Poll: Seconds? As in: Secondary Blade? Secondary Tool? Secondary Knife? Or Not? Multiples?

[Vaporstang]

Let's have some fun with a poll! I set the poll for two possible selections (I didn't know how to handle the secondary carry option).

For your traditional knife, do you prefer a single blade? Two blades? Three or more blades? Blade(s) and tool? Secondary knife? Multiple tools/blades, Etc.?

Certainly different variations of knives have their uses - and I love them all (and own all of them). Personally, I've been liking the 2016 BF knife with the main blade and awl along with a secondary small knife. If I had to choose between a smaller pen blade and tool such as an awl or bottler opener, I would go with the tool. I would also prefer a knife with a larger and smaller blade compared to two similar sized blades, but understand the benefits of both. As far as Stockmans or SAKs/Camping/Scout knives, they start getting a little thick for me. Then again, I have an SAK in my desk at the ready because of it's versatility.

What are your thoughts?

 

[johnny twoshoes]

Generally speaking I prefer a single bladed knife, such as a lockback. The slim build makes for an easy carry and more often then not I can get by with one blade, but...

I worked on a farm for many years and a single blades knife didn’t cut it (pun), I need more blade options to ensure I wouldn’t be straining to get the job done. The stockman was my best option, each blade had a certain level of sharpness along with a particular chore for each blade to complete. General cutting duties were allotted to the main blade, while the the Spey blade was used and abused for tougher cutting chores where in the spur of the moment it could be a chisel, a scraping blade, a pry (very light prying) and more then once was used to tighten a screw. My sheepsfoot was kept with a sharp pointed tip that expelled many splinters and was used for apple slicing.

A camp knife could have utilized in many cases, but my ultimate need was for cutting blades, not utility blades.

Now, with all that in mind I’ve learned over the years that my best bet was to carry a multi bladed knife along with that slim lockback. The longer blade on my lockback can be utilized for food prep and the stockman, or jack knife for everything else.

For instance my wife and I split a burger today and having that extra blade length made for an easier time, all the while my #66 calf roper was ready at hand to cut tags off of birthday presents for her mom.

P.S.
I’ve been carrying a camp knife on my key ring and have found that to be an excellent option for another blade on my person without looking like a nut job.

 

[junglefighter]

In the area of the world where I live, I carry a fixed blade (minimum 7 inch) for jaunts into the jungle if required.. and a smaller fixed blade for skinning the brown tree snakes and cracking coconuts

 

[black mamba]

95% of the time I carry an alox Cadet along with a primary multiblade slipjoint. Occasionally I substitute a single blade for the multiblade, and it may be a locker or a slipjoint, I have plenty of both.

 

[Hickory n steel]

I generally prefer 2 blades or less on one knife, however I am currently interested in a good stockman.
I definitely don't want more than 3 blades on one knife and don't like having 2 full sized equal length blades on a knife. I also often carry more than one knife, sometimes there's an actual benefit to this, but most times it's just me being a knife nut carrying what l like and alternating what knife I grab each time just to use all my knives.
I also carry more than one knife because I often carry a belt knife like my Buck 110 or a fixed blade and like to have a smaller knife in my pocket as well.
As for tools goes I find it handy having tools on my knife with Vic's and scouts instead of always having to reach for my slightly more cumbersome Leatherman, so it's always convenient when im carrying a scout or Vic.
They may be redundant because I do always have the Leatherman on me but that doesn't keep them from being handy when when I carry them.


BTW it didn't let me pick 2 choices

 

[strokednbored]

The only constant in my pocket is:
I have either a SAK Cadet/Pioneer on me (almost all the time) - usually in my watch pocket.

I almost always carry 2 knives, but i honestly only use the SAKs for non-cutting tasks.

It's sounds strange to say it, but it rarely "occurs" to me to pull the SAK out of my pocket and use it like a knife - it's my pocket screwdriver/beer opener/scraper/pry tool.

This keeps me from being in a situation where i'd consider doing something dumb to the tip of a blade otherwise.

