Anyone EDC Only a SAK?

this_is_nascar

this_is_nascar

Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
735
As I get older, I find myself less and less willing to carry a dedicated folder. There are millions of people that go about and live their lives perfectly fine, without ever having a SAK or blade on their person. I was wondering if there's anyone here who only carries a SAK as their form of having an EDC blade.

I know there are thousands of people that EDC a folder and have the SAK as a backup, etc, but I'm really interested in those who only EDC a SAK.
 
More and more, as I got older I gravitated more and more to SAK's and small Leatherman tools. I feel the need for a dedicated knife less and less, and since our arrival in Texas on the 2d of November, a SAK or Leatherman Squirt has been my edc. A Vic tinker that I came into under slightly weird circumstances has been very strongly in the mix. MOst of my other knives have been sitting in a pouch in a drawer unused.

Settling up a house and moving in, there's been all kinds of work to be done, and having a screw driver on hand is great. A knife blade was needed for un-packing all those boxes that were sealed with plastic packing tape, and such. We've been in Texas now for all of November, December, January, and February, and most of March. I can't recall the last time I carried a dedicated knife, but my SAK's and Leatheman have been used every single day. The sole exception has been a small Remington peanut that was a gift from a friend. This move from Maryland to Texas has been a major sea change for me in many ways.
 
Last edited:
Yes, sometimes I'll carry only a SAK, usually a Wegner Model 16. (Victorinox has a model 16, as well) I'll have scissors, a decent sized blade, a nail file, a screwdriver and a bottle opener. This works well for me as an EDC, and this is my choice for all of those "What if you only had one knife forever, what do you carry?' threads.

Still, I usually carry a dedicated folder because I like one handed opening, but for most EDC tasks, a SAK is all that is really necessary.
 
for the most part since I have a few restrictions to follow, and SAKs are specifically allowed, its an easy choice. the only others in the rotation are "mission specific" like needing a pocket clip (spy-dk) or work which needs a safety tip (roadie) but when in doubt, its a SAK day.
 
I think most people who carry a SAK only carry a SAK. It's probably the favorite blade for non knife nuts. Anyway I only carry my Vic Explorer. Tried the 2 knife thing and just didn't dig it. Tried a leatherman, just don't need a pliers often enough for the size. I've only carried just one knife at a time. To me its kind of odd to carry a knife with just one blade or even multiple blades. I have to have atleast a can opener/screwdriver.
 
bt93 said:
I think most people who carry a SAK only carry a SAK. It's probably the favorite blade for non knife nuts.
Click to expand...

I can attest to that 100%.!!!

Of my three kids, two are non knife nuts, but since they grew up camping and other outdoors stuff, they know they need a knife. My daughter and older boy are die hard sakkist's. Won't carry anything else at all. Daughter Jess keeps a could of the classics on key rings, and a larger 91mm in her purse. My son John, travels a lot for his job, and he keeps a small SAK in his check on bag, and sometimes will buy a SAK over seas. Our niece is an industrial designer and travels a lot over seas, and collects the classics from where she goes. Also collects the SAK's with the logo of the companies she does business with. I think she has every color in the rainbow, but won't consider a knife that is not a SAK. She's a pretty avant guard artsy type, and has been know to use the different color classics on a silver or gold chain as a fashion accessory.
 
I've carried only SAKs for the past ten years at least. I still have a few knife knut habits, such as keeping the blades scary sharp. However, mostly my Cases, Queens, and Bucks are just collecting dust. I look at them once in a while to admire their designs, but I seldom use them.
 
I just started this ... On Monday,

Previously I carried a small traditional folder combined with a keychain multi tool.

On Monday, I got a brand new Compact, and it has suddenly replaced my entire EDC collection in just 3 days.

Basically, I'll use the knife, scissors, toothpick, and nail file a lot. Anything else is a rare tool I need. The Keychain multitool never had knives "enough" for me, which is why I carried a separate small folder. The 91mm compact however, has a big enough knife. And is yet compact enough not to be uncomfortable in the pocket which is why I didn't EDC a bigger SAK previously.
 
Last edited:
Mora2013, when I moved to australia I couldn't carry my griptillian any more, and a huntsman was too bulky, once I got a compact, its done the trick since! still have other SAKs for more serious stuff, but that compact just rides along.
 
Great feedback. I'm going to research the Compact. Sounds like something I'd enjoy. Today, I have my Executive and Cadet in my pocket and a Rambler on my keychain, replacing my Christie Knife.
 
I find it the opposite for myself. My first knife as a youth was a SAK (camper size/type) and it was all I carried for many years. All I needed, as well as People friendly. But as the Knife nuttery blossomed inside me it becomes less about need and more about want. Personal enjoyment.

That tried and true Camper is STILL all I really need. Has never failed to be so. And will continue to be there when I need it. But I do not WANT to limit myself. I want that shiny new Beer scout to pop my evening top. I want to see the sheeple panic when I flick out that Espada XL to cut that errent thread on my daughters pink mittens. I want to use that ancient mammoth slabbed old timey knife as a worry stone, to make my modern small picture problems seem less so. I want that new thing. that old thing. In this color. Or that steel. Because I want lol. Maybe I will gravitate back to need in time. but now is not that time.
 
