Realizing a SAK IS traditional has helped

View attachment 1310173 View attachment 1310174 The S & W 317 22lr 8 shot kit gun is a light weight woods gun (11 oz). The Wilderness Store safe packer is a good way to carry it. I added a Crimson Trace laser grip to mine.


Thanks. Exactly what I’m after. A smaller .22.

Appreciate the dialogue on this thread. Nice to have a fun distraction with a bunch of like minded knife nuts.
 
I’ll probably miss my medium Case stockman. SAK makes much more sense, but gosh darnit!

Safety pin?? Genius. I was just thinking how I’ll miss the pin in my larger SAKs if I switch to an Executive. Safety pin in my wallet will fix that.

Any rec for a woods gun? Nothing big caliber. Something easy to carry.

Yeah, I miss the Case peanut and Boker 240 pen with he nice rosewood scales. They were pretty, but just didn't have the sheer utility of the small SAK's.

The safety pins were my dad's idea, as well as the keychain screw driver. I carry an Eagle Creek trifold wallet that has the little zipper compartment. I keep one to two safety pins and a paper clip in there, as well as my old P-38. The safety pin is a great splinter removal tool as well as securing a bandana bundle of something. The paper clip is good springy steel if I need a emergency twist tie or small poky or lock pick or book mark. Lots of uses there. I've jettisoned the big old fashioned Sear's 4-way keychain screw driver and now had a Victorinox quatro in the zip compartment. The quatro is smaller and lighter than the sears, but has much better shaped large and small Phillips screw driver bits on it. Plus its a one piece unit meaning it's rugged, if I don't want to beat up my executive. The executive is my Case peanut replacement.

My woods gun is usually my EDC gun. I have used a small .22 revolver most my life as I don't want to lug a bigger than needed gun around. Again, I grew up watching dad and his .22 Colt woodsman do most anything he had to, up to and including defense of himself and his family. tiguy7 makes an excellent choice with the S&W 317 he has in his post. My wife, Karen, has one she got in 1998, and its been a great carry gun. She keeps it close and with 8 CCI mini mags on board, its a formidable defense tool. The only single thing I don't like about it is, the aluminum cylinder warms up and makes extraction hard. I like to shoot a lot, so I really prefer a steel cylinder like my S&W model 63.

From 1980 to 2007, I carried a 63, and loved that gun, but always regretted tha tit held only 6 rounds. And the front sight got a bit harder to see a I got older. But, and a huge 'but' here, in 2007 Smith and Wesson finally got smart and made it an 8 shot, shortened that barrel to 3 inches, and added a fiber optic high visibility front sight. I got one have been in love with that gun ever since. I can go to the range and put 200 rounds down the spout with no ejection problems, and I can really see the front sight.

BUT...that little three letter word again...a few months ago, I got a Ruger LCR in .22lr. I've put 4 bulk boxes of Federals through it now, and I love that gun too. Not quite as accurate as my 63, mostly because its double action only, but for CCw, it's a bit under a pound, and rides in a holster high on the right hip very very comfortable. The little snubbie barrel and no hammer makes it more a CCW gun, which is what I bought it for, so my 3 inch S&W 63 is still by woods gun. I dearly love Smith and Wesson revolvers, and have a 51 year history with them, but the new Ruger LCR series revolvers have impressed the ever lovin dog poo out of me. If I didn't already have my S&W 63, I'd consider a second LCR in the LCRx version with the 3 inch barrel, adjustable sights, and exposed hammer for single action shots. It's only a few ounces heavier than the snubbie LCR, but is in the woods gun class, a step above the LCR hammerless.

I've been very, very, very impressed with the Ruger LCR. If I wasn't already a Smith and Wesson fanboy, and I was starting from scratch looking for a woods gun, I'd very seriously consider the Ruger LCRx. If you don't want .22, its available in larger calibers like the regular LCR. But for general use, a .22 is good. Since this is Texas, we keep the first round a CCI snake shot, just in case. I hate snakes, but haven problem with black snakes, rat snakes, milk snakes, corn snakes, king snakes, or whatever. But rattlers get no free pass and get shot when encountered.

I've also got two of the little North American Arms .22 mini revolvers. I like the for being soooo damm easy to carry, but they are strictly a very close range 'get off me' gun. For all practical purposes a modern derringer. But...that little word again, in the thirty plus years I've had them, they have saved my butt three times, just by being there when I didn't feel like carrying anything bigger and heavier. Criminals are cowards, and don't want any holes shot in them by even a little gun. The last time I had need of one, the two would be car jackers armed with truck stop knives, couldn't get out of that highway rest stop restroom fast enough. No shots needed to be fired, so the .22 worked as well as a .45.

