This is a knife:
The social emasculation of men has given us Sweden and Norway, yes they were once Vikings!
I’ve carried a decent knife, typically a Spyderco Delica, clipped to my pocket for about 20 years. Before then I usually carried a small Swiss Army knife suitable for opening a box or cleaning your fingernails, but not much else. Then the pocket folder impinged on my consciousness, and I realized it expanded my concealed carry game, and I’ve been there ever since.
If I deploy it, typically to open a box, and horrified blissninnies ask WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT!? I answer “I have Amazon Prime” and that mollifies them.
At this point, I feel naked without it. Hate it when we do a weekend trip with carryon luggage only, and I don’t have one with me. That missing piece of kit really bugs me.
I’ve carried an old Buck tool for the last 25 years. Made in America. Won’t leave home without it.
I always carry 2: one a leather-man tool with razor sharp blade and pliers, the other an NRA folder wooden scales stainless , brass lined with a 4 inch blade, also razor sharp.
They are indispensable on our farm.
If you are looking for decent work knives at fair prices I recommend three sites:
1) Smoky Mountain Knife works: https://www.smkw.com/
2) BudK: http://www.budk.com
3) Atlanta Cutlery: https://www.atlantacutlery.com/
It is getting a bit salty looking now, as is its owner.
Mr. niteowl77
I have a Smith & Wesson M&P (assisted opening) which used be illegal in NY as it was considered a ‘switchblade’ a 3.5” partially serrated blade, I keep it VERY sharp and I don’t go anywhere without it.
Is it a weapon? It could do lots of damage, but I only use it as a tool...
I stopped carrying after 9/11 because I didn’t want to forget to leave it at home while flying.
But flying became such a royal pita, that I purposely have chosen jobs that don’t require it. With rare exceptions, if I can’t drive, I don’t go.
Now I carry daily and it’s a rare day when I don’t use it at least once, usually to open a box or some stupid packaging.
My wife got me a little locking Kershaw. It’s small enough that it doesn’t scare the meek, but I can do plenty with it. If it’s not big enough, I probably ought to get a better tool than a pocket knife anyway.
I forget my phone a lot, but never my knife. Or gun.
Had it for ages - almost lost it to TSA a few years back. Left it in my laptop bag - agent found it and told me to hurry back out while he called the baggage guys and had them pull my checked bag for me so I could toss it in then come back through.
So there are actually a few good TSA folk.
I have long said that the most reliable way to distinguish humans from baboons is that a human always carries a knife and a way to make fire.
Ping.
Every day, two spyderco harpies, one spear point fixed blade, a gerber tool, electricians scissors, marlin spike, and a small adjustable wrench.
I catch plenty of crap from people, but who the first they go to with “hey, you gotta knife?”
My response is usually, “yes, why don’t you?”
For the record I’m a machinist and yes I work with my hands., and I had plenty of knives taken from me in good old catholic schools, when I was a youngster, usually because some weiner saw me using it for a proper purpose and ratted me out to the teacher.
Nowadays I keep a little CRKT knife on me at all times, Leatherman when I'm working, and a big Uncle Henry SHRADE when hunting and or camping. The little CRKT gets the most action doing things like opening packages of other tools or hardware, batteries, or the occasional prepackaged food item. It's also useful for making a little air hole on the other side of the drink hole in your general store to-go coffee.
I’ve carried a pocket knife pretty much every day for the last 50 years or so (couldn’t have it in boot camp, though; they took all that stuff away from us, but we got them back when we got out of boot). My current pocket knife is a two-blade, couple gadget Swiss Army knife, which I’ve had for about ten years now.
I have a box filled with pocket knives that I’ve acquired over the years, in varying shapes and sizes and quality. Habit, I guess.
I’d feel naked without a pocket knife.
I also carry, on my belt, a 3” Buck knife and a Leatherman, each in its own scabbard.
Not a day goes by that I don’t use at least one of these tools for some task or eventuality.
I’ve always been handy with my hands, and do all my own carpentry, most of my own plumbing, and most of my small electrical work. I have a well-stocked and supplied workshop in my garage, and I spend lots of time in there, just tinkering. I love it. It is one of my sanctuaries.
For many years I kept a small extremely sharp Barlow in a front pocket. Used it for everything including gutting deer. Lost in in a field while rabbit hunting. Picked up a new one at a gun show but it never felt the same. Gave it to my youngest son.
Started toting a leatherman. I keep the current ‘wave’ model’s primary blade, very sharp. It does so many things, I don’t know how I got along without it.
On 9/11/01 I was out of the country. I carried a commemorative 75th anniversary Boy Scout knife and I could not get it or me back into the country days later unless I got rid of it. I could not even put it in checked luggage or visibly throw it away (pain). I had to write and sign a release to give it away before I was allowed to board a plane to return to the US. Insane snowflake alert.
Growing up we played stretch and chew the peg all day long then hit the farmers field to carve up some cucumbers and sweet potatoes to hold us over until dinner.
My grandpa’s CaseXX in my pocket daily. Buck Lite in the work truck and another 100 or so in a box. Mostly Case, but also various other brands.
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