Carl.... Any photos of the niece's Classic collection? The variety adds immense fun. Now age 58 I only carry a classic. At a store I worked at, frequently older gents would reach in the pocket for change and there would be a Classic. One was powder blue.
Rick
 
RickT57 said:
Carl.... Any photos of the niece's Classic collection? The variety adds immense fun. Now age 58 I only carry a classic. At a store I worked at, frequently older gents would reach in the pocket for change and there would be a Classic. One was powder blue.
Rick
Click to expand...

Bronwyn lives down in Houston, so now that we are living in Georgetown Texas, we may make it down there for a visit. Or I'll ask her to shoot them and send me a pic!:thumb up:

It does not surprise me at all that you see a lot classics in the change. It is, literally, the worlds most mass produced pocket knife to the tune of several million a year, every year. 'Older' gentlemen like myself finally have lived long enough to realize that on a day to day basis in 21st century life, you rarely need more.On days when I'm dressed up and carry a classic as my edc, teamed up with the two items I keep in my wallet, I get by very well.

25322635661_415db67a3a_c.jpg
 
Last edited:
I always have a classic SD on my keyring, but I always carry another knife of larger size. More and more this has been an Alox Cadet, an Alox Pioneer, or an S111. So, while I do not always carry only a SAK, I often do.

BTW, why is it SAK instead of SAT?
 
I'm a big folder guy. However, I've gotta say, there's nothing like the feeling of throwing an alox cadet in my pocket, and not worrying about taking anything else along with me. This works particularly well in office settings, especially with those fancy slacks.
Sometimes, when I go fishing or hiking, I'll carry a Huntsman in my pocket. I'll have some kind of fixed blade or heavy-duty folder in my pack as well, but really rarely use them (unless fishing).
 
this_is_nascar said:
There are millions of people that go about and live their lives perfectly fine, without ever having a SAK or blade on their person. I was wondering if there's anyone here who only carries a SAK as their form of having an EDC blade.
Click to expand...

I have no qualms in carrying only a SAK. In fact, if your told me that's ALL I COULD CARRY for the rest of my life, I don't think I'd even break a sweat.
 
For the first half of my life, I carried one or another SAK exclusively. It made no sense to me to carry a folder with knife blade(s) only when, in basically the same pocket space, I could carry a set of tools, and SAK was the obvious way to go. For the next several years, I had a few, working up to a Swisschamp that became my only pocket knife for a long time. A Leatherman PST broke that string. For me, the addition of honest to goodness pliers to the mix of implements was huge, but after a trial period, I concluded that the pliers advantage was not enough utility to replace my S'champ. But when I discovered the Super Tool, which offered locking tools as well, that tipped the balance. For the next almost decade, I carried the Leatherman almost exclusively, reverting to SAKs when traveling to places where locking blades were not legal to carry, or for tools not on the ST, like corkscrew, magnifier or fish scaler (kidding, kidding ;).) But as the years went by, my lifestyle underwent changes, and the things I found so useful on the ST were no longer so much necessary and I started to slowly transition back to the SAK, and not the thick ones, at that. Much of the time these days, I'm okay with a Sportsman, which is emerging as my main EDC. For work, I still carry a Leatherman, but my career is winding down. I expect that sometime soon I will be back to a single SAK once again, and the wheel comes full circle.
 
When I was working a little classic and a folding utility knife were plenty. Home and work both had kitchen knives so nothing more was needed.
 
I've always have had a SAK laying around. But never carried one, always carried something else. So two weeks ago I ordered a Bantam Red Plastic and loving the weight, size & commonality and the fact that I can open it anyplace without double-takes. So this may be my new only EDC time will tell.
 
this_is_nascar said:
Great feedback. I'm going to research the Compact. Sounds like something I'd enjoy. Today, I have my Executive and Cadet in my pocket and a Rambler on my keychain, replacing my Christie Knife.
Click to expand...

Well, with the wonders of Amazon and for a mere $9.98 shipping, I was able to talk about getting a Compact this morning, order it a couple hours later and have it in my hands when I got home from work. Something to be said about technology and an Amazon warehouse, apparently not too far away.

Anyway, I was not as stoked as I'd thought I'd be with the Compact. For whatever reason, I thought the blade was going to be the same as what's on the Pioneer. That's not the case. It's sized somewhere between the Cadet and the Pioneer.

Feature wise, it seemed like a bunch of stuff in a "compact" package, but I just can't bring myself to be excited about it. Today, I EDC'ed my Executive that remains attached to my Fenix E01 in my RF pocket and my Cadet that's dangling from an eBay P7 clone, that's also in my RF pocket. My plan was to have the Compact replace that combo, but I just can't warm up to it, although, I've only owned it for a couple hours.

I'll give it a day or so, but I'm thinking my current combo is what works best for me. If need be, I can swap out the Cadet with my Pioneer from time to time. Anyway, I don't want to take this thread off track. Regardless of what I do, I'll remain a "Sak Only" person as it relates to EDC, even if that means I have more than one with me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top