Hope this has been of help.
 
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I have a S & W 63 for range work, but it weighs twice as much as the 317. It also has a square butt which precludes laser grips.
 
I have a S & W 63 for range work, but it weighs twice as much as the 317. It also has a square butt which precludes laser grips.

Yeah, the 63 is heavier. But thats why I don't carry it anymore. From 1980 to 2019, I carried one, and just put up with the weight. I didn't want my range gun to be different than my carry gun. I'm one of those people that don't believe in range guns and then carry guns. No.

I've never owned a lot of guns at any one time because I don't believe in the difference. If something happens at 3am on a Thursday and I roll out of bed grading the gun on the nightstand, I want it to be the exact same gun I just used on Monday to put 200 or 300 rounds down the tube plinking or practicing double action defense style shooting. The same gun. Karen is the same way. If she uses her 317 and it heats up and gets sticky, she'll take some shots out of my 63 while waiting for the cylinder to cool down. And her shooting is off a bit, because its a different handling gun. Even though dimensionally her 317 and my 2007 model 63 are the same, the weight and balance are very different.

Theres a reason for my behavior that most gun nuts would not understand. If something happens, I don't want to think while fractions of seconds are going by, "oh wait, I have my Sig 365 on me, oh no, its the Ruger LCP..." while I fumble for the different size grip on a different balanced gun. Thats why I don't believe in a 'rotation' of guns, or having so many guns, that in a nano second my hand doesn't wrap around right where it should be and hand points gun right where it should be.

From 1980 to 2007 I just shot my old model 63. I knew that gun. When I got the new 2007 model 63, it was just enough different to make a difference for a few range sessions when Karen and played our game. We do this at the end of every range session. We shoot at an outdoor range with tactical bays so we have some privacy. We'll put up two B-29 silhouette targets from the National Target Company in Frederick Maryland, with a foot in between them. Then we back off to start at 7 yards. Taking turns, we each shoot two fast double action shots, with the sights taped over. Just fast point shooting using the silhouette of the gun as per Jim Cirillos's style. after each of us has shot, we move back two paces and do it again. Then we move back another two paces and shoot again. We keep this until one of us misses and puts a round out of the black. Looser buys lunch.

This does two things. First is, we have fun. Second is, our last shots of the day are in practice for what we may actually have to do some day with our guns. This is close and very fast point shooting with the guns that we will actually be carrying, because neither Karen and I have dedicated 'range guns.' Its been many years that we have had any guns that were to big to be carried in the real world, no matter how we are dressed. Karen loves her 317, and it light enough go in the light clothing that she wears in summer. She has some pockets made in some of her clothing that will take the 317 with no give-aways.

I finally phased out my 63 because of weight that seems more intrusive since we moved to Texas in 2015. It was always worn in a high ride pancake on my right hip. Now the Ruger LCR is there and I've got very used to it. But last time Karen and I were shooting, five days ago, she beat me when we got back around 15 yards and I pulls two rounds off to the right. So, maybe some more practice to adjust to it more.

I don't worry about laser sights. Just not worth my time. When had to use a gun for real in 1969, the range from my gun muzzle to the guy standing over me with he crow bar was about 2 1/2 feet. With the would be carjackers in the rest room of the highway rest stop by Ft. Hancock Texas, range was about 8 feet. no laser sight needed.
 
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I don’t usually carry a .22 for self defense. I have a S&W 340 & 360 for that. I also have a 66 and a shotgun for in home defense. I like the laser grips for shooting out of position (from the hip/on your back). I agree that shots in the home are short distanced. No personal experience, but I have heard that a laser by itself can be an intimidating deterrent.
 
Yeah, the 63 is heavier. But thats why I don't carry it anymore. From 1980 to 2019, I carried one, and just put up with the weight. I didn't want my range gun to be different than my carry gun. I'm one of those people that don't believe in range guns and then carry guns. No.

I've never owned a lot of guns at any one time because I don't believe in the difference. If something happens at 3am on a Thursday and I roll out of bed grading the gun on the nightstand, I want it to be the exact same gun I just used on Monday to put 200 or 300 rounds down the tube plinking or practicing double action defense style shooting. The same gun. Karen is the same way. If she uses her 317 and it heats up and gets sticky, she'll take some shots out of my 63 while waiting for the cylinder to cool down. And her shooting is off a bit, because its a different handling gun. Even though dimensionally her 317 and my 2007 model 63 are the same, the weight and balance are very different.

