Single blades vs Multi-blades

Rsmith_77

Rsmith_77

Joined
Jun 4, 2010
Messages
4,186
Something I've notice that pops up alot and in a variety of different threads is the single blade vs multi-blade pocket knife. I know there is no right or wrong answer to this and that people should carry what they like/prefer.

But I am wondering, what do folks prefer in a pocket knife and more importantly WHY.
if you carry a single blade pocket knife, why do you prefer that over a knife with multiple blades and vice versa

I am sure folks have their reasons, just curious as to what those reasons are...

this should be interesting and I thinking I just might learn something

Ryan
 
I'd have to say that I slightly prefer a multi-blade knife. The advantage for me is having extra knives in a single package. It's even better when they have different profiles for a variety of tasks. It's nice to have a blade with some belly such as a clip or spear paired with a straight edge like a wharncliffe, sheepfoot, or coping blade.

That said, I still like single blade knives and carry them quite often. Some patterns just don't seem quite right with multiple blades and one is more than enough for my everyday cutting needs. The nice thing about having only one blade is that the handle is usually more comfortable without the extra closed blades.

When considering customs, there is often a significant price increase for knives with multiple blades. This obviously doesn't affect everyone, but for those who do buy custom slip joints it is something else to factor in.
 
I pretty much only carry double or single bladed knives + a small SAK on my keychain. The funny thing is that, whichever I'm carrying, either the pen blade or the blade on my Rambler actually gets the most use.
 
JAB said:
I pretty much only carry double or single bladed knives + a small SAK on my keychain. The funny thing is that, whichever I'm carrying, either the pen blade or the blade on my Rambler actually gets the most use.
Click to expand...

Qu'est-ce que c'est "Rambler?"


Personally, I much prefer a traditional knife to have two or three blades.
 
knarfeng said:
Qu'est-ce que c'est “Rambler?"
Click to expand...

Victorinox Rambler

Style Number: 54031
Size: 58 mm | 2 1/4 inch
Small blade
Scissors
Nail file with screwdriver tip
Bottle opener with magnetic Phillips screwdriver tip & wire stripper
Toothpick
Tweezers
Key ring


IMHO the best small SAK. :thumbup::thumbup:
 
I have this feeling that the "Rambler" question could have been ironic... :rolleyes:
Back to the topic...as I have often stated, my personal experience with knives has always been with single blades. It's pretty much because of traditions in the place I live (and it's more or less the same all over Europe).
I never felt the need of another blade actually, and (except for my Tinker) I only carry single blades, but I'm looking forward to trying the multi bladed American traditionals to see if they work better for me.
One thing that still feels weird to me is that in multiblades (I know this from my SAK's) the blade isn't in the center of the handle. This lack of symmetry always felt weird, even tho I assume there is no real difference in use (unless for 5/6 layers' SAK which I find very uncomfy). I will see how it turns out on my first jack...
Fausto
:cool:
 
I probably should have tried a little harder to make myself clearer.:o What I meant was that when I carry a medium/largish single blade, it seems to get very little use. When I carry a multi-bladed knife, I use the pen blade all the time, save the master blade for when I really need it, and leave the Vic in my pocket (unless I need the scissors or one of the other implements).;)
 
Economy of Effort

I am carrying a knife, let it have multiple blades for multiple uses
 
I always carry a single blade knife. I find one blade is really all I need and a multi blade doesn't feel as comfortable when I use it - the extra blade(s) can make the knife a little awkward to hold.
 
I almost always carry both. A multi blade stockman at about 3 5/8 inches closed and some sort of single blade at about 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 inches closed. Sometimes I carry two stockmans.

Truth be told, I really only need one blade but I like having the choices and having an extra knife in my pocket just makes me feel good. The blade I use the most is the sheepsfoot blade on my stockman. It is the most practical blade for the cutting tasks that I normally encounter.
 
I prefer multi blades for more versatility as well as having the chance to reserve blades for different tasks in one "package" and have pretty much quit buying single blades unless I have the inclination (and cash) to support a new maker.
 
I almost always carry a 2 blade knife in the 3 1/2 in. size knife or smaller. Two blades for different jobs. Sometimes that smaller blade is easier to use in different jobs. This of course changes when I travel---I then go to a SAK.
 
I tend to like multi-blade when I percieve the need or for specific function or if they go together well in the size. I carry a Pioneer Pruner at work because I use the hawkbill blade to pierce the thin plastic around our bolt seals. The spear blade comes in handy for opening packages. It's small and flat and has the two blades I'm most likely to need without commanding too much pocket space.