For whatever else i'm carrying with the SAK I usually prefer a single blade, but don't necessarily dislike a multi-blade knife.

 

[bladeboss]

Single for me. When I carry a knife with more blades, or 2 knives, only 1 gets used anyways so why bother weighing myself down?

 

[Old Biker]

My pants have multiple pockets, so I carry multiple knives. Swiss Champ, JK Mighty Mouse 2 1/2 inch fixed blade in a pocket sheath, Boker carving congress, and a Buck 110 in a belt sheath. I use whichever blade I think best fits the job at hand, taking into account blade size and sharpening profile.

O.B.

 

[kamagong]

Make mine a single.

The first slipjoints that I really started carrying were various stockmen. I liked the versatility of having three blades of different shapes. However, I noticed that I mostly used the main blade, only occasionally the sheepsfoot, and hardly ever the spey. Plus I hated the feeling of the closed blades when actually using the knife. Why bother with the extra weight and bulk then? That realization led me to single blades. Most people are able to get by without any cutting tool, surely I can get by with a single bladed slipjoint. I haven't regretted it one bit, and I can't remember a single time where I felt underknifed because I didn't have a choice of blades.

 

[Danke42]

Main carry, secondary carry and tertiary carry. All single blades usually.

 

[Henry Beige]

My pants are usually baggy, with loose pockets. I usually carry three knives. The Alox Electrician is almost always there, or else a stockman. Then either an Opinel 6 or an Okapi Biltong. The third one is usually a single blade, and may or may not be a little larger. Lately, a medium Antonini Old Bear, the Maserin Plow and the brass Mercator have been rotating, with a few appearances from an RR Improved Muskrat.

 

[jwb01]

I voted for three or more.
When I was a kid helping grandad on his farm I carried a large puma lock back or old timer trapper and a SAK.
While in college and working in construction (to pay for college) I carried a large locking folder and a plethora of specialty knives and tools in my tool belt.
Once I started in the oilfield while in the field I again carried a large locking folder and a multi tool of some sort.
Now that I am out of the field and in an office environment, I find a good stockman to be more than adequate on a daily basis even when working around the house. When I go hunting or camping I add a good fixed blade and I’m set.... though there is still a multi tool within reach at all times as well whether in my computer bag, truck, or various drawers around the house.
Most of the time I use the clip and sheepsfoot and sparingly use the Spey when scalpel type sharpness is needed.

 

[screened porch]

All of the above.

 

[yablanowitz]

All of the above.

And then some. But leave off the "I'm not a knife nut" because I am and I'm not in denial.

 

[willard0341]

I gravitate toward one bigger and one smaller blade. The best I could get out of the model # was 1208. Someone (dad) buffed the knife to try to clean up the blades. Have a good weekend.

I noticed you have been posting some pens vaporstang so I thought I’d throw one back at ya

 

[solphilos]

Two blades on one spring is the sweet spot for me, but otherwise I'd take a single blade over a multiple layer pattern.
For the most part though I'm not that picky, if a particular pattern looks good and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside it'll get pocket carry, even if it should be a 5 blade trapper

 

[Ratbert]

Definitely main + secondary for me. Small folder in my watch pocket, like a Peanut or GEC 25 and a larger folder in my right back pocket. Secondary can be a single or a multi-blade, like a Stockman.

 

[abcdef]

Tough question.

 

[joeradza]

As Harry (@Old Engineer) pointed out to me yesterday I tend to carry one to use and one that makes me feel warm and fuzzy, or as I say pocket jewelry.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Impossible to choose! I find that "my absolute favorite knife of all time bar none" is whichever one I have in my pocket. I thought the stockman was the ultimate pattern until I got a mini trapper, but then I got a small Texas jack and that feels just right, but my swayback gent is so slim and light and perfect, and speaking of single blades a small lockback is so handy, but then a muskrat adds versatility, and speaking of versatility I've gotta have a SAK on hand... Nuts!

(So I voted for main plus secondary.)