Theres a reason for my behavior that most gun nuts would not understand. If something happens, I don't want to think while fractions of seconds are going by, "oh wait, I have my Sig 365 on me, oh no, its the Ruger LCP..." while I fumble for the different size grip on a different balanced gun. Thats why I don't believe in a 'rotation' of guns, or having so many guns, that in a nano second my hand doesn't wrap around right where it should be and hand points gun right where it should be.

From 1980 to 2007 I just shot my old model 63. I new that gun. When I got he new 2007 model 63, it was just enough different to make a difference for a few range sessions when Karen and played our game. We do this at the end of every range session. We shoot at an outdoor range with tactical bays so we have some privacy. We'll put up two B-29 silhouette targets from the National Target Company in Frederick Maryland, with a foot in between them. Then we back off to start at 7 yards. Taking turns, we each shoot two ast double action shots, with the sights taped over. Just fast point shooting using the silhouette of the gun as per Jim Cirillos's style. after each of us has shot, we move back two paces and do it again. Then we move back another two paces and shoot again. We keep this until one of us misses and puts a round out of the black. Looser buys lunch.

This does two things. First is, we have fun. Second is, our last shots of the day are in practice for what we may actually have to do some day with our guns. This is close and very fast point shooting with the guns that we will actually be carrying, because neither Karen and I have dedicated 'range guns.' Its been many years no that we have had any guns that were to big to be carried in the real world, no matter how we are dressed. Karen loves her 317, and it light enough go in the light clothing that she wears in summer. She has some pockets made in some of her clothing that will take the 317 with no give-aways.

I finally phased out my 53 because of weight that seems more intrusive since we moved to Texas in 2015. It was always worn in a high ride pancake on my right hip. Now the Ruger LCR is there and I've got very used to it. But last time Karen and I were shooting, five days ago, she beat me when we got back around 15 yards and I pulls two rounds off to the right. So, maybe some more practice to adjust to it more.

I don't worry about laser sights. Just not worth my time. When had to use a gun for real in 1969, the range from my gun muzzle to the guy standing over me with he crow bar was about 2 1/2 feet. With he would be carjacked in the rest room of the highway rest stop by Ft. Hancock Texas, range was about 8 feet. no laser sight needed.


I wholeheartedly agree with your philosophy. Akin to when I tell my boys during baseball practice, "practice how you play". Just this am I was looking over revolvers...looking at the Ruger LCR vs LCRx. I prefer the looks of a hammer plus enjoy shooting single action. Now, that hammer would not be great for CCW especially in a pocket holster. I was talking to my good friend about this. I'm a gun guy but he takes it to a different level. He told me my check boxes of wanting a gun that I carry a lot and shoot a lot does not exist in a revolver. Basically saying "yes you might enjoy shooting single action with a hammer gun but you will not want to carry with hammer for ccw". I get that and he is partially correct. I just need to get over the aesthetics of having a hammer and practice shooting double action and get better at it.

I do have a S&W Airweight 642 in .38sp. Nice gun. Light. I can shoot pretty good at short range which, as you alluded, is all one needs. If you are shooting from farther away...you shouldn't be shooting most likely. Run instead. But...see now I'm using that 3 letter word, my 642 really isn't that much fun to shoot. So, at the range, it only gets maybe 30 rounds through it. Hence, me considering a smaller caliber. A .22 or a .32 magnum (lot of fun to shoot). I'm curious why you all chose a wheelgun versus, say a subcompact 9mm? Is it partially for the looks of a wheelgun? Reliability? I'll admit I'm a sucker for the looks. Why I'm considering switching my Glock 43 to a smaller caliber revolver.

Back to the SAK topic, I put my Sportsman in the pocket today. Damn nice knife. Just wish the nail file was flat at the tip for those recessed phillips screws which come on most of my youngest son's toys. 5 seconds on the belt sander and that has been fixed. Only thing missing on the Sportsman is a pair of scissors. So I'm carrying my Rambler today too. Anxiously awaiting for the Executive to arrive. Amazon, rightfully so, is taking more than 2 days now.

BTW, really like how you and your wife finish your range days. I'll start doing the same.

I'm remarried. Our second date...was at the gun range :).
 
