I was a Federal employee 30+ years. I never carried anything on my person that I couldn't take in to work.

Sadly, I don't have in that kinda time, but I quit carrying a pocket knife for the same reason- couldn't have it on me at work. Up until then, I always had a hawkbill one that my dad gave me when I was a kid. All self respecting mountain gals have a knife.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:34 am

cowtime wrote:All self respecting mountain gals have a knife.

Wow! That's a good thing to know in advance.

djm

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:37 am

djm wrote:
cowtime wrote:All self respecting mountain gals have a knife.
Wow! That's a good thing to know in advance.

djm

Obviously, Some of us are looking for the ones with no self-respect.

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pocket knife

Do you keep a pocket knife with you?