I carry the Pioneer Harvester at home because I like "boy scout" type knives (my first pocket knife was a Camp King). I carry an 108 OT at home and use all the blades all the time but mainly for opening mail, cleaning fingernails, nipping the occaisional thread. I like a 3 5/8 trapper also but again, rarely use it to really cut anything (although when I worked at a carpet store cleaning up I wore out a trapper cutting twine.) That's about the smallest I would use for "real work".

These days, if I know I'm really going to be cutting into something I'll more than likely have a single-bladed larger knife like my Kerry Hampton back pocket. I've also been eyeing some of Gene Wiseman's knives and I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of his two bladed knives as long as the blade profiles suited me. Or, even more likely, I'll have a fixed blade of some sort...
 
When I go out into the woods, or am going to do some heavy work, I'll stick a Buck 110 in my back pocket next to my wallet. On a normal day to day basis, I prefer my Peanut with 2 blades . I like both single and multi blade, but honestly, I don't use a knife a WHOLE lot like some people do, so it doesn't really matter. So at the end of the day, I like both, but typically carry a multi blade.
 
I find myself generally taking a 2 blade knife with me on most days; generally this one:

knives110304-001.jpg


But I am also quite comfortable with a single blade knife.

knives110304-002.jpg


Buck302001.jpg


Sometimes I just carry two single blade knives:

knives110302-001.jpg


I have owned quite a number of stockman pattern knives over the years; the blade variety seems a wonderful idea, but can't get comfortable with one for some reason. I've tried, really I have. I guess the blade configuration of a pen knife or a canoe turns out to be the "best" for me. I did try a sowbelly stockman for a while since I had not ever owned one before. Well, I didn't like it any better than the 3 blade standard stockman and had Seals pull it apart and reassemble as a single blader. I much prefer it that way.

knives1103-013-1.jpg


I could rattle on and on here, but the bottom line is that I currently slightly favor a two blade knife over a single blade, and rarely carry a three blade knife any more.

Ed J
 
The jack configuration (large main blade plus a pen blade located on the same end) in all its many patterns has always been a favorite of mine. I usually use the pen blade for utility jobs and save the main blade for special work. I like having two blades so if you dull one and you don't have access to a sharpener you have a backup cutter.
 
I have handled thousands of old knives over the years and I find one or two "almost new" & one heavily used blade, on multi bladed knives.
My conclusion - most people use one blade a lot, and the other blades wait to be called to duty and go to bed disappointed, yet again.
 
I have been very firmly in the 1 blade camp since I had started collecting traditional knives a little over a year ago. It was just something I was more used to carrying. However, even when carrying single bladed knives, I carried 2 of them. I don't usually have many cutting tasks during my day but when I do, it tends to involve glue residue or food. I don't want to be eating glue so I carried 2 knives. I found that for cutting tape, envelopes, packages, etc, you don't need a large blade (but a larger handle can be nice). I went from almost exclusively single blade knives to now having more knives with 2+ blades. I even got my first 2 bladed custom knife recently. I like the slim profile of the single blade knives but I found 2+ to be more useful. Looking back, my GEC #66 jigged bone jack has been my most carried knife since I got it 3+ weeks ago. My #73 single blade scout has been my most used "work" knife since I got it 2 months ago. I also carry a Vic Manager on my keys (like the Rambler but with a pen instead of the toothpick). Really, I'm fine carrying either type now as long as I have at least 2 blades total.
 
Our takes on this subject sure are interesting.

Today I am carrying a SAK Alox with 4 blades. (So much for those who have accused me of being a snob when it comes to knives) :D.

I work in a highly automated production environment writing software interfaces to these machines and am around all types of high tech machines. This knife with large and small screwdrivers pen and master blade comes in real handy when I am on the production floors.

Anyway, this small package has all I need to get through the day. Not bad for a 13$ knife I picked up at Tuesday Morning. ;)
 
I find that I generally carry a couple knives on me at any time. I usually have a larger single-blade folder, paired with something smaller. For big knives, I prefer them to have just one blade. That keeps the bulk down. The smaller ones can have a couple-few blades (usually, I carry a barlow, trapper, or stockman). Lately, though, I've been combining my large single-blade choice (most often, recently, an Al Mar Eagle... sorta traditional...) with a TL-29. So really, my smaller knife only has one "blade," even though it contains a second tool.

But to answer your question... for me, it's about size and weight. If my knife is on the large side, I'd prefer one blade. If it's smaller, say a 3.5" - 4" frame, two- or three-bladed pocket knives are nice.
 
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