I don’t usually carry a .22 for self defense. I have a S&W 340 & 360 for that. I also have a 66 and a shotgun for in home defense. I like the laser grips for shooting out of position (from the hip/on your back). I agree that shots in the home are short distanced. No personal experience, but I have heard that a laser by itself can be an intimidating deterrent.

I have too many guns. And too many knives. I think the following 3 guns could easily serve my needs...a pistol (if I could only have one...still not sure what that would be), a Ruger 10/22, and a Remington 870 express 12 gauge. I've owned the later two since I was around 12 years old.

My S&W 642 has crimson trace grips. A birthday present from my wife. I don't have to have those grips, but will admit I like them.
 
I wholeheartedly agree with your philosophy. Akin to when I tell my boys during baseball practice, "practice how you play". Just this am I was looking over revolvers...looking at the Ruger LCR vs LCRx. I prefer the looks of a hammer plus enjoy shooting single action. Now, that hammer would not be great for CCW especially in a pocket holster. I was talking to my good friend about this. I'm a gun guy but he takes it to a different level. He told me my check boxes of wanting a gun that I carry a lot and shoot a lot does not exist in a revolver. Basically saying "yes you might enjoy shooting single action with a hammer gun but you will not want to carry with hammer for ccw". I get that and he is partially correct. I just need to get over the aesthetics of having a hammer and practice shooting double action and get better at it.

I do have a S&W Airweight 642 in .38sp. Nice gun. Light. I can shoot pretty good at short range which, as you alluded, is all one needs. If you are shooting from farther away...you shouldn't be shooting most likely. Run instead. But...see now I'm using that 3 letter word, my 642 really isn't that much fun to shoot. So, at the range, it only gets maybe 30 rounds through it. Hence, me considering a smaller caliber. A .22 or a .32 magnum (lot of fun to shoot). I'm curious why you all chose a wheelgun versus, say a subcompact 9mm? Is it partially for the looks of a wheelgun? Reliability? I'll admit I'm a sucker for the looks. Why I'm considering switching my Glock 43 to a smaller caliber revolver.

Back to the SAK topic, I put my Sportsman in the pocket today. Damn nice knife. Just wish the nail file was flat at the tip for those recessed phillips screws which come on most of my youngest son's toys. 5 seconds on the belt sander and that has been fixed. Only thing missing on the Sportsman is a pair of scissors. So I'm carrying my Rambler today too. Anxiously awaiting for the Executive to arrive. Amazon, rightfully so, is taking more than 2 days now.

BTW, really like how you and your wife finish your range days. I'll start doing the same.

I'm remarried. Our second date...was at the gun range :).

I like the revolvers for their safety, simplicity, reliability, and ability to use different loads. The Wilderness Store Safe Packer will alleviate your concerns about hammer spur snag.
 
I've always loved knives and I have so many I don't even know the exact number I own. Over the last year and a half I've been carrying the Vic Centurian daily. It's pretty much a 111mm scout knife. It's almost exactly like the Vic Soldier 2008 without the saw and the one-hand opening feature (I carry my Soldier instead if wood cutting is a possibility) Anyway, some days I'll wake up and grab a Spyderco or an Emerson or a Benchmade or whatever but before the day is over the Centurian has replaced it. I bought an aftermarket scale for it that has a pocket clip so I have several different ways I can carry it. It's the best all-around knife I've found for my day-to-day life. SAKs are so useful, and well made, and inexpensive-I can't comprehend how some people dislike them.
 
I work outdoors and I find the Centurion a great knife. It's a giant Tinker without a small blade. Long, locking blade, sturdy as all get out pry tool/flat SD. The back Phillips makes for great handling comfort (only used it once for a screw). I can open the blade with gloves on. The blade is easily touched up.

Because I use a saw from time to time, my Centurion's mostly become a backup to a two hand opening Trailmaster (itself possibly being superceded!). But I appreciate the Centurion's relative lightness and slimness.
 
The Centurion looks like a great blade. I have the Trekker and really do not like the ergonomics of the one handed blade. Still a great knife, but if I could do it over, I'd get a two handed opening option (cannot recall the model name) instead.
 
Yeah, the 63 is heavier. But thats why I don't carry it anymore. From 1980 to 2019, I carried one, and just put up with the weight. I didn't want my range gun to be different than my carry gun. I'm one of those people that don't believe in range guns and then carry guns. No.

I've never owned a lot of guns at any one time because I don't believe in the difference. If something happens at 3am on a Thursday and I roll out of bed grading the gun on the nightstand, I want it to be the exact same gun I just used on Monday to put 200 or 300 rounds down the tube plinking or practicing double action defense style shooting. The same gun. Karen is the same way. If she uses her 317 and it heats up and gets sticky, she'll take some shots out of my 63 while waiting for the cylinder to cool down. And her shooting is off a bit, because its a different handling gun. Even though dimensionally her 317 and my 2007 model 63 are the same, the weight and balance are very different.

Theres a reason for my behavior that most gun nuts would not understand. If something happens, I don't want to think while fractions of seconds are going by, "oh wait, I have my Sig 365 on me, oh no, its the Ruger LCP..." while I fumble for the different size grip on a different balanced gun. Thats why I don't believe in a 'rotation' of guns, or having so many guns, that in a nano second my hand doesn't wrap around right where it should be and hand points gun right where it should be.

From 1980 to 2007 I just shot my old model 63. I new that gun. When I got he new 2007 model 63, it was just enough different to make a difference for a few range sessions when Karen and played our game. We do this at the end of every range session. We shoot at an outdoor range with tactical bays so we have some privacy. We'll put up two B-29 silhouette targets from the National Target Company in Frederick Maryland, with a foot in between them. Then we back off to start at 7 yards. Taking turns, we each shoot two ast double action shots, with the sights taped over. Just fast point shooting using the silhouette of the gun as per Jim Cirillos's style. after each of us has shot, we move back two paces and do it again. Then we move back another two paces and shoot again. We keep this until one of us misses and puts a round out of the black. Looser buys lunch.

This does two things. First is, we have fun. Second is, our last shots of the day are in practice for what we may actually have to do some day with our guns. This is close and very fast point shooting with the guns that we will actually be carrying, because neither Karen and I have dedicated 'range guns.' Its been many years no that we have had any guns that were to big to be carried in the real world, no matter how we are dressed. Karen loves her 317, and it light enough go in the light clothing that she wears in summer. She has some pockets made in some of her clothing that will take the 317 with no give-aways.

I finally phased out my 53 because of weight that seems more intrusive since we moved to Texas in 2015. It was always worn in a high ride pancake on my right hip. Now the Ruger LCR is there and I've got very used to it. But last time Karen and I were shooting, five days ago, she beat me when we got back around 15 yards and I pulls two rounds off to the right. So, maybe some more practice to adjust to it more.

I don't worry about laser sights. Just not worth my time. When had to use a gun for real in 1969, the range from my gun muzzle to the guy standing over me with he crow bar was about 2 1/2 feet. With he would be carjacked in the rest room of the highway rest stop by Ft. Hancock Texas, range was about 8 feet. no laser sight needed.


Jackknife, what holster are you using for your Ruger LCR?

I remember bits and pieces from your great stories, but to bring it all together, what was your dad's typical EDC? I remember the Sears 4 way, the Peanut, a cut down Machete in the trunk, was there anything else on his person? Same question for you my friend?
 
The Centurion looks like a great blade. I have the Trekker and really do not like the ergonomics of the one handed blade. Still a great knife, but if I could do it over, I'd get a two handed opening option (cannot recall the model name) instead.
I don't like the OHT either. I had one briefly. Using the saw is really uncomfortable because of the hump on the blade. It's as bad using the flat SD. One hand opening only works easily if the pivot's clean and lubed, so it's pretty much useless in the environment I work in. The blade has no notch to slow down closing. The spring is strong and I feared it taking a finger off!

Unfortunately, according to my local distributor the two hand Trekker/Trailmaster (US model # 54854) has been out of production for over a year. Which I find surprising, given many European jurisdictions in particular forbid carrying OHO knives. Vic seems to offer the two hand Forester as a substitute.
 
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Jackknife, what holster are you using for your Ruger LCR?

I remember bits and pieces from your great stories, but to bring it all together, what was your dad's typical EDC? I remember the Sears 4 way, the Peanut, a cut down Machete in the trunk, was there anything else on his person? Same question for you my friend?

Dad carried a P-38 in his wallet for emergency use. He also was carrying a small flashlight as EDC long before the flashlight EDC craze started. It was one of those 1950's Chrome plated Everready pen lights that looked like an over weight fountain pen, and clipped in the shirt pocket. It took two batteries as I recall, but I can't recall if it was AA or AAA. Dad impressed on me that it gets dark eery night, so a light source was needed. In the glove box of his Pontiac, he'd have a Rayovac sportsman D cell flashlight. The sportsman was one of the brighter flashlights of the day.

My own light is a Fenix E01. Theres brighter lights, but I like the fact that the Fenix is bright enough, and the battery run time is insane for the thing. Decent light for 15 or so hours. Small enough of the keyring, so it doesn't get left behind and after 15 years of being banged around, its still reliable and going strong. On standby is a AA Maglight with the newer LED style. It took Mag industries a long time to jump on the LED bandwagon, but they got there and its a well made near indestructible flashlight. Very good illumination for the money. I don't feel the need for something that will sear the retina's out of raccoon at 200 yards. it gets ridiculous after a certain level.

Also in a shirt pocket was his pad and a golf pencil, or any short stub of a pencil. He'd take a sheet paper, and fold it three times and staple it twice on the top. Then trim off the excess paper until he had a little pad a tiny bit bigger than a business card. This was his disposable note pad. He preferred a short pencil as there was no ink to leak, did not skip, was waterproof and didn't run, and most of all, he'd scrape off graphite for a dry lube on stuff. It would also write on darn near anything. Cardboard, a brick wall, metal casing of something. Dad thought a pencil was a necessary EDC item. A habit I still have. I don't carry a pen, but my Ikea pencil is always in my shirt pocket with a stapled pad made from a sheet of computer paper. I make a new one when my pad gets down to a couple of sheets left.

Fire. Some kind of fire sources. He always had his old Zippo lighter as he was a pipe smoker, as am I. I carried a Zippo for thirty some years, now I carry a light color Bic so I can keep track how much fuel is left and buy a new one when it gets low. Bic always works.

He carried two bandanas. A habit I picked up. Many many uses, and semi disposable. One he kept neatly folded up in his back pocket on reserve, while the other was loosely wadded shoved down in his right pocket keeping stuff retained. If I'm wearing jeans, I keep both in rear pocket, but in dockers or dress pants, one gets wadded up keeping my pocket knife in my pocket.

If we were woods walking, there'd be a spare magazine for his woodsman with another 10 rounds of ammo on him.

For a holster for the Ruger LCR, I've been using a Blackhawk nylon high ride, but I'm going to order the leather pancake that Ruger has listed in the Shop Ruger website that is molded for the LCR. For several years I used a high ride leather holster for my S&W 63, made by El Paso Saddlery. Not cheap, but very very good stuff. The holster on shopruger looks very good, so I'm going to try it. About 75 clams.

Let me know if I can answer anything else bud.:thumbsup:
 
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To return to the subject, I've never owned or carried a "traditional" knife. My father, a farmer, always carried one - a single blade IXL, if I remember rightly. He went through several when I was a kid. They were really nice knives, well made. He would reprofile the blade into a sheepsfoot.

I was given a cheap scout type knife when I was a kid. Not as well made as Dad's but I carried it for nearly forty years, until I lost it. I loved having a blade, flat SD/bottle opener, and corkscrew all there at once. (The Phillips and can opener were pants.)

I couldn't be without a multifunction pocket knife. Victorinox do them about perfectly, for very reasonable prices.

IMO the Vic Pioneer and alox Soldier/SI are the best scout knives ever made.
 
Dad carried a P-38 in his wallet for emergency use. He also was carrying a small flashlight as EDC long before the flashlight EDC craze started. It was one of those 1950's Chrome plated Everready pen lights that looked like an over weight fountain pen, and clipped in the shirt pocket. It took two batteries as I recall, but I can't recall if it was AA or AAA. Dad impressed on me that it gets dark eery night, so a light source was needed. In the glove box of his Pontiac, he'd have a Rayovac sportsman D cell flashlight. The sportsman was one of the brighter flashlights of the day.

My own light is a Fenix E01. Theres brighter lights, but I like the fact that the Fenix is bright enough, and the battery run time is insane for the thing. Decent light for 15 or so hours. Small enough of the keyring, so it doesn't get left behind and after 15 years of being banged around, its still reliable and going strong. On standby is a AA Maglight with the newer LED style. It took Mag industries a long time to jump on the LED bandwagon, but they got there and its a well made near indestructible flashlight. Very good illumination for the money. I don't feel the need for something that will sear the retina's out of raccoon at 200 yards. it gets ridiculous after a certain level.

Also in a shirt pocket was his pad and a golf pencil, or any short stub of a pencil. He'd take a sheet paper, and fold it three times and staple it twice on the top. Then trim off the excess paper until he had a little pad a tiny bit bigger than a business card. This was his disposable note pad. He preferred a short pencil as there was no ink to leak, did not skip, was waterproof and didn't run, and most of all, he'd scrape off graphite for a dry lube on stuff. It would also write on darn near anything. Cardboard, a brick wall, metal casing of something. Dad thought a pencil was a necessary EDC item. A habit I still have. I don't carry a pen, but my Ikea pencil is always in my shirt pocket with a stapled pad made from a sheet of computer paper. I make a new one when my pad gets down to a couple of sheets left.

Fire. Some kind of fire sources. He always had his old Zippo lighter as he was a pipe smoker, as am I. I carried a Zippo for thirty some years, now I carry a light color Bic so I can keep track how much fuel is left and buy a new one when it gets low. Bic always works.

He carried two bandanas. A habit I picked up. Many many uses, and semi disposable. One he kept neatly folded up in his back pocket on reserve, while the other was loosely wadded shoved down in his right pocket keeping stuff retained. If I'm wearing jeans, I keep both in rear pocket, but in dockers or dress pants, one gets wadded up keeping my pocket knife in my pocket.

If we were woods walking, there'd be a spare magazine for his woodsman with another 10 rounds of ammo on him.

For a holster for the Ruger LCR, I've been using a Blackhawk nylon high ride, but I'm going to order the leather pancake that Ruger has listed in the Shop Ruger website that is molded for the LCR. For several years I used a high ride leather holster for my S&W 63, made by El Paso Saddlery. Not cheap, but very very good stuff. The holster on shopruger looks very good, so I'm going to try it. About 75 clams.

Let me know if I can answer anything else bud.:thumbsup:

I want to know how many people read this and made a notepad out of computer paper :). I know I just did. Are you telling me I don't have to pay for field notes note pads anymore??? I have been carrying a note pad as I don't like to keep notes in my phone. With my pad, I usually have a space pen. Not my favorite pen, but it is small, indestructible, and writes in most conditions. I do like the pencil idea...a lot, but I don't always have a pocket in my shirt.

I've considered carrying a little bit of jute twine as it seems to come in handy, but not sure how to carry. I hate having things in my pocket. My buddy also gave me a pretty neat keychain item that has duct tape wrapped around it. I didn't carry long however as I just wasn't using it. Sounds great and I liked the idea, but if I don't use it once a week...or a month, I'm not carrying it. If I can find a wallet I like with a zippered coin pocket, that will easily hold a couple paper clips, a safety pin, and a little twine. I did look up the wallet you carry, but could not find one for sale.

Getting maximum usage out of a couple items on your person while utilizing your noggin appeals to me. It's why SAKs are so great.

I don't know about you all, but I am getting cabin fever and anxiety with COVID. When I start to get depressed, I think about what people like your dad went through with The Great Depression and WW2. I shouldn't complain and hope that we all come through this stronger than ever. Come together as a country. Re-connect with each other and nature. I for one cannot wait to get out and go fishing and camping. Will not be ever taking that for granted.
 
I want to know how many people read this and made a notepad out of computer paper :). I know I just did. Are you telling me I don't have to pay for field notes note pads anymore??? I have been carrying a note pad as I don't like to keep notes in my phone. With my pad, I usually have a space pen. Not my favorite pen, but it is small, indestructible, and writes in most conditions. I do like the pencil idea...a lot, but I don't always have a pocket in my shirt.

I've considered carrying a little bit of jute twine as it seems to come in handy, but not sure how to carry. I hate having things in my pocket. My buddy also gave me a pretty neat keychain item that has duct tape wrapped around it. I didn't carry long however as I just wasn't using it. Sounds great and I liked the idea, but if I don't use it once a week...or a month, I'm not carrying it. If I can find a wallet I like with a zippered coin pocket, that will easily hold a couple paper clips, a safety pin, and a little twine. I did look up the wallet you carry, but could not find one for sale.

Getting maximum usage out of a couple items on your person while utilizing your noggin appeals to me. It's why SAKs are so great.

I don't know about you all, but I am getting cabin fever and anxiety with COVID. When I start to get depressed, I think about what people like your dad went through with The Great Depression and WW2. I shouldn't complain and hope that we all come through this stronger than ever. Come together as a country. Re-connect with each other and nature. I for one cannot wait to get out and go fishing and camping. Will not be ever taking that for granted.

Yeah, if you have a SAK and a few odd items in your pockets, you can deal with a very surprising amount of things. Doesn't really make a difference what model SAK, they all give an outstanding amount of sheer utility per ounce. A small pad of paper and a pencil, fire device, small flashlight and some jute twine and your set. A pencil stub is light weight, rugged and can be dropped in any pocket. Shirt or pants, don't matter. Writes in all conditions.

I LOVE jute twine. Soooo damm versatile. Tie up a tripod to hang a pot over the campfire, tie some sapplings together for a frame for a lean-to, shred it up for tinder, a zillion uses. As well as cheap and disposable. I've never been a big fan of paracord, which I consider hugely over rated. You can ball up a few yards of it and just shove it down in a back pocket under a bandana. The stuff is strong enough for most uses, and if you make a large loop and double it up and twist it, its very strong.

I've been busy enough to keep from getting cabin fever, but today I was a teeny bit bored, so I did some worship of the holy trinity. Sight picture, breath control, and trigger squeeze. But no range trip since the range is closed, so my backyard practice was with my Beeman Webley Tempast air pistol. I think I went though a 100 pellets. Killed the heck out a soup can.

Buy shirts with pockets. Pocket t-shirts, Magellan fishing shirts, Carhart flannel shirts, Wrangler denim shirt. Anytime you can get more pockets in life, its a good thing.:thumbsup:
 
Yeah, if you have a SAK and a few odd items in your pockets, you can deal with a very surprising amount of things. Doesn't really make a difference what model SAK, they all give an outstanding amount of sheer utility per ounce. A small pad of paper and a pencil, fire device, small flashlight and some jute twine and your set. A pencil stub is light weight, rugged and can be dropped in any pocket. Shirt or pants, don't matter. Writes in all conditions.

I LOVE jute twine. Soooo damm versatile. Tie up a tripod to hang a pot over the campfire, tie some sapplings together for a frame for a lean-to, shred it up for tinder, a zillion uses. As well as cheap and disposable. I've never been a big fan of paracord, which I consider hugely over rated. You can ball up a few yards of it and just shove it down in a back pocket under a bandana. The stuff is strong enough for most uses, and if you make a large loop and double it up and twist it, its very strong.

I've been busy enough to keep from getting cabin fever, but today I was a teeny bit bored, so I did some worship of the holy trinity. Sight picture, breath control, and trigger squeeze. But no range trip since the range is closed, so my backyard practice was with my Beeman Webley Tempast air pistol. I think I went though a 100 pellets. Killed the heck out a soup can.

Buy shirts with pockets. Pocket t-shirts, Magellan fishing shirts, Carhart flannel shirts, Wrangler denim shirt. Anytime you can get more pockets in life, its a good thing.:thumbsup:


I wrapped some twine around my medical license and placed back in my wallet. When I singed off the cut end with my lighter, (I currently have a Zippo with the butane insert which I really like and doesn't evaporate like the regular lighter fluid, but a small bic would be perfect) I realized how well this would be for tinder...cause it kept burning :). I think just balling some up and placing in the pocket as you said would work just as well.

I'm with you about the paracord. It does work, but expensive. You know what I've used when camping if I wanted to carry some cordage...bailing twine. It's cheap as can be and strong enough for my uses. I wasn't rappeling down a mountain with it. Actually used it to make a dangler for my son's and I's fixed blade sheaths while backpacking.
 
I prefer bankline to paracord myself, holds knots far better, considerably cheaper, etc. I have plenty of it in hiking/car bags and for use around the home. I don't use cord/string/twine much in my day to day usage so I don't keep it in a pocket but I always have a roll of Gearward Compact Survival Cord in my bag. It's a tiny roll, holds 25' of triple strand kelvar cord with a 200lb rating and the rubber easy access container keeps it from fraying in the pocket. I've shown the roll of CSC here next to my hand and a 91mm SAK for size reference. I'm not a fan of jute twine for carry, too hairy! :D

cord.jpg
 
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I'm with you about the paracord. It does work, but expensive. You know what I've used when camping if I wanted to carry some cordage...bailing twine. It's cheap as can be and strong enough for my uses. I wasn't rappeling down a mountain with it. Actually used it to make a dangler for my son's and I's fixed blade sheaths while backpacking.

Yeah, bailing twine jute twine, bank line, all will work well, as will just about any twine. The paracord craze is like the knife thing and gun things and all the other over hyped crazes where it has to be the latest trick stuff on the market. This tactical craze is the work of brilliant Madison Avenue advertising experts on how to convince the buying public masses to part with more money on unneeded stuff. Like 200 dollar folding knives with just one blade of the latest wonder steel of the month, that won't do a small fraction of the real world work a tinker a pioneer or even a classic will do.

You can go a very long way with a SAK, twine, Bic lighter, and AAA flashlight.
 
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